Josh Heupel breaks down Joe Milton's game, readiness to start

Spring practice is underway for the Tennessee Volunteers, and many eyes will be at the quarterback position heading into the season. Quarterback Joe Milton is now tasked will filling the shoes of Hendon Hooker full-time this upcoming season, and head coach Josh Heupel was asked if he’s noticed any difference in Milton since.

“He really has been the same guy, I said this last year, you could feel his energy and his focus and he was very intentional in the way that he worked,” Heupel said. “He had a voice inside of our team when he got his opportunity to start on the backend of the season. I spoke to those things before the Vandy game and before the Orange Bowl, the same is true today.”

Milton was the backup quarterback all season last year. But when starter Hendon Hooker went down with a season-ending knee injury, Milton had the opportunity to lead the team as the starter for the final two games of the season.

He led the Vols to a 2-0 record as a starter last year when his role quickly increased drastically, and this offseason his role as a leader has changed as well.

“You hear his voice more often because certain guys aren’t here that were in those leadership roles, but that’s true for a lot of guys in our roster. I’ve been really proud of the way that Joe’s worked here, he’s hyper-competitive and intentional in trying to become the best that he can at his craft and at the same time push and pull his teammates to compete at a championship level every day,” Heupel said.

Heupel may be up on Milton’s stock as his starter this upcoming season, but also made it clear that he’ll still have to compete for his job. Five-star recruit and the No. 3 ranked quarterback in the 2023 class Nico Iamaleava is now a part of the Volunteers’ quarterback room, a talented young player that will be looking to push Milton and the quarterback competition this offseason.

“I believe Joe will be ready to play at an elite level, there’s competition at every position. I’ve said that from the time that I’ve got here, I don’t care how you were recruited, if you were a walk on or not, if you started a game or a year ago it doesn’t matter. It’s about who you are today and that’s why you got to be very competitive in everything that you’re doing, intentional in the way that you work,” Heupel said. “I believe Joe will be ready to play at a really high level, but there’s gonna be competition as well.”