Jones updates quarterback battle and Shy Tuttle

MEMPHIS — Tennessee football coach Butch Jones ended the spring saying the starting quarterback job was still a wide open competition. That, in fact, some of the biggest steps in determining who would eventually win that job would come during the summer.

That competition between Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano to be Tennessee's next starting quarterback presses on, but as the season creeps closer the pair, according to Jones, are are tight as ever.

If there have been any attempts to gain an advantage or put the other down, Jones hasn't seen or heard about it. It's actually been the opposite.

"As a matter of fact," Jones said Sunday night prior to the Big Orange Caravan stop in Memphis, "they're calling each other and (getting) together to say, 'Hey, let's throw or let's do extra video time and all that.'"

There is still no timetable for when Tennessee will name a starter, and the UT coaching staff is trying to cultivate competition for as long as possible.

Any workouts held during the summer have to be player-led, which is why Jones said in the spring that strides can be taken by either Dormady or Guarantano. With throwing sessions, 7-on-7 drills and voluntary workouts all slated for the coming weeks, both talented but inexperienced quarterbacks will have an opportunity to establish themselves as a leader.

"We always say compete and don't compare and control what you can control," Jones said. "And that's your own self-discipline, it's your own self-determination, it's your leadership, it's everything that goes along with it. I think a lot of times young players fall into a trap where they compare everything instead of just competing.

"Both Quinten and Jarrett have really, really done a great job of competing, but also they're teammates. We talk about being nine strong and the power of the position, and the quarterback position group is very, very important (with) Will (McBride) as well. These individuals compete every single day, but I think they have great respect for each other."

The quarterback competition isn't the only unknown Jones doesn't quite want to put a timetable on.

Defensive tackle Shy Tuttle is 'extremely optimistic' about his recovery according to Jones, but when the 6-foot-2, 311 pound lineman could return is still up in the air.

“No, just when his body is ready to go,” Jones said of whether there was a timetable. “He has to continue to do his due diligence like he has, but you can't put a timetable. You can't rush. You can't rush his body, and we know he's doing everything possible and our training staff is doing everything possible as well.”

Tuttle's season was cut short for the second straight year when he went tore multiple ligaments in his knee against South Carolina. It comes on the heels of a severe ankle/leg injury he suffered against Georgia the year before that cut a promising freshman season short.

He has 19 tackles in 13 career games. He has two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

It's difficult to come back from just one severe leg injury, let alone two, but Jones is confident that the North Carolina native is on the path to helping the Vols on the field again.

"It gets back to resolve and resiliency, and Shy has that,” Jones said. “Again, just taking it one day at a time. We live in what I call a SportsCenter society, everybody turns on SportsCenter at night and all they see is highlights. What they don't see is the work behind the scenes, the recovery, the rehab that when into having the ability to make those plays. Shy is going through that right now. But, again, I see him every single day. He always has a smile on his face and he's extremely optimistic.

“Shy is as determined as I've seen him. He's got a great outlook on things and he's doing a lot of things right now, and it's great to see. Shy Tuttle can do anything he puts his mind to.”