KNOXVILLE - Jarrett Guarantano very well could be the quarterback of Tennessee's future.
The promising freshman may have to wait his turn this season, though.
Though Guarantano has impressed during preseason practices this month, Quinten Dormady will remain the Volunteers' No. 2 quarterback behind starter Josh Dobbs, coach Butch Jones said Tuesday.
"I thought Quinten had his best practice yesterday," offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said later Tuesday. "He took the second group right down and scored and really executed very well. Jarrett continues every day to work hard and get better every day continuing to learn the offense. Both guys are doing well."
As the freshman backup in 2015, Dormady played in six games in mop-up duty, though he threw one or no passes in three of those appearances. His most extended action came against Western Carolina, when he was 6-of-8 passing for 93 yards with a touchdown pass to Preston Williams. In the other three games he was 7-of-13 for 116 yards.
With Sheriron Jones still limited this month after suffering a leg injury during spring practice, Guarantano, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2016 recruiting class, conceivably is Tennessee's No. 3 quarterback.
"Quinten Dormady's one snap away," Jones said. "I thought he had his best practice of the (preseason) yesterday. I thought he was in command. He made all the throws. Those three individuals are competing every day. Sheriron's still a little bit limited, but I've liked the growth and development of Jarrett as well, and we're bringing him along.
"Right now it's Josh and Quinten, and Quinten's one snap away."
The Vols had a rough go with quarterback injuries in Jones's first two seasons as coach, when Dobbs was either fourth or third in the pecking order and ended up finishing out the season.
Throughout his career Dobbs has proven to be pretty durable, but if anyone knows the value of needing to stay ready as the second- or third-string quarterback, it's the senior.
"(Dormady's) just come every day to work, and that's kind of been my echo to the entire quarterback position," he said. "They've responded well, from Quinten to Sheriron to Jarrett. Each one has come in each and every day and have maximized their reps that they're getting.
"It's great to see that. We compete in the quarterback room all the time, whether it's in the film room or after practice or during practice. That competition has risen, and it's great to see that throughout the room.
"I always tell them to treat every rep as if it's a game rep. You're not sure when your time will be called, but whenever it is called, you want to make sure you're ready. Practice each rep as if it's your last rep, and each rep has equal importance, so make them count."
Though he may be in for a redshirt season, Guarantano still has plenty of people in and around the program excited about Tennessee's post-Dobbs quarterback situation.
"I like Jarrett," linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said Monday. "Me and Alvin (Kamara) mess with him all the time, because he's a quarterback and he's going to have a lot of confidence when it's his time to take the team. I think he's performed well. It's a lot for a freshman playing quarterback, but I think he's progressing well.
"I think he'll be a great player here."
In addition to demonstrating a strong arm and natural athletic ability, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound New Jersey native has displayed the kind of edge great quarterbacks need.
"He's got a cannon," wide receiver Josh Malone said Monday. "We always get on him because every one of his balls are like bullets. It's like he's trying to drill the ball right through you.
"He's going to be a very good quarterback in the future. He's just got to stay the course, stay focused, stay out of trouble and just cancel out all the distractions. Hone his craft, and he's going to be a great player."
Dormady is talented, too, and he used his experience to his advantage going into this season and could do so again when the competition to replace Dobbs heats up after this season.
"I think that, number one, he's been here a year," DeBord said. "I think that year of experience has really helped him. He knows the offense. I think that's been a big part. Every day we put little wrinkles in here and there, or we'll start putting game-plan stuff in, and that's just all new stuff for Jarrett.
"Jarrett, he's smart and he's doing a great job, but I just think that year of experience has really helped Quinten."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.