Tennessee is heading into a pivotal match-up with in-state rival Vanderbilt with three of their top players a little beat up.
Starting quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and starting wide receiver Marquez Callaway both left Saturday’s 50-17 loss to Missouri early after taking big hits in that game. Guarantano left in the first half while Callaway was knocked out in the second half. Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt said on Monday that both players were “day-to-day” at that point, but he added that both would probably practice all week this week.
Now that a few days have passed, how have two of Tennessee’s most important offensive players been looking this week?
“They practice every day,” Pruitt said on Wednesday to reporters after practice. He would later say “sure” when asked if both Guarantano and Callaway have looked like themselves on the practice field this week.
Guarantano has started all 11 games at quarterback for Tennessee this year, but he’s been knocked out of a couple games early. He failed to play the entirety of Tennessee’s game against Florida, and he was taken out of the Vols match-up with Alabama in the first half after taking a hard hit. He played in just the first quarter of this past weekend’s game against Missouri before exiting.
In 11 games, Guarantano has completed 64.5 percent of his 217 pass attempts for 1,768 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
Callaway hasn’t been nearly as banged up this season, and he’s started all 11 games at wide receiver for Tennessee. He leads the team in receptions and receiving yards, hauling in 35 catches for 578 yards and a touchdown on the year.
But Guarantano and Callaway aren’t the only Vols on offense who are practicing hurt this week.
According to Pruitt, starting running back Ty Chandler suffered a minor injury during practice this week, and he’s also “day-to-day” just like Guarantano and Callaway.
“Ty practiced. He practiced,” Pruitt stated. “He tweaked his knee to start practice there a little bit. He’s been kind of day-to-day. Ty’s a tough guy. He’s a little bit banged up, but he’ll be ready to go.”
The sophomore running back has appeared in 10 of the Vols’ 11 games this season, but he was limited in Tennessee’s games against West Virginia and Charlotte due to injuries. But in his 10 appearances this season, Chandler has totaled 542 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 108 carries while also adding 183 receiving yards and three scores on 19 catches. Chandler is actually fourth on the team in receiving yards and is tied with Jauan Jennings for the team lead in receiving touchdowns.
Tennessee will kick-off against Vanderbilt at 4:00 Eastern in Nashville on Saturday, November 24th.
