Christian Wilkinson has the drive to be the best quarterback he can be. Getting tips from the best quarterback coach around should only help his cause.
Wilkinson got in-depth training from quarterback guru Jon Gruden and several other big-name instructors over the weekend when he attended the Arsenal Tennessee Elite Quarterback Camp held at the University of Tennessee.
Getting to sit through study halls conducted by Gruden – a Super Bowl winning coach and ESPN analyst – and UT coach Butch Jones was a treat for Wilkinson and several other prominent quarterbacks from across the country. Going through workouts with Gruden was an even bigger adrenaline rush for the soon-to-be junior quarterback for the Pioneers.
Wilkinson got an up-close look at Gruden’s instructions and comical side while doing drills with Vol players.
“Gruden was the most fun to work with at the camp. He’s just like he is when he’s on TV. He’s really funny too,” said Wilkinson. “It seems that he coaches everybody the same, whether it’s me or Johnny Manziel or any other QB he trains. He does it with the same passion and fundamentals he preaches.”
Along with working with Gruden, Wilkinson spent plenty of time throwing with current UT quarterbacks Josh Dobbs and Nathan Peterman. Coach Jones and offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian were roaming as evaluators during the event. As expected, the Volunteer vibe was everywhere at Neyland Stadium and Gruden fed into it while speaking in front of the players and coach Jones.
“You can tell the atmosphere has changed in Knoxville. One of the first things Gruden said was, ‘I’ve coached all around the world, won a Super Bowl with the Bucs and I can say there’s no better place than Knoxville. And if you find one, let me know,’” said Wilkinson.
It was the first year UT had held the quarterback camp, which helps college coaches evaluate high-school prospects looking to make the next level. Wilkinson dreams of taking a college field in two years and Saturday was hopefully a stepping stone on that path for the Pioneer.
“Even though I was mostly being evaluated, I brought a lot of off-the-field things back with me,” said Wilkinson. “I learned that to be a successful quarterback, you have to have presence and leadership. I’m really going to work on my leadership so my teammates will play for me and rally around me.”
Wilkinson will continue his tour of college camps this weekend when he makes the trip to Vanderbilt. Wilkinson also will attend at QB camp at Duke University, where he said he hopes to run into former Pioneer and current Blue Devil offensive lineman Cody Robinson.