The Culture problem with TN football

[zjcvols]

The effects of social media and technology on this generation is absolutely a "generational issue". Facts are kids/teenagers/young adults aren't as actively participating in organized sports. Youth leagues are dying all over the country which is why more and more players are playing AAU. Many players today simply do not want to put forth the effort it takes to be successful. It has gotten worse over the last 10-15 years or so. It isn't just a problem a UT but it is magnified at UT when the results on the field suck as bad as they have.

No it’s not it’s a lazy trope put out by old people because that’s what every generation does. This has nothing to do with Tennessee Football.

 

[05_never_again]

The effects of social media and technology on this generation is absolutely a "generational issue". Facts are kids/teenagers/young adults aren't as actively participating in organized sports. Youth leagues are dying all over the country which is why more and more players are playing AAU. Many players today simply do not want to put forth the effort it takes to be successful. It has gotten worse over the last 10-15 years or so. It isn't just a problem a UT but it is magnified at UT when the results on the field suck as bad as they have.

Social media doesn't seem to be negatively impacting Alabama, or Clemson, or Ohio St, or LSU, or Georgia, or pick any other good team. Just add it to one of the many things that apparently is only a problem at Tennessee, like young players/inexperience, new coordinators, injuries, former 5-star recruits not living up to the billing, etc.

 

[zjcvols]

On the other hand, we can not blame the previous staff. We can blame this coach and this staff for not winning much 15 games into their tenure. That way, we can keep turning over staffs repeatedly and assure the continuance of the toxic culture.

You wanna blame Butch Jones for losing to Georgia State?

I heard the same stuff with Derek Dooley and giving him a third year. Lot of good that did.

 

[Roustabout]

Great article form AtoZ in Nashville about the culture problem ion TN. I have thought this same thing a lot. This is why when UT lost last year, they lost badly. At the first sign that the other team has gotten ahead the culture was to give up and "oh well we tried our best... orange slices for everyone!" You hear some of the old guys like Joey Kent who rarely lost, a loss was devastating. Tennessee needs to get back to that point.

Tennessee's culture is still a big problem for Jeremy Pruitt

Sure, there is a culture problem.m, and yes, it will take time to bring In different players. The question is whether Pruitt has been able to a good job rallying what he has. I say, no. I’ve seen great coaches change culture and change it fast. He probably should have gotten rid of more players early on.

 

[zjcvols]

But I think there is a lot of truth to it. Kiffin leaving created an obvious disaster. Dooley trashed relationships with former players and high school coaches. Jones was able to recruit top kids based on a culture of misleading, hence so many 4 and 5 star kids transferring out. All of those problems are culture. The reason Kirby was able to step in and have a lot of success at UGAly is because Richt had a good culture, he was just a little too much like Jones in that he was more worried about champions of life than champions of football. I'd prefer to have both.

I think Pruitt being a pure football coach will help with the culture. I don't think it should take 5 years to get back to winning 7+ games, but if Pruitt isn't the guy I think he can correct the culture for the next guy.

Yeah I’ve heard the same thing for all the previous coaches. It’s usually because the current coach just isn’t good.

How do we know Pruitt is helping the culture? Because we want to? Because 5 freshmen play well? It’s just a guessing game.

 

[DonDiego]

You wanna blame Butch Jones for losing to Georgia State?

I heard the same stuff with Derek Dooley and giving him a third year. Lot of good that did.

No, actually I'd prefer to leave off with the blame game altogether. It hasn't done us any good so far, and it's not likely to anytime soon. I'd prefer to support the current staff and give him this year and a good chunk of next year before the long knives come out.

 

[05_never_again]

Yeah I’ve heard the same thing for all the previous coaches. It’s usually because the current coach just isn’t good.

How do we know Pruitt is helping the culture? Because we want to? Because 5 freshmen play well? It’s just a guessing game.

If anything, we have reason to believe it's gotten worse since he got there, not better. A mail-in job for a season opener isn't exactly a great indication.

 

[jwilliams]

Well my thing is, this staff has recruited 2 QB’s and hired a New OC that’s suppose to be a QB guru. Why is our very most important position on the field, performing the worst? And we have Wenkie and Tee Martin to help. Nothing is gonna make me understand why we don’t have a serviceable QB right now.

