Recruiting Forum Football Talk [RIP 9.3.2019]

[volfanCLT]

One area I think Pruitt grew big time in Saturday was play calling.

He called plays like he had Bama/FSU talent. He realized he didn’t, took the blame after the game, and I look for him to change some things up moving forward. He’s a smart guy.

 

[InVOLuntary]

The coaching search was bungled yet again. Had Fulmer been AD we would have a proven P5 head coach right now.

Pruitt is still a decent hire and could certainly end up being very successful, IMO, but he's not really what this program needed. We're teetering on the brink of damn near permanent irrelevance, and we were forced to hire a coordinator with zero head coaching experience. It's a huge gamble at an extremely pivotal time for the program.

Exactly the way I see it.

 

[volfanCLT]

Speaking of getting creative. How 'bout putting in a package with Jennings at safety so he can decapitate someone?

Speaking of that, we need to get him more touches on offense

 

[Jackcrevol]

Said it before the season, but the Florida game will be the most important game this year. We almost have to win that game if we're going bowling IMO.

That just isn't true. I'd be mor focused on us showing week to week improvement. We have coaches now. Let em do their thing. If you were expecting a bowl game this year, you set yourself up for disappointment.

ill be a fan of this team no matter, a bowl game will just be gravy. After last season, i guess i just resigned to that. The cupboard was pretty bare; Butch was a control freak maniac who left a rift in the program.

Meanwhile the Braves are in 1st place, ETSU has football again, WMU got the **** kicked out of them, Dobbs is still on an NFL roster, and Fulmer is the AD. Relax.

 

[LaagerVol]

Speaking of getting creative. How 'bout putting in a package with Jennings at safety so he can decapitate someone?

The opposite. Put him at safety and let him play some offensive packages.

Edit* hopefully sham gets out of the doghouse and the young guys get up to speed ASAP.

 

[JacketVol]

Maria Taylor handled Saban like a pro. He went off on her and she carried on like he just complimented her hair.

She should’ve said For a guy who just won a game, you’re an angry little elf While towering over him. He was a prick. I don’t like the media but she has a job to do and asking that question wasn’t her trying to get him to say something bad about a player. He can say no comment or I am not talking about that after this great win. Made him look petty and makes it seem like he did have something bad to say about one of them.

 

[rekinhavoc]

The opposite. Put him at safety and let him play some offensive packages.

I like it.

 

[Jimmy Football]

And now we get the drama of, "I can't even question a coach around here without somebody counter replying."

Guys, that's how it works. Opinion-counter-opinion.

InVOL, I usually like your stuff most of the time, but you've gone super negative since the game. Were you super positive before it or something? Your posts were almost unreadable in the game thread. Way over the top for you.

I kind of expect it from Grumpy Gus Chavis. He always complains about positive posters.

Fans tend to give the benefit of the doubt until they can't. We all know this. It isn't a surprise. It's talked about regularly. Yet, it's still surprising to some that they "just can't be objective."

They're young. Give 'em some more reps and they'll get it figured out.

Except you InVOL. You're old.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

You can judge a coach week by week, game by game. There's nothing wrong with evaluating what you saw. I've not seen one person call for his job. Most have were disappointed with the outcome but thought it was a pretty decent first game from a coaching standpoint.

What are your thoughts on Pruitt then? I thought the offensive plan was severely lacking at times. Not sure if that’s on him or Helton. But we could’ve thrown the ball down the field on offense against their corners. I think WR is the strongest position on our team. We should have used them when JG had time in the second half but we didn’t.

I don’t feel the defense is his fault. We’re just slow and lack talent there. The freshmen will get better with experience. I also thought Pruitt managed the game well, I didn’t notice any poor clock management or decision making. Maybe a couple things like I wish he would’ve called time out before going for it on 4th and goal in the 4th quarter, but other than that I thought for his first time out he managed the game as well as any seasoned coach.

I’m just not sure how much we can judge him negatively for after tha performance. But what are your thoughts?

 

[Vols4us]

Speaking of getting creative. How 'bout putting in a package with Jennings at safety so he can decapitate someone?

Reminds me of the Carl Pickens season. Was glorious to watch.

 

[rekinhavoc]

She should’ve said For a guy who just won a game, you’re an angry little elf While towering over him. He was a prick. I don’t like the media but she has a job to do and asking that question wasn’t her trying to get him to say something bad about a player. He can say no comment or I am not talking about that after this great win. Made him look petty and makes it seem like he did have something bad to say about one of them.

My first question to Saban would be " Now that Butch is here do you truly have a legitimate lollipop guild?"

 

[chavisut]

And now we get the drama of, "I can't even question a coach around here without somebody counter replying."

