'20 GA QB Harrison Bailey (UT SIGNEE)

#3 on The top QB classes in the 2020 cycle
The Vols have struggled at the quarterback position over the last few years, but five-star Harrison Bailey should help in a major way. There will likely be an opportunity for immediate playing time for the Georgia native and he’ll have some great weapons around him. Behind an offensive line that should see significant improvement over the next couple years, Bailey will have a chance to show off his big arm and playmaking abilities.
 
I expect JG will start the season. Depending how he responds and the development of HB will determine the end of season starter IMO.
 
Honestly Maurer or Shrout should be able to be out JG by next year. Knowledge of the system should be there. Either of those 2 would get me much more excited for OU and FL. Still think HB is our starter by game 5.
 
If Bo Nix can come in a play right away and produce then idk why HB can’t.
Bo Nix was not very good as a Freshman and Auburn is expected to take a big step back this year. He played out of necessity because they have a weak QB group. There will always be a couple of examples where it works but Nix at Auburn isn't one of them.
 
Honestly Maurer or Shrout should be able to be out JG by next year. Knowledge of the system should be there. Either of those 2 would get me much more excited for OU and FL. Still think HB is our starter by game 5.
I don't think Maurer or Shrout will beat out JG this year nor do I believe either will beat out HB the next 2-3 years. Their days of playing QB in Knoxville have come and gone.
 
I don't think Maurer or Shrout will beat out JG this year nor do I believe either will beat out HB the next 2-3 years. Their days of playing QB in Knoxville have come and gone.
I'll agree with you on Shrout, but I'm still a big Maurer fan. Just needs to put on weight. He had a fire under his ass last year. He'll be much calmer this year and know the system. I'm still hoping we see Bailey sooner than later though. He's as polished a QB prospect as I've seen.
 
I'll agree with you on Shrout, but I'm still a big Maurer fan. Just needs to put on weight. He had a fire under his ass last year. He'll be much calmer this year and know the system. I'm still hoping we see Bailey sooner than later though. He's as polished a QB prospect as I've seen.
There is more than just adding weight for BM to get better. Everyone likes a dual threat QB, me included, and he can certainly run but he's subpar at a bunch of QB traits that it takes to win in the SEC. Turnover rate is bad, decision making is bad and I'm not sure he has matured much his 1st season. Everyone loves his energy and fire, me included, but that doesn't trump JGs toughness and experience. Starting 4 games and not being able to finish a single one is a huge concern as well. I don't think he'll ever play again in Knoxville unless JG suffers a major injury between now and our 1st game next year.
 
There is more than just adding weight for BM to get better. Everyone likes a dual threat QB, me included, and he can certainly run but he's subpar at a bunch of QB traits that it takes to win in the SEC. Turnover rate is bad, decision making is bad and I'm not sure he has matured much his 1st season. Everyone loves his energy and fire, me included, but that doesn't trump JGs toughness and experience. Starting 4 games and not being able to finish a single one is a huge concern as well. I don't think he'll ever play again in Knoxville unless JG suffers a major injury between now and our 1st game next year.
That's where him being calmer and knowing the system should help. Durability would improve with adding weight. We'll see though. He has intangibles JG will never have and can actually hit a WR in stride on a deep ball. I do think he showed improvement on 1v1/back shoulder type throws though. Those first couple appearances he was heaving those babies out of bounce. lol
 
I don't think Maurer or Shrout will beat out JG this year nor do I believe either will beat out HB the next 2-3 years. Their days of playing QB in Knoxville have come and gone.
I agree on Shrout but Maurer at least has a shot at being the top guy. He showed the ability. Shrout was just too inconsistent and you could tell that the coaches were pretty much waiting for something bad to happen when he was in. I think he has a long way to go just on having down the basics of running the offense. JG was absolutely night and day inconsistent, but they knew they could go conservative at times and he could move the offense. I expect it to come down to JG and Bailey and the coaches will go with ball security as the first priority and playmaking as the second. If Bailey picks up the offense and makes good decisions, then he'll have a great chance of being the guy.
 
