Just hear me out on Pruitt.....

#51
#51
Pruitt deserves one more year this season should’ve been a mulligan for all coaches.

There are thousands of small business owners out there that don’t get a “mulligan” because of COVID, they get to go bankrupt and be ruined. So screw Pruitt and giving him a mulligan, the Gump gets paid millions per year to coach football and he’s done a ****** job.
 
#53
#53
There are thousands of small business owners out there that don’t get a “mulligan” because of COVID, they get to go bankrupt and be ruined. So screw Pruitt and giving him a mulligan, the Gump gets paid millions per year to coach football and he’s done a ****** job.
RETWEEEEEET
 
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#54
#54
Pruitt deserves one more year this season should’ve been a mulligan for all coaches.
Unfortunately, modern college football does not allow for mulligans. The fast paced and high stakes recruiting wars do not allow it. A single disastrous season like we are experiencing right now can decimate a recruiting class and cause a domino effect that ruins multiple subsequent seasons. Your program is either progressing or it is regressing. There is no standing still. We have lost a 4 star and a 5 star recruit over the last week. You cannot do that.
 
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#55
#55
You are making too many assumptions that don't particularly line up well with what seems apparent. Pruitt had the option of playing for the future with Maurer and/or Bailey. Both guys have talent and need development. Instead he invested the reps and scheme in JG.

One of the overlooked things is that you design your playbook around your current QB. You can't make things he cannot do part of your gameplans... so you can't afford to spend a lot of time practicing those things just for the sake of a back up. Those things could very well emphasize what a back up does well. So even when you see one of the others play... they're tasked with executing a gameplan and scheme designed around JG's abilities or lack thereof. For instance, if you see timing off on RPO's, slants, timing routes, or other plays that require quick reactions or anticipation... don't condemn the new QB. JG doesn't do those things well so they haven't been a focus of practice for anyone. That's one of the biggest problems with Pruitt's decision to stay with JG... his limitations have become limiting factors in the development of the other 3.
That is a great and insightful post. One of the best.
 
#56
#56
Maybe all of this is the “rough patches” a 1st time head coach goes through and Pruitt will come out the other side a better coach.
 
#57
#57
I can agree, but I’m just looking at it from another perspective. What if the pandemic never happened and he got his reps, would Pruitt have put him out there sooner considering he would have had a full offseason?

Who the hell knows?!! Hind sight at this point serves no porpoise. Looking forward only serves to give us something to gripe or be happy about.
 
#59
#59
I'll just say this. I'm super unhappy about the way that everything has turned out this year. BUT, if Pruitt's handling of Bailey to this point has been so that he would be truly ready, and he now has the reps and preparation to do well, and he comes out and does well against our last 1-3 opponents (depending on what games actually get played), and then he goes on to have a solid career here, then, okay.

At this point, no griping or complaining about Pruitt will change the fact that we are 2-5 right now. However, if he can figure out a way to stop the bleeding by providing a glimmer of hope, then alright. Bailey and Gray can be that glimmer of hope. I really think Bailey, Gray, Hyatt and Wideman are the future of the offense.

I don't believe or expect that we will beat Florida. We have not proven ourselves to be successful against the pass, which is Florida's strength. However, I do believe that we can have a solid, BALANCED offensive performance with Bailey at QB. And if that happens, I'll be excited for the future, and I'll still maintain hope that maybe Pruitt will get it done next year.

I'm sorry, but I am not one who perpetually promotes another coaching search. I think Pruitt and Co. are facing serious adversity and for a young head coach, I'm sure that this season has been more difficult than normal. I want to believe that given a competent quarterback that we can absolutely be the team that we all thought we would be.

Again, my name is TN Hopeful for a reason. I hate that we are 2-5. But I would much rather see Pruitt succeed than to blow it all up and drag our school through the mud again. I believe very strongly that he will get another year here, and I believe he should. I don't believe that one year of underperforming should get you canned, especially when Spring Practice is taken from you, summer conditioning is taken from you, and a lot of your squad is missing due to strict contact tracing in your state. I know every school had to deal with these things, I know. But I do believe that it puts an asterisk on a team who otherwise, had an 8 game win streak until Georgia this year.

