What is going on?

[peerless98]

Hiring freeze as well as salary cuts.

You are talented

 

[BlinghamptonVol]

Our program might be in the dumpster, but at least we can find joy in talking about how our old coach stole a phrase before another coach stole it from him.

 

[kcvols1]

I would like to start off by saying I am 100 percent on the fire Jeremy Pruitt train. The question becomes, what on earth is happening? The silence out of Knoxville is DEAFENING. It seems like everything is so up in the air about whether Pruitt is fired or staying. Not signing coaches, mass exodus of players, and investigation into the program, disfunction all around. Not to mention the horrific on the field product these last 3 years. It feels like a slam dunk that Pruitt should be fired with numerous coaches who would be an instant upgrade and rejuvenate the program. Apathy towards this program and lack of enthusiasm or even anger has never been higher than it is right now. As a fanbase, I truly don’t think we can do another year of this. The damage may become beyond repair. So again, WHAT IS GOING ON??

No. Just no.

Back away from the ledge.

Pour a drink and watch the basketball game.

 

[LittleVol]

I would like to start off by saying I am 100 percent on the fire Jeremy Pruitt train. The question becomes, what on earth is happening? The silence out of Knoxville is DEAFENING. It seems like everything is so up in the air about whether Pruitt is fired or staying. Not signing coaches, mass exodus of players, and investigation into the program, disfunction all around. Not to mention the horrific on the field product these last 3 years. It feels like a slam dunk that Pruitt should be fired with numerous coaches who would be an instant upgrade and rejuvenate the program. Apathy towards this program and lack of enthusiasm or even anger has never been higher than it is right now. As a fanbase, I truly don’t think we can do another year of this. The damage may become beyond repair. So again, WHAT IS GOING ON??

A lot is going on.
It's just not reportable at the moment.

They are probably trying to get the allotted money to let Pruitt go. And Fulmer is probably interviewing different prospects as well as examining the other coaches to see if some are worth keeping with a potential new coaching staff.

They canceled that bowl after not having problems all year with Covid in regards to cancellations. They used it as an excuse to allow themselves and the other coaches to start searching other options. Time is precious when you need to find people to fill spaces.

You don't go 3-7 at Tennessee in year 3 and keep your job.

Theyre tight lipped because they're busy as hell and everyone is trying to make moves as quietly as possible.

There is so much to consider. Recruiting. Booster support, fan support projection into the upcoming year. Recruiting time for potential new coaching staff. Who to hire if they bit the bullet and kept Pruitt.

There is a lot to work through after this type of season without having to report and update about a bunch of stuff to the public. Plus the Holidays...

 

[tastycar]

A lot is going on.
It's just not reportable at the moment.

They are probably trying to get the allotted money to let Pruitt go. And Fulmer is probably interviewing different prospects as well as examining the other coaches to see if some are worth keeping with a potential new coaching staff.

They canceled that bowl after not having problems all year with Covid in regards to cancellations. They used it as an excuse to allow themselves and the other coaches to start searching other options. Time is precious when you need to find people to fill spaces.

You don't go 3-7 at Tennessee in year 3 and keep your job.

Theyre tight lipped because they're busy as hell and everyone is trying to make moves as quietly as possible.

There is so much to consider. Recruiting. Booster support, fan support projection into the upcoming year. Recruiting time for potential new coaching staff. Who to hire if they bit the bullet and kept Pruitt.

There is a lot to work through after this type of season without having to report and update about a bunch of stuff to the public. Plus the Holidays...

I like this optimism!

 

[N.ohio vol]

A lot is going on.
It's just not reportable at the moment.

They are probably trying to get the allotted money to let Pruitt go. And Fulmer is probably interviewing different prospects as well as examining the other coaches to see if some are worth keeping with a potential new coaching staff.

They canceled that bowl after not having problems all year with Covid in regards to cancellations. They used it as an excuse to allow themselves and the other coaches to start searching other options. Time is precious when you need to find people to fill spaces.

You don't go 3-7 at Tennessee in year 3 and keep your job.

Theyre tight lipped because they're busy as hell and everyone is trying to make moves as quietly as possible.

There is so much to consider. Recruiting. Booster support, fan support projection into the upcoming year. Recruiting time for potential new coaching staff. Who to hire if they bit the bullet and kept Pruitt.

There is a lot to work through after this type of season without having to report and update about a bunch of stuff to the public. Plus the Holidays...

What else do you know. Let us in on more.

 

[hexnut]

The longer Fulmer keeps Pruitt the worse he looks as AD.

 

[UTwild82]

And so I wake in the morning and I step outside
And I realize Pruitt's still the coach and I get real high
And I scream from the top of my lungs
"What's going on?"

