It’s time to be proactive instead of reactive for once

[zjcvols]

In December of 2011, the program was falling apart. Coaches were bailing, Derek Dooley was hiding and the infrastructure of the team was crumbling apart. Despite the hope of what 2012 could be a significant portion of the fanbase knew he wasn’t the guy. His lack of resume and his inability to handle the pressure of being the head coach showed Derek Dooley was in over his head. Dave Hart stood pat. The recruiting class wasn’t good, the leadership was non existent and we fired Dooley less than 12 months later. Not firing him after the 2011 Kentucky loss damaged the program.

In November 2016, Tennessee lost to Vanderbilt in a shocking manner. It was becoming obvious that Butch Jones wasn’t a championship coach. The injuries were unusually high that year, but the program was stagnant. The recruiting classes piled up with attrition. A lot of coaches were starting to bail. Tennessee was in flux from a leadership position. Dave Hart was stepping down. Because of that Tennessee, which at the time would have been an attractive job, stood pat. In one year we then ended up with our worst season ever and the most bungled coaching search in SEC history.

The point of bringing up old history is that Tennessee’s inability to take action keeps pouring dirt on the program. Jeremy Pruitt is in over his head. He’s not bringing in elite recruiting classes. The defense has regressed. The lack of development at QB is disgusting.

I understand that COVID-19 has wrecked havoc. But it has on every team. Arkansas had lost 19 straight SEC games before this year. Yet whose team looked better coached? Which team made fewer mistakes? Which team played with more passion? That would be Sam Pittman’s team. He’s in year one. It is completely unacceptable.

I understand how much money Tennessee has lost due to the pandemic. I understand Tennessee would probably have to cough up $15-$16M in buyouts. But this cycle has to stop. I’m begging the leadership to be proactive for once. Don’t let it get worse. Take action and be responsible for the program.

Stop delaying the inevitable and start setting course to find the right coach to restore this program.

 

[UTK]

Couldn't of said it any better. Great post.

 

[Ten_Titans]

Agreed. Unfortunately, we've always waited a year longer than we should have before, and the AD has never had an excuse to wait it out like they have now.

 

[superdave1984]

Those who forget history are destined to repeat it.
It is the same with a football program as it is with any business. You have to know when to cut your losses and move on. Admit your mistake, do better the next time and you can achieve success. We can all look at the past and pick it apart. Should have fired Fulmer sooner, should not have hired Kiffin, Dooley....never should have even mentioned him. Same for Butch. And now Pruitt. Truth is, nobody knows for sure if a coach will be a hit or a miss. Things can just work for a guy that really has no business being hired and sometimes even a great coach finds himself in a bad situation and does not have success. We can all second (third) guess what has happened in the last dozen years. It doesn't change anything. Change has to start from the top. Change has to start where the money is. Until the culture at UT changes, nothing else will.

 

[N.ohio vol]

Couldnt agree more

 

[JoAllan]

I say we just skip all the way until the end of 2021. Then just Fire Pruitt.....cause you know......you can’t do it until then.......who’s got the remote?

 

[sechamp2012]

One thing, if they do go that route they need to be working behind the scene and getting something ironclad. If not just stay the course. We don't need an embarrassing coach search or as someone said earlier know when to cut ties but do it without hurting the program more.
In other words don't go blindly into a coaching search assuming Coach X or Y or Z would come here if offered. Know your limitations.

 

[BeecherVol]

First question.
Who fires Phil?
- that has to happen, because Phil is not firing Pruitt after 3 years, much less during a severe red number in financials for the year. And that is going to bleed over into 21'

Second question.
Who hires the next AD?
Follow up.
Who is that?

Third question.
Why should anybody think the next AD, with the same admin and the same boosters all of a sudden figure it out?

Since Kiffin left, this job has slid farther and farther away from anything other than a career gamble or stepping stone to something else.

 

[m1al]

First question.
Who fires Phil?
- that has to happen, because Phil is not firing Pruitt after 3 years, much less during a severe red number in financials for the year. And that is going to bleed over into 21'

Second question.
Who hires the next AD?
Follow up.
Who is that?

Third question.
Why should anybody think the next AD, with the same admin and the same boosters all of a sudden figure it out?

Since Kiffin left, this job has slid farther and farther away from anything other than a career gamble or stepping stone to something else.

VolNation doesn't want to hear this....

Let me rephrase that.

VolNation WON'T hear this...

 

[Volnbeers]

wont happen without the help of the big money boosters and theyve seemed to have lost interest so i dunno. we may be stuck with pruitt unfortunately.

neyland stadium will sure make a nice monument to honor past greatness of this program though

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I agree with the OP in principle; but in reality it's easier if you accept that this program isn't getting back to the 95-01 form anytime soon. We're a middle of the pack SEC program.

 

[CAVPUT]

Nice dream.

 

[zjcvols]

I agree with the OP in principle; but in reality it's easier if you accept that this program isn't getting back to the 95-01 form anytime soon. We're a middle of the pack SEC program.

And that’s probably true. But we are probably going 3-7 this year in year 3. That’s not even middle of the pack. There’s no reason we can’t win 8-9 games a year at least.

 

[VolRage]

As much as I’d like to see Pruitt fired and Freeze announced as the HC, it ain’t happening. I wish Fulmer wasn’t full of pride and I wish our boosters weren’t cheap. As we all know Fulmer just gave Pruitt a contract extension and he’d look like an idiot if he fired Pruitt 10 games or so afterwards. People like Fulmer can’t admit they were wrong, made a mistake, and are willing to correct it by any means possible. Fulmer and the boosters will ride this one out and put the entire Vol FB program back many more years when they hire another “Google search” coach.

