Tennessee QB Joe Milton ready to lead high-powered offense

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton stands out in so some ways.

At 6-foot-5 and 242 kilos, Milton is versatile sufficient to do a backflip from a standing place and has a proper arm so highly effective he can stand on the objective line and throw an orange into the wall on the different finish of a soccer discipline.

No person has ever questioned Milton’s athleticism.

Now 23 and the oldest quarterback within the room at Tennessee, the sixth-year participant will get his alternative. Milton will get the possibility to showcase how a lot he is grown and the way comfortable he’s with shorter passes so he can preserve coach Josh Heupel’s super-charged offense on the sector.

Heupel believes Milton is able to play at an elite degree in 2023, changing former roommate Hendon Hooker, the person who took Milton’s job in 2021 after his personal decrease leg damage.

“I’ve been actually happy with the way in which that Joe has labored right here,” Heupel stated. “He’s hyper-competitive and intentional in attempting to turn out to be the very best that he may be at his craft and on the similar time, push and pull his teammates to compete at a championship degree day-after-day.”

Milton confirmed what he may do after Hooker tore his left ACL in a loss at South Carolina in November. He helped the Vols end the season by routing Clemson within the Orange Bowl and ending up ranked sixth nationally after an 11-2 report — Tennessee’s greatest since 2001.

In his two seasons after transferring as a graduate from Michigan, Milton is 85 of 144 for 1,346 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. He is performed in 31 video games over the previous 5 years with solely 9 begins.

But Milton insists he is able to be Tennessee’s starter because the Volunteers wrap up spring apply Saturday with the annual Orange & White recreation.

“There’s much more issues that I see now that I didn’t see after I first bought right here,” Milton stated. “So I’m obligated to maneuver sooner. , I see issues totally different. I may also discuss to the receivers and allow them to know what I see now. So I get to play extra clean, extra calm and, you recognize, simply be me.”

Tennessee wants that from Milton to construct on the 18-8 report of Heupel’s first two seasons. With Hooker getting ready for the upcoming NFL draft, freshman Nico Iamaleava is the seemingly backup when the season begins Sept. 2 in Nashville, Tennessee, towards Virginia.

Iamaleava was the No. 2 quarterback nationally within the 247Sports composite rankings for the 2023 class. After that, the depth chart consists of Gaston Moore, who adopted Heupel from Central Florida, and most well-liked walk-on Navy Shuler, son of former Vols nice Heath Shuler.

Milton is utilizing the same pleasant and useful competitors he loved with Hooker to assist Iamaleava study as rapidly as attainable. The 6-6 freshman took half within the Vols’ pre-bowl practices and began courses in January so he may do the spring apply.

Milton’s greatest recommendation? Do not be afraid to make errors.

“Nico involves me each evening, proper after conferences he asks me questions concerning the script,” Milton stated. “I’m prepared to assist anyway I can. That’s simply me personally. For any freshman within the nation, it doesn’t should be only for Tennessee, go make a mistake. You by no means know what’s going to occur.”

How the Volunteers fare will rely upon Milton fulfilling the promise that he had popping out of Pahokee, Florida — and the largest key will probably be harnessing that mighty proper arm to throw out routes and display passes. Regardless of his restricted play final season, Milton nonetheless tied for 14th nationally by finishing six passes of fifty yards or longer.

New offensive coordinator Joey Halzle stated Milton is aware of he is competing towards himself and is motivated to benefit from his ultimate yr of eligibility. Halzle additionally believes Milton has has room for development after basically having solely 4 begins within the nation’s fastest-operating and top-producing offense.

They work usually on beneath and mid-range throws.

“He’s bought a bazooka,” Halzle stated. “He can throw it by way of a wall if he desires to. So, let’s simply contact all of those up after we’re in routes-on-air. What I at all times say, we work on that in our particular person and routes-on-air, however when it’s time to take the sector, it’s a must to see it and react.”