Oct 3, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee won't be losing redshirt freshman Sheriron Jones after all. The first-year quarterback announced his intentions to transfer to Colorado Jan. 7, however in a stunning move, Jones announced he would be returning to the Volunteers on Friday.
According to NCAA transfer rules, Jones will not be forced to sit out the 2016 season upon returning to Tennessee. NCAA players are allowed a 14-day window to return to their original school without penalty.
Colorado head coach Mike MacIntrye released the following statement regarding Jones' decision to return to Knoxville:
"My job is to work with the whole person," MacIntyre said. "Each player is unique and comes with unique needs and concerns. Throughout the past couple of weeks, Sheriron and I have spent a lot of time trying to sort out his circumstances. We have concluded that it is in his best interest for him to return to Tennessee."
Jones served as Tennessee's third-string quarterback in 2015 and did not take any snaps in a game this year, as the season served as his redshirt season. Coming out of high school, Jones was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in the nation according to 247Sports.
With Jones' return, the Vols are once again scheduled to have four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster: incumbent senior starter Joshua Dobbs, sophomore Quinten Dormady and 2016 recruit Jarrett Guarantano.
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