Football Program Under Investigation [merged]

#701
#701
TeacherVol007 said:
If you all honestly believe that UT leaked a story to fire Pruitt with cause, then I have an island off Bermuda to sell you all. For one, our leaders aren’t smart enough to consider this. Second, they’re not competent enough to pull this off. And third, what in the last 10-15 years have we done at the administrative level to even remotely give you all the inclination we did this to go after a “big boy football” coach? I mean good lord, we hired this joke of an assistant coach instead of paying to go big. You really think they’ve all of a sudden been hit with the “hmm...maybe we should do a legit hire” thought process?
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It's actually brilliant if you think about it. AD Fulmer leaks info about Pruitt and staff improprieties, and the compliance dept self imposes sanctions. The NCAA says y'all did a fine job with institutional control. Fulmer hires Freeze, and is able to point to their impeccable institutional control with the previous staff, giving the impression that they'll keep ol Hugh in line.

And don't think Fulmer ain't smart enough to pull this off. The stories of how he became HC and now AD ... if you believe any of it, back it up.

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#702
#702
Honky said:
From the blog ...

We can confirm high profile Brian Niedermeyer recruits are at center of the investigation. It's a UT investigation...not an NCAA investigation at this point. Of course, one of the first things that happens in matters such as this is that the NCAA and the SEC have been made aware that a situation exists.

Eric Gray & Brian Maurer were out due to Covid related issues. They're tied to Jay Graham's absence.

Multiple sources tell me that Tennessee had compliance people pulling coaches and players out of meetings last night to ask questions regarding these issues. I was told this created an unsettling vibe around the team.

3 weeks ago a forensic review was initiated by Tennessee compliance where they went in and seized some records and did sweeps of hard drives as well in various football offices

But that's not all...Pruitt is also sideways with Tennessee's academic people as well. I was told today that he's made the wrong enemies on campus. including a few very close to Chancellor Donde Plowman.

Lots of noise on his future. I think Tennessee might try to initiate a negotiation of his buyout. If Tennessee terminates Pruitt they're going to try and fire him for cause and probably negotiate a settlement. Tennessee's strategy with Pruitt might be similar to the Bielema deal with Arkansas. Bielema still hasn't been paid by Arkansas. Tennessee could theoretically cut Pruitt off tomorrow with cause.

90% chance Pruitt gets terminated by the New Year...

It seems Tennessee has gone gansta on Pruitt but he's given them reasons to act accordingly.

I'm thinking this issue might decide derail the Freeze Train.

Also Tennessee might self impose a scholarship hit at the end of this but hopefully keep the NCAA off campus. Perhaps they take a bowl ban for this season as well, a la LSU & Auburn in basketball this season.

Bill O'Brien is a guy to watch if/when this job opens.
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If they go Panthers and hire a Rhule guy it’ll be a shame 😡😡😡
 
#707
#707
DownNDirty said:
I don't know what or who you may or may not know but Basilio is the most honest guy in or around Knoxville media. I've been in radio 20+ years and I promise if you want honestly and someone that knows what they are talking about Basilio is the most accurate and honest you will get.
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Hi Brent
 
#709
#709
peerless98 said:
Please post a quote where Freeze himself said that.
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He's a family friend and was even at my grandmother's Christmas last season. My uncle and him are best friends having grown up together, and both got their coaching starts on the same staff. My uncle was his offensive line coach for 2 years at Lambuth. It's well known around here that he grew up a Tennessee/Peyton Manning fan and that TN has always been his dream job.

I know that's anecdotal and not a quote, but do a google search on the subject and you'll find some smoke.
 
#710
#710
BisonVol said:
No to Freeze. He's not the only good coach out there, and with the investigation going on, he is the last person we need leading the football program.
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I disagree. He knows the SEC. He knows the type of athletes we need to compete. He learned from his mistakes. He's not intimidated by this program or the stage. He knows how to swim in these waters and how the NCAA operates. I think he might be the perfect coach at the perfect time for this program.
Honky said:
From the blog ...

We can confirm high profile Brian Niedermeyer recruits are at center of the investigation. It's a UT investigation...not an NCAA investigation at this point. Of course, one of the first things that happens in matters such as this is that the NCAA and the SEC have been made aware that a situation exists.

Eric Gray & Brian Maurer were out due to Covid related issues. They're tied to Jay Graham's absence.

Multiple sources tell me that Tennessee had compliance people pulling coaches and players out of meetings last night to ask questions regarding these issues. I was told this created an unsettling vibe around the team.

3 weeks ago a forensic review was initiated by Tennessee compliance where they went in and seized some records and did sweeps of hard drives as well in various football offices

But that's not all...Pruitt is also sideways with Tennessee's academic people as well. I was told today that he's made the wrong enemies on campus. including a few very close to Chancellor Donde Plowman.

Lots of noise on his future. I think Tennessee might try to initiate a negotiation of his buyout. If Tennessee terminates Pruitt they're going to try and fire him for cause and probably negotiate a settlement. Tennessee's strategy with Pruitt might be similar to the Bielema deal with Arkansas. Bielema still hasn't been paid by Arkansas. Tennessee could theoretically cut Pruitt off tomorrow with cause.

