In the offseason, I wrote about how us media members would spend all fall camp talking about Tennessee’s offensive tackle and secondary questions. But how, in reality, Tennessee football’s greatest question entering the season was the play of starting quarterback Joe Milton III.
Milton had played like two different guys in his first two seasons at Tennessee, starting four games while spending 22 others as Hendon Hooker’s backup. While we knew Milton was improved, we didn’t know how improved and we wouldn’t truly know what Tennessee had at quarterback before they traveled to Florida.
We’ve reached that point as Tennessee opens up SEC play against Florida at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN Saturday night. In one of my radio hits this week, the hosts asked me how long of a leash Josh Heupel would have on Joe Milton III before potentially making a move to freshman Nico Iamaleava.
So it’s fair to say Milton’s super senior season hasn’t started swimmingly. The Pahokee, Florida native was solid in Tennessee’s season opening win over Virginia before faltering in week two against Austin Peay.
Tennessee’s receivers did Milton no favors, dropping multiple passes against the Governors, but Heupel abandoned passing the ball past the line of scrimmage in the second quarter. Facing a FCS foe, Tennessee went into survival mode. No matter how poor the play from the receivers was, that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of the Vols’ coaches confidence in Milton.
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A bad sign? No doubt. But I’m holding steady to what I wrote over the summer and above. Tennessee finds out the answer to the Joe Milton III question Saturday in Gainesville.
The Vols will have every offensive play and scheme they’ve practiced at their disposal. There will be no holding back and no handcuffing Milton if the passing attack struggles early. Milton will have the chance to play through mistakes and will have to do so effectively to put to bed the idea that Tennessee will replace him with Iamaleava later this season.
And I full expect Heupel to give Milton every chance to win at Florida. I would be stunned if Tennessee makes a move to Iamaleava in the game. Florida’s offense doesn’t have the firepower to open up a big lead on Tennessee and despite his inconsistencies, Milton still hasn’t thrown an interception at Tennessee.
That’s a recipe for Milton playing the entire game even if he struggles. The Vols have a strong run game to lean on and they will in their SEC opener to take the work load off Milton’s shoulders.
It’s Florida week. The great Joe Milton question comes to a head Saturday.
