Tennessee football: 5 concerns Vols revealed at 2019 SEC Media Days

2. No specific strides have been made at quarterback.

There was one question in which Jeremy Pruitt gave a very short answer. But overall, it was actually a bit revealing and concerning for Tennessee football when you look at the prospects for the 2019 season.

Pruitt was asked specifically about the strides Jarrett Guarantano made at quarterback. The question made sense. After all, he brought Guarantano with him to SEC Media Days as a junior and has been touting the guy ever since he took over as head coach. Here’s what Pruitt said.

"“Well, the thing that’s exciting me about Jarrett is you can stand out on the field and you can see his arm talent, you know that he’s a good athlete. You know, me being in the meeting rooms, I know that football really comes easy to him. He picks it up really fast. He can handle a whole lot. The thing that I see that excites me the most is the impact he’s having on his teammates. I think that’s a true mark of a leader, is having a positive impact on the people you’re around. And I see him developing and doing that, and that’s what excites me about him and the future of our program.”"

Sorry, but that’s not the most ringing endorsement. Leadership skills? There’s nothing tangible about that to demonstrate improvement, and it’s so vague that you have to wonder if there are any strides Guarantano took on the field.

After all, Guarantano has received lots of hype this offseason with advanced metrics and pro grades hinting that he could be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. It’s earned him lots of preseason recognition.

But despite all of that, Pruitt couldn’t name one specific improvement for a guy who, while having a solid 4-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio last year, failed to throw for 2,000 yards and directed an offense outside of the top 100. Even if that wasn’t his fault in the grand scheme of things, he has to shoulder some blame.

If the Vols are going to return to prominence this year, it’s no secret that Guarantano will have to be very successful. Pruitt has put too many eggs in that basket. Well, on Tuesday, he did not show much reason for confidence in the quarterback’s improvement this offseason if you read between the lines. And that could be a major concern.