Some Bluebloods have returned...

[State of the Vols]

True or false? Pruitt inherited a better program than Herman.

Doesn't matter. Herman had his kids playing hard and not giving up from the get-go. Didn't blame his players when they lost to Maryland two years in a row. Rather, they worked harder and improved as each year wore on. Meanwhile, Pruitt blamed players and those plyers gave up against Vandy when they had an opportunity to improve the program. They didn't get better as the year wore on. Got news for Pruitt - ANY coach would win most of their games if they had Alabama talent; he doesn't, so he needs to shut up about talent and make what he does have play hard and get better.

 

[General Jack]

ND, Michigan, and Texas are all back to Top 10 programs. Obviously we aren’t even close, but it shows that with quality coaching and recruiting, traditional powerhouse programs can be restored. I hate that we are taking so long, but hopefully Pruitt can one day get us back into the national conversation (in a positive way).

The recruiting class is a start. Now he has to get this OC hire right. Next, he has to win some games that we aren’t supposed to win and win the games we are supposed to. That is the hallmark of a quality coaching staff and program.

Next year is important. We won’t contend for the East, but we should be at least competitive in every game and go to a bowl. Then maybe we can start expecting to be back amongst the bluebloods.

The difference is those programs have had administrations capable of hiring proven commodities to lead their programs.

We’ve hired a snot nose mommy’s boy, a band geek and a first time head coach, none of which had a fraction of the resume of any hire those programs you named have made in recent memory.

 

[Henry Letham]

They are relevant again, that’s my point.

Beyond that you have no point. So what's the point? You do what you do because you are an attention wh*re. Plain and simple. It feels a void you have in your personal life obviously. I felt sorry for you at first, but that time is long past. Strange new form of OCD for sure. I'll pray for you brother.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

True or false? Pruitt inherited a better program than Herman.

False, Charlie Strong isn't a bad coach or recruiter he already has USF flirting with 10 wins.

Butch's style of ball & recruiting just didn't fit the big time SEC. So you're not inheriting the same level of talent. Stars don't mean much when you're undersized and the S&C program is bad.

 

[05_never_again]

Doesn't matter. Herman had his kids playing hard and not giving up from the get-go. Didn't blame his players when they lost to Maryland two years in a row. Rather, they worked harder and improved as each year wore on. Meanwhile, Pruitt blamed players and those plyers have up against Vandy when they had an opportunity to improve the program. They didn, 't get better as the year wore on. H ot news for Pruitt - ANY coach would win most of their games if they had Alabama talent. That ain't gonna happen until that coach shows be can coach up the players that are on his team.

They are also just much better players than what Pruitt had/has, and Pruitt had a schedule where in the preseason you could reasonably mark 4 of the games as definite or highly probably losses (West Virginia, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama). He actually managed to win one of those games. We were only favored in 3 games this year if memory serves.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Also another point where did Herman coach at before? Houston...he already had built in ties to that area for recruiting, probably recruited most the kids at Texas too. It helps to have built relationships with HS coaches. It's one reason I think Mullins at Florida made sense.

 

[Alex10]

How bout we give CJP the second year that it took Rhule to have the huge turnaround. His first year was better than Rhules 1-11 that's for sure. Sounds like you're the one using excuses with no logic to back it up.

Ok

 

[kiddiedoc]

We got a real football coach now. We got a whole staff of alpha coaches now. Enjoy the ride man.

Technically, we don't even have a "whole staff" of coaches yet, and the "alpha" part is TBD. Alphas don't often get curb-stomped by Vanderbilt.

 

[Alex10]

How bout we give CJP the second year that it took Rhule to have the huge turnaround. His first year was better than Rhules 1-11 that's for sure. Sounds like you're the one using excuses with no logic to back it up.

I’m not sure how well you can read but I clearly stated Pruitt deserves his time so not really sure what your talking about.

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

With all that being said.....Florida beat the breaks off their a$$. On national television. To act like Michigan decided they were cool with that outcome is beyond laughable.

Yet that's exactly what everyone is going with as to why Texas dominated Georgia last night. What's the difference?

 

[05_never_again]

Also another point where did Herman coach at before? Houston...he already had built in ties to that area for recruiting, probably recruited most the kids at Texas too. It helps to have built relationships with HS coaches. It's one reason I think Mullins at Florida made sense.

True, although the success he had this year was largely with guys he didn't recruit. Texas's 2019 class is good but behind both A&M and Oklahoma. Not as good as 2018's. Mullen's 2019 class at Florida isn't exactly elite either.

 

[Behr]

Yet that's exactly what everyone is going with as to why Texas dominated Georgia last night. What's the difference?

I think Henry drank some of his bong water. Best to just leave him alone for now.

 

[Henry Letham]

Technically, we don't even have a "whole staff" of coaches yet, and the "alpha" part is TBD. Alphas don't often get curb-stomped by Vanderbilt.

Not often, but it happens for sure. Lets revisit this topic next year like our chances with some actual alpha players to go along with our very proven staff.

