Josh Heupel details how Joe Milton has grown this offseason, expectations for 2023

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel is confident in the ability of quarterback Joe Milton to lead the offense in 2023. Milton has been through plenty of ups and downs since transferring from Michigan in 2021, beginning that season as the starter before Hendon Hooker took over just two games into that season.

He never complained throughout it all, and his patience has finally been rewarded as he is set to take over as the start with Hooker on to the NFL. Appearing on the SEC Network on Tuesday, Heupel explained how Milton has set himself up for success not only this offseason, but also with how he continued to work the past two seasons as a backup.

“Joe’s been a guy that’s worked tirelessly since he got here,” the coach said. “It didn’t work out exactly the way he wanted it to when it first started. Hendon takes the job, but Joe’s been a great teammate from that point forward. He’s had great work ethic and he’s become a great leader. That’s not just since January when he took the reigns for the bowl game, but that’s really been all of last year too in 2022 and he’s continued on that journey.

“He’s a guy that cares deeply about the guys around him. He’s wanted to perfect and continue to grow in his craft. That comes in the way he moves inside of the pocket, his balance with plays and him being accurate with the football. I thought he made great strides in the course of spring football and it also has shown in his understanding of defenses and how we brought our football team in the offseason.”

Milton got his chance to show what he can do in the final two games of last season when Hooker suffered a season-ending ACL injury. His performance in the Orange Bowl win against Clemson has fans excited about his potential, as he finished that game with 251 yards and three touchdowns.

Much has been made of Milton’s arm strength after clips emerged of him making throws of 70-plus yards at the Manning Passing Academy last month. However, Heupel is also asking Milton to make more plays on the run this season, a skill he showed early on as the starter in 2021.

“There’s designed quarterback runs, which we implement at times situationally that Joe is operating and been really effective in,” Heupel said. “Another step in his growth from the end of the bowl game to when we kick off has to be him understanding the pocket and what’s happening with the coverage downfield to step up, escape the pocket and create plays with his feet. That’s gonna be big throws down the field, but it’s also gonna be him using those feet to pick up could be chunks of yards, could be threes, fives and 10s to keep getting ahead of the chains.

“That’s gotta be an area of growth for him. I think he’s taken steps in that, but that’s something we’ve gotta see when we get to kickoff in the fall.”

Tennessee is coming off of an 11-2 season and whether it can keep up that level of play depends largely on the play of Milton. But with what he has seen so far, Heupel believes he’s ready to step right in.