TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - It would have been hard to blame Jarrett Guarantano if he felt dejected after Tennessee's 45-7 loss at Alabama on Saturday.
The Volunteers failed to score an offensive touchdown for the third straight game, and Guarantano was tossed around the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium enough to admit that he probably needs to gain 20 pounds during the offseason.
Nonetheless, Tennessee's redshirt freshman quarterback offered an inspired outlook for the five games still remaining on the Vols' regular season schedule.
"We have 35 days left," he told reporters Saturday night outside the locker room at Bryant-Denny Stadium. "And for those 35 days we're going to give our all for Tennessee, 100 percent. And they're going to be a magical 35 days for our program."
A 5-2 Kentucky team coming off a 45-7 loss at Mississippi State awaits the Volunteers on Saturday in Lexington. Tennessee then closes the regular season against Southern Mississippi, Missouri, LSU and Vanderbilt. The Vols (3-4, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) need to win all of their remaining games to match the 8-4 regular seasons they posted in 2015 and 2016.
Fifth-year coach Butch Jones could certainly use a little magic as the clamoring for his firing continues to intensify within the Tennessee fan base. Athletic director John Currie roamed the sidelines during the final minutes of Saturday's game and offered pats on the back to a few players as they ran to the locker room following their third straight loss.
Jones is expected to hold his regularly scheduled weekly press conference Monday at noon.
His 2015 Tennessee team was also 3-4 after a loss at Alabama. But how this year's Vols got here feels different. The 2015 Vols beat Georgia and were competitive in early season losses to Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas.
This year's team was outscored 86-7 by Georgia and Alabama.
Redshirt senior defensive tackle Kendal Vickers referenced the 2015 turnaround that resulted in six straight wins and a 45-6 Outback Bowl stomping of Northwestern when he spoke to media after Saturday's loss.
"Our message, we've got to keep grinding," Vickers said. "I don't plan on losing these five games. I'm just going to say that. That's going to be my message to the team. I don't plan on losing these five games. They've all got to feel the same way, because I'm going on to the field to give my all and my goal is to win every single game we play from here on out. That's just going to be the message to give."
Sophomore receiver Marquez Callaway said the mood in the locker room is "sad right now."
"Because we know we're better than what we're showing," Callaway said. "The rumors with Butch, he's staying. Right now, he's staying. He's done what he can. We're doing what we can. So we're just going to have to trust God, keep faith and move on. Snap and clear."
Guarantano described the locker room mood as "very angry, but in a positive way."
"You're supposed to be hurt after this loss, and everyone feels it," he said. "It just depends on how we're going to take it after we do this. How are we going to react to it tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and what are we going to do next Saturday? That's really it."
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com.