Former Georgia QB makes comment about the Tennessee Vols that will anger Kirby Smart

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray offered a take about the Tennessee Vols this week that probably won't sit well with UGA head coach Kirby Smart.

Murray, who played under Mark Richt at Georgia from 2009 to 2013, joined Off the Hook Sports earlier this week to discuss Tennessee football.

During his appearance on Off the Hook Sports , Murray was asked how Tennessee's talent compares to Georgia's talent.

Murray doesn't think there's a big gap in talent between the two programs. In fact, he even thinks the Vols have the edge at a couple of positions, including the defensive line.

"It's hard for me to sit back and say there is much of a difference (in talent)," said Murray. "I think the difference is really at the quarterback spot with just experience. Carson Beck is heading into his second season (as the starter). He's 23 years old. He's been in the system for five years. He's been in the playoffs. He's been in Atlanta in an SEC championship game. He's experienced a lot of things that Nico (Iamaleava) is most likely going to experience this year and next year. And I doubt he stays for another year just because of how talented he is. He'll get there -- no doubt about. But that's the difference (at the quarterback position).

"Running back wise, Tennessee feels very similar to Georgia. Receiver wise, maybe you even give the edge to Tennessee when it comes to receivers. Offensive line, I think they're both -- like I said earlier, Tennessee has a top 3 or 4 offensive line. They're pretty close there. Defensive line, probably give the edge to Tennessee . And Georgia's right there, too. Two of probably the best defensive lines in the country. Secondary, probably Georgia a little bit -- especially with Malaki (Starks) back there. But really you go position by position, they're both in the top of the SEC at respective positions."

It's been a long time since Tennessee has even been able to compare to Georgia in the trenches. But a former Bulldogs quarterback thinks that Tennessee has done a good enough job along their defensive line that they might be better than Georgia at a position where UGA has dominated for the last six or seven years.

Somewhere, Kirby Smart is seething. That's a guy that takes a lot of pride in having the best defense in the nation. And to have a former Georgia player say that Tennessee might have the better defensive line? You know he's rolling his eyes in Athens right now.

It's too early in the season to know for sure which team has the better defensive line, though they're obviously both elite.

We'll have a better idea once SEC play starts for both programs (which is this weekend against Kentucky for Georgia and next weekend against Oklahoma for Tennessee). And later on this season, the Vols will travel to Athens for a huge showdown against the Bulldogs.

But for now, it really does appear that the talent gap between the two programs is shrinking. Georgia fans may not like that statement, and they'll probably screen shot this and tweet it at me with some clown emojis, but just remember -- one of the best quarterbacks in Georgia history is the one saying it.

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