Pruitt not benching JG. Says he’s the best QB on the roster

[jackieaprilesr]

Then Pruitt has likely sealed his fate. Not because he isn’t benching JG now, but because he failed to recruit over him.

c'mon............how the hell can you recruit over JG after 1 season at 5-7. it seems that die hards are having a hard time realizing that the current recruiting classes do not remember or know what Tennessee looked like during the good ole days. put yourself in the shoes of a kid BORN in 2001; by the time they were 8 yrs old, Tennessee fired Phil Fulmer after a losing season and since has been the laughing stock of the SEC. Maurer was an Elite 11 kid and is not ready 2 games into the season. long story short, i disagree with your comment.

 

[photovol]

The final nail seals Pruitt’s coffin

 

[diehardvolsfan]

Yikes.

He isn't even going to try and give another QB some snaps this week?

His ego trip gonna get him fired he just don’t care....if he did JG would be benched....

 

[jwilliams]

I predict that we get a modest lead over UTC in the first half... maybe 7 or 10 points. The coach yanks JG for Shrout or Maurer. Whoever it is looks REALLY good. The fans all think Shrout/Maurer is the new starter. In the next PC, coach says that they were "just giving JG a breather" and he is our starter.

Book it.

 

[GVol1966]

Stop with this nonsense!

Nonsense?? We are 0-2 , should be 2-0, the biggest top of the list reasons are ineffective QB play and HC. So what nonsense are you talking about?

 

[diehardvolsfan]

Maybe play McBride and Shrout in the Alabama game. Protect your star and do some exploring. What have you got to lose?

Yeah cause Bama bout to blow us up 58-0....

 

[TJVol95]

Just turned on the Animal. Is Pruitt excusing JG’s play due to an injury? I’m so tired of coaches lying.

 

[nomads-11]

While I may have wanted it, I didn't expect CJP to shelve JG for the rest of the season. Given past history, you'd probably lose him at that point. And yeah he might be the best you think you have.......but you don't really know do you? We don't. There 2 years or so worth of film on JG that will speak for itself.

That said, you're gonna have to find out what's behind him. I mean you're 0-2, and facing an SEC slate of games you're never gonna be favored in. You've got a QB who has proven he can lose a game or two all by himself. And, regardless, you're one blindside hit from having to play a QB off the bench anyway. You've got to give Shrout or Maurer some time out there with the bullets flying.

What's the answer going to be when you're 1-6 or 1-7? Still not going to play any second string QBs?

 

[Alex10]

JG obviously looks better in practice than when it counts. How do we know the youngsters aren't exactly the opposite ? How do the coaches know ? Heck, we could have beat either of the 2 teams we've played with a QB that could execute 6 plays well - we don't have to play someone that we need to open the whole playbook with - just put them in the damn game and let them EXECUTE simple stuff and not throw it to the other team, fumble, slide 3 yds B4 the first down or just outright CHOKE when at game speed !!!!

Eh I see what coach cornbread is thinking here. I mean JG is clearly an incapable quarterback that has proven without a shadow of a doubt he can’t be a winner here, why would you risk trying something different and screwing that up? Give sling blade a chance he’s clearly got us on a good trajectory!! Going straight down is the way you want to go isn’t it?

 

[Braemar_Vol]

 

[RockyTopJewel]

Is anyone finding this reminiscent of Worley? When we clung onto that dud for dear life and he was supposedly our best option? Meanwhile we had a stud on the bench???

 

[Volfaninfl2]

McElroy said this morning that Maurer isn’t ready. He said BM can’t identify the Mike LB on D. He said Shrout isn’t ready either and mentioned Shrout not being able to move around well enough. He claims JG is for sure the best option we have. He then went on to say that he thinks we will upset a team or two this year. What he didn’t say is if he was talking about Chattanooga and UAB!

Is McElroy allowed in TN team practices, how would he know what Maurer can identify?

 

[ShoalCreekVol]

So once again, we have people on here that know more than the coaches. The coaches run practice's everyday working with the players and they agree on who starts. But people in this forum know more than they do, calling the coaches idiots. This is what is wrong with our society. Stay in your lane people.

If that's really what you believe, you have no reason to be on this forum. Just show up and watch whatever the coaches choose to do on Saturday, without opinion or commentary. Because, you know, you'd be part of what's wrong with our society if you questioned or judged the product you see on the field. They own it, you just STFU and watch quietly. In your lane.

