Tennessee football at Auburn: Vols vs. Tigers 10 keys to the game

9. How does Jarrett Stidham handle outsider criticism about his play?

This is one advantage Tennessee football can have. Lots of negativity is surrounding the Auburn Tigers right now, but it specifically targets Jarrett Stidham. In two years as the full-time starter, this is really the first time people are questioning if he’s the right quarterback for the job. We’re hearing that Malzahn needs a mobile quarterback to run his system, and that’s a common talking point.

So how will Stidham handle it? His mental toughness is going to be huge in this game. We’ve seen quarterbacks in the past crumble as quickly as kickers have once the national narrative turned against them. It can happen in a hurry.

Don’t believe me? Go look at what happened to Erik Ainge with the Vols in 2005. Quarterbacks have to be able to respond to the pressure, and depending on what they’re made of, the opposite can often happen.

If Stidham thinks he’s playing for his football life on Saturday in Malzahn’s offense, there’s a chance he could start forcing things, desperately trying to hold onto his job. Or he could maybe pull a Tim Tebow in the 2011-2012 NFL Playoffs, when after hearing that he might be benched for Brady Quinn, he threw for 316 yards to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Malzahn’s system depends on good play by the quarterback, and Stidham’s psyche will go a long way towards determining that. If he comes apart, the offense comes apart. And that assures things become close with the Vols having a great chance to win.