Just a question about Steele

#1

thistime

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#1
If the Vols were to fire Pruitt everybody is talking about Steele as Interim HC and possible CO-DC or LB coach or some type of football job whatever it may be. Now with his signing a contract for two years at $450,000 a year what happens if Pruitt is culled and indeed a new coach is hired. Would a new coach not want to bring his on staff and if it is a Steele package deal with the new coach would that not be starting off on the wrong foot to begin with ? Do we owe him another buyout as well if it isn't a good fit for the new coach? Is he going to be Fulmers assistant? This school throws more good money after bad than an place I have ever seen and then complain about not having funds.
 
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#2
#2
If the Vols were to fire Pruitt everybody is talking about Steele as Interim HC and possible CO-DC or LB coach or some type of football job whatever it may be. Now with his signing a contract for two years at $450,000 a year what happens if Pruitt is culled and indeed a new coach is hired. Would a new coach not want to bring his on staff and if it is a Steele package deal with the new coach would that not be starting off on the wrong foot to begin with ? Do we owe him another buyout as well if it isn't a good fit for the new coach? Is he going to be Fulmers assistant? This school throws more good money after bad than an place I have ever seen and then complain about not having funds.
Got this feeling, it's all been pre-arranged. Whoever is coming knows about and approves of Steele.

Edit: it may be Steele.
 
#3
#3
If the Vols were to fire Pruitt everybody is talking about Steele as Interim HC and possible CO-DC or LB coach or some type of football job whatever it may be. Now with his signing a contract for two years at $450,000 a year what happens if Pruitt is culled and indeed a new coach is hired. Would a new coach not want to bring his on staff and if it is a Steele package deal with the new coach would that not be starting off on the wrong foot to begin with ? Do we owe him another buyout as well if it isn't a good fit for the new coach? Is he going to be Fulmers assistant? This school throws more good money after bad than an place I have ever seen and then complain about not having funds.
Personally, if the incoming coach is hypothetically Chadwell and he doesn’t want a top 3 SEC D Coordinator and wants his buddy from his D2 days then I’ll say we’re headed down the hill again. Pruitt did the same **** with his trusted friends.. if Steele gets you Big Kat and Rodney G you don’t turn that down.
 
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#4
#4
The Steele hire shows us a lot.....and clearers everything up.

1. They are hiring some decent to big assistants for some fantom amazing HC hire (who wants these assistants).....and just waiting on the lawyer meeting so they can fire Pruitt with cause.

2. Their hiring some big time assistants to prop up Pruitt for next year........never mind the fact that Pruitt might be fired next year.

3. Steele will become the interim HC.

4. Their simply hiring coaches, while not even knowing if Pruitt will be the HC or not....and they have no idea of what they are doing.

One of those “sounds” like Tennessee......possibly 3 of them.

One sounds way too competent for it to really be Tennessee.
 
#5
#5
If the Vols were to fire Pruitt everybody is talking about Steele as Interim HC and possible CO-DC or LB coach or some type of football job whatever it may be. Now with his signing a contract for two years at $450,000 a year what happens if Pruitt is culled and indeed a new coach is hired. Would a new coach not want to bring his on staff and if it is a Steele package deal with the new coach would that not be starting off on the wrong foot to begin with ? Do we owe him another buyout as well if it isn't a good fit for the new coach? Is he going to be Fulmers assistant? This school throws more good money after bad than an place I have ever seen and then complain about not having funds.

I think Steele is being brought in as a 1 year interim coach (think John L Smith at Arky) while Tennessee spends 2021 looking for its next coach.
 
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#6
#6
I think Steele is being brought in as a 1 year interim coach (think John L Smith at Arky) while Tennessee spends 2021 looking for its next coach.

I don’t “want” this to happen.......but if it gets rid of Pruitt......I could get behind it for a year I guess.

Steele I’m hopeful for better.
 
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#7
#7
Personally, if the incoming coach is hypothetically Chadwell and he doesn’t want a top 3 SEC D Coordinator and wants his buddy from his D2 days then I’ll say we’re headed down the hill again. Pruitt did the same **** with his trusted friends.. if Steele gets you Big Kat and Rodney G you don’t turn that down.

It all just seems so strange, not that anything that has been done to this point has been normal. If you are firing him and knew all along that the violation got the buyout money cut way back or zeroed out I can understand and if you have been talking with another coach then you would think that the team and recruits would have some idea if that was the case just to keep the talent you have. Maybe for the ones that left the team or entered the portal the powers that be didn't care if they left or not. I did hear today that Wanya Morris had his financial package taken away and must have been told that if you go in the portal you aren't coming back.
 
#8
#8
The Steele hire shows us a lot.....and clearers everything up.

1. They are hiring some decent to big assistants for some fantom amazing HC hire (who wants these assistants).....and just waiting on the lawyer meeting so they can fire Pruitt with cause.

2. Their hiring some big time assistants to prop up Pruitt for next year........never mind the fact that Pruitt might be fired next year.

3. Steele will become the interim HC.

4. Their simply hiring coaches, while not even knowing if Pruitt will be the HC or not....and they have no idea of what they are doing.

One of those “sounds” like Tennessee......possibly 3 of them.

One sounds way too competent for it to really be Tennessee.

What is a fantom?
 
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#9
#9
The Steele hire shows us a lot.....and clearers everything up.

1. They are hiring some decent to big assistants for some fantom amazing HC hire (who wants these assistants).....and just waiting on the lawyer meeting so they can fire Pruitt with cause.

