The Tennessee Volunteers now have four quarterbacks with starting experience and four quarterbacks who have played in the past two games.
They will move forward with two this week, and neither is 30-game starter Jarrett Guarantano.
Vols third-year coach Jeremy Pruitt believes that true freshman Harrison Bailey and redshirt sophomore J.T. Shrout played well enough in Saturday’s 31-19 loss to No. 6 Florida to earn a crack at the starting job this weekend at Vanderbilt. Sophomore Brian Mauer played a handful of snaps against the Gators as well and is not out of the picture on a 2-6 team that could be down to its final two Saturdays of the season.
“Harrison and J.T. will take a majority of the reps moving forward,” Pruitt said Monday on his weekly Zoom call. “Brian brings an extra element with his athleticism, and we’re just trying to keep him with a role. I thought he did a nice job Saturday with the role that he had, so we’ll continue to do that moving forward.”
When asked about Guarantano, who didn’t prepare for the Florida game due to reported coronavirus-related quarantine issues and sat out last weekend, Pruitt said, “We’re going to go with Harrison and J.T. and stay with the same schedule as this past week.”
Guarantano has been both dazzling and disastrous at times this season, with costly turnovers against Georgia, Kentucky and Auburn contributing to his career mark of 12-18 as the starter.
Bailey and Shrout didn’t turn the ball over against Florida, a fact that Pruitt was quick to point out Monday. Bailey completed 14 of 21 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown that briefly provided Tennesse a 7-3 lead in the second quarter, while Shrout entered in the fourth quarter facing a 31-7 deficit and went 12-of-14 for 121 yards and a score.
“I have trust in all the quarterbacks,” sophomore running back Eric Gray said Saturday night. “They all played great coming in, and they didn’t get many reps early on. Coming into a big game and playing the way they played, all three of them played well.”
Shrout threw an interception in the 34-7 loss to Kentucky on Oct. 17, and he didn’t even make the trip to Arkansas on Nov. 7. Pruitt said Shrout’s absence in Fayetteville was a unique circumstance that was made for roster purposes after a week that contained multiple false positive coronavirus tests.
Pruitt said a decision on the starter likely would be made by Wednesday night, but that doesn’t mean it will be revealed.
“That is the call of the coaches,” Shrout said Saturday night when asked about the situation moving forward. “Everyone will compete and prepare like the other guy, and whatever happens, happens. They’re going to put the guy out there who they feel gives us the best chance to win. I think Harrison did a hell of a job as a true freshman making his first start against the No. 6 team in the country.
“I think Brian and Jarrett are both great players, so I think any of us can go out there and get the job done when we need it.”
Shrout’s lone career start for Tennessee was last season’s 30-7 win over UAB. The Vols opened last year’s 41-21 victory over South Carolina with Jauan Jennings in the wildcat package, but Shrout was the first quarterback to play in that game as well.
Cimaglia opts out
Vols senior kicker Brent Cimaglia, who has battled a leg injury this season, has elected to opt out.
The 6-foot, 210-pounder from Nashville was hoping to build on a stellar 2019, when he made 23 of 27 field-goal attempts, but has made just 5 of 9 tries this season.
“He’s played through difficult circumstances throughout the season,” Pruitt said. “He feels like it’s better for him not to participate the remainder of the season to put him in a better spot to get ready for next year, and his indication to me is that’s he’s coming back.”
Junior punter Paxton Brooks, who is averaging 42.9 yards per attempt this season, will take over Cimaglia’s kicking chores. Sophomore walk-on Toby Wilson will be the backup to Brooks.
Delayed ceremony
Due to Tennessee’s Nov. 21 game at Auburn falling on the same day as the university’s scheduled autumn commencement ceremony, 15 football players were recognized this past Sunday.
Among them were running back Ty Chandler, receiver Brandon Johnson, tight end Austin Pope, offensive linemen Jahmir Johnson, Brandon Kennedy and Trey Smith, defensive linemen LaTrell Bumphus and Matthew Butler, and outside linebacker Deandre Johnson. Two more Vols, defensive lineman Ja’Quain Blakely and running back Carlin Fils-Aime, were honored for having completed their degrees this past summer.
Odds and ends
Pruitt said there were no positive COVID-19 tests during Sunday’s round. … Receiver Josh Palmer has accepted an invitation to January’s Senior Bowl. … Tennessee received a commitment Monday afternoon from Amari McNeill, a 6-4, 280-pound offensive tackle from Suwanee, Georgia. McNeill is rated by 247Sports.com as the nation’s No. 103 tackle and No. 1,173 prospect overall. … Pruitt said offensive linemen K’Rojhn Calbert and Cade Mays suffered lower leg injuries against the Gators and could be out until Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.