One storyline worth following in Tennessee's football offseason was expected to be where Tayven Jackson would fit in at quarterback with Joe Milton III returning and with the fanfare of five-star early enrollee Nico Iamaleava.
That answer came quickly.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Greenwood, Indiana, has entered the NCAA transfer portal and will not battle it out with Milton and Iamaleava in the months ahead under the guidance of coach Josh Heupel and new offensive coordinator Joey Halzle, who is entering his third season as quarterbacks coach of the Volunteers. Milton and Iamaleava are currently Tennessee's only quarterbacks on scholarship.
Jackson was the nation's No. 13 quarterback and No. 198 overall prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the 2022 signing cycle, making him a solid four-star prospect. He played in Tennessee's routs of Ball State, Akron and UT Martin this past season, when he was 3-of-4 passing for 37 yards in those games and ran for a 1-yard touchdown against Akron.
A collarbone injury against UT Martin on Oct. 22 prevented Jackson from playing in lopsided victories down the stretch against Kentucky, Missouri and Vanderbilt. The setback also kept him from assuming the top backup spot behind Milton following Hendon Hooker's ACL injury at South Carolina on Nov. 19.
Milton was named Orange Bowl MVP after completing 19 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-14 thumping of Clemson on Dec. 30.
This past August, Jackson was asked about his eventual challenge of having to fend off Iamaleava, who committed to the Vols last March.
"I think every college quarterback would tell you that a school is not going to get a four- or five-star and then not recruit for four years," Jackson said. "Coach Halzle told me that we're going to get the best guy in every class, and we got the best guy in the 2023 class. I've watched Nico, and he is a great player.
"I can't wait to be his teammate and compete with him."
Another Tennessee player who recently entered the transfer portal, sophomore receiver Walker Merrill, has signed with Wake Forest.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.