By Jimmy Hyams
Jarrett Guarantano was visibly frustrated after Tennessee’s embarrassing and historic 42-24 loss Saturday to Vanderbilt before a sparse crowd at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee’s redshirt freshman quarterback was frustrated with the way the offense bogged down after the first two possessions of the game.
He was frustrated by a season that saw the Vols lose eight games for the first time ever and go winless in the SEC for the first time in program history.
And he sounded frustrated at some of his teammates.
“Things are going to change. The culture’s gonna change,’’ Guarantano declared from the post-game podium, looking at times like he was fighting back tears.
“We’re going to be working our tails off every single day. We’re just going to have to get things done, no matter who likes it. If they don’t like it, they can leave. That’s just how things are going to be from now on.’’
It wasn’t the only time Guarantano invited teammates depart if they didn’t buy in.
“This is not how I planned things,’’ he said. “It’s not how we planned things. …
“Myself and Trey (Smith, offensive lineman) have already talked about it. It’s just going to be different. We’re going to set the tone and if nobody likes it, then they can just leave.’’
Guarantano didn’t give specific examples, but he was clearly agitated.
He also offered this: “This wasn’t a fun place to be around.’’
It wasn’t a fun place to be after an 18-point loss to a Vanderbilt team that was 0-7 in the SEC and had allowed 46 points per game to conference competition. Not many UT fans endured the defeat: estimated actual attendance was between 50-to-55,000 – the smallest I can remember when weather wasn’t a factor in my 33 years of covering UT football
Perhaps it wasn’t a fun place to be because there was a lack of leadership among players and coaches.
Perhaps it wasn’t fun to be around when Nigel Warrior sucker punched teammate Shy Tuttle then was not suspended; when Darrell Taylor stomped on Smith’s face and was suspended two games; when Jauan Jennings went AWOL for about 10 weeks after an apparent season-ending wrist injury, showed up, got suspended, then walked off the practice field when he wasn’t allowed to play quarterback, then dived into a profanity-laced tirade that correctly caused Tennessee to dismiss him from the team.
Smith, a cinch for Freshman All-American honors and one of the best young offensive linemen Tennessee has had in years, was also upset about the outcomes.
Smith said that in the postgame locker room, players remembered the moments.
“We’re not allowing this to happen again,’’ Smith said. “We’re gonna be great leaders in the locker room, have a lot of control.’’
Will the 4-8 season motivate Smith?
“Every day,’’ he said. “Every day. Point blank. Period.’’
Guarantano delivered the same message.
“I’m not going to forget this and I’m going to let it drive me,’’ he said. “And I think that has to be the team mindset. We wound up going 4-8. It feels terrible and we’re going to let it feel terrible for every single practice and workout going forth.’’
So what led to this terrible season and terrible feeling?
“I think the coaches lost the locker room and lost it early,’’ said former Vol great Tim Irwin, an analyst on Sunday Sports Soundoff radio show on WNML and WIVK.
Irwin was also critical of both Tennessee coordinators: Bob Shoop on defense, Larry Scott on offense.
Shoop was thought to be a home-run hire after doing a good job at Vanderbilt and Penn State. He was pried away from the Nittany Lions for over $1.1 million a year.
Shoop’s defense last year was terrible, but much of that could be blamed on injuries. The defense this year was also awful, allowing Georgia Tech to rush for 535 yards and giving up over 250 rushing yards per game on the season.
Scott didn’t fare much better. He was hired to run an offense for the first time in over 12 years when he was a high school coach in Florida.
Injuries certainly had an impact on this team, but so did coaching and lack of player development and bad luck.
Still, it shouldn’t have added up to a 4-8 season.
As for next season?
“We’re going to come back better,’’ Smith said. “I promise that.’’
Time will tell.
Sponsored by Big Kahuna Wings: The wings that changed it all
