Coach Pruitt and Future

#76
#76
Completely understandable. I have to spend Thanksgiving with a family full of Kentucky alum and fans, so.....
Lol, bless your heart..... Seriously!

I moved to Alabama a few years back ( not by choice really, simply because of my son) but I'm already being attacked.... its Tennessee week down here. I've already said "Bama Sucks in Any Situation" probably 12 times and its just Monday morning
 
#78
#78
I love how it’s always “Coach didn’t throw interceptions, Coach didn’t miss tackles”. What exactly do we hold a coach accountable for?

Losing to GA State?

Blowing a lead to BYU?

Getting blown out at home to Kentucky?

Losing to our biggest rivals (GA, FL, AL) by no less than 2 touch downs every time we’ve played them?

Having 4 QBs on roster (that are still labeled as QBs) and none of them being ready to play? (3 have been here for 3 years).

Wanting to play power football and recruiting 2 top power RBs and moving them to LB only for them to be mediocre at best at the position?

Have a 5* stuffed O-line that get pushed around by the scraps that Kentucky has picked up (and developed)?
Well said.
 
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#79
#79
If I were a Tennessee player who had just the two or three series before see my QB fart to ball away and saw "down 2-3 scores". My reaction would be "what the hell is the use, this SOB got us into this mess, no need to think he can get us out" play it out and start over next game..
I fear Pruitt is losing the confidence of the whole team and really down deep the team has given up on JG ever being able to preform well enough to be a "winner".
no doubt this is true, regardless of what they may say (or think they think)
 
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#80
#80
I thin your example of Clemson is excellent. It was not done quickly and their program was not in as bad shape as ours...blame that on Dooley and certainly Butch Jones. The embarrassment by Kentucky was mainly the performance of QB JG, three mistakes and 17 quick points for Kentucky. The problem with QB JG is that he keeps making the same mistakes game after game and year after year....the freshman Bailey may be our savior on the offensive side.

3 years is quickly if you ask me
Took Dabo 3 years, he took over in 2008 and won double digit games from 2011 till present
The key was he got a dynamic QB in Tajh Boyd in 2010 Tajh started in 2011
Tajh's year winning beget winning QB is the main ingredient
Dabo had not won, he won 4 first year then 9 and then 6 then when Tajh took over in 2011 won 10+ ever since and 14 some years 15 one year.
Won double digit games 10 out of 13 years.
 
#81
#81
Butch Jones left the Vols football program in horrible shape. He had no linemen essentially above 300 pounds and absolutely no speed. Jones refused to keep Sam Pittman, the best offensive line coach in the nation too. Pruitt addressed that quickly and is still in pursuit of improvement. When a football program was in as bad a shape as what Jones left, you do not restore it in a couple of years either. Essentially, it will take 5 to 7 years to get the Vols competitive again. Be patient, support Coach Pruitt and give him the time to do so. Look at Kentucky as an example, Stoops came to Kentucky in 2013 in a horrible program. Year by year he has improved the program...this is 7 years into the process. Give him three more years and he is going to be very competitive in the SEC. The same will happen to Pruitt if we stay behind him and give him our support. Pruitt did not throw two intersections and a fumble that resulted in 17 Kentucky quick points....blame that on QB JG. Some are demanding a coaching change...this would only worsen the situation. Stay the course, support Pruitt and we will get back competitive again...that comes when we can end up beating or being competitive with Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

Speaking of Pittman, Arkansas went 2-8, 0-8 last year. They are 2-2 already this year and they held Kiffin’s O to just 22 points. If we get our butts spanked by Arkansas, that pretty much negates your theory.

Stoops had to build Kentucky from a >>>constant<<< bottom of the barrel team that noone went to, ever, to play football. That is not at all where we were. We were 9-4 for two seasons and should have won the SEC East with a W over Georgia and Florida in the same year before we went 4-8. What Stoops has done is remarkably better than what Pruitt has done. Heck, Butch Jones’ product looked better than what we are seeing in his first two years.

I appreciate your optimism, but it’s probably just that. The beauty here is, we are insane to get rid of him for financial reasons, and that does buy him more time and he just might get us where we need to be over a longer period of time. I never thought it would happen before year 5 anyways, but I never thought we would look this bad on year 3 either. We are only 4 games in though. I hope whatever he does works, because I like the guy.
 