Ya, I don't disagree really... I thought JG would take a big step this year. Lots of people did. I think Pruitt and Chaney did too, and now we're all just standing here kinda going, "what the hell?"

 

[rocky top buzz]

If anything, we have reason to believe it's gotten worse since he got there, not better. A mail-in job for a season opener isn't exactly a great indication.

Pruitt said before the season he thought this team had a chance to be pretty good, meaning he liked what he saw in practice. The culture problem is, when these kids got hit in the mouth they weren't ready to respond. I agree year 2 Pruitt shoulders a lot of blame for that. But I also think it's hard to create competitors at this age.

I coach multiple f youth sports. Some kids I coach are marginal players, but lay everything out to try and win and are devastated by a loss. Other I coach are extremely talented, but they don't hate losing. They go out there and figure if they play great, whatever happens, happens. Imagine trying to correct that mentality in a college-age kid.

 

[05_never_again]

Pruitt said before the season he thought this team had a chance to be pretty good, meaning he liked what he saw in practice. The culture problem is, when these kids got hit in the mouth they weren't ready to respond. I agree year 2 Pruitt shoulders a lot of blame for that. But I also think it's hard to create competitors at this age.

I coach multiple f youth sports. Some kids I coach are marginal players, but lay everything out to try and win and are devastated by a loss. Other I coach are extremely talented, but they don't hate losing. They go out there and figure if they play great, whatever happens, happens. Imagine trying to correct that mentality in a college-age kid.

That's being too nice about it. They didn't seem like they wanted to play Georgia St from the get-go. Did they not really know how to react when Georgia State, Georgia State, got an early 7-0 lead directly because of our own mistake?

I hear you on the different mentalities of people - that's definitely a real thing. At all ages. I don't think what you describe can be corrected, especially in a college-aged person. I'm a big believer in self-motivation. If I was a coach, and I had to convince a player to play hard, care, or give full effort, I wouldn't have any time for them. If I have to convince a scholarship football player to get excited to play a season opener in Neyland Stadium, then they are a lost cause already. Caring and trying hard is a baseline expectation, an assumption that I have about somebody who says they want to do something. If you say you want to do a job, I'm just assuming that you care about it and will work hard. If you don't do that, or are looking to an authority figure to get that out of you, then get lost. I'll just get other people in here who want to do it, because I know they are out there, rather than waste time trying to convince you to meet some base assumption.

The real question is...why are guys on our team that way?

 

[landscapingvol]

No it’s not it’s a lazy trope put out by old people because that’s what every generation does. This has nothing to do with Tennessee Football.

You don't have the first clue what you are talking about. I am not old and have coached for many years at multiple levels including college. As I stated, it is a problem at other schools as well just not as noticeable because they have had success on the field.

 

[Booker512]

Social media doesn't seem to be negatively impacting Alabama, or Clemson, or Ohio St, or LSU, or Georgia, or pick any other good team. Just add it to one of the many things that apparently is only a problem at Tennessee, like young players/inexperience, new coordinators, injuries, former 5-star recruits not living up to the billing, etc.

Bingo.

Seems to be a regional thing around Knoxville. The Knoxville Triangle, where good players disappear into the mysterious depth chart never to be seen or heard from again.

Also funny you never hear about how “back in the day” when you had 1 or 2 GOOD players on a team, they stood out like a sore thumb. You knew how good they were. Today, especially in the SEC, the level of players, even at places like Kentucky and Mississippi State is so high, even really really good players don’t stand out as well as they used to. Offensive tackles used to be 275lbs at places like Oklahoma or Notre Dame. I watch a lot of old games on youtube. They run down the rosters and TEs used to be 215-225lbs. It’s crazy how much bigger players have gotten in the past 25-30 years.

 

[zjcvols]

You don't have the first clue what you are talking about. I am not old and have coached for many years at multiple levels including college. As I stated, it is a problem at other schools as well just not as noticeable because they have had success on the field.

It’s always when been a problem. Kids use to quit all the time in the 60’s/70’s/80’s too, they just went to the factory instead of transferring.

Clemson doesn’t have this problem. Georgia doesn’t have this problem. Hell Will Muschamp and Mark Stoops don’t have this problem.

