University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
QB Camaraderie Propels Vols in South Carolina Win
October 26, 2019 | Football
Tennessee played not one, not two, but three quarterbacks in Saturday's 41-21 win against South Carolina.
The Vols opened the game with a surprise, lining up redshirt senior wide receiver Jauan Jennings at quarterback in the wildcat formation. Jennings' opening snap rush of 11 yards - the first time Tennessee has opened with the wildcat since 2009 – was just a precursor for a monstrous team effort that saw collective and individual milestones achieved.
With freshman quarterback Brian Maurer, who started the previous three games, out for the evening, external questions and anticipation built on how the Vols would fill his role.
Tennessee answered in a decisive way as redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Shrout and redshirt junior Jarrett Guarantano, who started the first four games of the season, combined for 351 passing yards, a season high and led the Vols to their first win against the Gamecocks since 2015 and the largest margin of victory since 1999's 30-7 win.
It is also the first time since 2004 that Tennessee has recorded wins with three different starting quarterbacks in a season (Brent Schaeffer, Erik Ainge and Rick Clausen).
Guarantano hurled the first touchdown pass for UT on a 48-yard throw to Jennings, who recorded a career-high 174 yards receiving and matched his career-best with seven receptions. The duo connected again on a 19-yard pass to move the Vols ahead for the remainder of the game.
"I would like to start with Jarrett Guarantano with and the fact that he came in and how he responded to last week," said head coach Jeremy Pruitt in his postgame press conference. "He owned it. He came out here tonight and did a fantastic job. He came off the bench and gave us a spark with his leadership and trust.
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"Then he goes down, and J.T. comes back in and makes a couple of throws there. Our guys are in there and celebrating together. They are pulling together. I watch them; I think our quarterbacks are pretty tight. A guy comes off the field and the other guy is waiting for him. It is a great team win, and those guys are team players."
Guarantano led with 229 yards and became the 11th play-caller for the Vols to surpass the 4,000 career passing yards threshold, and his resurgence was sweetened by the shared responsibility with the younger Shrout.
"I was very joyful, (Shrout and Maurer) are like my little brothers," Guarantano said. "I said to them at the beginning of the season that we were going to need them, and they worked their tails off and you've seen that pay off during this season.
"They've been playing some really good ball and Brian (Maurer) and I were so happy for J.T. It was really exciting, and I am very proud of how he played tonight."
Shrout took over after Jennings' opening 11-yard burst for a quick first down, but was relieved in the second quarter by Guarantano. The Santa Clarita, Calif., native stepped back in during the third quarter when he punctuated the pass-and-catch scoring with a 55-yard toss to senior Marquez Callaway to give UT at 31-21 lead to keep things out of Carolina's reach.
Shrout finished with 122 yards, as he and Guarantano became the first quarterback duo since Josh Dobbs and Quinten Dormady to throw for over 100 yards in the same game. Dobbs (183 yards) and Dormady (109 yards) both went for over 100 against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 5, 2016.
"All three of us (Guarantano, Maurer) do a great job of preparing like we're going to be the guy week-in and week-out," Shrout said. "Preparing throughout practice; watching film. It wasn't any different than any other week.
"My teammates have been awesome, encouraging me, being there for me and I appreciate all of them for that. Tonight, was a great experience and it was great being out there with the guys."
The collective success that started with the first snap was no surprise for the Vols who have steadily improved each week this season despite being plagued by injuries and some inexperience. It was not only the QB corps commanding execution that stunned the Gamecocks, but their palpable camaraderie that resonated with their teammates and Vols' fans throughout the game.
"I don't know why you wouldn't want to go to Tennessee when you feel it," Pruitt said. "When we are talking about the fantastic atmosphere, you feel the energy and emotion in our fanbase and how hungry everyone associated with our program is here."
The Vols opened the game with a surprise, lining up redshirt senior wide receiver Jauan Jennings at quarterback in the wildcat formation. Jennings' opening snap rush of 11 yards - the first time Tennessee has opened with the wildcat since 2009 – was just a precursor for a monstrous team effort that saw collective and individual milestones achieved.
With freshman quarterback Brian Maurer, who started the previous three games, out for the evening, external questions and anticipation built on how the Vols would fill his role.
Tennessee answered in a decisive way as redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Shrout and redshirt junior Jarrett Guarantano, who started the first four games of the season, combined for 351 passing yards, a season high and led the Vols to their first win against the Gamecocks since 2015 and the largest margin of victory since 1999's 30-7 win.
It is also the first time since 2004 that Tennessee has recorded wins with three different starting quarterbacks in a season (Brent Schaeffer, Erik Ainge and Rick Clausen).
Guarantano hurled the first touchdown pass for UT on a 48-yard throw to Jennings, who recorded a career-high 174 yards receiving and matched his career-best with seven receptions. The duo connected again on a 19-yard pass to move the Vols ahead for the remainder of the game.
"I would like to start with Jarrett Guarantano with and the fact that he came in and how he responded to last week," said head coach Jeremy Pruitt in his postgame press conference. "He owned it. He came out here tonight and did a fantastic job. He came off the bench and gave us a spark with his leadership and trust.
Â
"Then he goes down, and J.T. comes back in and makes a couple of throws there. Our guys are in there and celebrating together. They are pulling together. I watch them; I think our quarterbacks are pretty tight. A guy comes off the field and the other guy is waiting for him. It is a great team win, and those guys are team players."
Guarantano led with 229 yards and became the 11th play-caller for the Vols to surpass the 4,000 career passing yards threshold, and his resurgence was sweetened by the shared responsibility with the younger Shrout.
"I was very joyful, (Shrout and Maurer) are like my little brothers," Guarantano said. "I said to them at the beginning of the season that we were going to need them, and they worked their tails off and you've seen that pay off during this season.
"They've been playing some really good ball and Brian (Maurer) and I were so happy for J.T. It was really exciting, and I am very proud of how he played tonight."
Shrout took over after Jennings' opening 11-yard burst for a quick first down, but was relieved in the second quarter by Guarantano. The Santa Clarita, Calif., native stepped back in during the third quarter when he punctuated the pass-and-catch scoring with a 55-yard toss to senior Marquez Callaway to give UT at 31-21 lead to keep things out of Carolina's reach.
Shrout finished with 122 yards, as he and Guarantano became the first quarterback duo since Josh Dobbs and Quinten Dormady to throw for over 100 yards in the same game. Dobbs (183 yards) and Dormady (109 yards) both went for over 100 against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 5, 2016.
"All three of us (Guarantano, Maurer) do a great job of preparing like we're going to be the guy week-in and week-out," Shrout said. "Preparing throughout practice; watching film. It wasn't any different than any other week.
"My teammates have been awesome, encouraging me, being there for me and I appreciate all of them for that. Tonight, was a great experience and it was great being out there with the guys."
The collective success that started with the first snap was no surprise for the Vols who have steadily improved each week this season despite being plagued by injuries and some inexperience. It was not only the QB corps commanding execution that stunned the Gamecocks, but their palpable camaraderie that resonated with their teammates and Vols' fans throughout the game.
"I don't know why you wouldn't want to go to Tennessee when you feel it," Pruitt said. "When we are talking about the fantastic atmosphere, you feel the energy and emotion in our fanbase and how hungry everyone associated with our program is here."
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