Jarrett Guarantano and JT Shrout looked great in Tennessee football’s win over South Carolina. Which Volunteers quarterback was more pleasantly surprising?
One was dealing with scrutiny all week for make the worst of a series of critical mistakes this year last Saturday against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The other had proven nothing to this point. Both were crucial in Tennessee football dominating the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday.
Wide receivers and linebackers may have been the story of the game in the Vols’ win. But Jarrett Guarantano and JT Shrout both over-performed all expectations, and they did it against a Will Muschamp defense that eats struggling and young quarterbacks alive.
When you look at how these guys have struggled this year, they should have been even worse. Guarantano seemed to regress this year, and he caught a lot of flack for going rogue on a quarterback sneak against the Alabama Crimson Tide that resulted in a fumble returned for a touchdown the other way, turning 28-20 into 35-13.
Jeremy Pruitt received lots of media attention for ripping into Guarantano after that play. Then he put in Shrout, who looked awful against the Chattanooga Mocs, overthrowing everything, and then did nothing at Alabama.
But with Brian Maurer hurt, these were his two options Saturday. And he started things off with Shrout, who directed the Vols to a field goal on their second drive, cutting South Carolina’s 7-0 lead to 7-3.
After that, Pruitt put in Guarantano, who directed a long drive only to be stopped on 4th and goal. A Marquez Callaway punt return touchdown one drive after that stop may have put the Vols ahead 10-7, but the message was clear that they wouldn’t be able to win with their quarterbacks or their offense in general. Then they did.
Ryan Hilinski had the best passing game of his career with South Carolina, and he directed to late touchdown drives in the first half. That’s when Guarantano shockingly came to life. He had a touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings in between those drives.
In the second half, he directed a drive into S.C. territory that resulted in a missed field goal. But then, after getting the ball back, he had another touchdown pass to Jennings on 3rd and 14 to put Tennessee football ahead 24-21. However, he got hurt on the play, and Shrout had to come back in to finish things off.
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On the next drive, Shrout hit Callaway for a 55-yard touchdown pass, proving he had taken strides as well. The UT quarterbacks finished 18-of-30 for 351 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Guarantano was 11-of-19 for 229 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Shrouth was seven-of-11 for 122 yards, one touchdown and no interception.
Breaking those numbers down, Shrout had the more efficient game. But Guarantano made more big plays and impressive ones at that. So who overcame greater odds given what they were dealing with coming into the matchup?
That’s the major question. Nobody had any such questions about Maurer. Guarantano’s scrutiny and a complete lack of faith in Shrout though resulted in a complete lack of faith in Tennessee football for this game. And both quarterbacks shockingly delivered.
Guarantano was probably the greater surprise. That’s because of the fact that his mistakes had everybody on Rocky Top done with him this week. Him not starting again, even with Maurer out, seemed to further prove that.
So it’s hard to overstate what bringing him back into the game only to set up the Vols with a 24-21 lead meant for the program, himself, and Jeremy Pruitt, who went from lashing at him last week to embracing him after the game this week. Taking it all into account, he overcame more.
Shrout, however, shows that Tennessee football now has three quarterbacks they can use. He proved he can play at this level, which he had not shown yet. And when Jim Chaney put faith in him on that touchdown pass, he clearly knew what he was doing. So both guys deserve a lot of praise, and the Vols truly do have depth at the position now.