Which Way For Jarrett Guarantano?

The Tennessee quarterback has the whole future of the program in his hands.

The future of the Tennessee Volunteers football program lies with one man.

It isn’t Phillip Fulmer. It isn’t even Jeremy Pruitt, though ultimately he’s the one who signed off on the person who the program’s future, both in the short and long term, lies with.

It’s quarterback Jarrett Guarantano.

For as little success as Guarantano has had, it’s a wonder he hasn’t received more criticism.

Lured to Knoxville by perhaps the most reviled figure in Tennessee football, former head coach Butch Jones, who once coached Guarantano’s father at Rutgers, he became the starter of the Volunteers only when Jones realized he had a sinking ship of a team and was in desperate need of a spark.

Unfortunately, Guarantano didn’t provide any, twice coming up one yard too short in 2017. The then-freshman didn’t even complete the lone victory he started that season.

Last season Guarantano was conservative when the Vols needed him to take chances. True, his touchdown to interception ratio was a nifty 12 to 3, but he fit the stereotype that so many quarterbacks who don’t commit many turnovers have; not willing to take chances or throw a deep ball.

Against West Virginia, Guarantano didn’t complete a pass of 20 or more yards until garbage time of a 40–14 loss. When he was asked to throw deep against Florida, Guarantano threw two…