Last week a report surfaced that the Vols were pursuing a graduate transfer quarterback out of Wagner. Now it appears Tennessee is pursuing yet another grad transfer quarterback to try and join their roster for the 2018 season.
According to Dan Wolken of USA Today Sports, Tennessee “is a player” for Stanford graduate quarterback Keller Chryst. The senior was a starter for Stanford in both 2016 and 2017 but was unseated by KJ Costello midway through the 2017 season.
And Chryst has decided to transfer out of Stanford for one more opportunity elsewhere.
After four seasons at Stanford, I have decided to transfer for my 5th year of eligibility when I graduate in June. Thank you to Stanford University, the Stanford Football program, and especially my teammates for the experiences here. Looking forward to what the future holds!
— Keller Chryst (@KellerChryst) January 21, 2018
Chryst started the final six games of Stanford’s 2016 season and turned in an efficient effort in the process. He led the Cardinal to a 6-0 record while throwing for 848 yards, 10 touchdowns, and only one interception in his six starts. He completed 59.3 percent of his passes as a starter.
Stanford gave Chryst the starting job to begin the 2017 season, and Chryst was far from inept in his time as starter. But Stanford’s coaches elected to go with KJ Costello midway through the season after Chryst suffered an injury, and he was relegated to the bench even after he returned from that injury. He finished the 2017 season with 962 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 54.2 percent of his passes.
In his Stanford career, Chryst completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 1,926 yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also ran for 164 yards and three scores on 66 carries.
The Vols seem intent on adding a grad transfer QB to their roster after Quinten Dormady announced his decision to transfer off the roster last week. Tennessee has just two scholarship quarterbacks right now in rising redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guarantano and rising sophomore Will McBride. They will be joined by true freshman JT Shrout in the summer.
Chryst was a four-star quarterback coming out of Palo Alto, California in the 2014 recruiting class. He was rated as the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and they also had him as the No. 51 overall player in the class.
The other grad transfer quarterback that the Vols are reportedly pursuing is Alex Thomson of Wagner. Thomson threw for 2,436 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 57 percent of his passes in 2017.
