If we lose to Arkansas, where does that put Pruitt and the fanbase?

[hog88]

I agree with you, we cannot keep firing a coach every 3-4 years and starting over. Look at KY, they have clearly always been a basketball school and football was just kinda there. They hire Stoops and give him time and now they are a upper middle of the pack SEC team instead of a lower tier SEC school. I think we have to give Pruitt 5 years minimum, we were a dumpster fire when he arrived (and maybe still are).

Pruitt has shown more time isn’t going to cure his ineptitude. He’s not a competent HC and more time isn’t going to help him. He’s a a defensive coordinator and I‘m beginning to wonder if he was even a good one.

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

With the current QB, we will lose at Arky. No doubt.

 

[Dr H Lecter]

Hugh Freeze, down the road at Liberty. He comes with baggage but if UT wants to be relevant again it has to roll the dice

Unfortunately, and I’m an old man, the only proven coach UT has hired in my lifetime was Coach Majors, and that would never have happened had he not have been orange through and through. For a National Championship coach, we got him dirt cheap. Everyone else was a promising “up and comer” we rolled the dice on.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Hugh Freeze, down the road at Liberty. He comes with baggage but if UT wants to be relevant again it has to roll the dice

Sadly, our program is now at a point to where we are going to have to hold our noses and be willing to take a coach with some warts. Yeah, we're at that point.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I agree with the predictions. Idk how anybody who has watched the last 3 weeks can honestly say any of those games are winnable for us.

We did this last year, going through and saying all the games were Ls and we ended up 8-5.

Not saying we win out or anything but I think calling all of them Ls is a bit premature. Vandy is a W; if we lose that then Pruitt probably should be fired that day, that's how bad Vandy is.

The rest? Ehhh...we get TAMU at Knoxville which I think helps a bit. Auburn.......who knows what Auburn team shows up? They aren't very good and Malzahn has already lost to Pruitt once. I'm not buying all into Arkansas yet, their 2 wins are Miss St. and Ole Miss and even if you grant they were screwed against Auburn, see above what I said about Auburn. Florida is probably an L because if for nothing else it's Florida.

 

[northknoxvol]

The Hawgs are going to be called on our little Volunteers Im afraid. They got a good coach who got good coordinators and they got a 5th year QB to get things jump started in year 1. While we sit over here with Butch Jones leftovers and a staff who is either clueless or doesnt work well together in Year 3.

 

[midtnvol2]

Hugh Freeze, down the road at Liberty. He comes with baggage but if UT wants to be relevant again it has to roll the dice

Pruitt tried to hire him as OC, was it Fulmer that refused to or was it the SEC hat said no? I don't remember what happened.

 

[VolInNW]

Hugh Freeze, down the road at Liberty. He comes with baggage but if UT wants to be relevant again it has to roll the dice

Fulmers delicate sensitivities will never allow that.

Fulmer took the AD gig as an ego trip and a chance to suck more cash out of UT, since he just missed the really big salaries of the late 2000s/twenty-teens. He wont fire JP because of the ego blow, and because he isnt far out the door if he does.

 

[beachmaster]

So we need to hire a super coach to coach the coach that makes over 4m per year? Yeah, I don’t see that happening. Just fire the one that is crappy at coaching and hire a quality coach, not some grab bag up and comer.

And the beat goes on. And you see UT firing this coach anytime soon?

 

[99gator]

Based on what I know of this board, the only way to gain any semblance of “happy” about this season means beating Florida.

But, losing to Arky would be like the year they beat Florida and lost to Vandy.

 

[West Vol]

Hugh Freeze, down the road at Liberty. He comes with baggage but if UT wants to be relevant again it has to roll the dice

Hugh wasn’t really impressive once the rumors of his cheating starting really circulating. When he had to be careful, he was mediocre. The NCAA is going to watch that guy like a hawk if he gets another FBS job. I also wonder about his ability to attract quality coaches after the Houston Nutt fiasco.

 

[VolInNW]

Based on what I know of this board, the only way to gain any semblance of “happy” about this season means beating Florida.

But, losing to Arky would be like the year they beat Florida and lost to Vandy.

It's much easier than that. I'd be happy if we looked prepared, played sound football, and players showed development. None of that is the case.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Based on what I know of this board, the only way to gain any semblance of “happy” about this season means beating Florida.

But, losing to Arky would be like the year they beat Florida and lost to Vandy.

Not for this TN fan. I'd be ok with a loss to FL as long as we beat everyone else left on the schedule. 6-4 is what I predicted.

Hell, I'd be ok if Vandy was the only remaining win IF the coaches start and play someone else at QB. At least that would instill some confidence that they're developing for the future.