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

Washington State with the too goofy and weird to grace the halls of UT Mike Leach....coached up a top 10 team with the last 4 classes being: 55th....52nd.....51st.....and 46th. UCF beat Auburn and went undefeated last year...and would have gone undefeated and beat LSU this year if they hadn't lost their QB...and did it with a bunch of 3 stars. There's NO REASON UT should be this bad....EVER. The coaching has been horrible....in disarray....and after the way season ended by getting eviscerated by two less talented teams I'm not sure the coaching is any better. I hope Pruitt gets it done but the way the season ended is inexcusable. I'm sick of hearing about how we have to have a top 5 class to compete. Yes the SEC is tougher than the PAC 12. Fine...but we all know Wash St would vaporize the 2018 Vols...again...WITH FAR LESS TALENT. These are just a couple examples of programs with so called "weak" recruiting classes getting it done...not dependent on a top 5 class. I prefer a top 5 class every year....but i'm sick of hearing how now having one as the reason we can't make a damn bowl game and we're losing every dang year to friggin Vandy.

100% this. I don't think beating up Pruitt would be the right thing to do with this point. He's too early into his tenure. However Tennessee made a Monumental mistake hiring him. Not because there's something wrong with him. I just think that the job requires somebody with a different skill set. A proven skill set. We should have been looking for a coach that has a record of making chicken salad out of chickensh1t. We should have been looking for a coach from a smaller team who is a perennial winner with no Talent players. Coaches like the ones at Appalachian State or Chris Petersen. Somebody that can take two and three star recruits and punch above their weight. Hopefully Pruitt can dig deep and find that ability. But I don't have a lot of faith in that. He just hasn't ever been a head coach much less someone in charge of a rebuilding process as big as ours.

 

[Henry Letham]

I think Henry drank some of his bong water. Best to just leave him alone for now.

Honestly just tired of the same people hijacking volnation every day, every thread. It's a form of internet bullying and I'm tired of it. Turnabout is fair play.

 

[Alex10]

100% this. I don't think beating up Pruitt would be the right thing to do with this point. He's too early into his tenure. However Tennessee made a Monumental mistake hiring him. Not because there's something wrong with him. I just think that the job requires somebody with a different skill set. A proven skill set. We should have been looking for a coach that has a record of making chicken salad out of chickensh1t. We should have been looking for a coach from a smaller team who is a perennial winner with no Talent players. Coaches like the ones at Appalachian State or Chris Petersen. Somebody that can take two and three star recruits and punch above their weight. Hopefully Pruitt can dig deep and find that ability. But I don't have a lot of faith in that. He just hasn't ever been a head coach much less someone in charge of a rebuilding process as big as ours.

Yep... this

 

[CA_Vol]

Beyond that you have no point. So what's the point? You do what you do because you are an attention wh*re. Plain and simple. It feels a void you have in your personal life obviously. I felt sorry for you at first, but that time is long past. Strange new form of OCD for sure. I'll pray for you brother.

Are you feeling ok? Off the meds?

 

[MoCo_Vol]

True, although the success he had this year was largely with guys he didn't recruit. Texas's 2019 class is good but behind both A&M and Oklahoma. Not as good as 2018's. Mullen's 2019 class at Florida isn't exactly elite either.

Herman likely recruited a majority to play at Houston. And I would assume Mullen recruited some Florida guys at Miss St.

But you're not wrong, neither is what I call elite as recruiters both seem very good at getting results with the talent they have.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Lol. Yes. I'm so sick of the cult following Jim Harbaugh gets from the press. One of the most overrated coaches around imo.

No, he is THE most overrated coach in America. And it isn't close. He's never so much as won a division championship, much less a conference or National Championship in college, yet he's consistently rated a top 5 coach.

 

[CA_Vol]

Honestly just tired of the same people hijacking volnation every day, every thread. It's a form of internet bullying and I'm tired of it. Turnabout is fair play.

Bullying? Oh lord, we have ourselves a bed wetter. Is that toilet seat cold when you sit down to pee?

 

[CA_Vol]

I think Henry drank some of his bong water. Best to just leave him alone for now.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

No, he is THE most overrated coach in America. And it isn't close. He's never so much as won a division championship, much less a conference or National Championship in college, yet he's consistently rated a top 5 coach.

Not accurate. He won a NFC championship, and 2 conference titles at San Diego.

I agree he is overrated though.

 

[kiddiedoc]

...with some actual alpha players to go along with our very proven staff.

Which players? And, you do realize we have a first-time head coach and still no OC, right? I wouldn't exactly call that a "very proven staff."

Look, I want to get better, and quickly. It kills me to think how far we've fallen. However, it's only realistic to admit that we have no idea if our staff is going to be any good or not and that our talent gap is significant.

 

[Jack Burton]

We can get out of this mess. The Haslams have backed off a bit because of the backlash. We have a TN guy as AD. The BoT was reworked and streamlined. Essentially the reset button has been hit.

I’m not sold on Pruitt yet. He’s our guy but he’s still just a guy. Some of our losses were really bad. Pruitt needs time to work his plan, 4 or 5 years, and I think the majority of our fans realize that. Considering the circumstances his 2nd class is a job well done but each class will need to be better than the last. Each new assistant or position coach needs to be an upgrade.

If Pruitt doesn’t work I still think Fulmer needs an opportunity to make the right replacement hire because we had to scramble so much last year.

 

[CA_Vol]

I’m not sure how well you can read but I clearly stated Pruitt deserves his time so not really sure what your talking about.

Poor Henry is struggling today.