2-8 is Pruitt gone?

[superdave1984]

I voted he'll be back, but one thing that could help us is I don't think JP would be like Butch. I think he'd be someone's DC next year. Now, I'm sure he'd take a lower salary than he could get, but even at 500K a year that would relieve some of the buyout.

I think this is true. Some guys are just not HC material. They may be really good coordinators, but struggle when asked to oversee the entire operation.

 

[tnmarktx]

I've seen enough, I'd like to start a coaching search. However, I believe he will survive 5 years more no matter if he ever wins another game or not. I'd like to see the whole house cleaned.

 

[tnmarktx]

I don't have confidence that anything will be done.

 

[Elhanan]

I say fire him at 3-7 but at 2-8 we definitely should.

So.... no. We keep him.

 

[BeardedVol]

I've seen enough, I'd like to start a coaching search. However, I believe he will survive 5 years more no matter if he ever wins another game or not. I'd like to see the whole house cleaned.

There's no way he survives till 2026 with record he is piling up; not even Fulmer could justify that.

 

[VaBornVol]

Things are crazy in a Covid season. A six game win streak will get you an extension before the season starts, but an eight game losing streak won’t get you fired

 

[HEAD-VOL]

Honest to God!! Why do we keep rehashing this crap???

 

[05_never_again]

I've seen enough, I'd like to start a coaching search. However, I believe he will survive 5 years more no matter if he ever wins another game or not. I'd like to see the whole house cleaned.

As bad as Pruitt has been, are you sure you want another coaching search? I'm sure you remember the last 3 we've had. I don't think our administration is capable of even tripping over itself and falling into a good hire.

 

[DFWVolFan]

Fulmer and Pruitt both received 2 yr extensions this year so I don't think anyone is being fired regardless of record. Now if we still suck end of next year they could and should both be gone.

 

[JMSqb11]

What do you think?

Pruitt ain't getting fired in the Covid Year.

 

[VolPack22]

Resign = no golden parachute

Fired = massive golden parachute

Hmmm...….wonder which one he will choose?

Oh I definitely know which one I would choose but I figured it would be appropriate to at least give him the option haha

 

[VolPack22]

Hah, back in the day that may have been a tactic, but telling these over-paid coaches they will be gone if they don't show drastic improvement next year is just asking them to take their pay and spend next season gong through the motions. I'm sure recruiting would be non-existent too. Too many variables to qualify what improvement is.








































H

Yeah unfortunately the only thing people are concerned with nowadays are making a big payday. Performance comes second.

 

[BLUTickbusdriver]

When Vandy smokes us he will be gone!

 

[cardvolfan]

I imagine he's here for another year or two. I feel sure Fulmer is advocating for him, because he is the man who backed him and hired him.

 

[Indianrick]

I think you will see a different team the rest of the way, win or loose, we got some much needed spring practice time back, I think we will see more cohesion more like a team, may not win many but I think we will see a different approach to our team. This year is really a mulligan year as far as I am concerned. A lot of things were exposed and will have to be fixed before next year. Salter may be the future starting next year, we will have a better team all around with players that stay and new recruits coming in.

 

[SaintLouisVol]

The team could play really well for the remainder of the year, and they still may finish 2-2. In that case, I think he stays.

But, if they lose to Vanderbilt, that would mean that the players have flat out quit on CJP. While I don't think it will happen, A 2-8 season with a completely uninterested effort from the players for these last four games MIGHT force Fulmer's hand. He doesn't get to make this decision in a vacuum. Keeping his job demands keeping the money flowing.

At this point, the cost of firing Pruitt should not be looked at as the total cost of the buyout, but rather the cost of firing him this year versus firing him next year. Unless there are some unknown, tangible reasons for this regression of almost every player on the team that are easily correctable and beyond Pruitt's control, there is absolutely no reason at all to believe things will somehow just get better. So, if that cost is 4-5 million, an argument could easily be made that keeping him for another year could cost them that in ticket sales and booster support.

At this point, it feels like it is not a matter of "if," but "when."

 

[m1al]

Did not bother me one tiny bit that he coached in the NC game, in fact thought it gave great exposure to our program. What got me was him pulling a Dooley and talking about the how bad the players were. Maybe they were not the standard of bama, but they were wearing orange and earning his salary. He had no reason to belittle them, other than to give excuse for losing.

Fair enough.. Some had a big problem with him finishing out that season with bama. It didn't bother me at all either..

