PULLMAN, Wash. (BVM) — Jarrett Guarantano was not having a good game. He had just thrown a pick-six with his Tennessee Volunteers in the red zone and a chance to take the lead against the Auburn Tigers. Now trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter, Guarantano had one last chance to not just salvage the game, but the Vols’ season as well. 

But it just was not meant to be. On third-and-4 from Auburn’s 15-yard line, Guarantano could not escape the heavy pressure from the Tigers, resulting in a sack. Yet another opportunity to make up for earlier mistakes slipped through the grasps of the senior, as UT would miss the ensuing field goal attempt, ending the drive with no points to show for.

Not only would that be Guarantano’s final snap of the game before being benched, but it would also conclude a career full of inconsistency and adversity both on and off the field at Tennessee.

Coming to Rocky Top, the New Jersey native generated a lot of buzz in high school. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 200 pounds, he already possessed the prototypical build for a quarterback while also showing flashes of dual-threat abilities at Bergen Catholic. With over 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards in his high school career, Guarantano’s versatility made him a perfect fit in the Vols’ power zone-read offense.

There weren’t any major expectations to meet right away, however, as the team was still led by senior quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Following his redshirt freshman year, it was believed that the transition from Dobbs to Guarantano would be seamless, but that did not come to fruition as planned. In 2017, he threw for 997 yards and four touchdowns while splitting time with junior Quinten Dormady in a season where UT would finish 4-8 and winless in the SEC.

Things began to look up, though, as a redshirt sophomore and sole signal caller of the offense. Starting in all 12 games, Guarantano showcased his abilities as a pro passer by completing 62.2 percent of his passes for the season, including a stretch where he went 166 consecutive passing attempts without an interception. It was once again a rocky season for the Vols, but impressive wins over Auburn and Kentucky gave fans hope for a brighter future.

Instead, Guarantano began to face adversity as a quarterback and human being. 

Despite trending in the right direction the year prior, the 2019 season was full of inconsistency as UT started just 1-4, including a stunning loss at home to Georgia State to kick off the year. Things really began to turn sideways against Georgia in week four, especially for Guarantano, who would throw two interceptions in the first half. The quarterback was benched at halftime in favor of freshman Brian Maurer, and it appeared the starting position was now up for grabs going forward.

Over the next month, with no clear favorite to take the helm of the offense, fans were ruthless to Guarantano. However, this was more than just the common heckling; he began to receive death threats toward himself and his family. Despite a handful of solid performances as a backup quarterback, Guarantano’s confidence had reached an all-time low. A fanbase that was once hopeful for the future had become hateful.

That is, until he had the game of his life.

After not starting a game in over a month, Guarantano got the call against Missouri in Week 11, a game the Vols’ needed in order to be bowl eligible. With the stakes raised, Guarantano rose to the occasion in a big way down the stretch. Late in the third quarter and the score tied at 17, the redshirt junior hit wideout Marquez Callaway for a 17-yard touchdown to take the lead. UT’s defense held the Tigers out of the endzone for the last 15 minutes, securing a bowl game for the Vols.

Guarantano finished the night with 415 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 23 of his 40 passing attempts. After the game, he credited his teammates for having his back despite how the season was transpiring.

Heading into 2020, it finally looked like UT had found the answer at quarterback. But once again, Guarantano struggled heavily to be consistent, resulting in another benching after a 34-7 loss to Kentucky in October. Once the season concluded, he announced that he would not be returning to Knoxville and instead play elsewhere as a graduate student. After not even a full month in the transfer portal, Guarantano stated his intentions to join Washington State University.

Even in a change of scenery, there will still be adversity to overcome. Heading into spring practices, Guarantano will most likely compete against fourth-year junior and former four–star recruit Cammon Cooper. The Utah native has not received much playing time as a Cougar, as he briefly appeared in two games last season, however he does have more experience in the offensive system.

Guarantano will also have to earn the respect as a leader from his teammates in the locker room, a task he admitted as being difficult.

“I mean, you go into a completely different place, you go across the country and guys are different in different locker rooms,” he told 247Sports. “So, to be honest, it was a little weird. I came in with the idea that I kind of wanted to make relationships first and then over time get better.”

The challenges of growing accustomed to a new environment now stand in the way of a career revival for Guarantano. But if his collegiate career has proven anything, it’s that he’s not afraid of any obstacle that comes his way. 

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