Among other things, he apparently doesn't think too highly of our coaching staff.
I agree with their questioning. I think the large majority of faith in Pruitt is based purely on development and general SEC experience, at least for myself.
I agree with their questioning. I think the large majority of faith in Pruitt is based purely on development and general SEC experience, at least for myself.
And now I'll go full blasphemy. I even have something that haunts the back of my mind on Pruitt's defensive calls, Tn/Ga 2015.
After our huge comeback win, either Dobbs or Hurd did an interview. When asked about their level of concern being down 21 points, they basically blew it off (paraphrasing)
"We just needed to stop hurting ourselves. It was our own mistakes, fumbles, turnovers, etc..
We had no problem moving the ball on them all day, they couldn't stop us. We just had to quit stopping ourselves."
When a CBJ led team has "no problem moving the ball all day", against a defense with the talent Ga had, it hints that there is a Kryptonite against that system. I know there can be excuses given, I've given them to myself. But eventually, the thought always creeps back in. We had the same weapon then, that later, others used to give his defense fits at Bama. A true DT qb. Now, everyone has them.
I'll step back and take my lashing for my insolence.
I expected the "just one game" responses, as I said, I gave them to myself. But as I also pointed out, the dt troubles were repeatedly mentioned at Bama also.
Then he reeled off an appearance in the championship game, another season where many thought they should be in the playoffs, and is preseason top 5 this year. He is what his record says he is at this point. There are a bunch of average coaches in the SEC, so those results are going to get you a high ranking.
To be fair in the last 2 classes we've signed 7 pure DL plus Solomon, 3 edge rushers and 3 lb who could play inside or off the edge. Now the only 5 star is the transfer and we don't really know what we have with any of them. And certainly could use more but like 40% of the first 2 classes were along the lines of scrimmage and there's only so many spots per class. But it's not like they're ignoring it. Hopefully we can get more this year too and have a couple be bluechippers.
i think the other thing that plays well in to his favor with TN fans is that he's the "anti Butch", and he left such a bad taste in all our mouths, that anything that's not Butch = must be waaaaay better. and in defense of that, i think most everything he's done that's been related directly to football and culture for the program has been fixing some of the things BSIA left behind, and by all accounts needed to be fixed.I agree with their questioning. I think the large majority of faith in Pruitt is based purely on development and general SEC experience, at least for myself.
And now I'll go full blasphemy. I even have something that haunts the back of my mind on Pruitt's defensive calls, Tn/Ga 2015.
After our huge comeback win, either Dobbs or Hurd did an interview. When asked about their level of concern being down 21 points, they basically blew it off (paraphrasing)
"We just needed to stop hurting ourselves. It was our own mistakes, fumbles, turnovers, etc..
We had no problem moving the ball on them all day, they couldn't stop us. We just had to quit stopping ourselves."
When a CBJ led team has "no problem moving the ball all day", against a defense with the talent Ga had, it hints that there is a Kryptonite against that system. I know there can be excuses given, I've given them to myself. But eventually, the thought always creeps back in. We had the same weapon then, that later, others used to give his defense fits at Bama. A true DT qb. Now, everyone has them.
I'll step back and take my lashing for my insolence.
and that's fine. but situations being what htey are, i think it'd be hard to find anyone to argue against the notion that Kirby walked in a plug and play situation, where Pruitt.........hasn't.
True. And add that I'll be patient with that determination. I know some resent the on the job training/learning but that's the direction we went. As long as the trend is upward, I'm in.i think the other thing that plays well in to his favor with TN fans is that he's the "anti Butch", and he left such a bad taste in all our mouths, that anything that's not Butch = must be waaaaay better. and in defense of that, i think most everything he's done that's been related directly to football and culture for the program has been fixing some of the things BSIA left behind, and by all accounts needed to be fixed.
so, while i think most can at least take that for what it is, and acknowledge it appears to be going in the right direction...at the end of the day, if all that doesn't translate on to the w/l column, it won't matter much, and he'll just wind up being the next coach we fire.
or not.
bottom line for me, as previously stated, we already know what it looks like if this goes south. so i'm going to keep looking at it for the paths that lead to success. we'll know it pretty quick if we see it headed down the other path.
tl/dr version....i like what i've seen so far, i'm encouraged by the direction we're headed in......i'm not going to tell anyone that Pruitt is definitely good or bad yet, cause that's firmly in the TBD camp as of today.
