KNOXVILLE - Tennessee began spring practice Tuesday afternoon with all eyes on the competition to replace Josh Dobbs as the starting quarterback.
Most of those eyes, quite frankly, are on the player wearing No. 2, Jarrett Guarantano.
The redshirt freshman is fine with the spotlight Dobbs handled so masterfully during his career with the Volunteers.
Guarantano actually might be more than fine with the added scrutiny and attention. The brash New Jersey native may thrive off it.
"Every single step is watched," he said after Tuesday's opening practice. "I go to class, I'm being watched; on Twitter I'm being watched; on Instagram - all those types of things. But that's what comes with the job. That's what comes with being the quarterback to a big university, a university that's soon to be the SEC champions.
"It's going to be even crazier in the future."
Guarantano clearly believes the future includes him becoming Tennessee's starting quarterback. Many fans expect that to be the case, too. Those around the program are excited about unleashing a player once ranked among the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2016 class alongside Jalen Hurts (now at Alabama), Shea Patterson (Ole Miss) and Shane Buechele (Texas).
Yet Quinten Dormady, Dobbs's backup the past two seasons, will make him earn it, and Guarantano was quick to point out the competition is not a two-man race, though neither redshirt sophomore Sheriron Jones nor freshman Will McBride got the nod to speak to the media after the first day of spring drills.
"It's not just us two," he said. "Just remember all that. Sheriron came here to also start, and Will, he came in to also start. We're all good friends, we're all out here competing and we all want to play."
Guarantano admitted it was a "reality check" having to redshirt last season, but it allowed him the chance to shadow Dobbs on a daily basis and on the sideline during games. He saw what it takes to handle everything that comes with being the starting quarterback at Tennessee. Guarantano used the understudy role to prepare for this offseason.
"It's a dream come true now that I get to compete for the job," he said. "Last summer I got in and I knew I was going to be second or third and all those types of things, but now that I have the chance to compete, it's like a whirlwind and I'm just excited to get started."
Tennessee's coaches have told the competing quarterbacks to take things one day at a time and focus on daily improvement and the rest will sort itself out.
"I've liked their approach," head coach Butch Jones said. "We talked about compete and don't compare, and I've liked their approach. I thought they commanded the line of scrimmage very well. Now the installation will pick up, and there's a lot of new things going in installation-wise, things that we haven't done before, new drills that we haven't done before.
"And we're seeing how they respond. How do they respond to controlled chaos? That's what a game of football is, and we have to be able to fix the problems on the football field. It's easy to say what the problems are, but how do we fix the problems? A lot of times that's the job of the quarterback."
Guarantano believes he's improved from being "just a gunslinger" seeking completions to understanding the value of commanding an offense and leading on and off the field.
Beyond who has the best arm or who's the best fit for an offense now under the control of promoted coordinator Larry Scoot, the quarterback who draws the greater response from his teammates likely will emerge with the job.
Guarantano's confidence makes it hard to believe it won't be him, but earning the job will be easier said than done.
"You always want to look forward," he said. "I always catch myself looking at Georgia Tech and that new Atlanta dome, but I know that each day is a blessing and I know each day I have to come out and get better, better myself and my teammates.
"It's hard coming out here (and not pressing), because you know that every single little action's being watched and being filmed, but we came here to be the best. That's what it's going to take."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.