Guys, that's how it works. Opinion-counter-opinion.

InVOL, I usually like your stuff most of the time, but you've gone super negative since the game. Were you super positive before it or something? Your posts were almost unreadable in the game thread. Way over the top for you.

I kind of expect it from Grumpy Gus Chavis. He always complains about positive posters.

Fans tend to give the benefit of the doubt until they can't. We all know this. It isn't a surprise. It's talked about regularly. Yet, it's still surprising to some that they "just can't be objective."

Really? Who all do I put on blast or complain about?

 

[JacketVol]

Listening to coach Pruitt it is encouraging that a lot of the things that looked so bad watching the game are actually fixable. Some linemen blocked the wrong guy or moved the wrong way, the RB missed the right gap, corner didn't turn his head around (Butch habit), and even my biggest offensive concern: Helton not throwing the ball down the field can be adjusted. Defensively though, we are in trouble. I just don't see how we fix the pass rush problem because it isn't a mistake here or a mistake there. We are slow on defense. The only way to fix our defense is through recruiting. Maybe JJ can help our pass rush and I believe the secondary will get better as the young guys get more experience. But we are in trouble on the DL and at OLB. We don't have a pass rush.

Scheme change is making it slower than it is. Will get better. Still think we beat Florida. They are not that good.

 

[butchna]

Lol. Like I said, you see zero negative. You don't have an objective bone in your body. You get offended if someone notices he dropped his clip board. I love it you're all in but we've had these exact discussions after each if our previous three hires and we've seen how that has turned out. Forgive me if I take a wait and see with this one.

Speaking of “being dramatic”. I’m not “all in” and have never GUARANTEED anything. I’ve given you some heat today because you’re being intentionally disingenuous in your portrayal of me. When you’re in one of your “keepin it real” phases, keep me out of it. Neither you nor any of your new defeatist buddies have been persecuted. You’re getting retorts for your fatalistic opinions stated as facts.

 

[millst987]

And now we get the drama of, "I can't even question a coach around here without somebody counter replying."

Guys, that's how it works. Opinion-counter-opinion.

InVOL, I usually like your stuff most of the time, but you've gone super negative since the game. Were you super positive before it or something? Your posts were almost unreadable in the game thread. Way over the top for you.

I kind of expect it from Grumpy Gus Chavis. He always complains about positive posters.

Fans tend to give the benefit of the doubt until they can't. We all know this. It isn't a surprise. It's talked about regularly. Yet, it's still surprising to some that they "just can't be objective."

I’m a big believer in Pruitt, but give it time. The coach worship hasn’t truly started yet in the forum. It will start with posters giving Pruitt cute lil nicknames after we win our first game. By year 2, the coach worship will be in full effect. Some posters here will have erected shrines, quilted Pruitt pillows, and replaced their Butch pictures with Pruitt above the family fireplace.

 

[butchna]

Really? Who all do I put on blast or complain about?

Thought you weren’t coming back while we have this coach?

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

Nathan Peterman named Bills' starter.

 

[butchna]

I’m a big believer in Pruitt, but give it time. The coach worship hasn’t truly started yet in the forum. It will start with posters giving Pruitt cute lil nicknames after we win our first game. By year 2, the coach worship will be in full effect. Some posters here will have erected shrines, quilted Pruitt pillows, and replaced their Butch pictures with Pruitt above the family fireplace.

Nothing better than a historian addicted to hallucinogenics.

 

[WriterVol]

I will say this. Almost no one gets roasted for their opinion.

It's almost always the over-the-top nature in which they give their opinion that gets them roasted. But really it's about getting noticed. The more grandiose the proclamation, the more notice it gets--good or bad.

 

[Kingston Vol]

The coaching search was bungled yet again. Had Fulmer been AD we would have a proven P5 head coach right now.

Pruitt is still a decent hire and could certainly end up being very successful, IMO, but he's not really what this program needed. We're teetering on the brink of damn near permanent irrelevance, and we were forced to hire a coordinator with zero head coaching experience. It's a huge gamble at an extremely pivotal time for the program.

I want to preface this by saying I like Jeremy Pruitt and do think that, with the staff he brought in, he will ultimately be successful:

But this place would have burned down if John Currie would have hired Jeremy Pruitt in place of Greg Schiano. Not to riot levels like we saw, but no one would have been happy. The hire was looked on much more positively because we though Kevin Steele was the only legitimate alternative at the time.

I vividly remember Chief and I bouncing coaching candidates off of each other in September when the vast majority still thought Butch was going to make it and the only acceptable names at that time were Jon Gruden and Chip Kelly. Jeremy Pruitt’s name came up a couple of times and it was overwhelming laughed off.

