Jeremy Pruitt shares the latest on Brian Maurer’s status heading into Alabama week
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Tennessee’s offense has received a serious spark in recent weeks thanks to the emergence of true freshman quarterback Brian Maurer into the starting lineup.
While Maurer’s numbers may not immediately jump out at you, he’s completed 22 of 48 passes for 364 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions through the air with another 29 rushing yards and another touchdown, his ability to get the ball out of his hand quickly and into the hands of Tennessee’s playmakers is something that was missing before the freshman entered the lineup.
The Mississippi State game was much of the same as Maurer marched the Vols up and down the field on Saturday before suffering a concussion at the end of the second quarter. Maurer did not return in the second half of the game and was replaced by Jarrett Guarantano in the lineup.
During his first media availability of the week, Jeremy Pruitt was asked to share why Maurer stayed on the field for two plays after suffering his concussion.
“He got a concussion. He hit his head on the ground and he’s got a concussion,” Pruitt said. “We took him out of the game, didn’t know it until he came out of the game.”
When asked if Maurer should have been evaluated immediately after the play where Maurer hit his head, the Tennessee coach offered up this response.
“I don’t know how you could. He hit his head on the ground and jumps up, runs back into the huddle, gets the call and calls the next deal. Every play, there’s a lot of people running into each other and they are hitting their heads — I guess we could stop the game and evaluate everybody out there, you know? But I don’t think we have time for that.”
Pruitt was then asked a follow-up on Maurer’s status and suggested the freshman could be back soon but would not firmly commit to Maurer playing this weekend in Tuscaloosa against Alabama.
“Brian took some reps last night at practice, he’s going to be fine, I’m sure,” Pruitt said.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
