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Tennessee football: Former Georgia QB Hutson Mason defends Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt

By Caleb Calhoun

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 30: Hutson Mason #14 of the Georgia Bulldogs warms up before the Belk Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium on December 30, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 30: Hutson Mason #14 of the Georgia Bulldogs warms up before the Belk Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium on December 30, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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UGA Bulldogs recently slammed Tennessee football’s Jeremy Pruitt. But former Dawgs quarterback Hutson Mason defended the Volunteers head coach.

Although former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray might have a lot to say about the new Tennessee football head coach, his successor also gave his opinions. And those were much more nuanced.

Former Dawgs quarterback Hutson Mason defended Jeremy Pruitt from the criticism Murray and David Pollack levied at him last week in regards to his relationship with Mark Richt as Richt’s defensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. Mason, who was Georgia’s starting quarterback in 2014, said on a podcast on Dan Harralson’s VolsWire that the criticism was ‘overblown.’

Although he acknowledged that Pruitt handled some situations at UGA in a ‘disrespectful manner’ and that he needs to learn how to get along and work with people he disagrees with, Mason said that has nothing to do with him being successful at his next place. He described Pruitt as “straightforward,” and brought up Nick Saban and Bill Belichick to defend him.

“Those guys are hard to work with,” he said. “You think Nick Saban is talking nicely to his GA’s and the guys that worked under him at Alabama? Heck no!”

Mason also talked about expectations for the Vols this season on the podcast and gave his own take on the quarterback race between Jarrett Guarantano and Keller Chryst. But the big story surrounding Tennessee football the past week has been Pruitt’s relationship with Richt.

Related Story: 4 reasons Vols should love criticism of Pruitt

Unlike Murray and Pollack, Mason actually played for a team that Pruitt was coaching on. So he joins a chorus of other players defending Pruitt. Of course, he didn’t specifically play for Pruitt, but it still resonates.

Considering what other coaches have said about him, the words from Pollack and Murray ring more and more hollow. Now, Richt last week appeared to dodge the question. But even if they did clash, we should not Richt never won a national title.

Simply put, Mason is a former UGA quarterback just like Murray. And by the way, he has just as many SEC Championships as Murray. Shouldn’t his word count for something, especially since he played for a team Pruitt coached on?

Next: Must-win games for Jeremy Pruitt in Year One

Of course it should. Tennessee football should embrace the criticism directed at Pruitt. All people are really saying is that he’s intense and hard-nosed. That’s what winners are. So, as we said last week, these attacks on Pruitt are really just compliments.

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