 

[rekinhavoc]

I will say this. Almost no one gets roasted for their opinion.

It's almost always the over-the-top nature in which they give their opinion that gets them roasted. But really it's about getting noticed. The more grandiose the proclamation, the more notice it gets--good or bad.

I was pretty upset when posters were calling Kate Upton fat .

 

[Aesius]

I want to preface this by saying I like Jeremy Pruitt and do think that, with the staff he brought in, he will ultimately be successful:

But this place would have burned down if John Currie would have hired Jeremy Pruitt in place of Greg Schiano. Not to riot levels like we saw, but no one would have been happy. The hire was looked on much more positively because we though Kevin Steele was the only legitimate alternative at the time.

I vividly remember Chief and I bouncing coaching candidates off of each other in September when the vast majority still thought Butch was going to make it and the only acceptable names at that time were Jon Gruden and Chip Kelly. Jeremy Pruitt’s name came up a couple of times and it was overwhelming laughed off.

I was adamantly against Pruitt. Called him an angry DMV employee. But the list of names by the end was so pathetic that Pruitt was like a breath of fresh air. Schiano, Doeren, Steele?!?

Yeah, Bama's DC suddenly doesn't seem so bad.

I'll agree that his staff is solid and honestly much better than I expected. I thought he would have some C-tier staff of SEC rejects, ala John Jancek and Willie Martinez, but he got some good guys. It makes me pretty hopeful for him.

 

[Vols4us]

Listening to coach Pruitt it is encouraging that a lot of the things that looked so bad watching the game are actually fixable. Some linemen blocked the wrong guy or moved the wrong way, the RB missed the right gap, corner didn't turn his head around (Butch habit), and even my biggest offensive concern: Helton not throwing the ball down the field can be adjusted. Defensively though, we are in trouble. I just don't see how we fix the pass rush problem because it isn't a mistake here or a mistake there. We are slow on defense. The only way to fix our defense is through recruiting. Maybe JJ can help our pass rush and I believe the secondary will get better as the young guys get more experience. But we are in trouble on the DL and at OLB. We don't have a pass rush.

Good post, Bass.

I pointed out that Jordan missed many a cutback that was wide open. But it was his first start and they will get it corrected. First time as a full, play calling OC for Helton at this level. He will get better and I like some the what he called. D-backs drive me crazy who have time to look for the ball and don't. Nothing good happens in the trail technique when there are no ball skills. Finally, although we are deficit on talent on D, the slowness can partly be attributed to thinking too much and not simply reacting. Attack the dang ball with a bad attitude instead of the reaching and grabbing. The slow is really quickness of mind and body related. The D-line hits the O-line slow. The OLB's hit the OT's slow. The LB's react to what they see slow. Watching the LSU D-line last night and you can easily see their D-line being as quick or quicker than Miami's O-line responding to the snap of the ball. To beat big, slow, strong handed O-linemen you have to be quick and powerful. That eliminates about 75% of who we have as D-lineman. So the match-up stunk with Grier getting the ball out accurately and quickly to excellent receivers. Better figure out the best you have quickly and adjust the scheme to their strengths or else we are going to have to change the O scheme to an Air Raid attack to keep up with the track meet.

 

[Rishvol]

Invol needs to break out his prune juice and share it with a lot of you.

 

[OrangenSC]

Not saying we do or will have a good pass rush but it’s hard to get there in less than 2 seconds, which was about how long it was taking Grier to get the ball out. It takes both to have a good pass defense. Pass rush has to get there but those secondary guys have to cover somebody a little bit to let the line do work.

Like everybody else, I was very disappointed in our defense, especially lack of pass rush. But now, after having a chance to digest it all, I'm not as disappointed in the pass rush or defense overall. I posted in the game thread before the game that we shouldn't count on putting a lot of pressure on Grier as the key to stopping them because that offense just doesn't allow it. Although I'd hoped the LBs would help more, and I was counting on CJP's magic in that area, I shouldn't be surprised in the results.

Also, the special teams did them no favors on the missed fg. A stupid offsides on that missed fg, gave them a first down, and they turned it into a td. I realize special teams played well and that play isn't purely the special team, and that the defense still gave up the td, but that's automatically 7 less points without that penalty. So it's not totally on the defense.

And as impressed as I was with the offense, they also did the defense no favors in the 2nd half. We only possessed the ball 11 minutes in the second half. They did to us what we needed to do to them--control time of possession and tire the defense out. If the offense could've sustained just a couple of drives, scoring or not, they wouldn't have scored so much in the 2nd half.

I expect our offense to get better in this area and therefore I expect the defense to get a lot better between that and coaching and growing up.

Can't wait for UF. NegaVols don't come at me. Keep your misery to yourself.