KNOXVILLE – Tennessee football coach Butch Jones said he thinks quarterbacks Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano both have earned the right to play as the Volunteers approach their season opener.
But Jones spoke in vague terms Wednesday when pressed about the specifics of his quarterback plan for Tennessee’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Georgia Tech on Monday at Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I think the circumstances of the game come in to play,” said Jones, who is entering his fifth season with the Vols. “What’s your rhythm on offense? How are you doing? This is a game where your possessions are going to be limited.”
Jones released Tennessee’s first depth chart of the 2017 season Wednesday, and Dormady and Guarantano were listed as co-starters. Jones noted the competition to be the game’s starter could last “all the way through pregame warmups.”
“I think that’s healthy,” Jones said. “Again, I just want them to continue to compete. They’ve done a really good job in their game-week preparation, and it’s whoever goes out there first. I guess we’ll know on game day.”