HOOVER, Ala. -- If there's a luxury that Butch Jones has had in each of previous jobs, it's been at the quarterback position.
When he took over at Central Michigan in 2007, he already had Dan LeFevour in place and in '10, his first season at Cincinnati, Zach Collaros was the clear starter.
But as Jones takes over at Tennessee, there is no plug-and-play QB to lean on as he's facing a choice between junior Justin Worley and redshirt freshman Nathan Peterman.
"We have to continue to develop those people," Jones said. "Our quarterback position is no different than any other position on our football team. We're going to put the best people in those positions that give Tennessee the best opportunity to win on game day.
I like the progress that Justin has made and Nathan has made. I'm excited to see what the two freshmen bring to the table when we start camp August 1."
The race will add more faces when camp breaks with incoming freshmen Joshua Dobbs and Riley Ferguson, who gave the Volunteers one of the nation's highest-rated QB classes in February.
Whoever seizes the job will be operating behind a Antonio Richardson-led offensive line that ranks second in the nation with 123 combined starts, and in listening to Jones' comments, he'll also be asking them to shoulder more than just the offensive load.
"When you become the full‑time starter, your life changes," he said in what sound liked a nod to Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. "You have to block out the clutter, the distractions, all the things that are associated with being a starting quarterback at a very high level in a program that everybody watches.
Considering the losses Tennessee suffered on offense, seeing those responsible for 95.3 percent of its offensive stats from a year ago leave, it's clear Jones is taking his time with his biggest decision in Knoxville to date.