 

[R481967]

Complaining on VN isn’t going to do squat. Those living closer to Knoxville and the students have to take some action.

Live 7 miles from The HIll and my absence, moaning and groaning has done nothing. Not one administrator has called me.... not one coach, or one player. They're all dead to me I guess.

 

[tastycar]

And so I wake in the morning and I step outside
And I realize Pruitt's still the coach and I get real high
And I scream from the top of my lungs
"What's going on?"

And I said hey ey ey
Hey ye ye...
I said hey what's going on

 

[WillieT]

We are in a Pandemic. Big time investors are bleeding dollars. They do not have the stomach to place bets on a sinking ship. This is sadly, the reality.

 

[VolInNW]

Fulmer has already come out in support of Pruitt. I don’t think the Athletic Department sees the need reaffirm the affirmation.

All that's happening right now is that there a bunch of fans grumbling on social media, and a few talk shows hyping up that dissatisfaction. History has shown that vocal fan unhappiness doesn't equate to a significant drop in AIS. Nick Saban even coined a name for that "type of fan," he called them the "legion of the miserable."

Sure, tickets sales are down, and the average attendance had dropped to around 75k per game in 2019 (per a former report in the News Sentinel). But that's still nearly 20k more people willingly spending money on a trash football than most other programs have seats in their stadiums.

As Deerpark already stated, many donors just rolled their donations from 2020 to 2021; and, UT hit their attendance numbers of 25k this year, even in face of a losing season.

Bottom line, until the AD actually 'feels' the fan dissatisfaction, nothing is happening. The end.

PS: I've reached my pain-point. I'm not renewing, but I represent just one family.

Edit: Corrected by two other posters regarding who originally stated "legion of the miserable."

I'm with ya brother. If Slingblade is coach in the fall, I'm out. Once the admin decides it wants to get serious, I'm back in.

I'm not switching to a new program or anything like that. Im Vol to the core. I simply have no desire to watch a walking disaster of a coach lead a disinterested team through a series of blowout losses.

Saturdays are too precious for that.

 

[ABINGDON VOL FAN]

I'm with ya brother. If Slingblade is coach in the fall, I'm out. Once the admin decides it wants to get serious, I'm back in.

I'm not switching to a new program or anything like that. Im Vol to the core. I simply have no desire to watch a walking disaster of a coach lead a disinterested team through a series of blowout losses.

Saturdays are too precious for that.

Slingblade LOL ! That’s better than Beldar.

 

[tastycar]

My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it’s pretty serious.

 

[The Original Fade]

A lot is going on.
It's just not reportable at the moment.

They are probably trying to get the allotted money to let Pruitt go. And Fulmer is probably interviewing different prospects as well as examining the other coaches to see if some are worth keeping with a potential new coaching staff.

They canceled that bowl after not having problems all year with Covid in regards to cancellations. They used it as an excuse to allow themselves and the other coaches to start searching other options. Time is precious when you need to find people to fill spaces.

You don't go 3-7 at Tennessee in year 3 and keep your job.

Theyre tight lipped because they're busy as hell and everyone is trying to make moves as quietly as possible.

There is so much to consider. Recruiting. Booster support, fan support projection into the upcoming year. Recruiting time for potential new coaching staff. Who to hire if they bit the bullet and kept Pruitt.

There is a lot to work through after this type of season without having to report and update about a bunch of stuff to the public. Plus the Holidays...

You typed your hopes, but probably doesn’t match up with reality

 

[deezvols]

If you can't say anything nice......

 

[Cormock Mac]

I agree but certainly would like for everyone to be wrong. There is no doubt that if Pruitt is not fired than we do not have an Administration and/or Donors who care enough about winning to reach a consensus in making the right decision. Stronger measures need to be taken. This is the year of the protest, right? I’m not joking.

Seems as if you had a big protest that resulted in Pruitt and Fulmer being where they are. And you want another big protest.

 

[ABINGDON VOL FAN]

Seems as if you had a big protest that resulted in Pruitt and Fulmer being where they are. And you want another big protest.

Not a protest, funny use of words there. I hoped Pruitt still could bring the program to prominence going in to the season but he failed big-time. Nothing wrong with supporting or hoping a guy succeeds until the point that it is obvious he doesn’t deserve that support anymore.

 

[DULL_BOY]

To fire Pruitt would mean that the arrogant Phil Fulmer would have to admit he failed hiring a football coach again. First was Clawson that got himself fired. Then he gets the AD job (I cringed). He talks a big tough guy speech about bringing this program back to glory. Then hires a glorified DC that was on all teams with first round draft picks on superior coached teams when HE arrived already. Fulmer ain’t gonna admit he’s failed yet again.