 

[GVol1966]

I think the point needs made that almost no coach would hav benched JG during the BYU game. It was obvious that he was struggling but the team was playing well enough to win and lead most of the game, including that final stretch when the D coverage was blown and set up the tying field goal. JG wasn't perfect (wasn't even close) but he played well enough to get the win. And no coach is going to pull the QB in that situation in that close of a game, epscially when the defense should be able to close out the game.

Pruitt's one big mistake that he is going to have to battle uphill all year against was treating GA State like a scrimmage. That was the time when we should have had a big lead at the half to see how the backup QBs would perform in game situations. We lost that opportunity band have not gotten another one yet.

if CJP had pulled JG against BYU and a backup ended up with a mistake and we lost because of that, everyone would be calling for Pruitt's head for taking a chance when we were already winning.

Pruitt put himself in an untenable position with the GA State loss but that doesn't mean that he hasn't been making solid decisions since. Just an opinion from an admitted amateur. Take it for what it's worth (not much)

Well you lost me when you said “JG played well enough to get the win “. Obviously you didn’t check the final score.
And don’t blame the loss on that blown play at the end, if JG had played anywhere near good enough to get the win the only thing that play would of effected is the point spread!!

 

[EODVOL]

Ok, but so you know.... And if you don’t let me remind you.

JG was also an elite 11 finalist..

Sure you want to stick with this argument?

Slow down with the facts, people want to hear fake news!

 

[ShoalCreekVol]

This was the right week to say that we are going to prepare 3 QBs to play against an FCS team. We still don't even know who the #2 is, much less have done anything to prepare them for their role. As it stands, because we have a fourth year junior (read that again) with no leadership skills and a proven inability to win who is taking every snap now to learn on the job training in QB fundamentals, we can't afford to give a snap or two here or there to a backup.

JG's lack of development is sucking the life out of the QB position as a whole. We can't develop a backup - we can't even IDENTIFY a backup - b/c he requires 100% of the oxygen in the QB room just to manage being inadequate. This is not the kind of leadership a coach should be showing. Privately or publicly. He's being paid $4 mill to prepare the entire team to play winning football. Not to babysit a fragile ego to the detriment of the overall team.

That means it's his job to fix JG, and it's his job to make sure the backups are developing enough to take the starting job if necessary. In both jobs he is currently failing miserably.

 

[nomads-11]

Turnovers and turnovers on downs. Bailed out multiple times from interceptions. He easily caused TN a 14 point deficit for each game.

This. Defense doesn't get a pass, but JG is leaving yardage and points all over the field. I can see wide open receivers on TV and in replays.......and that is a limited view of the field. Those at the game commented that it was worse. Heck, when betting in the predict the score contest, ill purposely knock off 7-10 points for JG alone. So much for home field advantage.

 

[GAVol]

Just turned on the Animal. Is Pruitt excusing JG’s play due to an injury? I’m so tired of coaches lying.

Not even close. Said he hit his hand on a helmet in the first half but he's fine.

 

[Woke]

Ok, but so you know.... And if you don’t let me remind you.

JG was also an elite 11 finalist..

Sure you want to stick with this argument?

Good Lord you can’t be serious. JG is a long long way from the Elite 11 his HS recruit rank isn’t up for dispute or debate.

JG is a RS JUNIOR and a PROVEN LOSER at QB at TN. That’s not opinion, that’s not speculation, that’s documented fact. HE CAN’T SEE DOWNFIELD OR PROCESS FAST ENOUGH.

That’s not going to change despite all the 1st Team practice reps, all the meaningless game stats, all the misplaced apologia, all the hope in the world.

Maurer was #5 at Elite 11 behind some pretty good QBs incl the Auburn starter. He’s a true Frosh so that’s all we have to judge him by. That’s enough to warrant giving him a chance to prove himself on the field. We won’t know who he is for sure until he tees it up in real live game conditions.

Any argument that it’s smart to start a known loser over an unknown with promise is just asinine IMO.

