Due to Hendon Hooker’s season-ending ACL tear, Tennessee’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the year will be Joe Milton III.

After spending the majority of the past two seasons as the Vols’ backup, Milton will be thrust into the starting role for a matchup with Vanderbilt and the ensuing bowl game.

This replacement comes as no surprise with Milton looking sharp in his relief appearances. The depth chart behind Milton is more complicated, though.

The most logical option for the second-string quarterback position would be four-star freshman Tayven Jackson. However, Jackson suffered an upper-body injury against UT Martin that has held him out of action in the following weeks.

This leaves Milton as the only healthy scholarship quarterback on the roster with a gaping hole behind him. As indicated by the team’s depth chart heading into the regular-season finale with Vanderbilt, UCF transfer and redshirt sophomore Gaston Moore will fill the role of second-string quarterback for the time being.

Moore spent his first collegiate season under Josh Heupel at UCF where he saw no in-game action. Instead, he spent the year on the Knights’ scout team.

Following Heupel and Moore's main recruiter, Alex Golesh, departing for Knoxville in 2021, Moore joined the team on Rocky Top.

In limited action as a Vol, the 6-foot-2, 207-pound signal-caller has completed 5-of-6 passes for 32 yards and an interception. He’s taken snaps against Ball State and UT Martin this season.

Behind Moore on the roster is Navy Shuler. Shuler is the son of legendary Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler. This is Shuler’s first season as a Vol after spending two seasons at Appalachian State.

Despite two inexperienced options as Milton’s backup, Heupel plans to go into Nashville at full steam.

“Gaston and Navy are two guys that have been in our system for a while – Gaston, in particular,” said Heupel. “With Joe, we’ve got to go play, got to find a way to win this game, so we’ll use him as needed in the run game, too.”

Tennessee’s matchup with the Commodores will take place at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday. It will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and air on SEC Network.

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