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Tennessee football 2020 preview by position: Vols QBs

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: Jarrett Guarantano #2, J.T. Shrout #12 and Brian Maurer #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers warm up before facing the Georgia State Panthers during the season opener at Neyland Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: Jarrett Guarantano #2, J.T. Shrout #12 and Brian Maurer #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers warm up before facing the Georgia State Panthers during the season opener at Neyland Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images /

Projected Starter

Jarrett Guarantano; Redshirt senior; Lodi, N.J.; 6’4″ 215 pounds

After starting six games in 2017 and the entire season in 2018, Jarrett Guarantano had a very up and down campaign with Tennessee football last year. He had a horrendous start, a huge reason for the Vols falling to 0-2 and then 1-3, resulting in his benching.

However, after that benching Guarantano came in and secured the win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a couple of key late throws. He then fell back out of favor with Vol nation after going rogue on the goal-line quarterback sneak against the Alabama Crimson Tide that resulted in a fumble returned the other way for a touchdown, turning a potential 28-20 game into 35-13.

The next week, though, Guarantano found himself. He didn’t start but threw two touchdowns to give the Vols the lead over the South Carolina Gamecocks. Two weeks later, he came off the bench with UT down 13-3 to the Kentucky Wildcats to lead them to a 17-13 comeback win. After getting his starting job back, he threw for over 400 yards in a 24-20 win at the Missouri Tigers.

By that point, Guarantano seemed back, but as the Vols finished 7-5 and went to the Gator Bowl, he was benched again after they fell behind 16-6 to the Indiana Hoosiers. Down 22-9, he came back in and led two fourth quarter touchdown drives for a 23-22 win.

With that up and down campaign, people don’t know what to expect from Guarantano as he enters his redshirt senior year. However, the stability should help him. After completing 59.1 percent of his passes for 2,158 yards, averaging eight and a half yards an attempt, and throwing for 16 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, he has proven he can be great.

This year, the product of Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey has a chance to go out with a bang in his fifth-year senior season. He’s the favorite to be the starter, and the season will come down to his consistency.

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