 

[Peyton_ManThing]

Lets be real for a second and quit pretending like those of us sitting on a couch every Saturday know better than Coach Pruitt who should be starting for our Vols. I'm not defending saying JG is a great QB I'm just saying I believe Pruitt when he says he's the best option we have right now. JG has made some poor decisions so far this year.. more so than even last year I believe, however, he's on his 4th OC in 4 years. Kid hasn't had the same playbook for consecutive years since high school. Those of you saying Pruitt is to blame for not recruiting over him are also idiots.. 1. JG was highly regarded and recruited out of high school. He's someone we happily took then and expected to contribute. 2. Blame Helton for us not having Adrian Martinez on this team.. He specifically decided he wanted Shrout over him. 3. I believe Mauer is a talented QB but he is also a true frosh. College is a totally different game and neither he nor Shrout have apparently demonstrated enough in practice to be considered a viable option. Pruitt & his staff are recruiting like mad men.. give them time to get their guys here and develop them.

BACK UP QB IS ALWAYS MOST POPULAR GUY ON THE TEAM WHEN THINGS AREN'T GOING YOUR WAY. REMEMBER WHEN OUR FAN BASE BASHED THE CRAP OUT OF WORLEY, DEMANDING WE START PETERMAN BC WE KNOW MORE THAN THE COACHING STAFF? YOU REMEMBER HOW THAT WENT? WORST QB START AND PERFORMANCE I CAN EVER REMEMBER. Losing sucks but this program isn't a one or two year fix. Pruitt needs time.

 

[GVol1966]

Here we go again. I'm not saying a freshman can't play. I'm saying that for every freshman example you give, I can find 10 that aren't ready.

Don't you think that the guy who has millions at stake will play the guys he thinks give us the best chance to win?

I would go with a freshman that isn’t ready over a 4th year guy that’s not ready, but that’s just me, I don’t know anything

 

[JohnD13]

Screw that Bammer

Grow up

 

[EODVOL]

This was the right week to say that we are going to prepare 3 QBs to play against an FCS team. We still don't even know who the #2 is, much less have done anything to prepare them for their role. As it stands, because we have a fourth year junior (read that again) with no leadership skills and a proven inability to win who is taking every snap now to learn on the job training in QB fundamentals, we can't afford to give a snap or two here or there to a backup.

JG's lack of development is sucking the life out of the QB position as a whole. We can't develop a backup - we can't even IDENTIFY a backup - b/c he requires 100% of the oxygen in the QB room just to manage being inadequate. This is not the kind of leadership a coach should be showing. Privately or publicly. He's being paid $4 mill to prepare the entire team to play winning football. Not to babysit a fragile ego to the detriment of the overall team.

That means it's his job to fix JG, and it's his job to make sure the backups are developing enough to take the starting job if necessary. In both jobs he is currently failing miserably.

Don't' buy it, JP knows who our #2 QB is, JP likes to keep things close to the vest and for whatever reason I have no clue. In his Chatt. Presser, he got really defensive when he was questioned how BM came off the bench because JG lost his shoe and wasn't sure if he had to sit a play.

 

[BigBadVol]

If that's really what you believe, you have no reason to be on this forum. Just show up and watch whatever the coaches choose to do on Saturday, without opinion or commentary. Because, you know, you'd be part of what's wrong with our society if you questioned or judged the product you see on the field. They own it, you just STFU and watch quietly. In your lane.

What a stupid reply. Yea, you have the right to your ignorant opinion but calling the coaches idiots, morons, clueless, etc. are narcissistic and immature. Why express opinions with the name calling. I personally think JG has had more than enough time to improve but hasn't. I am for Shrout or Maurer getting a shot but it's the nature of the complaints. Get it?

 

[SLICKYINC]

Good Lord you can’t be serious. JG is a long long way from the Elite 11 his HS recruit rank isn’t up for dispute or debate.

JG is a RS JUNIOR and a PROVEN LOSER at QB at TN. That’s not opinion, that’s not speculation, that’s documented fact. HE CAN’T SEE DOWNFIELD OR PROCESS FAST ENOUGH.

That’s not going to change despite all the 1st Team practice reps, all the meaningless game stats, all the misplaced apologia, all the hope in the world.

Maurer was #5 at Elite 11 behind some pretty good QBs incl the Auburn starter. He’s a true Frosh so that’s all we have to judge him by. That’s enough to warrant giving him a chance to prove himself on the field. We won’t know who he is for sure until he tees it up in real live game conditions.

Any argument that it’s smart to start a known loser over an unknown with promise is just asinine IMO.

No need in getting all emotional about it. But your whole argument started over Maurer being and elite 11 participant as your reasoning behind why he should get a look at QB. I pointed out that JG was also and Elite 11 participant.

If this argument is the one you really wanted to go with, maybe you should have started with it because I happen to agree with your latest modification of the conversation.