How would a win at Florida impact the perception of Jeremy Pruitt for you?

#1
boomvol

boomvol

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#1
If you're like me, you came into the season with the following view about our Coach Pruitt: he was by no means perfect, but was talented coach that showed flashes of potential greatness and could prove to be special with time. I wasn't expecting an earth-shattering 2019 season. Heck, I wasn't even going to concern myself with our wins-loss record. I just wanted to see our boys show some competitive fire on the field and see a team that improved every single game. However, after 2 unbelievable losses, my perspective on ole Pruitt changed. I now see him as a young coordinator-turned-head coach who seems to be in over his head. I'm not ready to write him off quite yet, but my confidence in him as the future of this program took a significant hit. So the question is, if Jeremy Pruitt takes this team, despite all the ridicule and negativity the media and fans have thrown at them, and manages a win in Gainesville, where does that leave your perception of Pruitt?

For me, Pruitt would rise back to the level I had him before the season started: full of potential, but by no means perfect. It would be the first step in the right direction on the football field since the Vols won in Auburn last season in what seems like an eternity ago. And while the agony of watching the University of Tennessee lose to Georgia St Tech A&M School of the Deaf in week 1 will never be forgivable, a Florida win reestablishes my view that, though there will be growing pains, Pruitt is a guy that can get us there.
 
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#3
#3
It would be reassuring but it wouldn't change my perception. I think he's a good coach who has lot learn about being a head coach. I already think he'll figure it out and turn things around for us, but a win over the Gators would give me more confidence in that stance.
 
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#4
#4
He needs to knock of a team he shouldn’t beat this year to gain some of the lost fan support back.

Florida would be ideal, they’re not as good as billed (though still better than us) and a hated rival.

After Florida, we have UGA and an Alabama game, a win in either of those wins back the fan base, but ultimately there’s a minuscule chance of that occurring.

We have Miss St and South Carolina, and while a win against either will likely be an upset, our fanbase feels superior to both teams and likely wouldn’t count it as such.

Mizzou would maybe win some folks back, but their early season loss to Wyoming has the orange tinted glasses wearing folks thinking that they are no better than we are.
 
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#5
#5
I think he is going to be a very good head coach....
he is playing more of the players his staff recruited and we are seeing the difference on the field...
now having 2 games under their belts the young guns should be comfortable and play better against Floriduh...
a win would be huge and would just reinforce that I think he is the man to pull us out of this pit of misery....
GBO
BEAT THE gators
 
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#8
#8
He's learning on the job. I'd imagine Fulmer knew there would be some bumps with a new head coach and a team that's been down for years.

A win at Florida would be a major credit to his reputation as head coach. We've beaten Florida one time since 2005. If a second year head coach went to Florida and won, that would be a notable achievement.
 
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#9
#9
It would be great.

But it would cement what I already think.

Wildly inconsistent and you never know what you’re going to get.
 
#11
#11
He needs to beat everybody but UGA and Bama. Also bama is not looking that great. You never know.
 
#12
#12
It depends on how good Florida turns out to be at the end of the year, and how we follow up.

If we beat Florida but it turns out they're overrated and then we turn around and lose to Vandy . . . no one will care.

If we beat the Gators in The Swamp and they prove to be a top 10 team, then Pruitt will receive a significant upgrade in my level of estimation at least.
 
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#13
#13
A swamp win would be celebrated by all. No doubt. My opine of CJP is more complex than the outcome of any 1 game. The blowout losses last year. The the utter lack of intensity with a bowl game on the line. Unprepared for GSU. BYU was improved by not up to expectations. These are the events which fashioned my opinion. The Auburn and UK wins look like flukes in hindsight.

IF we beat UF and showed up against UGA and Bama and beat other east opponents to reach a bowl game, my opinion would start to change.

One game, even against UF, doesn't change how I feel.
 
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#14
#14
Rifleman said:
It depends on how good Florida turns out to be at the end of the year, and how we follow up.

If we beat Florida but it turns our they're overrated and then we turn around and lose to Vandy . . . no one will care.

If we the Gators in The Swamp and they prove to be a top 10 team, then Pruitt will receive a significant upgrade in my level of estimation at least.
Click to expand...

Haha, No, no.it doesn't.
 
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#15
#15
No doubt a win would be huge. Would at least prove that JP and the staff can prepare a team to go in to hostile territory and pull out a win. It would lend credence to idea that he is inconsistent, but at least deep down inside we would know that he can coach and motivate a team.
 
#16
#16
It would definitely do a lot for me. I have never been on board with Pruitt. The best thing Butch Jones did here was beating Florida, so I dont hate him for that very reason.
But, just like the Auburn and Kentucky games last year, it wouldnt mean he's the man for the job, since he has some pretty terrible losses as well.
 
#18
#18
What I look for is development. Right now, we're too thin/young in the trenches to really be highly competitive in the SEC. You have to be able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides on the ball in order to win a lot of SEC games. Let's see how these guys respond throughout the year.

So far, we've gotten better on the offensive line every game it seems like. I expect them to keep getting better as the year goes on. Hopefully we can stay mostly healthy here. Defensively, we are extremely thin on the line, and only Solomon has made a meaningful impact, imo. Hopefully someone steps up (looking at you Savion Williams). Luckily, we have a strong group of LBs to help get pressue. I expect us to blitz pretty frequently vs. FL since whoever their QB is will be making their 1st career start.
 
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#20
#20
Also, if we beat UF, I feel pretty confident we will win at least 4 more games and make it to 6-6.
 
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