Recruiting Forum Football Talk III

[Johnny Majors' Ghost]

-AP

We don't need a coach who is still taking baby steps.

 

[jakez4ut]

How about we go ahead and hire a new HC that already knows how to walk.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

The "for cause" play was always horseshit. I think they wanted that out there so they could scare him into taking a reduced buyout if it got to that point.

I will say that the evidence is starting to point to Pruitt returning in 2021, but until Fulmer comes out and says it, and people like Hubbs and LWS say the "discussions" have ended, I think it's still an open-ended question.

I’m starting to wonder if some of the for cause stuff was to get out of some of the assistant coaches contracts.

 

[Wickman]

-AP

So he’s saying Pruitt is in over his head. Or this program is only a Max an 8 win program (which is nonsense).

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Friend is gone and there is still a d line coach opening. Let’s assume Tee is gone along with Nieds. That’s at least 4 assistants to replace for a head coach that will have the hottest seat in college football. Just end it

Yeah..it would be a mercy killing at this point. Personally I don't get the pure hatred of Pruitt because it was an almost impossible mess to fix to people's satisfaction by the time he was hired, and I think it is stupid to hate the guy to this magnitude...BUT...he can't turn it around now with this Chernobyl like cloud over him...so stick the fork in..he's well done.

Sticking with JG absolutely killed his career, and he is responsible for that decision. The hatred of JG just got transferred over to him and was magnified.

This will be a horrible, depressing and hopeless offseason...probably the worst I have ever seen in my life.

Keeping him on now is stupid to the point of malfeasance.

 

[BigOrangeVols]

The "for cause" play was always horseshit. I think they wanted that out there so they could scare him into taking a reduced buyout if it got to that point.

I will say that the evidence is starting to point to Pruitt returning in 2021, but until Fulmer comes out and says it, and people like Hubbs and LWS say the "discussions" have ended, I think it's still an open-ended question.

May have stalled since JP caught Covid?

 

[BruinVol]

Bruin thinks we should only win 7 for the next 10 years before we can run. LMAO

7-9

stop putting words in my mouth

 

[BJWeeks]

-AP

Fans will not get behind 8-4 especially if rhe losses are Florida, Georgia, and Bama. That would leave Pruitt 0-12 against them. Every single one of those 3 games should be coming down to the 4th quarter and be a coin flip and not a guaranteed loss

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

what exactly does "accepting the less than mediocre program" really mean for a fan?

it gets tossed around here all the time and has for years.

if you don't accept it, then what do you do? stop being a fan? if so, then i'd say pretty much every one here accepts it. lol.

Can’t speak for anyone else, but I won’t buy any tickets or merch until they prove they're committed to winning. I’m also not going to set time aside to watch any games, if the game is on and I’m home/near a tv, I’ll watch but I’m not dedicating time for it. I’ve got better things to do than waste time watching us lose.

I don’t pretend to think UT will miss any money that I spend, but if more fans start feeling the same way maybe they’ll notice.

 

[RiotVol]

-AP

Interesting tight rope that AP and Hubbs have to walk. On one hand, fan apathy kills their business. How many years of sub-par seasons does it take for people to decide that paying $9.95/month to read about us getting smoked on the field and beating out Marshall and Wofford for 3 stars is not worth it.

On the other hand, AP and Hubbs have absolutely zero analytical sense of the game of football. They are never going to be the type that can break down, for example, the nuances of why JG throws pick sixes or the pros or cons of Shrout vs. Bailey. The Power T Tape guy on twitter blows them out of the water - for free! They probably just "follow the ball" like every other basic fan. They are fundamentally just "access journalists" with connections to the UT AD and various boosters. It takes time to build relationships, and I imagine some disappear with coaching changes, and if they are too critical of the current administration then the flow of information dries up.

So, they are stuck between "man, our subscriptions are tanking because fans are getting increasingly apathetic" behind the scenes and "well gee, Jermy *could* turn it around..." publicly.

They know they're f@#$ed either way. Hence, the waffling statements...

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

I consider Fulmer to be a top HC. As an AD, everyone in the AD has faith in him and has handed him the keys to bring UT back to powerhouse. But I think he's let his ego take over. He wants to prove to everyone that he's the right guy and he can "mentor" Pruitt along. He listened to the fanbase in 08 for a new exciting offense and that backfired on him.

We......are......doomed

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

Fans will not get behind 8-4 especially if rhe losses are Florida, Georgia, and Bama. That would leave Pruitt 0-12 against them. Every single one of those 3 games should be coming down to the 4th quarter and be a coin flip and not a guaranteed loss

I’d take 8-4 regular season and being competitive against Bama, UGA and Florida for the next 3 years. That would be a major improvement.

 

[tn88volfan]

Pruitt peaked whenever he taught all the elementary school kids in Alabama how to tie their shoes.

 

[TheTimeIsNow]

Here's what I don't understand, recruiting will be completely dead until we either know he's coming back or not. If Fulmer knows he's coming back, why not just go ahead and say it so we don't kill this upcoming class.