 

[Zues1]

No,no,no...it's not the Tennessee way.
wait until the fans are ready to run him out of town. Then wait till season end and settle for the scrap heap of coaches. One of those unknown up and comers. Maybe the GA State guy, a Kansas assistant.

 

[Vols1891]

One thing I would definitely do differently this time is make sure we have an agreement in place with our new coach before letting Pruitt go. There is no reason to fire him and pay the buyout if we can’t get anyone better.

 

[Foggerman]

Ok y’all I’m not sure Pruitt is all of the problem. The offense is terrible. QB play is terrible. I think Pruitt is trying to manage the offense way too much. Chris Wienke needs to be gone. He may have been a heisman winning QB, but it’s apparent he can’t develop a QB. He was terrible at the Rams with Jared Goff too. He left, and Goff took the rams to the super bowl. Pruitt needs to butt out of the offense and give Chaney the keys, and let him go with it. If he’s the right guy we will all see change hopefully for the better. If Pruitt would stick to his specialty which is supposed to be defense, maybe just maybe we could see a positive difference in that unit as well. HB should be playing QB from here on out too. Ride or die. He is the future. Let’s get the future started.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

You’re 100% right.

Tennessee needs to grow a pair and take winning seriously.

 

[wmcovol]

In December of 2011, the program was falling apart. Coaches were bailing, Derek Dooley was hiding and the infrastructure of the team was crumbling apart. Despite the hope of what 2012 could be a significant portion of the fanbase knew he wasn’t the guy. His lack of resume and his inability to handle the pressure of being the head coach showed Derek Dooley was in over his head. Dave Hart stood pat. The recruiting class wasn’t good, the leadership was non existent and we fired Dooley less than 12 months later. Not firing him after the 2011 Kentucky loss damaged the program.

In November 2016, Tennessee lost to Vanderbilt in a shocking manner. It was becoming obvious that Butch Jones wasn’t a championship coach. The injuries were unusually high that year, but the program was stagnant. The recruiting classes piled up with attrition. A lot of coaches were starting to bail. Tennessee was in flux from a leadership position. Dave Hart was stepping down. Because of that Tennessee, which at the time would have been an attractive job, stood pat. In one year we then ended up with our worst season ever and the most bungled coaching search in SEC history.

The point of bringing up old history is that Tennessee’s inability to take action keeps pouring dirt on the program. Jeremy Pruitt is in over his head. He’s not bringing in elite recruiting classes. The defense has regressed. The lack of development at QB is disgusting.

I understand that COVID-19 has wrecked havoc. But it has on every team. Arkansas had lost 19 straight SEC games before this year. Yet whose team looked better coached? Which team made fewer mistakes? Which team played with more passion? That would be Sam Pittman’s team. He’s in year one. It is completely unacceptable.

I understand how much money Tennessee has lost due to the pandemic. I understand Tennessee would probably have to cough up $15-$16M in buyouts. But this cycle has to stop. I’m begging the leadership to be proactive for once. Don’t let it get worse. Take action and be responsible for the program.

Stop delaying the inevitable and start setting course to find the right coach to restore this program.

Tennessee is going to cough up buyouts for Chaney and Ainsley most likely at end of the season anyway. Already paying $865k for JB. Just round it off to $15mil & clean house.

 

[zjcvols]

Ok y’all I’m not sure Pruitt is all of the problem. The offense is terrible. QB play is terrible. I think Pruitt is trying to manage the offense way too much. Chris Wienke needs to be gone. He may have been a heisman winning QB, but it’s apparent he can’t develop a QB. He was terrible at the Rams with Jared Goff too. He left, and Goff took the rams to the super bowl. Pruitt needs to butt out of the offense and give Chaney the keys, and let him go with it. If he’s the right guy we will all see change hopefully for the better. If Pruitt would stick to his specialty which is supposed to be defense, maybe just maybe we could see a positive difference in that unit as well. HB should be playing QB from here on out too. Ride or die. He is the future. Let’s get the future started.

Who hired the OC, the QB coach and is in charge of recruiting the QB position?

 

[Alto1]

One thing I would definitely do differently this time is make sure we have an agreement in place with our new coach before letting Pruitt go. There is no reason to fire him and pay the buyout if we can’t get anyone better.

And that new coach needs to not only be a Dandy, but a “JIM DANDY”!!!!

 

[BigSteve09]

It's a great, logical post with a sensible nature.

Which is exactly why we won't do the right thing

 

[DNBVOL]

Dead in the water

 

[Foggerman]

Who hired the OC, the QB coach and is in charge of recruiting the QB position?

As far as I know Pruitt hired Chaney away Georgia. I never said Chaney was the issue either. I said give the man the keys and butt out of it, and let’s see what happens. I did however say wienke needs to be gone. If your going to try and chastise somebody, at least get your facts straight. After all. Your a grown *** man right. Yea. Sure you are.

 

[zjcvols]

As far as I know Pruitt hired Chaney away Georgia. I never said Chaney was the issue either. I said give the man the keys and butt out of it, and let’s see what happens. I did however say wienke needs to be gone. If your going to try and chastise somebody, at least get your facts straight. After all. Your a grown *** man right. Yea. Sure you are.

But the problem is Pruitt hired those people so if he doesn’t trust the guys to run the offense, why’d you hire them to begin with. Also maybe not be so sensitive. The point being is it all goes back to Pruitt no matter how you wanna break it down. You also tell me to get my facts straight when we don’t have concrete evidence Pruitt is too involved in the offense. That’s all conjecture.