Nov 15, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) runs the ball against Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Ryan Flannigan (33) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 50 to 16. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
3. Lack of Proven Quarterback Depth
The Vols win enter the 2015 season with one of the more highly-anticipated quarterbacks in the SEC in junior Josh Dobbs. As a sophomore, Dobbs sparked a dormant Tennessee offense on his way to tossing 1,206 yards and 9 touchdowns, adding 469 rushing yards and 8 rushing scores in just six games.
Many Vol fans and national analysts expect Dobbs to take that next step and become an All-SEC quarterback, and he certainly has the potential to do so. But aside from Dobbs, the Vols currently have zero QB’s with college experience on scholarship.
Tennessee welcomed in 3 quarterbacks in the 2015 recruiting class, and they need every one of them. Quinten Dormady, Jauan Jennings, and Sheriron Jones will come in as freshmen in 2015, and they will be the only backups for Dobbs after redshirt junior Nathan Peterman transferred to Pitt.
And if there’s one thing that has been proven since Butch Jones took over it’s that Tennessee needs backup quarterbacks.
For the past two seasons, the Vols haven’t gone the entire season with the same starting quarterback. Justin Worley started each of the last two seasons, but he failed to see the end of both of them on the field. Worley sustained a season-ending had injury in 2013, and he suffered a season and career-ending arm injury in 2014. Each time, Dobbs took over for Worley a little past the halfway point in the season.
Thus far, Dobbs has shown toughness and remained relatively injury-free. But if he goes down, a true freshman will have to take over. And no matter how talented that true freshman may be, the Vols have seen firsthand how a true freshman fares in the middle of an SEC schedule. Dobbs looked vastly different in 2014 compared to his time on the field as a freshman in 2013.
Without any prior experience against SEC competition, it’s hard to imagine a freshman QB on Tennessee’s roster this season would fare any differently than Dobbs did in 2013. Dobbs may not sustain a significant injury in 2015, but if he does, the Vols may be in trouble.