Tennessee football: 10 players Vols can’t afford to lose in 2020

Hometown: Lodi, N.J.

Yes, Jarrett Guarantano went six games in the middle of the season without starting. He was also pulled in two more games plus one he didn’t start in. And it’s worth pointing out that Tennessee football was 4-2 in games without Guarantano as the starter and 4-3 in games with him as the starter. Simply put, on the surface, that would make him seem less important.

However, looking deeper, Guarantano mattered a great deal. He was the quarterback on the field in every game the Vols won that gave them the lead for good, and he was also the quarterback on the field when they crossed the necessary scoring threshold to win all eight games. With one injury exception against the South Carolina Gamecocks, he finished all of those games as well.

As a result, Guarantano is crucial to this team. Over the past two years, he’s completed over 60 percent of his passes, averaged over eight yards an attempt and thrown 28 touchdowns to only 11 interceptions. The guy can play, and this will be his first year in his career that he returns his offensive coordinator, Jim Chaney, and his quarterbacks coach, Chris Weinke.

After two head coaches, four offensive coordinators, four quarterbacks coaches and two systems, the 6’4″ 230-pounds pound graduate of Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey is finally ready to shine, and he will definitely be needed. J.T. Shrout and Brian Maurer having starts, and the arrival of Harrison Bailey, are the only reasons he’s not No. 1 here.