A few weeks ago on his radio show, Jeremy Pruitt said he thought Tennessee’s offensive line was the most improved position group since he took over as the Vols’ coach.

Saturday’s game against Florida, though, looked like a step in the wrong direction.

The Gators applied regular pressure on Vols quarterback Jarrett Guarantano throughout Florida’s 47-21 victory at Neyland Stadium. Guarantano exited briefly in the second quarter after taking a shot to the left shoulder and then left for good in the third quarter after UF’s CeCe Jefferson barreled into Guarantano’s left knee.

“We’ll check him out, but I think he’s going to be fine,” Pruitt said during Sunday’s airing of the “Jeremy Pruitt Show.”

Whether the Vols’ offensive line is going to be "fine" remains to be seen.

And it wasn’t just the linemen who struggled Saturday, Pruitt said.

He pointed to a first-quarter play in which the Vols were in seven-man protection, but Guarantano still got drilled and fumbled. The Gators recovered for the first of their six takeaways.

On the play, both tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson and running back Tim Jordan picked up blitzing defensive back Jeawon Taylor. Neither touched defensive end Jachai Polite, who crumpled Guarantano.

“We had seven-man protection out of that look, so we felt like we would get a simulated pressure over there, and we did,” Pruitt said. “We didn’t pick it up, so we got hit in the back of the head and fumbled the ball. That has nothing to do with the offensive line. We have to pass it off there between the tight end and the running back.”

Earlier in the drive, UF linebacker David Reese drilled Guarantano in the chest as he completed a pass to Josh Palmer. Guarantano’s helmet dislodged on the play.

Guarantano was sacked just once but got knocked around pretty good.

“We have to give the guy a chance a little bit,” Pruitt said. “He can’t take as many hits when he’s not looking. I thought tonight he got rid of the ball on time. There’s been a few times this year that maybe he held the ball too long, but we just have to keep them off of him.”

Fortunately for UT, its next opponent, No. 3 Georgia (4-0, 2-0), ranks last in the SEC with three sacks.

It wasn’t just the Vols’ pass protection that was faulty.

Florida averaged 5.9 yards per rush compared to Tennessee’s 2.9. The Vols ranked last in the SEC in yards per carry last season. They averaged 3.4 yards per carry in the season opener against West Virginia before rebounding with solid rushing performances against East Tennessee State and UTEP.

Pruitt said that there’s no question the Gators outplayed UT in the trenches.

“We have to be stronger tackling, we have to be stronger blockers, and we have to finish runners,” Pruitt said. “That adds up over the course of a game.”

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