In football, motivation hides in the strangest places.

For junior-to-be quarterback Jonathan Crompton, motivation took the form of a conjunction.

On Tennessee’s depth chart for spring practice, which began Tuesday afternoon on Haslam Field with a non-contact practice, Crompton is listed as the starting quarterback.

“Or” sophomore Nick Stephens.

“Or” redshirt freshman B.J. Coleman.

Crompton understands there will be competition for the starting job, but he still wants to force that all-caps conditional off the depth chart as soon as possible.

“The little things that people don’t think would motivate players motivate them,” Crompton said. “You can question the quarterback position because I know my abilities and I know what I’m going to do.”

After serving as Erik Ainge’s understudy for the last two seasons, Crompton enters his fourth year with the Vols as the most likely choice to take the first snap of the 2008 season against UAB on Aug. 30.

On Tuesday, Crompton ran with the first team as UT coach Phillip Fulmer and new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson promised earlier in the day.

What happens from there depends on how Crompton and the other quarterbacks perform over the next 13 practices leading up to the Orange and White Game.

Stephens’ most significant action came last fall in a junior varsity game against Hargrave Military Academy.

Coleman’s biggest moments have come on the practice field.

And while Crompton has the most experience, including major playing time against LSU and a start against Arkansas in 2006, it’s not enough for Clawson to hand him the starting job on the first day of practice.

“He didn’t play much (last season),” Clawson said. “I think he got all of 12 throws. It’s hard to evaluate a quarterback who’s up by 20 points or behind late. To me, the board is clean and we’ll see what he can do.”

Since Clawson was hired in January, Crompton has busied himself with learning everything he can about Clawson’s offense.

That includes watching all the tape he could find of Richmond games, tape of himself on the practice field and studying UT’s new playbook.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer said he’s been impressed with Crompton’s effort — and output.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with Jonathan,” Fulmer said. “He was in the meeting just spouting things off one after the other. He’s just worked. I think all three of them have. It’ll obviously be, as all positions are, played out on the field.

“Jonathan right now would be our quarterback.”

Still, the real work begins now, on the field.

“You can do things on a board and you can show film, but until you work with them live… I have yet to even be in a drill with these guys where they’re handing the ball off,” Clawson said. “Today you almost take a Football 101 approach with them: this is how we take the snap, this is how we work an exchange.”

With all but three starters back on offense, including all five starters on the offensive line, quarterback remains the most pressing concern in spring practice.

And that’s another little piece of motivation for Crompton.

“I love it when people say the main question mark is the quarterback,” Crompton says. “That’s fine. They can think that. I’ll be ready to go.”

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.