Aight, so we ain't firing Pruitt. We can do one of two things: we can complain about it and have no affect on anything except negative recruiting, or we can try and theorize on how Pruitt might have some success next year.
I still believe that Pruitt is a good defensive coach. Dude didn't forget how to coach defense. He'll have an entire year (barring anymore covid nonsense) to get that straightened out. I believe he will. Morven Joseph will get his first spring as will other players on the defense. Aaron Willis will be here also and he should help with the middle of the defense in his first year (If Pruitt will play the newcomers). Key Lawrence played the majority of the A&M game, he'll be a starter next year adding much needed speed and talent to the defensive backfield. TM also played a ton this year and I think we'll see more of him as well. Tank was injured the majority of the year, he'll be healthy next year and will be a good player. We have some good young talent in that defensive backfield with TM, Slaughter, Key, Rucker, Burrell, and others who will have a lot of time to develop. If we can figure that middle of the field problem out, defense should be okay. As for pass rush, we have to hope they can get some development in these young players such as Baron, Joseph, and Brooks who will be here. We need Brooks to be legit. Crouch will probably also move back to OLB. Maybe he can take advantage of his first fully healthy year.
On offense, we'll have a better QB in 2021. Be that HB, Salter, or a transfer, the signal caller will be the best we've had since Dobbs. It's about time. But this coaching staff needs to let them play. Stop handcuffing them. HB was handcuffed at times this year, which is stupid considering how smart he is and accurate in delivering the football. But we need to make some changes to this staff. Weinke needs to go, no matter what. Is Chaney the problem? if so, replace him. If it isn't him but Pruitt's meddling, then Pruitt needs to let Chaney do his job and run this offense. I prefer replacing Chaney.
But there is also good talent on this offense. Hyatt is going to be a star if we don't waste him. I'm confident that Wideman and Calloway will be good here. If Velus Jones comes back, and he should, he can be really good next year. I think Princeton Fant can be a good pass catching TE with a real QB throwing him the ball. I also love what we have in Miles Campbell coming in. At RB, we know what we have in Gray, but now we're adding a bruiser in Brown, and a guy who may be the best back in this class in Evans coming in. RB is going to be really good. Hopefully we'll have an OL coach who can actually develop this OL because with Mays coming back, there is a lot of talent on this offensive line as well.
We have some pieces. Pruitt needs to fix this defense and let his coaches do their job. And we have to hope that Bailey/Salter/transfer can lift this program. We would have been no worse than 5-5 with decent QB play this year. So we'll see what happens next year.
That's all I got for optimism on this Wednesday. Tl/dr version: let's hope that Pruitt can do what he hasn't shown any ability to do thus far.
KY scored 31; GT scored 30. They did have impressive wins against Clemson before they were Clemson and Mehlzahn.