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#82
#82
Perhaps this is the new normal and we need to stop thinking we can compete for championships. We will have the occasional 9 win season, but that's about it. We are squarely on the same level as South Carolina and Kentucky. Good teams with occasional upsets, but nothing more. Mid tier.

I think you're right. The sooner we all realize that the better off we will be.

It's a hard pill to swallow though.
 
#83
#83
Perhaps this is the new normal and we need to stop thinking we can compete for championships. We will have the occasional 9 win season, but that's about it. We are squarely on the same level as South Carolina and Kentucky. Good teams with occasional upsets, but nothing more. Mid tier.

KY last 5 years: 2-2, 8-5, 10-3, 7-6, 7-6
SC: 2-2, 4-8, 7-6, 9-4, 6-7
TN: 2-2, 8-5, 5-7, 4-8, 9-4

Tennessee is NOT on Kentucky level right now......and they haven’t been for a while. Heck Kentucky has a 10 win season a few years ago......it’s been like 14 seasons since Tennessee has smelled 10 wins.

I certainly know where Tennessee is....and where they have been for quite some time. The problem (to me) “IS” acceptance. Everyone, from the fans, the coaches, the administration......seem to accept this. As such, it probably never will change.....unless someone high enough or enough people are done accepting this product.
 
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#86
#86
At some point you have to let someone you trust build something.

I certainly agree; however at some point.....before it’s too late that someone has to give you reason to “trust.”

Let’s be honest. Doofy wasn’t building anything. Butch “got by” because of Dobbs (and some others).....but once Dobbs was gone it was brutally obvious....the bricks had fallen.

Will Pruitt “build something”......I don’t know. However I’m certain he will get the chance. But like he said today......”if it ain’t working, it’s best to just go ahead and do it.”

All I’m saying is “if” it becomes obvious.....”it ain’t working” I hope they will cancel the building permit and go with a new contractor....before it costs even more time and $.
 
#87
#87
I'm trusting Pruitt. He's a damn football coach. Old school. Came up from cinder blocks. Trusts his gut. His gut got him here. Took the helm of a mess. A mess he was well aware of. He knows what he has and what he needs. He's seen it. He's the first true ball coach we've had since phulmer. Phulmer hired him for a reason. Whatever you think about phulmer, he knows what it looks like, sounds like. Patience is a hard pill for us to swallow, but it is exactly what we need right now. No more throwing out the baby with the water.
 
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#88
#88
Our fan base, as passionate as we are, can create pressure. Pressure so intense it can expedite the end before it truly begins. We've been through a ton of false hope. At some point you have to trust. I never trusted Dooley or jones. I trust Pruitt.
 
#89
#89
He isn’t getting fired so it really doesn’t even matter. However by the same token we should have just trusted Doofy.....or Butch?

If not, then why?
We “need” to trust Pruitt; however we didn’t, and didn’t need, to trust the others.

I’m not knocking you. I think everyone hopes your right.......cause he isn’t going anywhere, and we all want better.
 
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#90
#90
Hey a good QB and this is a totally different team. CJP has zero to work with in that position group. He has, however, recruited a couple. When your team goes out and lays 17 points to a solid defensive opponent it will be hard to come back from that. He has this team nearly beating Bama last year and hopes were high. Unfortunately, QB play is inferior to rest of league.

Keep demanding coaching changes and you will never fix this program. CJP has proven his merits in recruiting and is one hell of a defensive coach. He has this thing going in the right direction. Our roster was worse than Vandy as was proven on the field if you all recall. To think because this is Tennessee that it’s magically corrected is a pipe dream. Pruitt is the man for the job... just fix the QB problem.
 
#91
#91
that what all the teams in sec saying keep cjp and be the whipping team in the sec
 
#93
#93
Hey a good QB and this is a totally different team. CJP has zero to work with in that position group. He has, however, recruited a couple. When your team goes out and lays 17 points to a solid defensive opponent it will be hard to come back from that. He has this team nearly beating Bama last year and hopes were high. Unfortunately, QB play is inferior to rest of league.

