Would Pruitt replace Saban?

#2
#2
VolForLife83 said:
Not as meaty as I would have liked. But it's something we've all wondered a time or two.

How Jeremy Pruitt reportedly feels about replacing Nick Saban down the road
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If offered the job, of course he'd accept it. I don't even think that's a debatable point. He could go to Alabama, fail miserably, and still be paid handsomely for the time spent plus a buyout. Then could slide into a top assistant job again after that.

The real question is how good does Pruitt have to perform at Tennessee for Alabama to seriously consider him. I still maintain he'd probably need to win the SEC at least once for them to truly consider him. Maybe he'd still get consideration if he won the East at least once, but either way, he still would need to win something beyond just some games. I can't imagine their admin and boosters turning the keys to their program over to a guy who was just "pretty good" at another school.

If by the time Saban retires the best Pruitt has done is 8-9 regular season victories but no championships, I think he'd be way down their list.
 
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#4
#4
I'm not so sure he would be considered or if he would go back. I don't know that he would want to be in the shadows of Saban. If he does, I would hope that he leaves a loaded roster so we can turn around and hire the best.
 
#5
#5
05_never_again said:
If offered the job, of course he'd accept it. I don't even think that's a debatable point. He could go to Alabama, fail miserably, and still be paid handsomely for the time spent plus a buyout. Then could slide into a top assistant job again after that.

The real question is how good does Pruitt have to perform at Tennessee for Alabama to seriously consider him. I still maintain he'd probably need to win the SEC at least once for them to truly consider him. Maybe he'd still get consideration if he won the East at least once, but either way, he still would need to win something beyond just some games. I can't imagine their admin and boosters turning the keys to their program over to a guy who was just "pretty good" at another school.

If by the time Saban retires the best Pruitt has done is 8-9 regular season victories but no championships, I think he'd be way down their list.
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I think the issue with this view is Pruitt has no intention of failing miserably. He seems genuinely driven to make whatever program hes at the best it can possibly be. If you're in his shoes, would you rather win a championship at Bama where they will always compare you to Saban or win one at Tennessee where you would be a legend forever?
 
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#7
#7
It’s not whether or not Dabo or Pruitt would go coach at Alabama, the question is how high will Alabama need to stack $100 bills to get them there.

Can Alabama afford to? Are they willing to pay?

Both have plenty of money.
 
#8
#8
Jnunn said:
I think the issue with this view is Pruitt has no intention of failing miserably. He seems genuinely driven to make whatever program hes at the best it can possibly be. If you're in his shoes, would you rather win a championship at Bama where they will always compare you to Saban or win one at Tennessee where you would be a legend forever?
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I can't answer that question because I'm not him, but I totally can see him wanting to win one at Alabama. He's from the state and an alum. If your home school threw gobs of money at you to be the head coach there, I think you take it. The only way I see him turning down the Alabama job is if he's done the unthinkable and already won a national title here at Tennessee - in such a situation Tennessee would pay him whatever he wanted (removes money from the equation) and he'd be a god here. There wouldn't be much of a reason to leave for Alabama at that point, unless he just couldn't resist the sentimental call from home. Same reason why I think Dabo would also turn down the job if offered.

Of course he doesn't want to fail, but it isn't like it'd be bad for him financially or career-wise if he failed there. If he failed at Alabama as HC immediately following Saban, I think people would largely write it off as being an impossible job and he'd get scooped up in a heartbeat to be a DC again at a big time school.
 
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#10
#10
05_never_again said:
If offered the job, of course he'd accept it. I don't even think that's a debatable point. He could go to Alabama, fail miserably, and still be paid handsomely for the time spent plus a buyout. Then could slide into a top assistant job again after that.

The real question is how good does Pruitt have to perform at Tennessee for Alabama to seriously consider him. I still maintain he'd probably need to win the SEC at least once for them to truly consider him. Maybe he'd still get consideration if he won the East at least once, but either way, he still would need to win something beyond just some games. I can't imagine their admin and boosters turning the keys to their program over to a guy who was just "pretty good" at another school.

If by the time Saban retires the best Pruitt has done is 8-9 regular season victories but no championships, I think he'd be way down their list.
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Just no to all of this. Why would Jeremy Pruitt be ok with failing miserably and sliding into an assistant job. You talk like the Tennessee job isn't quite the prize in its own right.

Several people have told me/posted that Pruitt wants to build his own program. How is following in Saban's footsteps a no-brainer?
 
