Even Matt Barkley, seen here rubbing elbows with NFL legend Joe Montana, being on campus at Southern California doesn't dissuade Jesse Scroggins from considering signing with the Trojans. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker)

For Tennessee football fans that follow recruiting, the anticipation is spilling over.

What hat will Jesse Scroggins put on Thursday? The 6-foot-3, 195-pound quarterback out of Lakewood (Calif.) High School told observers yesterday through his myspace page that he pushed his commitment time to Thursday at 2 CDT on ESPN's College Football Live.

Scroggins is one of few big names left on the board at quarterback, which is a position of glaring need for the Vols who, as of right now, only have one QB on scholarship next season -- Nick Stephens.

Scroggins, who lives less than 20 miles from the campus at Southern California, will decide between SC, Tennessee and Florida. There's optimism amongst Vol Nation that the lanky right-hander will don a Power T lid, but recruiting experts give UT roughly a 5 percent chance.

Most question why Scroggins would pass on coming to Knoxville given the opportunity to start day one. His cousin Jerry Anderson plays receiver for Houston High School in Memphis, his mother's hometown. If you read between the lines it sounded earlier this summer like UT could greatly increase their chances of picking up his services if there was a package deal in place. The Vol staff doesn't appear to be big on such workings and will roll the dice.

SC, the favorite, signed Matt Barkley last winter. Barkley departed Mater Dei (Calif.) High School as the nation's top pro-style QB recruit.

Nevertheless, all signs point to LA for Scroggins. Apparently his family feels that Jesse is the better QB and can earn the starting nod for the Trojans day one as well. The jury's out on that one, but if Barkley earns the job this season and runs with it, Scroggins would be silly to stay home.

Time will tell. Scroggins isn't the only name left on the board and adolescents hardly keep their word on verbal commitments these days (See former UT basketball pledge Josh Selby).