I didn't think the fat man had it in him to do it but he has.
After a week of grading and combing over the film following every practice, Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer announced on Friday that he is making a change in the starting line up at quarterback.
Fulmer announced after Friday afternoon's walk-through that redshirt sophomore Nick Stephens is getting his chance under center.
"Obviously the quarterback position at Tennessee has garnered a lot of attention, as it should. We've continued to evaluate Jonathan and Nick's play in practice this week. Both have had good weeks of practice. With that said we need a lot more production from the quarterback position," Fulmer said.
"Jon's had his opportunities in ball games. That certainly doesn't mean that he won't have future opportunities at all. Nick has made progress and deserves a chance to see how he does in a football game. That's for our team. We need an offensive lift at this point."
Stephens, who has only played 8 snaps this year, said earlier this week that he is ready for the opportunity after making considerable strides.
"I am pretty confident with where I am going with the football," Stephens said. "Coach Clawson thinks sometimes that I try to do things outside of his game plan. I think he is starting to get more comfortable with me. Sometimes I feel things that are not necessarily where he wants me to go with the football, but at the same time I have to do what he wants. I am fitting into his system and adapting more to the things he wants me to do.
"I know the playbook better. I am getting the ball out of my hands quicker and checking it down. Not always trying to make a play with my arm and squeeze a ball (into tight coverage). Knowing the situation and that you don't always have to make a big throw. You can check it down and a lot of times that play will be a 15- or 20-yard play anyway. I am just being smarter with the ball."
Fulmer has seen improvement in Stephens over the last several weeks, but you got the sense from the head coach on Friday that a change was coming this week no matter what happened on the practice field, simply because the play at the position had been so erratic and costly.
"In the last couple of weeks he's become more consistent in his play, his handling of the huddle and those kind of things. He's always had ability. He's just a young guy who hasn't played yet. I'm anxious to see how he does," Fulmer said.
"Nick's got a little swagger about him that you like. He's a little bit of a gun-slinger. I don't want him to force balls but he has the ability to make plays. As Jon does, but Jon hasn't done it enough on a frequent enough occasion yet."
All week long, neither Fulmer nor offensive coordinator Dave Clawson allowed themselves to get nailed down on whether both quarterbacks would be assured of playing time on Saturday regardless of who started.
On Friday Fulmer seemed to suggest pretty clearly that if Stephens is up to it, the job is his and his alone.
"The perfect scenario is that Nick catches fire, takes over and everything happens like you want it to happen. That's what we're hoping for," Fulmer said.
"If it doesn't happen that way we'll evaluate it from there. I don't want someone different going in the ball game every couple of series. I'd like for someone to take charge."
According to Stephens, the biggest area he has improved is getting through his progressions and finding the right receiver, something that both Fulmer and offensive coordinator Dave Clawson have noted as being an issue in the passing game struggles.
"I am a lot better than I was a month ago," Stephens said. "A month ago, I would get to one and two then I would try to make something happen with my feet. There is a lot of speed in this league and you have to get through 1, 2, 3, 4 quick. It's fast. That is the biggest thing I have improved on this past month that's being quick with my progressions."
Saturday night, Stephens will get his chance to show his ability and while many fans, and friends have been telling Stephens he should be the man, the Flower Mound, Texas native is fully aware that he has to make the most of his chance.
"I do get that a lot," Stephens said of fans saying he should be playing. "At the same time, I haven't done anything yet. I have practiced well. That doesn't show up on the stat sheet. Until I go out and prove myself by leading the team down the field and put points on the board then people can say what they want, but it doesn't mean anything."
Saturday night, it means everything as the Vols look for to jumpstart a struggling passing game.
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