Jeremy Pruitt updates status for QB Brian Maurer ahead of Alabama game
It’s Wednesday, and Jeremy Pruitt still doesn’t know if he’ll have quarterback Brian Maurer available for the Alabama game.
Maurer suffered a concussion against Mississippi State Saturday, and now-backup Jarrett Guarantano finished the game helping secure the win.
Pruitt said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference that Maurer will be a game-time decision Saturday. Pruitt said Maurer has gone through protocol and has taken some reps during practice.
Obviously, if the freshman can’t play, Guarantano will start against the Crimson Tide.
Other things Pruitt said Wednesday on the teleconference:
- On quick slants from Bama: To start with, they are talented. They do an excellent job of RPO, probably better than anyone in the country. The WRs are headed to the goal line on them… They are being aggressive in the RPO game… They are well-coached, the kids work hard… Tua knows where these guys are at. Tua has a quick release, and he gets the ball out of his hand fast… They do a really, really good job in that area.
- The key to stopping those plays? I don’t know that you can stop them. You have to be able to stop some one-on-one blocks… I’ve not seen a team that can guard them. If you can, that’s the answer, right? But I’ve not seen that. If you can get a tipped ball here or there, get them off schedule, bump them at the line. There’s no one that’s been able to slow them down over the years.
- On South Carolina’s upset of UGA, does that help this week? The thing we can control is being at the very best… We can be at our very best and try and do that for 60 minutes.
- On the OL: Brandon Kennedy has really improved. He has never really made it through a season since he was a youngest… We continue to gel, but are we where we need to be? No… They will have a tremendous challenge on Saturday.
- On the starting combos this season for the Vols on the OL: I think some of it is we have some new guys, we did well in recruiting… I think our staff has done a good job of developing some guys… We have a unique situation with Trey Smith with him not always able to practice, that allows other guys to get reps… It also makes it tough because they don’t always get to play the same position but I think they have improved a lot since the start of the season.
- On Alabama’s middle linebackers and the progress they have made: I think it says a lot about Pete Golding and the job he has done. That’s not easy to play with freshmen in that defense. It says a lot about those young men, they have the maturity to be able to call the defense… They have done a nice job of doing that… The offense may be one of the best in the history of college football.