Tennessee football: 5 takeaways from Vols’ 40-14 loss to West Virginia
Tennessee football fell to 0-1 after a 40-14 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers. Here are five takeaways from the Volunteers’ loss.
This wasn’t the outcome that most hope from the Tennessee football team in Jeremy Pruitt’s first game as head coach. For most of the first half, the Vols hung tight. However, after the halftime and the lightning delay, the young secondary couldn’t stop Will Grier and the highly talented wide receivers.
The Vols fall to 0-1 on the season, which is what most people predicted. This doesn’t mean the season is over for Tennessee. It is early, and they could still start the season 3-1 before the toughest four-game span in all of college football.
On the other hand, West Virginia has their eyes set on a college football playoff appearance, and with the win, they are still on pace. Will Grier and the offense got going in the second half, and it was too much for the young Vols’ secondary to overcome.
So let’s break down exactly how everything went. Here are five takeaways from Tennessee football’s blowout loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers.
1. Jarrett Guarantano played a heck of a game
Haters are going to hate, but this loss doesn’t fall on the shoulders of Jarrett Guarantano. The second-year quarterback played extremely well and didn’t do anything to lose the game. Guarantano finished the game 19-for-25 for 172 yards with one touchdown.
At times in the game, the offensive line gave him time, and he connected with Callaway for a couple of big plays. Guarantano and Callaway ended up connecting for 85 yards.
2. The offensive line struggled with switching from the spread to a pro-style
Oh man, it was rough. The first drive only showed Guarantano getting hit in the backfield as soon as he got the ball. One of the things that have plagued the Vols offense was the offensive line play. It was absolutely horrible in the first quarter.
They settled down and got better as the game went on but all in all, it was a bad showing. If the Vols are going to get to six or seven wins, the offensive line is going to have to play better.
3. Vols secondary made Will Grier look like a Heisman winner
Will Grier was a bit off in the first half, but boy did he turn it around in the second half. The young secondary of the Vols made Grier look like a lock for the Heisman trophy in the second half.
He finished with 429 yards passing on 25-of-34 with five touchdowns. Those 429 passing yards was a career day for Grier. Oh, and the five touchdowns, a career-tying day. Just like Tennessee to make someone look out of this world, right?
4. Tim Jordan played like vintage John Kelly
Remember last year when Jarrett Guarantano handed the ball off to John Kelly and he would immediately have to break a few tackles? When all else failed last season, the Vols could give John Kelly the ball and everything was okay.
Well, that was the scene in this game, only it was Tennessee depending on running back Tim Jordan. Starting running back Ty Chandler went out of the game in the first half, and it was Tim Jordan time.
Jordan finished the game with 118 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown. Going forward, Tyson Helton knows that Jordan has the talent to play on the SEC level. If Chandler is healthy, the Vols could have something special in the backfield.
5. Jeremy Pruitt’s first game was just okay
I’m not suggesting Jeremy Pruitt is Nick Saban with this comparison but Saban did lose to Louisiana-Monroe in his first season at Alabama. Look 40-14 isn’t great. But, the Vols did a lot of good things on the field.
The offense had possessions where they looked like they could have scored on anyone and others where they looked like they couldn’t score on a pee wee team.
On the other side of the ball, the defense looked horrible basically the entire time. Going forward, both offenses and defenses have to improve. I think it is safe to say all the young talent will develop into some pretty good players with the right coaching.
Recap: West Virginia destroys Vols 40-14. dark. Next
Not to make excuses but this team is young. Pruitt only played five seniors in the game. It will take a while, but the Vols might be just fine when it is all said and done.