Navy Shuler, the son of former Volunteers quarterback Heath Shuler, announced Sunday on social media that he is transferring after spending the past two seasons at Appalachian State. The 6-foot, 200-pound quarterback from Arden, North Carolina, would have four seasons of eligibility in Josh Heupel’s program due to the NCAA’s extra year implemented at the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“I will be transferring to the University of Tennessee and will be the fifth Shuler in my family to wear the Power T,” Shuler posted on Twitter. “I would like to thank Coach Heupel and his staff for giving me this opportunity. Rocky Top has always been my home. It’s time to return.”
Shuler was the nation’s No. 70 pro-style quarterback and the No. 1,972 prospect overall in the composite rankings for the 2020 signing class. He redshirted without seeing any action in 2020 and, according to App State’s notes for the Boca Raton Bowl against Western Kentucky that took place Saturday, played in the 48-14 win over Arkansas State in early November for his lone career appearance with the Mountaineers.
Tennessee has starter Hendon Hooker and backup Joe Milton as returning quarterbacks for 2022 and signed four-star recruit Tayven Jackson out of Greenwood, Indiana, this past Wednesday. It is expected that Shuler would add depth to the position as a preferred walk-on.
Shuler’s father started for Tennessee during the 1992-93 seasons, when the Vols transitioned from Johnny Majors to Phillip Fulmer. He led Tennessee to memorable victories over Georgia and Florida on consecutive Saturdays in 1992, when Fulmer was interim head coach, and guided Fulmer’s Vols to a 9-1-1 regular season in 1993 before losing to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.
In the 1993 Heisman Trophy balloting, Shuler finished a distant second to Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward. Shuler left Tennessee after his junior season and was the No. 3 selection in the 1994 NFL draft.
