Tennessee quarterback Brian Maurer enters transfer portal

Tennessee quarterback Brian Maurer entered the transfer portal on Thursday, he announced via social media.

“Thank you for allowing a kid from little Oscala, Florida to call this amazing place home,” the post reads, in part. “After a lot of thought and prayer I have decided to enter my name in the transfer portal and pursue other opportunities.”

First-year head coach Josh Heupel had a quarterback competition brewing, and Maurer, a redshirt sophomore, was just one of four competitors. Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker, a redshirt senior who started threw for nearly 3,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000 more as a Hokie, Michigan transfer Joe Milton III, a redshirt junior who was an inconsistent starter for the Wolverines, and returning sophomore Harrison Bailey were all vying for the job. Although Heupel has not announced a starter, he all but ruled Maurer out of the race by limiting his practice reps.

Maurer missed five consecutive Tennessee practices in the days leading up to his announcement, but the news of his transfer was not made public until Thursday.

Heupel was asked of Maurer’s status on Aug. 12 after Tennessee’s first scrimmage but appeared to have no updates at that time.

“[I] had an initial conversation with [Maurer] at some point a few days ago, as far as the reps and how those things were going to be divided up.” Heupel said. “No further update on him. We’ll have a conversation with him during the off day.”

Maurer’s dismissal means the quarterback competition is officially down to just three candidates in Hooker, Milton and Bailey. The trio consists of Tennessee’s only remaining scholarship quarterbacks for the 2021 season — the program was supposed to welcome the addition of four-star freshman Kaidon Salter this season, but Salter was dismissed from the team following two off-field incidents.

Maurer and Bailey were the only quarterbacks with playing experience in a Volunteer uniform. A four-star prospect out of Ocala, Florida, Maurer appeared in eight games and started four as a true freshman. He completed 35 of 75 passes for 451 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions that season, and his playing time decreased further in 2020. His sophomore year, he played in just four games and attempted only five passes, completing two for 41 yards.

Maurer showed flashes of potential at Tennessee, notably in the Volunteers’ 43-14 loss to Georgia in 2019. While he did throw an interception in that contest, he also completed 14 of 28 passing attempts, good for 259 yards and two touchdowns — including his first-career touchdown pass, a 73-yard pass to Marquez Callaway.