Gene Chizik says Jeremy Pruitt's rebuild at Tennessee 'is much bigger than he may have suspected'

With big expectations against Florida on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium, the Tennessee Volunteers fell on their faces, losing to their SEC East rivals 47-21.

The game featured mental mistakes, physical mistakes and a player leaving the sideline after refusing to go in the game.

Following the loss, SEC Network analyst Gene Chizik said coach Jeremy Pruitt has a much bigger rebuilding process on his hands than he may have originally thought:

Gene Chizik on what Jeremy Pruitt learned tonight about Tennessee: "I think he learned that this undertaking is much bigger than he may have suspected. This team played a struggling FL, this wasn't even close, wasn't a fair fight. They have leadership issues, discipline issues."

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 23, 2018

The leadership and discipline issues were evident on Saturday night, and that’s something Pruitt will need to get fixed this week.

Things don’t get easier for the Vols, though, as they travel to Athens to take on the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs next weekend before a bye the following week. Things could get ugly against the Dawgs.