 

[Orange DNA]

Slingblade LOL ! That’s better than Beldar.

 

[N.ohio vol]

To fire Pruitt would mean that the arrogant Phil Fulmer would have to admit he failed hiring a football coach again. First was Clawson that got himself fired. Then he gets the AD job (I cringed). He talks a big tough guy speech about bringing this program back to glory. Then hires a glorified DC that was on all teams with first round draft picks on superior coached teams when HE arrived already. Fulmer ain’t gonna admit he’s failed yet again.

Times ticking and phil knows it is. He knows hes eventually going to have to cut the hand off to save the arm. Hes trying to hold off long as possible.

 

[RiverVol]

redacted

 

[jarnol32]

Fulmer has already come out in support of Pruitt. I don’t think the Athletic Department sees the need reaffirm the affirmation.

All that's happening right now is that there a bunch of fans grumbling on social media, and a few talk shows hyping up that dissatisfaction. History has shown that vocal fan unhappiness doesn't equate to a significant drop in AIS. Nick Saban even coined a name for that "type of fan," he called them the "legion of the miserable."

Sure, tickets sales are down, and the average attendance had dropped to around 75k per game in 2019 (per a former report in the News Sentinel). But that's still nearly 20k more people willingly spending money on a trash football than most other programs have seats in their stadiums.

As Deerpark already stated, many donors just rolled their donations from 2020 to 2021; and, UT hit their attendance numbers of 25k this year, even in face of a losing season.

Bottom line, until the AD actually 'feels' the fan dissatisfaction, nothing is happening. The end.

PS: I've reached my pain-point. I'm not renewing, but I represent just one family.

Edit: Corrected by two other posters regarding who originally stated "legion of the miserable."

Johnnny Majors coined the phrase “legion of the miserable” not Saban.

 

[DULL_BOY]

Times ticking and phil knows it is. He knows hes eventually going to have to cut the hand off to save the arm. Hes trying to hold off long as possible.

He’s an arrogant old b@$t@rd that the game has passed by...just like when he was coaching. Thanks for the good memories Phil when I was there 95-99. Unfortunately we are in a “what have you done for me lately” era and he has absolutely positively $#!T the bed with the football program.
Hell Butch made a couple of poor coaching hires and lost his team his final season. I get it...but he had back to back 9 win seasons, beat UGA twice, should’ve had 4 wins straight against UF, and recruited great. Player development was questionable with his staff but the man was ten times the coach of Pruitt...we ran that man out of time.
Pruitt has more double digit losses than Dooley and Jones combined, lost at home with a roster of 4*s to Georgia State, BYU, Kentucky at home...not competitive one time so far against UF, UGA, or Bama, and absolutely has no clue on QB competition/practice reps.
But let’s keep this guy...because Fulmer is bitter he got canned for becoming inept as a HC. Pruitt will use his pocket full of magical jelly beans in 2021 and we will win 9 games out of nowhere...with a team that showed 35% effort after the Kentucky loss the rest of the year.
Kiffin comes to Knoxville next year...he will slap 60 on us in Neyland while the fat pumpkin sits there thinking up a new contract extension for the biggest epic failure HC in program history.

 

[N.ohio vol]

He’s an arrogant old b@$t@rd that the game has passed by...just like when he was coaching. Thanks for the good memories Phil when I was there 95-99. Unfortunately we are in a “what have you done for me lately” era and he has absolutely positively $#!T the bed with the football program.
Hell Butch made a couple of poor coaching hires and lost his team his final season. I get it...but he had back to back 9 win seasons, beat UGA twice, should’ve had 4 wins straight against UF, and recruited great. Player development was questionable with his staff but the man was ten times the coach of Pruitt...we ran that man out of time.
Pruitt has more double digit losses than Dooley and Jones combined, lost at home with a roster of 4*s to Georgia State, BYU, Kentucky at home...not competitive one time so far against UF, UGA, or Bama, and absolutely has no clue on QB competition/practice reps.
But let’s keep this guy...because Fulmer is bitter he got canned for becoming inept as a HC. Pruitt will use his pocket full of magical jelly beans in 2021 and we will win 9 games out of nowhere...with a team that showed 35% effort after the Kentucky loss the rest of the year.
Kiffin comes to Knoxville next year...he will slap 60 on us in Neyland while the fat pumpkin sits there thinking up a new contract extension for the biggest epic failure HC in program history.View attachment 335165

It does suck because with the right leadership this program could flourish. To many people in the way of letting it happen. With the right coach this team could go places. I think Pruitt fills Fulmers head with b.s and Fulmer goes for the bait. Like a dad and a troubled son.