Recruiting Forum Football Talk III

[Jack Burton]

I would take Gus over Pruitt but behind other candidates like Freeze and Campbell. Does Gus have any fire left in him? May be hard to muster that fire and drive when you’re getting a massive buyout that you can fall back on. Just like Pruitt has with his Saban safety net.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

When Gus first started he was cutting edge and an innovator like Rich Rod at WV. As the game caught up to Gus, his ego and stubbornness has led him to think he is STILL one step ahead of everybody, like Rich Rod. That's just not the case anymore. IF he goes to a different situation, maybe that will change. If it does, I will happily admit to being wrong.

Despite going 9-3 just last regular season while averaging 33.2 ppg AND beating Alabama...

 

[Batman1948]

The Steelers go down 2 TDS in the 3rd qtr. My wife gets up, proclaimed "we suck im going to bed". I said, "you're at worst gonna be 11-2 and a 2 seed, you don't suck"

She rolled her eyes, said "we suck"and went upstairs...

Lol. Football...

So many openings for that conversation prior to going to bed. I'm just gonna leave it alone

 

[jpope9]

Freeze worries me.

Last season Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, & Missouri all had spots. None of them went near Freeze, and Arkansas gave Pittman his first HC gig while Missouri hired a guy with just a single season of experience.
Now this season South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and now Auburn all with openings and if Freeze isn't seriously a candidate for a 2nd year for a SEC job the chances we'd go after him seem to be slim to none.

maybe because he has made it perfectly clear behind the scenes that he is content at Liberty unless the TN job opens.

 

[GojiraVol17]

maybe because he has made it perfectly clear behind the scenes that he is content at Liberty unless the TN job opens.

Yeah. He’s stated it that he’s content waiting til ours opens up. His “dream job”

 

[Sugaray13]

I would take Gus over Pruitt but behind other candidates like Freeze and Campbell. Does Gus have any fire left in him? May be hard to muster that fire and drive when you’re getting a massive buyout that you can fall back on. Just like Pruitt has with his Saban safety net.

Barnes seemed to do well after Texas. Looks like he has plenty left in the tank. Same thing could happen to Gus.

 

[shocker]

I’d take Tom Herman over Gus but both better than what we have currently

 

[Batman1948]

I personally believe Pruitt will be the Vols coach next year...

But I would be most intrigued by a rehabbed Art Briles. He is an older guy. He is innovative. He has had a chance to observe.

In some ways, hiring Art Briles would feel similar to Rick Barnes.

There are obvious differences, but hiring an older guy worked with Barnes and it has worked for UNC with Mack Brown. May not be a bad idea.

Is the state of Tennessee still considered to be in the Bible Belt

 

[05_never_again]

Worst case scenario: Texas AM lays an egg but barely wins and Fulmer and Boyd takes that as us improving so holds off on firing him

I think Pruitt is retained regardless of the outcome of the A&M game. As pathetic as it is to have that game as a litmus test, I think the only way for him to be fired this year was to lose to Vandy.

 

[SLICKYINC]

Well, that makes all the difference in the world. Did Banks beat up a girl? Was it proven that Thompson did? I forgot about all the wins we have with them. My bad.

Was it proven that Lewis did?

 

[MoCo_Vol]

maybe because he has made it perfectly clear behind the scenes that he is content at Liberty unless the TN job opens.

Then he's actually an idiot which is a bigger red flag. In what world would anyone covet the UT job which for what it's worth is one of the lowest paying HC gigs in the SEC (Pruitt started 2020 as the 11th ranked SEC coach in pay).

 

[Geronimo]

Apparently Steele has a real shot to land the gig per the Auburn mods. Price said the same thing. Imagine paying $20mil to fire Gus to promote Steele?? Wow if that happens.

So does that mean Hubbs is leaving to run the Auburn site?

 

[bigorangecrush89]

Yeah. He’s stated it that he’s content waiting til ours opens up. His “dream job”

This never made sense to me. Freeze has no connections to UT.

 

[Nashvegas31]

Doesn’t LWS have connections to Fulmer? I wonder if Kiffin/Sexton has reached out to him about coming back

Fulmer would never hire Kiffin. Kiffin would need a Haslam push like last time. They know Kiffin would love a redo. It would be a heck of a story to come back to right his wrongs. I don’t see it happening. I don’t want another Fulmer mistreatment. Any moves need to be handled professionally and with cooperation from both sides.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Freeze worries me.

Last season Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, & Missouri all had spots. None of them went near Freeze, and Arkansas gave Pittman his first HC gig while Missouri hired a guy with just a single season of experience.
Now this season South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and now Auburn all with openings and if Freeze isn't seriously a candidate for a 2nd year for a SEC job the chances we'd go after him seem to be slim to none.

Freeze is insanely overrated by this fan base.

Everyone always assumes a school fired their coach to jump on Freeze, when in reality the school doesn’t even give Freeze more than a passing glance.

 

[Batman1948]

I’d take Tom Herman over Gus but both better than what we have currently

The Texas AD said Herman is still the coach at Texas He's off the board

 

[Volsfaninva917]

How is this not a conflict of interest for Sexton? Pruitt is his client also.

Sexton doesn't give a damn about Pruitt, he's in it for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Smokeytom]

Then he's actually an idiot which is a bigger red flag. In what world would would anyone covet the UT job which for what it's worth is one of the lowest paying HC gigs in the SEC (Pruitt started 2020 as the 11th ranked SEC coach in pay).

 

[Nashvegas31]

I Have to wonder if this isn’t being floated out there to get a few of their top recruits to sign this week and isn’t forthcoming

This is what is happening. Trying to keep kids in limbo as it’s the defensive recruits they are trying to keep with the possibility that Steele stays

 

[vol494]

The Texas AD said Herman is still the coach at Texas He's off the board

The way Texas did the Meyer stuff publicly. If I was Herman, I’d be looking for a way out.

 

[jpope9]

Then he's actually an idiot which is a bigger red flag. In what world would would anyone covet the UT job which for what it's worth is one of the lowest paying HC gigs in the SEC (Pruitt started 2020 as the 11th ranked SEC coach in pay).

so a man who doesnt take a job just because its the highest paid is an idiot?

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I mean there are two or three red flags with Gus.

1. He's making bank with his buyout, may want a year off from football.
2. Could we afford him? Auburn was throwing the bags at this dude
3. Run heavy offense philosophy, do we want more RPO in Neyland?

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

Freeze is insanely overrated by this fan base.

Everyone always assumes a school fired their coach to jump on Freeze, when in reality the school doesn’t even give Freeze more than a passing glance.

He’s not overrated. He is a damn good coach. His past actions and history are what is damning. And people have the right to be paused on him with what all went on at Ole Miss.

 

[Catbone]

I think Pruitt is retained regardless of the outcome of the A&M game. As pathetic as it is to have that game as a litmus test, I think the only way for him to be fired this year was to lose to Vandy.

I agree sadly

 

[vol494]

I may be wrong but I thought Fulmer already backed Pruitt.

Then I’ve missed that one. Thanks