Offensively Challenged, Vols Come Up Short Vs. Gamecocks, 15-9

Tennessee Has Failed To Score Touchdown In 10 Straight Quarters

  • Saturday, October 14, 2017
  • Larry Fleming
Two South Carolina defenders, including T.J. Wonnum (8), converge on Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano in Saturday's game. Guarantano was making his first college start. The Gamecocks escaped with a 15-9 win after UT's final play, a pass, was off the mark as the game ended.
Two South Carolina defenders, including T.J. Wonnum (8), converge on Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano in Saturday's game. Guarantano was making his first college start. The Gamecocks escaped with a 15-9 win after UT's final play, a pass, was off the mark as the game ended.
photo by Dennis Norwood

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Cobwebs are taking over end zones in Tennessee absence.

South Carolina’s defense extended the Vols’ offensive anemia in the red zone and the Gamecocks walked out of Neyland Stadium on Saturday with a 12-9 Southeastern Conference victory before 98,104 sun-splashed fans that are growing increasingly weary with Tennessee’s ineptness with the ball.

Tennessee (3-3, 0-3) has failed to score a touchdown in 10 consecutive quarters and its scoring against the Gamecocks (5-2, 3-2) consisted of three Brent Cimaglia field goals covering 29, 33 and 24 yards.

“We can’t have negative-yardage plays when we get in the red zone,” Vols offensive lineman Brett Kendrick said.

“You just can’t do it. It’s on the offensive line; it’s on the receivers and it’s on the quarterback. You just have to score.”

Tennessee hasn’t scored a touchdown since quarterback Quinten Dormady hit Tyler Byrd with an 8-yard toss with 25 seconds left in the second quarter of the 17-13 win against UMass on Sept. 23.

The Vols did come close in the waning seconds against the Gamecocks, but the visitors came up with a remarkable goal-line stand to preserve the win.

Trailing 15-9 with 1:13 left and no timeouts, first-time starter Jarrett Guarantano engineered an impressive drive that started on the Vols’ 25. On the second snap Guarantano hit Marquez Callaway with a 16-yard throw. A play later the redshirt freshman found Brandon Johnson on a 39-yard gainer to the South Carolina 22.

“We busted a coverage on the long pass play there at the end,” said Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp, who is 6-0 against Tennessee.

A Guarantano-to-Callaway play later moved Tennessee 9 yards to the Gamecocks’ 5.

Gamecocks’ defensive back Rashad Fenton was flagged for pass interference against Callaway in the end zone and the Vols had an automatic first down at the 2.

First down: Guarantano, under pressure, threw the ball into the north stands.

Second down: Guarantano’s pass was batted down by Taylor Stallworth near the line of scrimmage, leaving just one second on the clock.

Third down: Guarantano took the snap, rolled right and threw toward the right front pylon in the north end zone. Defended well by Chris Lammons, Brandon Johnson got a hand on the ball but it ricocheted through the end zone and out of play.

“I thought I had him, said Guarantano,” who was 11 for 18 for 133 yards with no interceptions, but was sacked seven times – twice by D.J. Wonnum – for minus-46 yards (he finished the game minus-2 yards. “We practice (the one minute drill) two or three times a week. When we are up and rolling, we are really good at it. We were able to get rolling and hit some plays down the field.”

Said South Carolina wide receiver Bryan Edwards: “The whole last drive was pretty unbelievable, especially with them having a freshman quarterback in there and able to get down the field like that. You tip your hat to those guys, but our defense stepped up and that is all that matters.”

Tennessee had minus-7 yards of offense in the second half but put up 74 yards on the final drive. However, the Vols failed to gain a yard on their last three plays.

Guarantano fell to the turf following the game’s end. South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley ran down the sideline, helped Guarantano to his feet and hugged his opponent.

It was a disappointing end to his first game as a starter.

“Just from being a competitor, there were some times when I was distraught and it was visible, especially in that first game (against Georgia Tech). From that point, I understood my role and kept working to get better. Before this game I was excited and nervous.”

Said embattled coach Butch Jones of Guarantano’s last-game drive effort: “It’s a difficult situation, obviously. I thought he was very poised, very calm. I think there are a lot of things positively to build upon.”

While Tennessee failed to hit paydirt after halftime, the Gamecocks registered a 20-yard touchdown run by A.J. Turner and Parker White kicked field goals of 21 and 36 yards on their final three possessions.

The drive that ended with Turner’s nifty TD run covered 72 yards, took 16 plays and chewed up a whopping 9 minutes, 10 seconds. The touchdown came with 5:17 remaining in the game.

The Vols’ next series was derailed when Dante Sawyer sacked Guarantano and stripped the quarterback of the ball. The Vols punted on the next play.

