Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols’ loss to Georgia Bulldogs

2. Brian Maurer looked great early but then hit reality.

Everybody fell in love with Brian Maurer when he built the Vols a 14-10 lead with two touchdowns passes, one to Marquez Callaway and another to Jauan Jennings. The touchdown to Callaway was a 73-yard bomb, and he hit Jennings in the red zone over the middle on a zip by threading the needle into double-coverage.

It was also worthy of praise for him to have 205 yards passing in the first half. However, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes, even in that half. To be fair, he finished 14-of-28 for 259 yards and those two touchdowns.

But he couldn’t even hit five yards in the third quarter, and he threw an interception. In the second half, Kirby Smart adjusted, and the Vols were atrocious. Maurer finally got things going in the fourth quarter, as he began to move the ball again, but he was then strip-sacked, and his fumble was returned for a touchdown. That ended up being the difference.

The best things about him are his zip on the ball and his quick decision-making. Those are things that will bode well for the true freshman if he remains the starter, and Jeremy Pruitt and Jim Chaney can work on his weaknesses.

But he clearly has lots of work to do. Jarrett Guarantano had to come in at times after the hits Maurer took, and he finished the game. So a bit more pocket awareness could go a long way for Maurer if he is going to keep it up.