2. Their hiring some big time assistants to prop up Pruitt for next year........never mind the fact that Pruitt might be fired next year.

3. Steele will become the interim HC.

4. Their simply hiring coaches, while not even knowing if Pruitt will be the HC or not....and they have no idea of what they are doing.

One of those “sounds” like Tennessee......possibly 3 of them.

One sounds way too competent for it to really be Tennessee.

Sadly it’s probably 4. Most of us given them too much credit in terms of forethought
 
#10
#10
Here's my assumption based on the limited info that's been reported.
Fulmer still doesn't know if Pruitt will be back next year, and does not control the decision. It depends on how the final interview goes, and what higher ups think. It's still an uncertain situation for all involved.
In the short term there was a risk of more players leaving because "we don't know if TN will have quality coaches next year". This helps Fulmer show the players that he can still hire quality coaches.
If Pruitt stays, Steele is a good addition. If a new home run hire HC doesn't want Steele as a coach, Fulmer can put him in an off-field role.
In this uncertain situation, Fulmer wants options. Now he has another good coach on staff that can help Pruitt or a new HC, or take the interim role if needed.
 
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#12
#12
If the Vols were to fire Pruitt everybody is talking about Steele as Interim HC and possible CO-DC or LB coach or some type of football job whatever it may be. Now with his signing a contract for two years at $450,000 a year what happens if Pruitt is culled and indeed a new coach is hired. Would a new coach not want to bring his on staff and if it is a Steele package deal with the new coach would that not be starting off on the wrong foot to begin with ? Do we owe him another buyout as well if it isn't a good fit for the new coach? Is he going to be Fulmers assistant? This school throws more good money after bad than an place I have ever seen and then complain about not having funds.
$450k x 2 is only 900k. As buyouts go, for a guy like Steele..... that's a steal.

My guess is: he's got $2.5M for 2 years coming from Auburn, can afford to work cheap, stays in the SEC, and might end up with an opportunity here. That's an easy win for him.

We get a decent coach (hopefully he's not been promised a shot at HC) on the cheap which is good for us, especially if we end up owing CJP several million. That's a win..... okay, less of a loss.... for us.
 
#13
#13
Personally, if the incoming coach is hypothetically Chadwell and he doesn’t want a top 3 SEC D Coordinator and wants his buddy from his D2 days then I’ll say we’re headed down the hill again. Pruitt did the same **** with his trusted friends.. if Steele gets you Big Kat and Rodney G you don’t turn that down.
That's the upside of bringing Steele onboard,imo. I actually think we've got a good shot at Garner. It would be nice to get Big Kat and Arik Gilbert out of LSU. Am I asking too much?
 
#16
#16
The Steele hire shows us a lot.....and clearers everything up.

1. They are hiring some decent to big assistants for some fantom amazing HC hire (who wants these assistants).....and just waiting on the lawyer meeting so they can fire Pruitt with cause.

2. Their hiring some big time assistants to prop up Pruitt for next year........never mind the fact that Pruitt might be fired next year.

3. Steele will become the interim HC.

4. Their simply hiring coaches, while not even knowing if Pruitt will be the HC or not....and they have no idea of what they are doing.

One of those “sounds” like Tennessee......possibly 3 of them.

One sounds way too competent for it to really be Tennessee.
I think it's a combination of 2 and 4. I think, realistically, they believe Pruitt will be here next year (I'd wager 80/20 he is). And I say #4 because I also look at this as a heck of a bargain on our end. I mean $450k is a huge get for Steele, so I almost see it as them saying "okay we aren't 100% sure if JP will be back, but pretty sure he will be; however, we can't let Steele go if we can get him for cheap!"
 
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#17
#17
JMO

I think Fulmer is trying to get a do over with bringing Steele on board.

Steele, Tucker, and Pruitt all had 2 interviews each for the job 3 years ago and it is panning out that Fulmer picked the wrong guy.

I can't see this ending well. Pruitt can't even get along with guys he hired, see the Brumbaugh mess.

I doubt he will coexist for long with a guy who may have been forced on him that was in direct competition for his job 3 years ago.
 
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#19
#19
I want to believe he stays on. But it would be in true Tennessee fashion to give a two year contract and get fired by the new coach. It is Tennessee, nothing is off the table to how far we can pay people to walk away.
 
#22
#22
Personally, I think "IF" there is another motive for bringing Steele in it had better be only as an Interim HC for this year while Freeze sits out his arbitrary ban the SEC has on him. The biggest mistake made in UT football over the last 12 years was Hamilton not naming Kippy as the Interim during 2010 and then having an actual search.
 
#23
#23
Steele will be interim head coach. I’m not in love with it but he’s cheap. Fulmer makes another head coaching hire as AD, one that was high in consideration last time around. The investigation concludes the money from this dumpster fire is a little better and we kick the tires on Steele as a head coach.

It sucks but we end up in much better shape in the next coaching search financially and we will know whether there’s any scholarship loss or bowl ban. Awful but much better than a scrambled dysfunctional coaching search clown show that Tennessee has become known for
 
#25
#25
The worse part of it is that if we finish 6-6 or 7-5, Fulmer and the people above him will think he has his guy and this same sad scenario will play out yet once again in about another 2 years. Fulmer can't get over the fact that he was fired and just can't stand the fact he isn't coaching and the one way he can stay connected is to name the coach and call the shots behind the scenes.
 

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