 

[TartanTurff]

In September I would have said he could go 0-10 and still have been back for 2021, but as the money is getting thrown around, I think it will depend on where the 10 - 20 largest boosters are in conjuction with Randy Boyd, the money is there such that they could take this entire staff out at the end of the year, along with Fulmer, since he's the goober that extended himself as well as Coach Cornbread, but unless there is a proven winner with power five head coaching experience committed behind the scenes to come to Tennessee, I'm not sure Boyd would view this as money well spent. The whole hidden extension, Pruitt extension, coaches taking no salary cuts, the federal banking officials looking at why the athletic department is dragging its feet on refunds is as bad a publicity hit as the current crap season embarrassment on the field. Cleaning house will have significant consequences, leaving this inept overpaid mediocrity in place will have consequences as well, bad publicity and reputational risk on both choices.

Now Blonde Donde is in hiding, claiming quarantine, she saw somebody that had tested positive for COVID, nice try lady, ain't nobody buying that line with any of the other snake oil coming out of the athletic department these days, you can hide Fulmer's extension, but you can't hide yourself. Accountability is something most university Chancellor are not afraid to face and something Randy Boyd needs to bring front and center to this entire charade known as UT Knoxville and the UT Athletic Department.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

The team could play really well for the remainder of the year, and they still may finish 2-2. In that case, I think he stays.

But, if they lose to Vanderbilt, that would mean that the players have flat out quit on CJP. While I don't think it will happen, A 2-8 season with a completely uninterested effort from the players for these last four games MIGHT force Fulmer's hand. He doesn't get to make this decision in a vacuum. Keeping his job demands keeping the money flowing.

At this point, the cost of firing Pruitt should not be looked at as the total cost of the buyout, but rather the cost of firing him this year versus firing him next year. Unless there are some unknown, tangible reasons for this regression of almost every player on the team that are easily correctable and beyond Pruitt's control, there is absolutely no reason at all to believe things will somehow just get better. So, if that cost is 4-5 million, an argument could easily be made that keeping him for another year could cost them that in ticket sales and booster support.

At this point, it feels like it is not a matter of "if," but "when."

I agree. I think the staff has had it with this guy. He's going to have to replace a lot of assistants if he stays and nobody with spit is going to come here unless we overpay (not that we aren't overpaying for some assistants now) and give multi-year guarantees. That's not going to happen. I see the following options:

1. Most likely - bring pretty much the same staff back next year replacing only a couple of coaches whose contracts are up at the end of this year, things probably won't be much better next season, recruiting will suffer because assistants won't put much effort into it, and just about everyone gets fired at the end of next season having saved us maybe $4 million in buyout money.
2. Second most likely - clean house at the end of this season.
3. Third most likely - keep Pruitt but make major changes to the staff, costing millions in staff buyouts and overpaying mercenaries who are willing to jump onto a sinking ship.
4. Lease likely - Same as #1 as far as staff retention but somehow things click next season to the point that people generally feel we're moving in the right direction.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I think you will see a different team the rest of the way, win or loose, we got some much needed spring practice time back, I think we will see more cohesion more like a team, may not win many but I think we will see a different approach to our team. This year is really a mulligan year as far as I am concerned. A lot of things were exposed and will have to be fixed before next year. Salter may be the future starting next year, we will have a better team all around with players that stay and new recruits coming in.

eh. Auburn has had three weeks of "spring practice" to our two. Maybe two weeks is just right and three is too much? Guess we'll find out.

 

[m1al]

There's no way he survives till 2026 with record he is piling up; not even Fulmer could justify that.

I'm curious to see his justification for not firing him this year if we go 2-8 (or 3-7 for that matter). Annnd, sorry but the covid excuse doesn't work for me..

 

[BeardedVol]

I'm curious to see his justification for not firing him this year if we go 2-8 (or 3-7 for that matter). Annnd, sorry but the covid excuse doesn't work for me..

You know that's most likely what Fulmer/Pruitt will chalk it up to, regardless of reality.

 

[m1al]

You know that's most likely what Fulmer/Pruitt will chalk it up to, regardless of reality.

Yea, that will be the go to because it's about the only one that more people will buy when compared to other excuses...

 

[DaddyChad]

If Fulmer fires him then Fulmer should agree to donate his salary Back to the university until Pruitt’s buyout is covered...otherwise just axe Fulmer as well and we can start from scratch.
I’m not saying that to be vindictive - but bad decisions should have consequences for those who make them.

That’s not going to happen. Tennessee has major issues. Fulmer will probably get another hire bc it’s Fulmer or whoever Haslam wants hired as an AD. Neither option has been particularly good for us.

 

[DaddyChad]

I was not involved in the decision to fire Fulmer, but I don't think it was a poor decision to fire him.

I believe it was a poor decision to fire him and hire Kiffin instead of Gary Patterson

Hamilton not only passed on Patterson but he also pissed him off in the process. Totally alienated him.