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Jeremy Pruitt updates injury to Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano ahead of Vanderbilt game
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Jeremy Pruitt might have his starting quarterback available when Tennessee takes its last shot at securing a bowl bid this weekend.
The Volunteers coach classified sophomore signal-caller Jarrett Guarantano as “day-to-day” during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference. Guarantano took a hard hit to the back of the head in the team’s loss to Missouri last weekend and eventually left the game, but he did return to practice Tuesday.
His availability will be crucial when Tennessee (5-6, 2-5 SEC) visits Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5) at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, a winner-take-all game for guaranteed bowl eligibility.
Pruitt touched on a few other topics during the teleconference, like Tennessee’s Senior Day tradition. You can read his responses below.
On Vanderbilt RB Key’Shawn Vaughn
- They have a really good scheme and what they do in the run game. They have a quarterback that gets them in good looks. He has balance, speed, has got good toughness.
On Jarrett Guarantano and WR Marquez Callaway:
- He’s still day-to-day. All of our guys are practicing:
On Tennessee’s Senior Day tradition of individually running through the ‘T’:
- Honestly, I did not know about the tradition. I’ve embraced the traditions here. The fact that so many people show up to support Tennessee, it doesn’t matter the weather or where it’s at. That was something we will look into in the future if we want to go back to, but I didn’t know anything about that.
On the SEC championship game between Alabama and Georgia:
- We played them early in the year. I’m sure they have changed. I don’t know the injury situation for either team. It’s hard to predict something when you haven’t seen them in five to seven weeks.
On Marcus Tatum, how has he done at left tackle?
- He is a smart guy. He makes very few mental errors. He needs to play with more power, but due to his mental makeup, he knows what he has got to do and he gives himself a chance to be successful.
Do you talk about the bowl game with your team?
- No, the thing we talk about is what we can control: competing, tackling, preparation.
On Alabama DL Quinnen Williams:
- We didn’t do a good job, we didn’t block him. He’s motivated, he’s instinctive, he can rush the quarterback, play the run. He’s hard to block. When you are going to be good on defense, you have to be tough to block, and he is that.
On Georgia DB DeAndre Baker:
- He is blessed with long arms. He has good ball skills. … I would say he’s one of the better players in our league.
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
