Never in times past (I’ve been there) has Tennessee football generated so much excitement and confusion in just half of January.

Defensive reconstruction swept some bad stuff under the checkerboard rug – the disappointment of the 8-5 season, the public thrashing by Vanderbilt and the ho-hum bowl loss.

Joy to the world, the Vols were back in big business. Next playoff, here we come.

Bringing in Jim Knowles was a shrewd move. I seconded the motion. Josh Heupel projected a bold outlook.

For a few minutes, the transfer portal became the talk of the town. Tennessee tradition and NIL millions would fill all the holes and attract a new starting quarterback.

Playoff? No question. There might even be a shot at the national championship. Indiana and Miami were killing off bluebloods. Ohio State was eliminated. Can you believe Alabama went down 38-3?

Vol fan outlook inched toward unreasonable optimism, a tendency in Big Orange Country. Confidence soared. Excellent high school recruiting class would soon arrive. We are oh, so smart.

That didn’t last long. Confusion intruded. For some strange reason, neither of the transfer quarterbacks Heupel wanted signed on our dotted line.

What happened? Heupel, all-American quarterback and Heisman runner-up in 2000, seems the ultimate coach for a would-be elite quarterback.

Did Lane Kiffin cause that interruption? He is a natural-born trouble-maker. Was it a money matter? Did Heupel do the delay just in case the Joey Aguilar eligibility miracle materialized?

Was Josh too careful not to upset the future, our good guy George and 5-star Faizon, his talented quarterbacks-to-be?

Could be “Thou shalt not cheat’ from Dr. Danny White extinguished some enthusiasm. The athletics director conceded that others were cheating, offering whatever agents, players and parents wanted, whatever it took.

Tennessee was suddenly fighting tigers with a short stick.

Let us not quibble with the idea of honesty – or self-preservation. Dr. Danny was correct on this one. He was protecting the farm. Tennessee lives under whatever remains of the NCAA microscope because the school is still on probation from Jeremy Pruitt’s transgressions and because state attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti knocked out NIL enforcement by the struggling governing body.

We have finally arrived at now. Injury odds said Tennessee had to have a third quarterback on the roster. It selected Ryan Staub, a spare part from Colorado, three-year Buffalo, one-game starter in 2023, one in 2025, assorted other appearances.

Ryan’s career stats are modest – 681 yards passing, four touchdowns, four interceptions, one TD rushing.

One observer said he’s better than the numbers imply, that he has athletic and leadership ability and a terrific attitude.

Staub speaks well. He said he wanted to be at Tennessee.

“I’m excited to get to work here. This coaching staff is awesome. There’s a lot of continuity here, and it’s a great system and I think it’s a great fit.”

No promises, whether he is a Vol starter or depth will eventually be determined. Starting against Furman on September 5 will mean he pushed past George MacIntyre and 18-year-old Faizon Brandon in spring practice and exceled in August preparation.

Staub, 6-1 and 200, has more college football experience. MacIntyre, 6-6 and a thin 203, knows the Heupel offense. Brandon, 6-4 and 202, probably has the most ability.

Never has Tennessee optimism switched so fast to uncertainty and then bounced around before settling on a degree of stability.

Texas and other toughies be damned, you can bet the Vols will be competitive this fall. There is no white flag. Just guessing results will be at least a little bit better. Evaluate progress later.

One measurement of acceptance will be how many new names are added to the waiting list for Tennessee tickets.

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com