Keller Chryst struggles in relief, Vols need Guarantano vs. Vandy
The backup quarterback is always the most popular man on campus. Vols senior grad transfer Keller Chryst is no exception.
For months, a small but boisterous contingent of Tennessee fans have campaigned for the former Stanford quarterback, especially after Chryst threw for a couple of touchdowns against No. 1 Alabama.
He gets the ball out quicker. He sets the protections better. He doesn’t take killer sacks. He sees the whole field.
In fairness, Chryst does do some of those things, but those clamoring fans who finally got their wish didn’t have much to champion Saturday night.
There’s a reason why Jarrett Guarantano is this team’s starting quarterback.
As evidenced by a 50-17 throttling by Missouri, Tennessee has all sorts of problems, but its second-year starter isn’t principal among them.
While Guarantano has his flaws and it’s still unclear if he’s the solution to turning around this program, what unfolded in Neyland Stadium only boosted the New Jersey native’s resume.
In an embarrassing 33-point loss, Chryst threw a pair of interceptions — as many as Guarantano has all season — including a back-breaking turnover just before halftime.
Trailing 19-10, Tennessee was marching towards a score with less than two minutes remaining when Chryst threw a duck in the direction of Marquez Callaway. The pass was easily intercepted by Demarcus Acy, who returned it 76 yards down the sideline to setup another Tigers touchdown.
Ballgame, pretty much.
“It was just a poor throw,” head coach Jeremy Pruitt said.
“That killed us there right before the half. The score is 19-10, we have a good drive going. It’s the whole deal about two-minute (drill) before the half. There are two things that can happen, you can run the clock out or you can punt the football and the run the clock out and go in at the half.
"We had an opportunity with some field position, had a chance to put some points on the board and had a bad throw. They run it all the way back. So it’s at least probably a 10-point swing there.”
Chryst shook off the pick to engineer a touchdown drive to start the third quarter, but the damage was done.
He finished the day 7 of 19 for 173 yards — 98 yards coming from a pair of circus catches by Marquez Callaway. Just before the game-changing interception, Chryst missed Dominick Wood-Anderson deep down the opposite sideline. On the possession before, Tennessee’s backup never saw a wide open Wood-Anderson in the end zone, forcing the Vols to settle for a field goal.
“Keller is a hard worker, he’s been great for our program. Our kids love him. He’s a good leader,” Pruitt said.
“But I know there are a few throws he would like to have back. There are a couple plays there where we turn the ball over, that probably hurt us.”
Chryst has been a model teammate and leader since coming to Tennessee. He didn’t gripe when he lost the job this summer and he’s been ready to go when called upon more than once this season.
Much like the Alabama game, he provided an instant spark when he replaced Guarantano, who exited early in the second quarter Saturday after another big hit.
“We didn’t really change our plans based on the quarterback,” Pruitt said.
And that’s the issue.
Chryst's limitations and accuracy issues were on full display tonight. He looked like a guy who lost his job at Stanford Perhaps he'd be the better quarterback in a different offense, but for what the Vols want to do, with what they have (or don’t have) along the offensive line, Tennessee better hope Guarantano is ready to go in Nashville next Saturday.
Otherwise, the Vols might be home for the holidays for the second straight December.