Honestly, I am fully expecting to lose A&M and Florida. However, IF we can come out and put some solid drives together, making some splash plays and IF Bailey shows potential that can be built on, then I'm going to be super happy and excited for next year, when HOPEFULLY things are a little more back to normal.
Coaches on the hot seat this season at Texas, VA Tech, Nebraska could be given a mulligan due to COVID-19 and it's chaos on summer camps, schedules, game day adjustments etc. I wonder if
many in Vol Nation would be willing to give CP one in year 3 of his tenure. Doesn't sound like it.
 
#60
#60
Coaches on the hot seat this season at Texas, VA Tech, Nebraska could be given a mulligan due to COVID-19 and it's chaos on summer camps, schedules, game day adjustments etc. I wonder if
many in Vol Nation would be willing to give CP one in year 3 of his tenure. Doesn't sound like it.

Employees making 7 figures do not get mulligans.
 
#61
#61
I’m not taking sides with anybody on the issue, but the fact is the RESULTS are not looking good. Let’s say Pruitts hands were tied with JG and Bailey comes out breathing new life into the program. I know everyone else has dealt with Covid as well, but Bailey missed a lot of coaching and reps because of this crappy pandemic. I may be digging too deep but I honestly think when Pruitt kept saying “JG gives us the best chance to win”, I think he was saying that because Bailey hasn’t had the reps. I also agree that Bailey should’ve gotten more reps earlier, that’s the one part that upsets me the most. I want the results (wins) just as much as anybody and I’m mad as hell about how this program has seemed to go backwards after a somewhat positive year last year, but what will everyone’s reactions be if Bailey comes out on fire?
Hear me out on Pruitt. He sucks.
 
#62
#62
It's his third season, I would expect some rough patches in year 1 but by year 3 he should be competing with the best and beating those with less talent.
It's not a high bar, or unrealistic expectation. Beat who you are supposed to, and compete with the big three. 3-4 TD beat-downs are not competing. I never expected to win the East, but I did expect incremental improvement that would get us to the "top of the middle" of the division. If you don't have the players, you do it with creative scheme and game management.

He's shown no ability to do that.
 
#64
#64
It's not a high bar, or unrealistic expectation. Beat who you are supposed to, and compete with the big three. 3-4 TD beat-downs are not competing. I never expected to win the East, but I did expect incremental improvement that would get us to the "top of the middle" of the division. If you don't have the players, you do it with creative scheme and game management.

He's shown no ability to do that.

I was expecting to be competitive, still in the game in the 4th quarter with UGA, BAMA but wasn't expecting a win this season. I was not expecting to get our teeth kicked in by KY, AR and the Barn.
 
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#66
#66
My question is why do fans believe that every player with good coaching can be developed into a serviceable player? Please understand that some guys just aren't good enough.

Agree.

I've never had any animosity toward JG. In fact I admire him for giving his best...or it seems he has. He's a good athlete but just doesn't have what it takes to be a quality QB. And there's nothing wrong with that. There are tens of thousands of good athletes that wouldn't make god QB's.

As for HB...no way to know if he has "it" yet. He's said to have the physical tools and maybe so but that doesn't mean he'll be a great QB at the college level. All we can do is hope.
 
#67
#67
Here we go. Let’s place these unreal high expectations on Bailey then as a fan base, get mad at him when he makes a few mistakes on Saturday and jump on the FAHR BAILEY train he’s trash. Sounds good

I don’t think anybody is gonna say “fahr” him, it’s all about just seeing a change at this point and getting him reps.
 
#68
#68
Agree.

I've never had any animosity toward JG. In fact I admire him for giving his best...or it seems he has. He's a good athlete but just doesn't have what it takes to be a quality QB. And there's nothing wrong with that. There are tens of thousands of good athletes that wouldn't make god QB's.

As for HB...no way to know if he has "it" yet. He's said to have the physical tools and maybe so but that doesn't mean he'll be a great QB at the college level. All we can do is hope.
I still blame JG on the HC's he's been under...not JG. I truly believe the kid loves it here. He epitomizes VFL, and it amazes me. Nobody can question his heart and desire, and he must be as thick-skinned as a rhino. He's dealt with more derision as an 18-21 year old, than most of us will see all of their lives.

His lack of skillset, or development is not on him. Neither is continuing to start despite those deficiencies. That falls on one person...the HC, whoever he is. Kids bring a basic skillset to the practice field. It's up to the coach to improve it, scheme around it, or find someone else to do it.