I agree on Shrout but Maurer at least has a shot at being the top guy. He showed the ability. Shrout was just too inconsistent and you could tell that the coaches were pretty much waiting for something bad to happen when he was in. I think he has a long way to go just on having down the basics of running the offense. JG was absolutely night and day inconsistent, but they knew they could go conservative at times and he could move the offense. I expect it to come down to JG and Bailey and the coaches will go with ball security as the first priority and playmaking as the second. If Bailey picks up the offense and makes good decisions, then he'll have a great chance of being the guy.
HB will only be the guy if JG plays bad vs Oklahoma and/or Fl I feel. Certainly a bunch of scenarios can happen, I believe JGs 1st half vs Oklahoma will likely determine who plays QB the rest of the season. I personally feel like we will start out 5-1 with JG this next season going into the Alabama game.
 
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Bo Nix was not very good as a Freshman and Auburn is expected to take a big step back this year. He played out of necessity because they have a weak QB group. There will always be a couple of examples where it works but Nix at Auburn isn't one of them.
SEC freshman of the year and a win over Bama is good enough for me..but to each their own
 
Man his stats were really bad. He got to lean on a dang good defense to, they did check out for the bowl game tho .
Won’t argue at all that the defense he had was elite..but they were still able to put up 48 on Alabama. And I’m by no means a Bo Nix fan or anything, but imo he was productive enough to have SEC freshman of the year honors and I would trade HB having that type of season and starting at QB1 over any other alternative
 
Won’t argue at all that the defense he had was elite..but they were still able to put up 48 on Alabama. And I’m by no means a Bo Nix fan or anything, but imo he was productive enough to have SEC freshman of the year honors and I would trade HB having that type of season and starting at QB1 over any other alternative
I could see HB having better stats and still not receive freshman of the year. Their defense put him in a lot of good spots . Our D is getting better and better but not on the same level as auburns . Can't wait to see HB show out.
 
10-11. Harrison Bailey and Jimmy Holiday, quarterbacks
Bailey is a tough bet to win the starting job in his first year on campus, even though both he and Holiday enrolled early and will be participating in spring practice. I like Bailey’s odds to win the backup job at some point and be the favorite to start in 2021, which means if Guarantano struggles in 2020 like he did in 2019, Bailey might play. Or, if Guarantano gets injured, Bailey could be the first guy off the bench.

Even without that, look for Holiday to possibly prove himself worthy enough for a short-yardage package or to get some looks in the red zone. Tennessee ranked 112th nationally last year in red zone touchdown percentage, and putting speed behind center is a good way to fix that. The Vols put Jauan Jennings behind center last year a few times, and Holiday might find a similar role if he proves himself capable. Holiday’s prospects as a long-term, full-time quarterback seem iffy with Bailey around, but playing that short-yardage role as a runner could be valuable in 2020.
 
All those out takes of Peyton Manning trotting out in his first game against UCLA when Jerry Colquitt went down and then splitting reps for awhile with Brandon Stewart for awhile after Fulmer decided not to mess with Todd Helton's baseball future anymore are funny now. It wasn't all that funny at the time. "He progressed as only Peyton can, very fast, and the rest is history."~ Phil Fulmer

I think having 4 or 5 athletic quarterbacks with live arms is a good thing and I don't care who starts. But the experience reading college defenses and understanding the playbook and knowing when to check out of a bad play are intangibles that high school quarterbacks haven't had to tap into yet. Potential is just that. GBO
 
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Bo Nix was not very good as a Freshman and Auburn is expected to take a big step back this year. He played out of necessity because they have a weak QB group. There will always be a couple of examples where it works but Nix at Auburn isn't one of them.
Joey Gatewood was “weak”? Don’t tell Kentucky...they’ve got a lot invested. Highly rated guy.
 

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