The 2020 season has not been the best of times for the Tennessee Volunteers football program.

Historians are not going to look back at this year with much reverence. Following a nice start with wins over South Carolina and Missouri, the Vols significantly regressed as the schedule got more difficult.

College football is a results-driven business, and Tennessee’s coaching staff has not earned its significant salaries this season.

Here are the 5 biggest blunders that this coaching staff has made this season:

1. Inability to develop a quarterback

This falls directly on Pruitt, offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke.

Jarrett Guarantano is a 5th-year senior making the basic mistakes you’d expect from a true freshman. Previously an excuse for his struggles revolved around the coaching turnover, especially at offensive coordinator. But Guarantano had Chaney in place for a 2nd straight year. And it hasn’t made much of a difference.

But Guarantano is still starting every week because Pruitt believes that he gives them the best chance to win.

Is he right? Well, J.T. Shrout threw 1 pass this season … and it was intercepted. Brian Maurer has completed 1-of-5 passes … for 1 yard. True freshman Harrison Bailey is being handled with kid gloves, much to the dismay of Vols fans.

Tennessee’s quarterback problems are the biggest reason they aren’t competitive in the SEC. Until that changes, nothing changes.

2. Pruitt’s firing of defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh

Following the 34-7 loss to Kentucky, Jeremy Pruitt made an unexpected move and fired defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh, whom he hired 8 months earlier. Brumbaugh didn’t even get to a 5th game before he was dismissed.

The Vols weren’t lousy at the time in terms of tackles for loss, tied for 3rd in the SEC. They were 5th in the conference in red-zone touchdown percentage. Still, Pruitt made the move.

“He (Brumbaugh) worked his tail off,” Pruitt said. “Sometimes from a philosophical standpoint, things are just not a fit, and it just didn’t work out for us, so I decided to do that.”

Brumbaugh was set to receive over $800,00o in buyout money, as his contract doesn’t expire until January 31, 2022.

Tennessee’s defensive line hasn’t appeared to get any better since the firing.

3. Second-half woes

One of the biggest problems of the Butch Jones era was that opponents made adjustments after halftime, and Tennessee wouldn’t, or couldn’t, respond.

This season brought back those memories in a big way.

The Vols were outscored 108-14 in the 2nd half in 5 consecutive losses leading up to Saturday’s game against Florida.

They didn’t score a 2nd-half point against Georgia, Kentucky or Arkansas. They mustered a single touchdown in the final 30 minutes against Alabama and Auburn. In fact, 3 turnovers were returned for scores by opponents in those halves, meaning that opposing defenses even outscored the Vols’ offense.

Tennessee comes out of the locker room for the 3rd quarter looking much different than the first 2 quarters … and the first 2 quarters haven’t looked very good either.

4. Poor play-calling dooms Vols against Auburn

Auburn led 13-10, but the Vols were driving. Eric Gray ran 5 consecutive times for 49 yards. After an incomplete pass, Ty Chandler ran 3 times for 14 yards. Tennessee was down at the AU 12. The Vols’ offensive line was mashing the Tigers’ front 7.

So why on earth did Chaney call for a run/pass option, with a shaky quarterback making the decision, instead of more bullyball?

Guarantano held the ball too long while waiting for a receiver to get free. He was hit as he threw. Smoke Monday picked it off in the end zone and returned the football 100 yards for a touchdown.

It was at least a 10-point swing. It was a momentum killer. And a sign that Chaney simply has not had a feel for calling plays this season.

5. Assistant coaches refuse paycut

For an athletics department that has seen enough public relations mistakes over the past decade to fill a century, this doesn’t make the top 10 of that list. But it’s such a bad look that it easily makes this list of blunders.

Pruitt and athletics director Phillip Fulmer agreed to paycuts, as did assistants Jay Graham and Tee Martin, both former Vols. The other 8 assistant coaches wouldn’t do it.

Lower level staffers without contracts in the athletic department had no real choice but to take paycuts. It’s possible that some positions will be eliminated. But the assistants are each earning six figures, with Chaney pulling in a whopping $1.6 million.

So many people are hurting financially. The assistants could have chosen to give back and help a bit, but to this point, they haven’t.