Recruiting Forum Football Talk III

[LA Vol]

You and I both believe they are fully gauging the market. And here's the thing: Pruitt knows it too. So, at some point, if you keep making these calls, you become more and more committed to making a change just out of optics.


If you call the top 5 guys and they turn you down, all of a sudden 6-8 don't seem so bad.

Well, the 6-8 guys don't seem so bad when you've already fired your HC and have to hire somebody. UT has done that three times now and had to go below a level that the AD thought possible. And that got us where we are. Emotional decisions, knee-jerk reactions and hasty decisions didn't work out so well for the previous admin. So this one is going about it differently.

I'm sorry about your loss. I lost a friend to COVID this year, too. It sucks.

 

[m1al]

Small sample size but both seem as serviceable if not better than JG. Pruitt has brought a lot of this on himself by being unwilling to change. I have no doubts HB would have lead us to the same record if not better as a true freshman and we let a 5th year senior do it. Pruitt just hasn’t done himself any favors at all this year.

The bigger problem, the one that seals his fate IMO, he (Pruitt) appears to be unteachable. Retaining him has zero upside..

 

[Orange Studs]

Well, the 6-8 guys don't seem so bad when you've already fired your HC and have to hire somebody. UT has done that three times now and had to go below a level that the AD thought possible. And that got us where we are. Emotional decisions, knee-jerk reactions and hasty decisions didn't work out so well for the previous admin. So this one is going about it differently.

I'm sorry about your loss. I lost a friend to COVID this year, too. It sucks.

I like that fact that they are looking. That alone gives me hope and I am glad they are going about it a different way this time instead of the circus we went through 3 years ago.

 

["It's Time"]

I don’t think anyone is saying it’s not a 3 year rebuild, but those 3 years with Pruitt will probably be something like, maybe 6-6 next year if we’re lucky, hopefully 6-6 the year after that and maybe7-5/8-4 the third year if we’re lucky. But with a decent coach we could be 7-5 next year and maybe competing for the east by year 3. Pruitt will never be competing for the east no matter how long he’s here unless Florida and uga both collapse, along with Kentucky and mizzou.

Some say this year doesn’t count because of covid, but every team has had to face the challenges of that this year. We’ve regressed in every area on the field. Even the defense which is supposed to be Pruitts strong point has been awful. If we keep Pruitt we’ll struggle to be mediocre and beat Kentucky and Missouri. Vandy will be the only sure win and even that is questionable under Pruitt.

I’m not saying it has to be Pruitt, I honestly don’t care who the coach is. I’m just saying, let’s look at the whole situation then make a decision.

 

[Kingston Vol]

Well, the 6-8 guys don't seem so bad when you've already fired your HC and have to hire somebody. UT has done that three times now and had to go below a level that the AD thought possible. And that got us where we are. Emotional decisions, knee-jerk reactions and hasty decisions didn't work out so well for the previous admin. So this one is going about it differently.

I'm sorry about your loss. I lost a friend to COVID this year, too. It sucks.

Appreciate the kind words. Losing someone important to you on the same day the COVID vaccine is available in the US certainly was bittersweet.

To your point, I think you're right and it seems, at least initially, we're handling it better this time around. The floor should not be lower than Billy Napier, and it's easy to argue he'd be a step in the right direction. I happen to believe Gus is the floor, but he may be inclined to take a year off.

 

[shocker]

I can’t speak for Orange Maniac, and I understand your point, but the problem is it’s gone far beyond having fun.
Posters are repeating the mantra that Freeze is begging for the job, waiting for the call, it’s his dream job. All because “someone “ said it.
And they’re using that belief to call Fulmer, Boyd, boosters, and anyone else idiots and incompetent because they won’t take advantage of his desire and hire him. And they’re saying they don’t care about winning and should be fired.
Is it even true?

Does it really matter if it’s true or not? We have a coach now that can only win 3 games in the Sec in year 3. We need to move on from him regardless!

 

[LA Vol]

I'm neither "crowd control" nor a "mouthpiece." If I were going to be either, somebody would be paying me. And I can assure you, I'm not getting paid to write here.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

Out of respect to AV, until he decides it's ok, I won't talk on specifics, other than to say that he and others are working hard to restore this program.

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

I’m not saying it has to be Pruitt, I honestly don’t care who the coach is. I’m just saying, let’s look at the whole situation then make a decision.

The whole situation is Pruitt isn’t going to get it done. His ceiling is 8 wins if he’s lucky. The only reason I see to bring him back is if you can’t get a home run hire. Then keep looking and fire him next year after an inevitable bad loss name an interim while conducting a thorough search instead of frantically grasping at coaches then naming another Pruitt level guy as HC.

 

[HankHill]

This may get me stoned, but I would prefer another year of Pruitt as opposed to another botched coaching search.

The last two, we have been turned down in very public fashion by people who have proven to not be that great. Plus, we went nuclear (necessarily) on Schiano Sunday.