90% chance Pruitt gets terminated by the New Year...

It seems Tennessee has gone gansta on Pruitt but he's given them reasons to act accordingly.

I'm thinking this issue might decide derail the Freeze Train.

Also Tennessee might self impose a scholarship hit at the end of this but hopefully keep the NCAA off campus. Perhaps they take a bowl ban for this season as well, a la LSU & Auburn in basketball this season.

Bill O'Brien is a guy to watch if/when this job opens.
Click to expand...
Not sure he's good enough as a recruiter, but I think he prefers the NFL to college. Don't think he'd be a good fit.
 
#712
#712
VolforFootball said:
He's a family friend and was even at my grandmother's Christmas last season. My uncle and him are best friends having grown up together, and both got their coaching starts on the same staff. My uncle was his offensive line coach for 2 years at Lambuth. It's well known around here that he grew up a Tennessee/Peyton Manning fan and that TN has always been his dream job.

I know that's anecdotal and not a quote, but do a google search on the subject and you'll find some smoke.
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Everyone knows Freeze would kill for the Tennessee job. I’m glad there is a coach out there that views us as a Dream Job. However, I think he’s gonna wait us out and we have better choices to pursue before going to him
 
#714
#714
JMSqb11 said:
Everyone knows Freeze would kill for the Tennessee job. I’m glad there is a coach out there that views us as a Dream Job. However, I think he’s gonna wait us out and we have better choices to pursue before going to him
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Who's a "better choice"? Freeze got Ole Miss to #1 and beat Saban twice. He knows the SEC, the NCAA and has connections in recruiting. What coach out there that would actually consider coaching at UT do you think has a better resume?
 
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#715
#715
JMSqb11 said:
Everyone knows Freeze would kill for the Tennessee job. I’m glad there is a coach out there that views us as a Dream Job. However, I think he’s gonna wait us out and we have better choices to pursue before going to him
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I'm just tired of going after coaches only to be told "no", and as a result missing out on coaches that may have been interested due to them signing elsewhere during the time we wasted being told "no". I want to just go ahead and get a legitimate coach that wants the job before we end up having to settle once again.
 
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#717
#717
'Boro-vol said:
Malzahn would be a homerun, SEC caliber, winning football coach. Not who I want, but I would be exceedingly pleased if we wind up that well off.
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I would take him. I mean, he got fired after beating Saban 3 times and always being competitive. In a tougher division as well. I think his issues have been the same as ours...QB for his system.
 
#718
#718
JMSqb11 said:
If Currie would have overpaid for Mullen giving his market rate, we would have Mullen and avoided Schiano. Has zero to do with Fulmer. If we move on from Pruitt, Tennessee has to spend money and hire an established coach. I don’t trust any booster monkey like Hart or Currie to do that.
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So there was no way Fulmer couldn't have re-engage with Mullen whatsoever?

Mullen was hired Nov. 26 2017

Currie fired Dec 1 2017

Fulmer was hired as an advisor to the president June 2017 so he had been in the loop for awhile.
 
#720
#720
The reports of Pruitt making enemies on the academic side, really makes me believe the rumors of Pruitt not being able to get along with Richt and some of the coaching staff when he was with Georgia.

The firing of Brumbaugh probably had a lot more to do with Pruitt being an incredibly difficult person to work for.

In other words, He’s a straight up prick.
 
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#721
#721
I hope I'm wrong, but whether it was an inside hit job by UTAD or not, we can all probably rely on the notion that UTAD will screw the pooch on covering their tracks and/or making subsequent hires. It's just how they do.
 
#722
#722
Cell phones and computers have been confiscated, players, coaches and recruits have been interviewed and lawyers have been looking into this for weeks. Tennessee has enough to fire for cause if they want to.
GBO!!
 
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#723
#723
CAVPUT said:
Who's a "better choice"? Freeze got Ole Miss to #1 and beat Saban twice. He knows the SEC, the NCAA and has connections in recruiting. What coach out there that would actually consider coaching at UT do you think has a better resume?
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For starters Freeze ain’t gonna be the most expensive coach out there we could hire.

While Tennessee has never done this, I think we have to make some “top salary” offers to guys like Matt Campbell, Kyle Whittingham, and even Gus. All 3 would be better hires than Freeze. The only reason Freeze is in convo is he wouldn’t require the financial commitment as those other 3. It’s hard to say who else would be available but I’m saying we need to break the mold and actually spend big money to hire an established coach. Freeze doesn’t require big money and he’s not the best established coach out there with no background issues

The allure of Freeze is that he will be very cheap at his first big job after Ole Miss. Tennessee could prolly get Freeze for 3-3.5 million dollars. You mean to tell me that Freeze should be the #1 pick just because he’s gonna be good value for his salary?
 
#724
#724
tbh said:
I hope I'm wrong, but whether it was an inside hit job by UTAD or not, we can all probably rely on the notion that UTAD will screw the pooch on covering their tracks and/or making subsequent hires. It's just how they do.
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Exactly. We'll aim for the stars, get told "no thanks", and by that time all of the other options will have already been hired. And we'll have to settle.

Take the guy with the on-the-field resume who wants the job. Freeze would do great here.
 
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