“It was a hard-fought game on both sides and Tennessee played their hearts out,” Muschamp said. “They game-planned us extremely well. We settled down in the red zone and when you play good red-zone defense, it’s going to give you a chance to win ballgames.”

Considering Tennessee was embarrassed 41-0 by Georgia in their last game and had two weeks to stew about that sloppy performance – their first shutout in 289 games and worst home loss in 112 years – the Vols came out of gate with inspired play.

Freshman place-kicker Brent Cimaglia, who learned shortly before game time he would start in place of an ill Aaron Medley, who saw his 44-game streak as the starter end, salvaged two first-quarter drives with field goals of 29 and 33 yards for a 6-0 lead.

After one quarter, the Vols had 133 yards of offense to the Gamecocks’ 26.

Early in the second quarter, White got the Gamecocks on the scoreboard with a 47-yard field goal that soared through the uprights with plenty of room to spare.

The Vols added a third Cimaglia field goal, this one for 24 yards, with 33 seconds left in the first half. Tennessee went to the locker room with a 9-3 advantage.

South Carolina had 49 yards rushing at halftime, but came out in the third quarter focused on improving that number. The Gamecocks picked up 54 yards in the quarter with Turner adding 20 in his TD run and Bentley gaining 20.

South Carolina changed the game by outgaining Tennessee 119-8 in the third quarter and Turner’s score capped a 12-play, 95-yard drive that ate up 6 minutes, 28 seconds.

“They came out with more energy (in the second half),” Vols defensive lineman Kyle Phillips said. “I think we got a little winded in the second half.”

Tennessee’s defense fought gallantly throughout the game, but South Carolina’s ground punishment after halftime took its toll. Rashaan Gaulden had 10 tackles, Nigel Warrior was credited with nine and Quart’e Sapp had seven.

That wasn’t enough to keep the Vols from losing for the third time in four games.

“I am proud of our players,” Jones said. “They hurt, but I think they showed their character, and we’ll continue to show our character.”

Tennessee will need a double dose of character next week when they limp into Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to take on the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide, which has won 10 in a row from the Vols. Tennessee’s last win versus Alabama was a 16-13 victory in 2006.

“Next game,” is all Jones said about Alabama.

SCORING

South Carolina                     0 3 6 6– 15

Tennessee                            6 3 0 0 – 9

First Quarter

UT – FG Brent Cimaglia 29, 10:26

UT – FG Cimaglia 33, 1:36

Second Quarter

SC – FG Parker White 47, 10:31

UT – FG Cimaglia 24, 0:33

Third Quarter

SC – A.J. Turner 20 run (pass failed), 1:02

Fourth Quarter

SC – FG White 21, 5:17

SC – FG White 36, 1:13

Attedance: 98,104

YARDSTICK

                                              SC                   UT

First Downs                           19                    16

Rushes-Yds                           40-194            39-120

Passing Yards                      129                 133

Comp-Att-Int                         15-24-0          11-19-0

Total Plys-Yds                       64323             58-253

Fumbles-Lost                        0-0                  2-0

Punts-Avg                              4-40                6-52.3

Penalties-Yds                        8-59                7-40

INDIVIDUALS

RUSHING – South Carolina: A.J. Turner 14-86, Ty’Son Williams 11-47, Jake Bentley 6-24, Rico Dowdle 4-19, Mon Denson 4-14, Hayden Hurst 1-4; Tennessee: John Kelly 16-58, Ty Chandler 4-45, Quinten Dormady 1-13, Josh Palmer 1-6, Jarrett Guarantano 17-minus 2.

PASSING – South Carolina: Bentley 15-24-0-129; Tennessee: Guarantano 11-18-0-133, Josh Smith 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING – South Carolina: Bryan Edwards 6-63, O’Tre Smith 3-40, Jacob August 2-9, Chad Terrell 1-9, Shi Smith 1-4, Kiel Pollard 1-4, Turner 1-0; Tennessee: Brandon Johnson 3-54, Marquez Callaway 4-37, Kelly 2-21, Chandler 1-11, Smith 1-10.

(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)

Tennessee's Micah Abernathy (22) and Marquill Osborne (3) team up to stop South Carolina tight end K.C. Crosby during Saturday's SEC game at Neyland Stadium. The Gamecocks won 15-9, handing the Vols their second straight game. UT plays No. 1-ranked Alabama next week.
Tennessee's Micah Abernathy (22) and Marquill Osborne (3) team up to stop South Carolina tight end K.C. Crosby during Saturday's SEC game at Neyland Stadium. The Gamecocks won 15-9, handing the Vols their second straight game. UT plays No. 1-ranked Alabama next week.
photo by Dennis Norwood
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