Shane Beamer makes it clear how he feels about Vols QB George MacIntyre after South Carolina’s win over Tennessee
Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre played better than the stats show in the Vols’ loss to South Carolina.
Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre played better in the Vols’ loss to South Carolina than his final stat line indicates.
MacIntyre finished the game 16-of-23 for 136 yards and no touchdowns. He also had a 12-yard rush that resulted in a key first down.
The sophomore quarterback had several touchdown throws wiped off the board due to penalties (and the penalties had no impact on the plays). MacIntyre’s stat line looks a lot different if those plays count.
The analysts and fans who only look at box scores will see the fumble at the end of the game — which was the result of leaving Vols right tackle Jesse Perry one-on-one with South Carolina star EDGE Dylan Stewart — and think that MacIntyre didn’t play well.
But anyone who actually watched the game knows that’s not the full story. The young quarterback showed a lot of growth and played well enough in a tough environment for the Vols to win the game. Some things just didn’t go Tennessee’s way that led to the Vols being on the wrong side of the scoreboard.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, for what it’s worth, saw enough to be impressed by MacIntyre.
“It’s no secret — Tennessee’s really good (on) offense. … They’re going to do what they do, they don’t try and trick you, and that’s a compliment to them that I say that,” said Beamer after the game.
“… MacIntyre is a really good quarterback. He does a really nice job of getting the ball out of his hands quickly and not taking sacks.”
MacIntyre was far from perfect, but it’s important to remember that it was just his third career start. He’s far from a finished product. MacIntyre is just going to continue to get better the more reps he gets.