 

[rdk4121]

I just hope they use this bye week to get either Maurer or Bailey all the reps they can handle and have then ready for that game. JG isn't the answer, since they refuse to let him throw on third and long. Defense needs to step it up as well. O-Line actually played decent all things considered, and way better in pass protection at least. Wide receivers were pretty good. Running backs were not great. Several chances to break tackles in open space, plus the fumble by gray.

Secondary was not good outside of Thompson, but even he missed two chances at interceptions that would have taken 14 points off the board. We're talking about this game way differently if it was 34-17. Defensive line player better, but had several chances at tackles for a loss and just couldn't make the tackle. That has to get fixed immediately. 2 and 12 is so much better than even 2-7, yet we often times let it be worse than that.

 

[CountVolcula]

If they lose to Sam Pittman in his first year at Arkansas it's just another indictment on a bad hire. I'll say they either go 3-2 or 2-3 down the stretch. Possibly 1-4 and they're still not firing Beldar. This administration doesn't give a **** about football and the fans should take note of that and save their money, that's if they ever let people back in the stands..

Stands will look like Covid19 for years to come and they might decide to give a crap

 

[a vol n tears]

Pittman looks like a good coach so far and the team seems to rally around him. I don’t look for UT to win that game. I think a lot of the fan base has lost faith in Pruitt already it’ll just get worse

According to the Vol fan base, it is impossible to have the team rally around a coach in his first few years. Coach needs to recruit his own players and get rid of the losing culture.

 

[FranklinVFL]

Well....After the last 10 quarters, I am already at Apathy. I figure, why should I get all worked up, yell at the TV, and be so vested in a team where it appears that there is a total lack of preparation, effort, and care about winning. This goes from the head coach on down to the assistants and players. This is just what appears to be going on during the game.

I'll go back to caring when it appears they do as well. And that also starts with administration vesting themselves in our athletics as well.

I can't make them care, I can't make them understand the importance, but I sure can withdraw until I see that effort, planning and winning is important.

Don't know if that will happen anytime soon. Decade of the Vols....HA!

 

[Cartervol]

Stands will look like Covid19 for years to come and they might decide to give a crap

They're pretty stubborn bunch, maybe. Fulmer said he was preparing for some lean years, guess that's what it's going to be. People aren't going to line up in droves to watch what we're seeing.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Based on what I know of this board, the only way to gain any semblance of “happy” about this season means beating Florida.

But, losing to Arky would be like the year they beat Florida and lost to Vandy.

For some it probably will. But for me we'd have to also beat Arkansas, Vandy, and beat either Auburn or TAMU. If only beat Vandy and then beat Florida it would still seem a bit hollow.

 

[hog88]

Pruitt tried to hire him as OC, was it Fulmer that refused to or was it the SEC hat said no? I don't remember what happened.

That is an unconfirmed rumor. I seriously doubt Pruitt ever tried to hire freeze

 

[hog88]

Fulmers delicate sensitivities will never allow that.

Fulmer took the AD gig as an ego trip and a chance to suck more cash out of UT, since he just missed the really big salaries of the late 2000s/twenty-teens. He wont fire JP because of the ego blow, and because he isnt far out the door if he does.

Fulmer has to go when Pruitt does, no way can he be allowed to hire another coach.

 

[hog88]

According to the Vol fan base, it is impossible to have the team rally around a coach in his first few years. Coach needs to recruit his own players and get rid of the losing culture.

I think the only way Pruitt can rid this team of a losing culture is to resign.

 

[DustyRockSolid]

I wish we were the type of program that could fire Pruitt today. Grow some balls and go after freeze. If that wont work, take a look at joe Brady. We are stuck with pussyfoot pruitt for 2 more years, tho. Our recruiting is gonna take a massive hit.

 

[99gator]

For some it probably will. But for me we'd have to also beat Arkansas, Vandy, and beat either Auburn or TAMU. If only beat Vandy and then beat Florida it would still seem a bit hollow.

Alabama and Georgia look like they are in a different league.

Before the year, I thought progress was beating all the teams you are supposed to and winning a matchup or two against “equal” or “better” opponents.

After Missouri, I thought they were well in their way to sweeping the teams they are supposed to beat.

Then Kentucky happened

 

[DonjoVol]

I agree with you, we cannot keep firing a coach every 3-4 years and starting over. Look at KY, they have clearly always been a basketball school and football was just kinda there. They hire Stoops and give him time and now they are a upper middle of the pack SEC team instead of a lower tier SEC school. I think we have to give Pruitt 5 years minimum, we were a dumpster fire when he arrived (and maybe still are).

Kentucky has always given their football coaches time. But we're supposed to be a much better program in football than Kentucky and they should not be outcoaching us and beating us at home by 27.