Tennessee Football: Brian Maurer should not have played

Brian Maurer started his second game in his career on Saturday, and also picked up his second concussion, which could impact Vols long-term.

I wrote an article last week that simply stated it’s not worth playing Brian Maurer against Alabama. Not because I didn’t think he had what it took to beat Alabama, but I knew we needed him for the rest of the season, and it’s not worth losing him again.

It turns out it might not have been worth playing him. Brian Maurer left the game early with a concussion, so seeing him play again this year isn’t very likely.

A targeting penalty was thrown on the hit that sidelined Maurer, but the call was overturned (correct call), but the 15 yards were not enforced (incorrect call). There should’ve been some kind of penalty on that play if not targeting, then roughing the passer or late hit.

That was one of the many bad calls in Saturday’s game, but what can you do? The Vols were never able to fully recover after Maurer’s first-quarter injury.

If Maurer didn’t get hurt in Saturday’s game, I think the Vols leave Bryant-Denny Stadium 3-4 with their second SEC win of the season. That didn’t happen, Jarrett Guarantano ruined everything in return, and now the quarterback position has a huge question mark over it.

There’s a real chance Maurer doesn’t return anytime soon, and it could leave the Vols struggling to reach the six-win mark, which didn’t seem to be out of reach now could be a reach.

Hindsight is 20/20, and if Maurer would’ve not played against Alabama, then maybe he has another week to recover, and who knows, maybe he doesn’t get another concussion.

Now we have to play the waiting game and hope everything is going to be alright. If Maurer can eventually return to the field in 2019, I would not rush it.

The Vols have to move on from everything that happened on Saturday and get ready for South Carolina. And we have to let everything work itself out with Maurer and hope he’s going to be alright.