Redshirt freshman quarterback Riley Ferguson, one of four signal callers in the fight to lead the Tennessee offense in 2014, has apparently left the team, according to coach Butch Jones, who confirmed Ferguson's decision to the Knoxville News-Sentinel from Destin, Fla., where he was attending the SEC spring meeting.
Ferguson was among four quarterbacks on the Vols’ roster following spring practice. The other three are sophomores Joshua Dobbs and Nathan Peterman and senior Justin Worley.
While Ferguson had no passing statistics during the 2013 season, he showed up in April’s spring game, completing 7 of 12 passes for 83 yards and one touchdown, but he threw an interception and lost a fumble.
There was no apparent reason for Ferguson leaving the Vols other than his wishes to be closer to his Matthews, N.C., home.
The Vols did not sign a quarterback in the 2014 recruiting class, so they would be expected to sign a pair in 2015.
Worley and Dobbs are expected to battle for the starting job in preseason practice. Peterman’s decision to stay at Tennessee rather than possibly transfer to another school after the 2013 season.
Ferguson’s brother, Zach, is a wide receiver at UNC-Charlotte and that could be a possible destination for the former Vols quarterback. The 49ers played their first football season last year and will join Conference USA in 2015.
(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)