 

[Kingston Vol]

Here's what I don't understand, recruiting will be completely dead until we either know he's coming back or not. If Fulmer knows he's coming back, why not just go ahead and say it so we don't kill this upcoming class.

It really is this simple.

He can't say it because he doesn't know it.

 

[VolGee4]

Interesting tight rope that AP and Hubbs have to walk. On one hand, fan apathy kills their business. How many years of sub-par seasons does it take for people to decide that paying $9.95/month to read about us getting smoked on the field and beating out Marshall and Wofford for 3 stars is not worth it.

On the other hand, AP and Hubbs have absolutely zero analytical sense of the game of football. They are never going to be the type that can break down, for example, the nuances of why JG throws pick sixes or the pros or cons of Shrout vs. Bailey. The Power T Tape guy on twitter blows them out of the water - for free! They probably just "follow the ball" like every other basic fan. They are fundamentally just "access journalists" with connections to the UT AD and various boosters. It takes time to build relationships, and I imagine some disappear with coaching changes, and if they are too critical of the current administration then the flow of information dries up.

So, they are stuck between "man, our subscriptions are tanking because fans are getting increasingly apathetic" behind the scenes and "well gee, Jermy *could* turn it around..." publicly.

They know they're f@#$ed either way. Hence, the waffling statements...

I don't think Hubbs has ever pretended to know the nuances of football although I am sure he has picked up on some things. I was on Hubbs site when he originally started VQ, and it was with Alliance Sports (before Rivals). It was all about recruiting. I was a student at UT and was always interested in keeping up with recruiting. Hubbs is just a radio guy that happens to own a website. He wasn't really even trained to be a journalist.

He is someone who has connections to information. Even most journalists will tell you that they don't know the X's and O's of the sports they report on- they just have the sources to report.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

Lol

Beat me to it. All this is going to do is rile people up even more over the next several days as we continue to trot along and nothing is announced.

 

[SPEDVoL14]

“have to learn how to walk before you can run” is what we have heard for years. All the while, other teams seem to be doing a light jog with first and second year coaches. If Pruitt needs training wheels at this point, then he is very delayed in his development as a coach.

 

[KB5252]

we need people to tell us this?

lol.

It's to be expected for sure, but the problem is there's no quick fix either.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

From a poster on VQ...

“ Just spoke to someone very close to Jimmy Sexton. Sexton told him a lot is going on behind the scenes. If Pruitt is replaced, they want the new coach announced very quickly as last search gave UT a black eye. Freeze has not been written off by UT and he would be in play.

I asked a few questions to which he said
“Jimmy is very careful and does not divulge much, even to me.” Believe me, he is real close Sexton.”

Aligns with what @FakeInsiderVol said on FOS earlier.

 

[shocker]

You guys realize the losses we had this year were not close games right? And it’s not like those teams are going to be any easier next time around.. This 8-4 nonsense is just a security blanket for Hubbs and co to keep their subscribers if the university decides to stick with Pruitt.

 

[RiotVol]

Isn’t 3-7 enough embarrassment? Why should we care about the embarrassment of a coaching search...

Because the last time there was a job search at UT it cost several administrators their jobs.

A 3-7 season isn't costing them their jobs. Another Schiano-level fiasco might.

One of my old profs (Doc Schroedl for any of you who took Intro to Archaeology from him...) once told me that "Universities are corporations masquerading as medieval institutions" and also that "They are fundamentally risk-averse." As soon as I wrapped my head around those two truths, the easier it has been for me to operate as an employee. I've been a student and employee of three state universities and they are all the same. Administrators are happy with the status quo as long as they're getting paid. They won't get nervous until enrollment and donations suffer.

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

Pruitt peaked whenever he taught all the elementary school kids in Alabama how to tie their shoes.

Pruitt uses these and you know it.

 

[shocker]

Because the last time there was a job search at UT it cost several administrators their jobs.

A 3-7 season isn't costing them their jobs. Another Schiano-level fiasco might.

One of my old profs (Doc Schroedl for any of you who took Intro to Archaeology from him...) once told me that "Universities are corporations masquerading as medieval institutions" and also that "They are fundamentally risk-averse." As soon as I wrapped my head around those two truths, the easier it has been for me to operate as an employee. I've been a student and employee of three state universities and they are all the same. Administrators are happy with the status quo as long as they're getting paid. They won't get nervous until enrollment and donations suffer.

Trust me I hear you but as a fan I will not be embarrassed at all with the university getting rid of a 3-7 coach. At least it shows we care about winning regardless of who we hire next

 

[BeecherVol]

It really is this simple.

He can't say it because he doesn't know it.

If Pruitt is fired it wont happen by Fulmer's decision. To this point there apparently isnt enough influence to make it happen. That may or may not change.

If Pruitt stays, I dont think you will see Fulmer release a statement saying so.