Tennessee football: 5 biggest keys to Vols 2018 QB battle

TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 21: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to pass against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 21: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to pass against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images /

2. Accuracy

This is where we get to the biggest keys. Tennessee football went after Keller Chryst for a reason, and it’s the same reason they pulled scholarships from two mobile quarterbacks when Jeremy Pruitt took the job.

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  • The Vols definitely value big arms and pocket presence. But the biggest key to Tyson Helton’s offense is going to be accuracy. That’s the one consistent thing that stood with Sam Darnold and Brandon Doughty.

    They both had weaknesses, but both can make very timely and very accurate throws when all things are equal. Because of Helton’s match-up based offense, his play-calling can mask lack of arm strength and pocket presence if the accuracy is there. That’s why Chryst is the perfect guy to compete with Jarrett Guarantano for the starting job.

    Chryst developed some arm strength at Stanford. But he has always been a quarterback defined by his accuracy. That gives Helton a lot to work with, and you can best believe that he will use that to his advantage. And it’s the biggest thing working in his favor over any of the other Vols quarterbacks on this list so far.

    With numerous questions at the slot right now, Tennessee football desperately needs a quarterback who can hit tight spots. It’s the only way to properly open up the offense in Jeremy Pruitt’s first year.

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    This is actually what is unique about the pro-style offense Helton likes to run. People don’t understand that accuracy is actually the most important thing usually in a spread, while it must come with a base level of arm strength in a pro-style. But Helton’s system can work without that base level of arm strength if the accuracy is on point.