KNOXVILLE - The Tennessee football team already is dealing with a lack of depth due to transfers out and a dismissal.
Now the injuries are starting to mount up.
Freshman quarterback Brian Maurer was unable to finish Saturday's 43-14 loss to third-ranked Georgia after taking a big hit on an Eric Stokes sack that resulted in a fumble and a 60-yard recovery for a score by the Bulldogs' Tae Crowder. But Maurer wasn't alone.
Defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon was injured in the first half of the game and was unable to return. Offensive lineman Riley Locklear "got his bell rung" late in the game and had to be helped to the locker room. The Volunteers played without freshman cornerback Warren Burrell, who suffered an ankle injury in practice, while sophomore corner Alontae Taylor was slowed with a hip flexor.
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Tennessee offensive lineman Riley Locklear (56) is seen during warmups before facing BYU during a NCAA football game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 in Knoxville, Tenn.Due to juniors Will Ignont and Shanon Reid entering the transfer portal and Jeremy Banks' dismissal from the team, the Vols are left with just four players at inside linebacker: senior Daniel Bituli, freshman Henry To'o To'o, sophomore Solon Page and redshirt freshman J.J. Peterson.
"There's several positions where we probably lack depth, and not necessarily just in numbers but just in experience," coach Jeremy Pruitt said Monday. "We've got some younger guys that haven't had an opportunity to play. Really, what happens is you've got guys that play on the kickoff-cover team or the punt-return team or the punt team and now they're out, so it forces guys like Jauan Jennings or Josh Palmer to have to start doubling up.
"That's where just sheer numbers hurts you a little bit there, and it probably lessens some of the reps that you take at practice."
Kicking woes
Special teams had been a bright spot this season for the Vols, but not Saturday.
Kicker Brent Cimaglia missed a field-goal try after nine consecutive makes to start the season. Joe Doyle is averaging 40.5 yards a punt this season and had a 44-yarder on his first try Saturday, but after that he averaged 30.8 yards on four punts, which included a 13-yarder and a 31-yarder.
Pruitt didn't suggest a change could happen - backup Paxton Brooks has averaged 47.5 yards on two punts this season - and explained that Doyle's fundamentals were an issue against the Bulldogs.
"I think he picked his head up on two punts Saturday," Pruitt said. "It's kind of like when I swing a golf club, I keep my eyes down and my head down and I usually hit it. I raise my eyes up and I don't hit it too well. But I think that's what Joe did.
"Paxton has always been in the game plan, and he will continue to be."
Pruitt likes 'fight'
Saturday night during Tennessee's loss to the Bulldogs, a skirmish broke out on the sideline among players.
Some early reports suggested that offensive line coach Will Friend was involved, but that was shot down Monday by Pruitt, who didn't see the fight.
But he apparently liked what he heard.
"I got told about it and was fired up," Pruitt said. "I'm glad we have some passion around here where people want to do things the right way. We need a few more of them, if you ask me."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.