Offensive Line
Nathanael: D+
Tennessee’s offensive line still had far too many issues blocking on run plays, especially in short yardage situations. And Guarantano was sacked three times and hit far more often than that. The Vols allowed 10 tackles for loss on the afternoon. The victory helps mask what was another poor effort by the offensive line, but they should be cut some slack considering they suffered another injury mid-game. Starting guard Jahmir Johnson got hurt during the game and exited for a bit. Nathan Niehaus earned the start at right guard rather than Jerome Carvin.
Ben: C
I thought this was the offensive line’s best performance against a legitimate opponent this season. Now, the O-line wasn’t great by any means, but they were efficient enough against a really good Auburn defensive line. The rust that has plagued Trey Smith this season is finally starting to deteriorate, and Drew Richmond had several key blocks. Nathan Niehaus earned the start at right guard over Jerome Carvin and the move paid off. While the offensive line helped propel Guarantano to a career-day through the air, they struggled once again running the football. If this team is going to go to a bowl game, it’s going to have to establish the run better than they did against Auburn.
