Let's revisit the previous guys first. Kiffin just left so it wasn't a case of him losing steam. Fulmer made the wrong hire in Clawson. Good coach, bad fit. Dooley wasn't recruiting great at the end, bad hire in Sunseri. His initial staff was excellent. Butch, bad hires. Shoop wasn't the right fit and Larry Scott was awful. Butch's hire of the Michigan tennis administrator Mike DeBord was a terrific hire. But Scott did him in. Along with a huge drop off at qb.
As for now, I think this team lacks locker room leadership which is a factor but it's crazy to suggest that's the only issue. However, they miss Jauan Jennings because of his emotion and the fact that he played hard for 60 mins. every day.
This program this year can't handle adversity. And maybe Jennings and Warrior was the two guys who held it together last year, but a year ago down the stretch they found ways to win games, even though it was ugly. Now they can't figure out a way to play the third quarter.
There are clearly disconnects at this point. Pruitt wasn't any fun to work for in year one. He was better in year 2, but I don't think this year has been any fun. Whether Jimmy Brumbaugh should have been fired or not, that has to leave an impact on a staff particularly. Most every coach has been "fired" in game by the head coach but it's heat of the moment and it never really happens. This year it did. One wonders how that affected the staff.
As for the other post on the board regarding Pruitt saying he wanted someone to fire him. I don't think he has said that.
He has told people from year one that if it didn't work out here that Saban would take him back as his DC or on staff there, but I don't believe he is telling people to fire him so he can go back to Alabama.