How Will McBride could become factor in Vols quarterback race

The biggest question of Tennessee’s preseason football camp: Who will be the starting quarterback, Quinten Dormady or Jarrett Guarantano?

The second-biggest question: What will the No. 2 quarterback do?

That’s a scary question for Tennessee fans. Since it’s conceivable that the loser in the quarterback competition would transfer, imagine what that would do to UT’s quarterback depth.

Tennessee’s quarterback depth already has been depleted by the transfer of former four-star recruit Sheriron Jones. Another quarterback transfer might be deemed catastrophic.

But there are options in reserve.

One of the most interesting signees in Tennessee’s 2017 recruiting class was quarterback Will McBride from Clear Springs High School in League City, Texas, about 30 miles from Houston.

You might have wondered why he signed with Tennessee. The Vols already had Jones and two other former four-star quarterback recruits on their depth chart. And McBride was a three-star recruit.

But when he chose Tennessee, that told you he might have five-star confidence.

He’s also a dual-threat quarterback whose skills seemingly fit Tennessee’s offensive system. There’s the Texas thing, too. Like Dormady, of Boerne, Texas, McBride honed his quarterbacking skills against exceptional competition, mainly from the Houston metropolitan area.

Clear Springs coach Craig Dailey can vouch for both the competition and McBride, who led the Chargers to a 9-2 record last season, Dailey’s first as a head coach.

“He’s very intelligent and can put the ball where only your guy can get it,” said Dailey, who has been an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at other Texas schools. “He knows when to drill the ball and when to put touch on it.

“But the best thing he does is extend a play.”

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings also could be an option for Tennessee if another quarterback transferred. He was a four-star quarterback in high school before changing positions at Tennessee.

Perhaps, the Vols won’t need help beyond their top two quarterbacks. Maybe, Dormady will win the starting job, and Guarantano will remain on the team as a backup.

But if Guarantano got the nod, I can’t imagine Dormady sticking around. He already has spent two seasons at Tennessee as a backup quarterback. That alone is reason enough for coach Butch Jones to name Dormady as the starter, assuming the competition is reasonably close.

Such quarterback dilemmas have become commonplace in college football.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Barnett started Alabama’s opener last season, then left the team a few weeks later, after freshman Jalen Hurts was promoted ahead of him. Barnett is now competing for the starting job at Arizona State.

Quarterbacks David Cornwell (Nevada) and Cooper Bateman (Utah), both of whom transferred from Alabama after last season, also are competing for starting jobs this preseason.

Attrition reminds you to look below your first two quarterbacks when appraising your depth chart. The third quarterback could matter, too, even if he is a true freshman.

Reach John Adams at john.adams@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6284 and on Twitter @johnadamskns.

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