2010 Volunteer Football Signee: Matt Simms

Matt Simms is probably the quarterback that people are most unfamiliar with on the Volunteers roster.  The latest addition to the team, Simms is a JUCO quarterback who played for El Camino Community College in California, where he threw for over 2,200 yards in a successful championship run.  Simms is not touted for the same arm strength that Tyler Bray possesses, but he appears quite confident in his abilities and is quite well-regarded in his own right.

Opinions on Simms vary from those who think he'll win the starting job in the fall to those who think he's an insurance policy.  But no matter the opinion, Simms brought a once-thin quarterback roster up to the traditional number of four (including Stephens, Lamaison, and Bray, but counting Nance as a fifth after the fact).  No matter who wins the job in the fall, Tennessee can now settle in on one quarterback per year as most schools prefer to recruit, which is a huge burden off the minds of the coaching staff.

The important thing for Simms is to show his decision making and his presence on the field.  He can't compete with the arm strength of Bray and Stephens, but he can prove that he won't make mistakes, which is the most important trait for a quarterback.  As with Lamaison, the community college time should help him adapt quickly to SEC play, which may help him edge out Tyler Bray early on.

He may not be the first name to come to mind for 2010 UT football, but he'll be worth watching in the spring to see how he compares to the other quarterbacks.  And if he looks the best, you can be certain that you'll see him taking snaps when it counts in September.

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