Tennessee football: Top 5 non-conference players 2019 Vols have to face
Despite a 2-10 campaign last year, Shawn Elliott is sticking with Dan Ellington to quarterback the Georgia State Panthers this season. And that could actually be a bit more dangerous for Tennessee football than people are aware.
Elliott is capable of winning at these schools, evidenced by taking GSU 7-5 the year before. Last year, his team was just young, but it was loaded with his players. So he’s a solid coach who has his own guys now, and Ellington is one of those guys.
As a dual-threat quarterback who led the team in rushing and passing last year, Ellington completed 59.6 percent of his passes for 2,119 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 625 yards and five touchdowns. Once a junior college quarterback, the 6’3″ 205-pound senior will be looking to make a huge statement his final season.
And given that Georgia State is the opener for the Vols, they won’t know what to expect from Ellington or what Elliott has planned. Simply put, he’s a major threat if Jeremy Pruitt is not careful with his preparation. If the Panthers do have a major turnaround year, he will be the reason it happens, and he clearly has a ton of raw talent.