I’m firmly in the camp of, if you can hire a respectable, experienced guy with P5 HC experience, do it now. But let’s do it like grown ups, like a well run organization.

The coaching searches we have experienced, though exhilarating on VN, are a microcosm of the dumpster fire this program has been for a decade +.

So keep a proven failure who can’t get along with assistants, is an overrated recruiter, and can barely speak English? Because...... you’re scared of a 2 week media roast session? That’s been going on for a decade lol.

 

[zmorton]

Is there a chance Pruitt would leave on his own?

 

[VolInDayton]

Is there a chance Pruitt would leave on his own?

Would you walk away from 12 million dollar buyout?

 

[hotcypress]

Arctic vs. Antarctic. One is much colder than the other.

I always knew LA stood for Latvia.

 

[Batman1948]

Two questions I’ve been meaning to ask:

1. Are you Adam West?

2. Do you see the “POW” “ZAP” “BOOMS” when you fight or is that only on tv?

No to #1
Only on TV---but, it's been said by some that I drive a pretty cool car

About 20 years ago, I took my son to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. There's a cave that has amphitheater seats, outside the entrance, where you can watch thousands of bats come out every night and travel hundreds of miles to eat and then return the following morning. Been fascinated by bats ever since. I had never seen anything like that before and it just stuck with me---hence Batman

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

I hate to tell you, it’s another 3 year rebuild anyway.

I’m not going to campaign for Pruitt, I don’t think he’s the guy, but fans are delusional if you think any coach is going to come in here and flip this around that fast. It’ll be our 5th head coach in 13 years, we’re damaged goods.

The players love him, this is not disputable. You blow him out, and that coach is going to be dealing with defects because of the one year transfer rule. So, that roster you think Hugh Freeze is going to win 8-9 games with isn’t going to look like it does now.

I openly admit I go back and forth on what to do because this thing is complicated. People over simplify things to fit their narrative, which is exactly what’s happening here. I could care less who coaches, I just want to win. However, I’m not sit in a vacuum and act like our admin isn’t happy or isn’t analyzing the situation to make the best decision possible.

This is simply false. The players do not only have relationships with the coaches. They are close to people inside the program, they see Fulmer and others. VFL’s talk to them and some even have “buddies.” Of course some players will be upset, but not many ever leave that you really care about. And the East is not good right now. The right coach could easily win 7 next year.

 

[SLICKYINC]

Realistic WR coach options?

 

[TrippieRedd]

This is simply false. The players do not only have relationships with the coaches. They are close to people inside the program, they see Fulmer and others. VFL’s talk to them and some even have “buddies.” Of course some players will be upset, but not many ever leave that you really care about. And the East is not good right now. The right coach could easily win 7 next year.

Freeze, it's so easy.

I get everyones worried about his time at Ole Miss and his ability as a coach, but don't yall think it will be easier to win in the east as opposed to the west?

I don't think he had top 15 talent at Ole Miss before he started getting in trouble.

We have that talent to offer. Where I'm trying to go with this is he won't have to cheat or any of that grimy stuff he did while at OM.

 

[BruinVol]

Would you walk away from 12 million dollar buyout?

Perhaps a meet in the middle compromise

 

[Kingston Vol]

Is there a chance Pruitt would leave on his own?

I think there's a non-zero chance he goes into this meeting with the brass this weekend and doesn't present a clear plan forward because he doesn't want to be the head coach here any longer.

Self sabotage, so to speak.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

That’s GOAT material there

 

[shocker]

The whole situation is Pruitt isn’t going to get it done. His ceiling is 8 wins if he’s lucky. The only reason I see to bring him back is if you can’t get a home run hire. Then keep looking and fire him next year after an inevitable bad loss name an interim while conducting a thorough search instead of frantically grasping at coaches then naming another Pruitt level guy as HC.

I know you’re just spouting but we will be lucky to win 6 games next year with Pruitt and whatever OC he hires/keeps while putting out another average to below average D.

 

[OrangenSC]

Does it really matter if it’s true or not? We have a coach now that can only win 3 games in the Sec in year 3. We need to move on from him regardless!

It doesn’t matter in the big picture of who’s gonna be the coach. But It does matter to the point of the original post.

 

[jpope9]

Is there a chance Pruitt would leave on his own?

I could see a mutual parting of ways with a restructured buy out, especially if Pruitt is just miserable being a HC like it seems he is and just wants to go back to being a DC to just coach.

 

[quadlee21]

And wait til you hear about our beloved @Ron Swanson. The sunshine is gone. The man that could find a rainbow in septic tank, can find no joy. Please give us back our Ron!

This is the best line ever

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

I know you’re just spouting but we will be lucky to win 6 games next year with Pruitt and whatever OC he hires/keeps while putting out another average to below average D.

I agree. I was saying the best Pruitt will ever be is 8 wins if he’s lucky. We probably won’t get to 6 wins next year with him as the coach.