So here's the deal--- I still don't think Maurer is out of the question for Saturday... yes, it is not looking good. JT or JJ, then JG.... it just has to go that way... Unfortunately everyone better brace for JG and boos. It is, what it is...
I am liking and riding with Pruitt from now on. This bama game was so huge for so many reasons--- and one is Pruitt can now justify changing his temperament with the players from "you idiots running around, not knowing what to do, not bought in"... to now "hey guys, you stepped up, showed up, kicked butt, have finally bought in, the practice is paying off, now lets keep building on this and let it all F'n hangout the remainder of the season, AIGHT!!"
This game made the statement that we needed for recruits. Now we have to continue to build on it and we might just be okay by the end of the season with recruits.
I flew to Richmond yesterday and sat next to a former walk-on who played for both Majors and Fulmer... he lives and works in Knoxville. He has flown with Fulmer twice this season. He said this is the first time in since before Kiffin that we truly have it all together in the athletic department and it starts and ends with Fulmer and his love and dedication to UT... and he isn't afraid or intimidated by anyone, even Haslam... He said Fulmer thinks we got Pruitt about 2yrs early, which was his plan and gamble, and that he knew waiting any longer that we wouldn't have a shot to get him. Fulmer said he's about another year or two from being GREAT. Lastly he said flushing out the bad vibes/kids from Butch and having a full roster of Pruitt's "BOYS" is WAYYYYYY bigger than folks think, and he is almost there. He said once he gets a full roster of his kids, they will run through a wall for him just like Orgeron, and he'll even bandage them up afterwards WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING and thank them.
I got the impression that Pruitt is the kind of old school tough love coach, that if you do what he says, buy in, give everything you got, then he is all in on YOU.
Guy also said don't fool yourself if you don't think back in the day, players would have ripped JG a new ass for what he pulled. He said fortunately and unfortunately he was a witness to it several times... and it began and ended in that locker room and nothing else was said or done--- and 99.9% of the time, the problem was eliminated and everyone was back on track and all on the same page. TIFWIW