Are There Troubles in Knoxville for the Tennessee Volunteers?
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
At the end of every college football season, all teams suffer a certain amount of attrition on the roster with players seeking a different opportunity with another team. What’s “normal” in terms of losses on the roster can depend on several factors, a new head coach, a new coordinator, or even problems in the locker room. From the outside in, what’s going on with the Tennessee Volunteers might be the beginnings of some red flags being raised for whatever the reason(s).
If a team were to lose five four-star recruits in one recruiting class, eyebrows would be raised and questioned would be asked. Add six three-star recruits to the mix, there is a heavy loss of talent leaving the Volunteers roster. One of the red flags is among the quarterback ranks.
Three quarterbacks received the lion’s share of time in the Volunteers’ pocket this season with series given to Jarrett Guarantano, Harrison Bailey, and J.T. Shrout. Guarantano led the team with 1,112 yards carrying a 6:4 touchdown/interception ratio. In six games played, Bailey had the best completion percentage (70.59) throwing for 578 yards throwing for four touchdowns against two picks. Shrout appeared in four games hitting at a 57.14 rate for 315 yards and four touchdowns. Gone are Guarantano, Shrout, and former four-star Kasim Hill. Ahead of the 2021 recruiting class completing on National Signing Day, the QBs left on Tennessee’s roster are Bailey, Spencer Smith, and Brian Maurer.
The tight end ranks shrunk to four after former four-stars Jordan Allen and Jackson Lowe along with three-star Austin Pope hit the transfer portal. The key remaining pass receiving tight ends are Princeton Fant (12 rec./103 yards/1 TD) and Jacob Warren (6/73/1).
On the positive note, this shakeup can be attributed to the addition of offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, brought on for the 2019 season. One could argue that Chaney is still revamping the roster in his image… but that image has a long hit and run mark that might signal another red flag for the Tennessee faithful. Since his rise in the recruiting ranks with Purdue from 1997-05, Chaney’s long streak at a school is four seasons completed from 2009-12 with the Volunteers. Since, he’s been a journeyman collecting paychecks for three to two years before “revamping” the next roster.
As the coaching cycles go, the 2021 season might be the last ride for head coach Jeremy Pruitt and Co. Pruitt showed promise at the end of his second season in Knoxville ending with an 8-5, 5-3 SEC, record that included a win in the Gator Bowl. Riding the coattails of high hopes, the Volunteers entered 2020 season with a No. 16 ranking climbing to No. 14 before presiding over a six-game losing streak wrapping the year with a 3-7 record. Pruitt is now preparing for his fourth go-around, typically the “show or go” year for a head coach, with a 16-19 overall mark, 10-16 in conference action.
A saving grace is always recruiting, a carrot a coach in the right position can dangle in front of the fanbase. The Volunteers’ 2019 class was ranked No. 13 overall with two five-stars and 10 four-star players. The ranking of the 2020 class bumped up to No. 10 with 13 four-star talents and nine three-star prospects. The 2021 class is solid at No. 15 holding with 22 commits; 10 four-stars and 12 three-star recruits. The unfortunate, still behind No. 3 Georgia and No. 10 Florida, but there is time to make up potential ground before National Signing Day.
Regardless, per the rankings there is talent in Knoxville that should be producing more than three SEC wins, especially with nine returning starters on offense and five on defense over the preseason. Mixed into the losing streak, Tennessee was being swept out of the stadium by a margin of 19.5 points with the closest contest being an 11-point defeat on the road to Arkansas after a bye week.
Are the losses on the roster normal, or are there problems in the locker room that could upend what looked like a promising tenure in Knoxville for Pruitt just a year ago? The 2021 season will be the tell-all.
Tennessee Players in Transfer Portal
Offense
4-Star QB Jarrett Guarantano
4-Star QB Kasim Hill – to Rhode Island
3-Star QB J.T. Shrout
4-Star TE Jordan Allen
4-Star TE Jackson Lowe
3-Star WR Brandon Johnson
3-Star TE Austin Pope
WR Isaiah Montgomery
OT Jarious Abercrombie to Illinois State
Defense
4-Star DE Savion Williams to Florida International
3-Star DE Ethan Rinke to South Alabama
3-Star LB Kivon Bennett
LB Nyles Gaddy to Jackson State
3-Star CB Baylen Buchanan
Recent 2021 Decommitments (3-Stars)
RB Elijah Howard – Baylor School – Chattanooga, TN
DB Edwin White – UMS-Wright Prep – Mobile, AL
Photo credit: Tennessee Athletics; No. 2 Jarrett Guarantano