Jeremy Pruitt is the coach. It’s his job to motivate his players. And if he can’t they do, then he isn’t meant to be a head coach.

 

[tennesseeduke]

That is problem #1. I blame the everyone is a winner generation. That attitude breeds failure imho. ANd when added to learning to be a head coach it’s compounded.I do believe he gets it done tho

Uh it doesn't seem to be affecting other schools. Are you saying we are only recruiting kids that no one is and these kids played in leagues growing up that no one else did.

The CULTURE changes once you step on campus from the top down! Clemson learned this and now look. They went years without a top down approach but once it was set about 10 yrs ago the new culture took off and EVERYONE bought in! Dabo was a receivers coach when he interviewed to replace Tommy Bowden. He had a plan and still has a plan and executes it perfection. The entire administration is bought in!

Tennessee Administration has not been fully bought in and supportive for about 20 yrs now! You hear it on VN all the time. "It's the Haslams fault", Fulmer's fault, etc...it's all BS. 100% get behind the guy in charge and change, culture everything follows suit. WE have not fully backed anyone since Fulmer stepped down.

IT'S NOT JUST A PLAYERS ISSUE!

 

[peaygolf]

Uh it doesn't seem to be affecting other schools. Are you saying we are only recruiting kids that no one is and these kids played in leagues growing up that no one else did.

The CULTURE changes once you step on campus from the top down! Clemson learned this and now look. They went years without a top down approach but once it was set about 10 yrs ago the new culture took off and EVERYONE bought in!

IT'S NOT JUST A PLAYERS ISSUE!

could be the coaches are getting soft. Give me Woody. He, Eddie and Nicklaus are the only good things to ever come from there

 

[pharmDvol11]

When I potty train my kid if she doesn’t go she drops and gives me 20 push-ups

 

[GAVol]

View attachment 226168 could be the coaches are getting soft. Give me Woody. He, Eddie and Nicklaus are the only good things to ever come from there

Woody was a grade A turd.

 

[MadWorld]

I think it's mostly due to this hat he wears. My gosh is there not a better hat to wear than this one he found at Walmart?

 

[pharmDvol11]

It’s always when been a problem. Kids use to quit all the time in the 60’s/70’s/80’s too, they just went to the factory instead of transferring.

Clemson doesn’t have this problem. Georgia doesn’t have this problem. Hell Will Muschamp and Mark Stoops don’t have this problem.

Jeremy Pruitt is the coach. It’s his job to motivate his players. And if he can’t they do, then he isn’t meant to be a head coach.

 

[GoVols64]

Read “Extreme Ownership” and you will find it a blue print for what an accountable leader should be. I’m willing to bet CJP is doing the right things and it will show over time. Can’t fix everything in a couple years.

 

[peaygolf]

Woody was a grade A turd.

I'm going to have to disagree (minus his Gator Bowl meltdown)
It's ok to disagree.

 

[volfannbama]

Don’t see any generational problems in places like Clemson.
It sickens me how they are so much better than us.
Have you been to that little podunk town in the middle of nowhere.

I agree with you except the podunk town in the middle of nowhere. Upstate SC, Clemson, Greeneville etc is fantastic.

 

[volfannbama]

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. And I thought it was a bad idea from the start

I hear the same argument everywherr. Old Marines complain about the new Marines, old police officers complain about new police officers. Both say the new generations suck. Lazy excuses made by lazy people.

 

[GAVol]

No it’s not it’s a lazy trope put out by old people because that’s what every generation does. This has nothing to do with Tennessee Football.

Agree 100%.

 

[volgrad500]

Its not a generational thing, there are fierces competitors in this generation, just like every other. I always find it funny that the generation that created the generation complains continually about the generation it created.

Why? I'm genuinely curious. I see this statement a lot and I don't get it. Every generation has tried to make the lives of their children easier/better. But this is the first generation that has taken that and decided to lay down and regress, instead of working hard to advance the ball. Why would it then be funny for other generations to complain about that? To say they shouldn't complain because they "created" the generation sort of relieves the younger generation of any responsibility, doesn't it? Like, you made us this way, that's why we are worthless? And btw, I'm in my early 40's so I haven't made one and I'm not one lol. Just seems like an odd point of view to me.