KNOXVILLE - Playing behind an offensive line that included three freshmen, Will McBride quarterbacked Tennessee's offense for most of its ninth game of the season Saturday night.
Just like everyone predicted back in August, right?
The Volunteers did not add a junior varsity game to their 2017 schedule. They just needed to dip deep into the ranks of their freshmen to field enough healthy bodies to survive a homecoming visit from Southern Mississippi.
Tennessee overcame the injuries and broke a four-game losing streak with a 24-10 victory over the Golden Eagles as a campaign by some fans to empty Neyland Stadium in protest of Butch Jones' continued employment as the head coach largely failed.
An announced crowd of 95,551 watched the Vols (4-5) win for the first time since Sept. 23 against Massachusetts. Tennessee must win two of its last three games to reach a fourth consecutive bowl, even as Jones' future with the program remains in serious doubt.
"I think our team showed some grit and some resolve, especially with all the injuries," Jones said. "It's resolve and resiliency, and I'm just glad we were able to get the victory tonight."
Just like in last week's 29-26 loss at Kentucky, the Tennessee defense forced timely turnovers. This time, the offense took advantage.
Junior running back John Kelly immediately followed an Emmanuel Moseley interception with a weaving, tackle-breaking 20-yard touchdown run to put Tennessee ahead 17-3 with 5:15 left in the third quarter.
Three plays later, defensive end Darrell Taylor forced a fumble that defensive back Rashaan Gaulden recovered on the Golden Eagles' 19-yard line. Southern Mississippi held the Tennessee offense, but a penalty on an Aaron Medley field goal and a subsequent unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on Golden Eagles coach Jay Hopson gave the Vols a first-and-goal at the 3-yard line. Kelly scored again to make it 24-3 with 3:17 left in the third quarter.
"If you look at the game, situational football, our defense did a good job of taking the football away and our offense did a good job of turning it into points," Jones said.
The Golden Eagles scored their first touchdown when Kwandra Griggs replaced Keon Howard at quarterback in the fourth quarter. The crowd had thinned by that point, but the outcome was not cemented until Tennessee forced a turnover on downs with 3:03 left in the game.
Tennessee starting quarterback Jarrett Guarantano left the game briefly in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury, forcing true freshman McBride to make his college debut. McBride ran three plays before Guarantano re-entered. But as Guarantano attempted to take a knee to run out the final five seconds of the first half, his leg appeared to buckle underneath him.
He spent most of the second half on the sideline with his helmet in hand, and it was McBride who played. The freshman from League City, Texas, enrolled for the spring 2017 semester and was the fourth-string quarterback during spring practice. Third-string quarterback Sheriron Jones transferred in the offseason, and former starter Quinten Dormady recently had shoulder surgery.
Tennessee coaches had planned to redshirt McBride but were left with little choice but to play him Saturday when Guarantano exited.
The freshman finished 1-of-8 passing, though several of his incompletions appeared catchable.
McBride's debut came behind an overhauled offensive line that had just six healthy scholarship players available. True freshman Trey Smith moved from right guard to make his first start at left tackle, while redshirt freshmen Ryand Johnson and Devante Brooks played right guard and right tackle in their first career starts. Brooks was a tight end in high school and was converted to offensive line after arriving in Knoxville.
When Brooks and center Coleman Thomas briefly left the game with injuries at different times against Southern Mississippi, the last scholarship offensive lineman, true freshman Riley Locklear, entered at left guard. Tennessee's coaches also had hoped to redshirt Locklear.
The Vols began the season with 14 scholarship linemen.
"I don't think there's any coach on our staff that's been through it like this," Jones said of the offensive line situation. 'When we started the season, that was our depth, and now we're down to six."
A week after running for 203 yards against Kentucky, the Vols averaged just 2.5 yards per rush against Southern Miss with the thrown-together crew of linemen.
Evan Berry opened the game by taking his first kick return since the season opener just across midfield, and the shuffling of the line hardly appeared to bother Tennessee on its first series. Led by Guarantano, the Vols promptly drove 49 yards on nine plays. Guarantano capped the series with his first career rushing touchdown from 3 yards out after completing three first-down passes to three receivers: Josh Palmer, Eli Wolf and Marquz Callaway.
Guarantano completed a 42-yard pass to Callaway on the second series, but the drive halted when Tennessee called a timeout and shifted its offensive line to accommodate Brooks' injury. He later re-entered.
Korey Robertson leaped over Tennessee cornerback Emmanuel Moseley to catch a pass from Keon Howard on third-and-19 during the Golden Eagles' first series of the second quarter. Finally, linebacker Colton Jumper ran Robertson out of bounds at the Tennessee 15-yard line following a 70-yard gain.
From there the Tennessee defense held and forced a 27-yard Parker Shaunfield field goal that cut the Vols' lead to 7-3.
McBride ran three plays before Guarantano re-entered in the second quarter. McBride launched a pass to the end zone intended for Palmer on his third play, but it fell off Palmer's outstretched hands.
The series ended with a 38-yard Medley field goal that put Tennessee ahead 10-3 with 2:42 left in the half.
Callaway appeared to suffer a leg injury early in the third quarter and did not re-enter.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com.