Coaching in all facets have failed where JG, and others, are concerned. I'm always saddened when a guy you had high hopes for seemingly wastes his eligibility. I think of the parents...because I am one. I always wonder if it was the kid, or if another situation may have served him better. Sometimes a change of venue, or coaching is all that is needed.
 
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#70
#70
I’m not taking sides with anybody on the issue, but the fact is the RESULTS are not looking good. Let’s say Pruitts hands were tied with JG and Bailey comes out breathing new life into the program. I know everyone else has dealt with Covid as well, but Bailey missed a lot of coaching and reps because of this crappy pandemic. I may be digging too deep but I honestly think when Pruitt kept saying “JG gives us the best chance to win”, I think he was saying that because Bailey hasn’t had the reps. I also agree that Bailey should’ve gotten more reps earlier, that’s the one part that upsets me the most. I want the results (wins) just as much as anybody and I’m mad as hell about how this program has seemed to go backwards after a somewhat positive year last year, but what will everyone’s reactions be if Bailey comes out on fire?
You are digging too deep!! You must be a JG advocate!! Dump this whole program and start over!!
 
#71
#71
What I honestly think? I don't think Pruitt ever wanted to play Bailey this year. I really think he wanted to protect him and give him time and space to grow without having to jump in as a true freshman. Pruitt knew that the odds of a true freshman succeeding in the SEC were slim to none.

It helped that Bailey was an EE. But then, there was no Spring practice. And no summer conditioning.
And then in fall camp, maybe he could catch up, except for he was out for 99% of it.

So, I think once that happened, and he saw that he would eventually have Maurer back, and Shrout (who some were saying was the most improved, and so on), that he really was intent on not playing Bailey, because in theory, one of the quarterbacks should have played well enough to win us games.

So, I think after Georgia, when they had that scrimmage, he started putting Bailey to work more frequently, and has just let him have little by little more. Was it the right approach? Who knows? You could argue either way, I guess. But it's what has happened. Should he have started/played more? Maybe. There's no guarantee he won't come in and look like a total freshman. There's no guarantee that he won't come out and be a stud.

But it's Pruitt's responsibility to make sure that Harrison is ready. And maybe at this point, Pruitt's thinking is looking towards the future. We can't win the East. We may not even make a bowl. Just develop Bailey, hope he shows some talent, bring in Salter, bring in Ty Simpson/Sam Horn, and just keep trying to get a quarterback who can turn his brain on when the lights come on.

I don't know. None of us can explain it. But it is what it is. I really hope that Bailey can come out and sling it, and look more like Casey Clausen than Nathan Peterman against Florida.


How do other SEC teams have success with 1st year QB’s?
 
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#73
#73
I still blame JG on the HC's he's been under...not JG. I truly believe the kid loves it here. He epitomizes VFL, and it amazes me. Nobody can question his heart and desire, and he must be as thick-skinned as a rhino. He's dealt with more derision as an 18-21 year old, than most of us will see all of their lives.

His lack of skillset, or development is not on him. Neither is continuing to start despite those deficiencies. That falls on one person...the HC, whoever he is. Kids bring a basic skillset to the practice field. It's up to the coach to improve it, scheme around it, or find someone else to do it.

Coaching in all facets have failed where JG, and others, are concerned. I'm always saddened when a guy you had high hopes for seemingly wastes his eligibility. I think of the parents...because I am one. I always wonder if it was the kid, or if another situation may have served him better. Sometimes a change of venue, or coaching is all that is needed.
I think there is some truth to that. But moreso from a level of competition standpoint. He lacks something that Im not sure you can really teach. Its an instinct that good and great QBs on this level have and it grows with experience. The game is just being played faster than he's capable of reacting to pre and post snap and that hasn't changed regardless of the HC, OC or QB coaches he has had here. This conference will expose that pretty quick.
 
#75
#75
Look if we go out and beat #6 Florida and then # 5 Texas A&M, and beat another Bowl Game opponent, because of Bailey.

Then

1) Why didn't he start by Arkansas game?

2) You have to be optimistic about the potential moving forward.

3) He wins those 2 games, then Pruitt absolutely deserves another season. No question...
Pruitt is getting another season no matter what happens in the next 3 games. Get over it, and hope that next year he can turn it around with good qb play.
 
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