Be honest answering ...

#5
#5
Probably not, and no surprised the heck out of me.

Exact same here. We were talking about it as soon as we scored there and I said well he may think our D is a little tired and will struggle to stop them, but then I dismissed the idea quickly because you are basically screwed if you don't get it. I can't say I was shocked by the call, but I certainly was surprised.
 
#6
#6
A - Would you as a head coach last night called for that onside kick with over 4 and half minutes to play and all 3 times out left ?

B - Think that Pruitt was going to call for it ?


A- Yes
B- No

I was caught off guard as much as Indiana's team..however one thing i like about Pruitt is his willingness to call this play. Just wasn't expecting at that time last night.
 
#7
#7
Pruitt likes the onside kick. Something that the last 3 UT coaches rarely if ever used and when used, without success. If you go back and look at Pruitt's previous onside attempts, the only failed by a gnat's eyelash. I thought then, he's gonna have this work someday.

The locker room interviews with Tim Priest added more information. They interviewed both Eric Gray and Paxton Brooks. Both said they work in it every Thursday in practice. Paxton's interview was interesting in that he said (paraphrasing) - there is a lot of luck involved in an onside kick. The ball has to take that hop up in the air and sometimes it doesn't happen. Also said that as a kicker, you have to start the motion as if you are going to kick deep to get the element of surprise, and the hard part is, adjusting the stride to do the onside. They saw a gap in the way IU lined up and the call was on . Not sure if it was recognized on previous kicks and they had it in there pocket to use, or if it was called real time.

Thing is- it worked. And it worked about as perfect as could be expected. We blame Pruitt and coaching when things go wrong, but how about giving him coaching credit when things go right. This didn't just happen without a ton of practice going into it. Bottom line, it changed an L to a W. I'll take it.
 
#9
#9
A- Yes as Indiana had been playing ball control the whole second half and there was a good chance that we would not have gotten the ball back.
B- I would think that would have to be the head coaches call and Pruitt would not have anything to lose.
 
#11
#11
A - Would you as a head coach last night called for that onside kick with over 4 and half minutes to play and all 3 times out left ?

B - Think that Pruitt was going to call for it ?

Didn’t see it coming, and wouldn’t have called it. Anyone who says they would’ve Is prob lying. Every stat and expert out there will say with that time left you kick it and play D. BUT CJP obviously saw something in his game planning. It paid off. It’s really a defining moment for him I believe, even though we should’ve been up 30 at that point.

This worked so he’s a genius. Had it not, and we handed the ball to IU with that field position, it was likely a dagger. Had it not worked people would be screaming for his job today.
 
#12
#12
Didn’t see it coming, and wouldn’t have called it. Anyone who says they would’ve Is prob lying. Every stat and expert out there will say with that time left you kick it and play D. BUT CJP obviously saw something in his game planning. It paid off. It’s really a defining moment for him I believe, even though we should’ve been up 30 at that point.

This worked so he’s a genius. Had it not, and we handed the ball to IU with that field position, it was likely a dagger. Had it not worked people would be screaming for his job today.

Agreed. If we didn't recover it we were most certainly screwed and the majority would have called him an idiot that shouldn't coach another game.
 
#14
#14
A. Yes—I actually told my dad when we were lining up for the kickoff that the onside kick was “there” if we kicked it right (I was in the end zone we were kicking from). We had them out numbered and there was a HUGE hole to kick into.

B. No—I wouldn’t have called the onside. O would’ve trusted our defense could get a stop with three timeouts.
 
#16
#16
Agreed. If we didn't recover it we were most certainly screwed and the majority would have called him an idiot that shouldn't coach another game.
It was a bold call that worked out. I’d much rather have a coach that isn’t afraid to take some risks than one who never does. What bothers me is that he almost gave the game right back to them with that horrible timeout. That was horrible awareness on his part and, from what I see, that carries right through the team with the dumb penalties we rack up every single game. For example, I’ve watched a ton of football over the years and I’ve never seen a center do what Kennedy did when he got the penalty for moving the ball almost an entire yard. How Pruitt handles the QB situation next year will go a long way towards whether or not he remains our coach more than another couple of years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GetYouSomeofThat
#17
#17
A - Would you as a head coach last night called for that onside kick with over 4 and half minutes to play and all 3 times out left ?

B - Think that Pruitt was going to call for it ?
Probably wouldn't have noticed it in real time but watching the replay, iu only had to players up
 
#21
#21
A - Would you as a head coach last night called for that onside kick with over 4 and half minutes to play and all 3 times out left ?

B - Think that Pruitt was going to call for it ?
I really thought they might do it. There was an obvious hole in their alignment that was really apparent from where I was sitting. My last words before the kick to the guy beside me were “they’re begging to get onside kicked”.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1985Vols
#22
#22
Very few coaches would’ve taken that chance there. Which is really why it was so brilliant. But as good as that call was there were a lot of puzzling decisions as well. For one...continually throwing the ball down near the goal line (when the run game got us down there to begin with), not giving Maurer an opportunity earlier in the game, going into a prevent defense once we got the lead late which allowed them to get into scoring position, and not adjusting/using a spy to stop the qb run.
 
#24
#24
A - Would you as a head coach last night called for that onside kick with over 4 and half minutes to play and all 3 times out left ?

B - Think that Pruitt was going to call for it ?

I hope I would have called it.

Yes, we expected it. What else would you do in that position with so little time left and down so many points?
 
  • Like
Reactions: ABINGDON VOL FAN
#25
#25
A - Would you as a head coach last night called for that onside kick with over 4 and half minutes to play and all 3 times out left ?

B - Think that Pruitt was going to call for it ?
A-Yes I would have.
B- I said "Let's see if Pruitt has the balls to kick an onside kick here. I called it! I called it! Did you here me call that onside kick?" Hahaha
 

VN Store



Back
Top