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#11
#11
Money is not always the top reason to leave or stay. Personal happiness and job pressure are also big factors. Who wants to make good money but be in a job that makes you miserable every day (assuming he would be miserable at Bama)? If he is able to build the program back to the point of winning 9 to 10 games a year here he could possibly stay for several years. Even though the pressure to win is high here it would seem to be nothing like at Alabama. He could go back to Bama and win 10 games but not win the SEC or NC and be deemed a failure and maybe last 3 years. Question for him is are you happy at one place making $4 million and do you want to maybe be miserable at another making $8 million. His dream may have always been to be the HC at his home state university, but situations and dreams change.
 
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#13
#13
Unconditional Surrender said:
Just no to all of this. Why would Jeremy Pruitt be ok with failing miserably and sliding into an assistant job. You talk like the Tennessee job isn't quite the prize in its own right.

Several people have told me/posted that Pruitt wants to build his own program. How is following in Saban's footsteps a no-brainer?
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I dont think its a "no brainer" at all.

He could actually go down there and be pretty good and get run out on a rail and be considered a failure by the home crowd. Just because pretty good wasnt Saban good. If he was terrible, it make even less sense. Then he's a failure and not liked by the home crowd.

Its the same reason why it doesn't make sense for Dabo to go back. Getting into the playoff is much easier at Clemson than Bama. And he's already considered their Saban by their fans.
 
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#14
#14
There are currently only 2 coaches to win a natty at 2 different schools, Dabo wants to be the third, look for him to take the Bama job and win another natty.
 
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#15
#15
I believe he would go. I think Dabo would be first on the wish list, but I do not think he would leave Clemson under current conditions. If Pruitt does well at Tennessee, he'd been on the wish list too. If offered the job, I think he would have to go. If he turned them down, I doubt he gets another opportunity there and it's his home state and his alma mater. I can't see him turning down the opportunity.
 
#16
#16
The first game he lost at Bama , they will be calling for his head and death threats. Fulmer needs to redo his contract and pay him and give him a huge buyout so if he does leave that Tn will get some money back instead of owing money for once. Then Tn can take that buyout money and throw it at a big name. Pruitt would be stupid to go in after Saban. Maybe after Bama fires 2 other coaches and then Pruitt takes it.
 
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#18
#18
Volinnooga said:
I believe he would go. I think Dabo would be first on the wish list, but I do not think he would leave Clemson under current conditions. If Pruitt does well at Tennessee, he'd been on the wish list too. If offered the job, I think he would have to go. If he turned them down, I doubt he gets another opportunity there and it's his home state and his alma mater. I can't see him turning down the opportunity.
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As far as Dabo is concerned, Clemson to Bama is no longer a promotion
 
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#19
#19
Nasavol said:
There are currently only 2 coaches to win a natty at 2 different schools, Dabo wants to be the third, look for him to take the Bama job and win another natty.
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I didn't realize that. Interesting stat.
 
#21
#21
If Pruitt wins enough for Bama to want him and he leaves then so be it. You would think UT should be able to attract a proven coach that could step into a good situation with a cupboard full of talent too assuming Pruitt continues to recruit well.
 
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#22
#22
On one hand, Pruitt has always been all Bama, and he has to have dreamt about coaching the Tide for a long time. On the other hand, Bama is going to be a highly coveted job, and he's not getting an offer from Bama unless he really does have some major success here, in which case he's probably less likely to give it up.

That said, he wins the SEC and the Gumps come calling, I'm not really sure I would feel super confident he would turn it down.
 
#23
#23
Everybody thought that Vince Dooley (an Auburn Grad) would return to Auburn one day, he did consider the job but instead he stayed and has become a Georgia legend.
I’m hoping that Pruitt has the same attitude and wants to build something special here at Tennessee.
 
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#24
#24
It’s partially an ego thing, it’s why successful college coaches go to the NFL, to prove that they are that good. It’s also why most fail at it, they aren’t flexible and try and fit their process in whole to a totally different dynamic. Pete Carroll and Jimmie Johnson are the exceptions rather than the rule. And it was Carroll’s second go around with the pros.
 
#25
#25
05_never_again said:
If offered the job, of course he'd accept it. I don't even think that's a debatable point. He could go to Alabama, fail miserably, and still be paid handsomely for the time spent plus a buyout. Then could slide into a top assistant job again after that.

The real question is how good does Pruitt have to perform at Tennessee for Alabama to seriously consider him. I still maintain he'd probably need to win the SEC at least once for them to truly consider him. Maybe he'd still get consideration if he won the East at least once, but either way, he still would need to win something beyond just some games. I can't imagine their admin and boosters turning the keys to their program over to a guy who was just "pretty good" at another school.

If by the time Saban retires the best Pruitt has done is 8-9 regular season victories but no championships, I think he'd be way down their list.
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Na, you dont follow the guy. Plus, has he really won enough for them?
 
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