Tennessee reportedly in the mix for graduate-transfer quarterback Gardner Minshew|UT Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

New Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and offensive coordinator Tyson Helton are in the market for immediate help at quarterback. That much is clear. They pursued Wagner’s Alex Thomson who ended up at Marshall and have been connected to Keller Chryst, who is transferring from Stanford.

Signing day has come and passed and Tennessee currently has just three scholarship passers on the roster heading into the spring. Jarrett Guarantano, Will McBride and true freshman JT Shrout will make up the depth chart if no other moves are made.

But it appears that Tennessee is trying to make one final move. They’ve thrown their hat into the mix for graduate-transfer quarterback Gardner Mishew, who is set to leave ECU for a new team.

Sports Illustrated has the full story. Here’s the quote.

For now, Alabama is his only offer, but two other SEC schools are also in the mix. Tennessee reached out to him last week, and earlier this week he heard from Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who recruited him in high school when Lindsey was the offensive coordinator at Southern Miss.

Alabama has been the one team that we’ve heard connected to Minshew from the get-go. Nick Saban wants one more quarterback on his roster, even with Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa in the fold. Maybe he’s preparing for a potential Hurts transfer, but I’m just speculating there.

Minshew told Sports Illustrated’s Bruce Feldman that he’s been talking to Tennessee “a lot.”

Minshew says Tennessee is very intriguing, especially because the Vols’ QB picture is pretty murky as Jeremy Pruitt and his new staff continue to get settled: “We’ve been talking a lot. They want me to compete for the job in the spring.”

Because Tennessee has mini-terms within its semesters, Minshew would be able to enroll this spring, compete in spring ball and get around his new teammates and coaches, which would be a big plus in his eyes.

Feldman notes the connection to Chryst, but points out that he wouldn’t graduate from Stanford until June. Feldman also reports the Chryst will visit Knoxville this weekend. Minshew said he could be enrolled at Tennessee by next week, if he were to choose the Vols.

Minshew is a 6-2, 216 pounder out of Mississippi. He threw for 2,140 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2017, splitting time with Thomas Sirk. Minshew completed 57 percent of his passes, averaging an even seven yards per attempt on the year.

It sounds like Minshew’s final decision will come down to Tennessee, Alabama or Auburn. We’ll monitor this one closely, along with the Keller Chryst situation.