UTEP @ Tennessee preview

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt will see a familiar face when the Volunteers host UTEP on Saturday. Miners quarterback Kai Locksley's father Mike is the Alabama offensive coordinator and worked with Pruitt for two seasons when Pruitt served as the Crimson Tide defensive coordinator from 2016-17.

"Mike and Kai Locksley are very good friends to our family,'' Pruitt told reporters. "... Kai can run, and they've had a little bit of a problem with protection just like us. He's a guy that can get away from it, he can extend plays and has a good arm. He's their leading rusher and passer, so everything starts with him." Pruitt is receiving solid quarterback play from Jarrett Guarantano, who has completed 71.1 percent of his passes without a turnover this season, and backup Keller Chryst. "Those guys are learning. I think they're developing,'' Pruitt said of his QBs after last week's 59-3 dismantling of East Tennessee State. "They're gaining confidence in the system that they're running. I think it was another solid performance by both guys." Kai Locksley, who began his collegiate career at Florida State before transferring to Texas and eventually UTEP, made his first start in a 52-24 loss at UNLV last week.

TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: Tennessee -30.5

ABOUT UTEP (0-2): Locksley completed 6-of-19 passes for 57 yards last week but did significant damage on the ground with 119 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Junior running back Quardraiz Wadley is another rushing threat, averaging 9.3 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns this season. Senior linebacker A.J. Hotchkins owns a sack among his team bests of 21 tackles and 13 solo.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (1-1): Guarantano was 8-of-13 for 154 yards last week while Chryst, a Stanford transfer, was 3-for-3 with a 50-yard TD pass to sophomore wide receiver Jordan Murphy. Junior wideout Marquez Callaway has team highs of 11 receptions and 141 yards while sophomore Tim Jordan (5.2 yards per 35 carries, one touchdown) paces the running backs. Junior linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr., who nearly transferred before deciding to continue his injury-plagued career with the Volunteers, returned an interception 33 yards for a TD against East Tennessee State and boasts a team-high 14 tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Guarantano's completion percentage is 20th nationally and on pace to break the school record of 67.0 set by Erik Ainge in 2006.

2. The Miners are 1-9 versus the SEC -- 0-9 on the road -- with a 14-7 victory over Ole Miss in the 1967 Sun Bowl.

3. Tennessee is one of three teams (Clemson, LSU) that hasn't committed a turnover this season.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 38, UTEP 7