Justin Worley saw his worst performance of the season on Saturday against SEC East rival Florida. The senior threw for 205 yards and two interceptions on 26-of-39 passing. Worley also fumbled in the third quarter after a sack by Jalen Tabor.

But Worley’s performance wasn’t all his fault. Once again, he received zero help from a struggling offensive line. Worley was sacked six times and hurried three in Saturday’s loss, spending most of the game either on the ground or running for his life.

There were also several key dropped passes by receivers that halted drives or wiped away sure touchdowns. It’s easy to point blame at the quarterback, but when the players around him aren’t giving much aid, its difficult to have success. Tennessee’s young, inexperienced team looked like just that in Saturday’s loss.

While the defense showed poise and maturity, the Vols offense lacked the necessary attributes to score points against a Florida defense that finally played up to expectations. Tennessee looked like it was “almost there” on every drive, but either turned the ball over or ran out of field position. For Worley, it was a matter of avoiding injury after deciding to play with a hurt elbow and facing a constant pass rush.

Tennessee needs to see improvement on its offensive line. I say this every week like a broken record, but its the truth. Their glaring weakness is in the trenches and will hinder them from taking victories in winnable games, as was the case on Saturday. For Worley to have any success in the passing game, he needs protection in the pocket.