Keep demanding coaching changes and you will never fix this program. CJP has proven his merits in recruiting and is one hell of a defensive coach. He has this thing going in the right direction. Our roster was worse than Vandy as was proven on the field if you all recall. To think because this is Tennessee that it’s magically corrected is a pipe dream. Pruitt is the man for the job... just fix the QB problem.

Uhm...perhaps the QB problem is because of Pruitt???

Did you ever think of that?
 
#94
#94
Truth is Pruitt isn’t going anywhere for at least 2-4 more years regardless. Fulmer is too close to retirement, COVID has cost the school too much, Pruitts contract just got extended, and no one is going to pull the trigger.

We can be just about .500 for the next several years and it won’t change a thing except maybe support staff and recruiting.

Sit back and get comfortable. This’ll be a long ride. Hopefully it has a big pay off on the end.
 
#95
#95
Truth is Pruitt isn’t going anywhere for at least 2-4 more years regardless. Fulmer is too close to retirement, COVID has cost the school too much, Pruitts contract just got extended, and no one is going to pull the trigger.

We can be just about .500 for the next several years and it won’t change a thing except maybe support staff and recruiting.

Sit back and get comfortable. This’ll be a long ride. Hopefully it has a big pay off on the end.
Finally, a voice of reason.
 
#96
#96
Butch Jones left the Vols football program in horrible shape. He had no linemen essentially above 300 pounds and absolutely no speed. Jones refused to keep Sam Pittman, the best offensive line coach in the nation too. Pruitt addressed that quickly and is still in pursuit of improvement. When a football program was in as bad a shape as what Jones left, you do not restore it in a couple of years either. Essentially, it will take 5 to 7 years to get the Vols competitive again. Be patient, support Coach Pruitt and give him the time to do so. Look at Kentucky as an example, Stoops came to Kentucky in 2013 in a horrible program. Year by year he has improved the program...this is 7 years into the process. Give him three more years and he is going to be very competitive in the SEC. The same will happen to Pruitt if we stay behind him and give him our support. Pruitt did not throw two intersections and a fumble that resulted in 17 Kentucky quick points....blame that on QB JG. Some are demanding a coaching change...this would only worsen the situation. Stay the course, support Pruitt and we will get back competitive again...that comes when we can end up beating or being competitive with Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
It's funny you should reference Sam Pittman.....how's he doing with his program in year 1?
 
#97
#97
When things are going backward in year 3 that starts sending up red flags, the QB situation is no longer about JG it's all about Pruitt and it's 100% on him. Year 3 and he's still finding new lows


I think it is a little early to say that things are going backwards.

The defense is pretty good when you don't ask them to play so many freaking snaps. UT has lost the TOP by 21 minutes in the last two games. The turnovers and three and outs on offense are breaking their back.

The offense has a lot of young talent and athleticism. They are literally a play-making QB away from developing into a competitive offense in the SEC. I am not saying it will happen, but it's not as if there is nothing to work with.

He was able to collect the fallout and finish very well last year. I am hardly confident that he will do it again, in light of the remaining schedule and the way other teams are playing, but I am at least content to wait and see what happens.
 
#99
#99
I had a bad feeling when I learned that they had given Pruitt an extension before this season. Our university continues to make horrible decisions. Here comes another big buyout and another underwhelming hire. In a way, all this is a blessing. It has made it easier to distance myself from UT football. Life is short and sports aren't everything.
 
I'm trusting Pruitt. He's a damn football coach. Old school. Came up from cinder blocks. Trusts his gut. His gut got him here. Took the helm of a mess. A mess he was well aware of. He knows what he has and what he needs. He's seen it. He's the first true ball coach we've had since phulmer. Phulmer hired him for a reason. Whatever you think about phulmer, he knows what it looks like, sounds like. Patience is a hard pill for us to swallow, but it is exactly what we need right now. No more throwing out the baby with the water.

What exactly has Pruitt done in his 2+ seasons to make you think he is a "damn football coach" capable of fielding a championship caliber team? He has 2 wins over teams he shouldn't have beaten, several losses against teams he should have beaten, he has 5 wins over teams that finished that the season with a winning record and holds the UT career record for most 25 point or more losses. That is the CAREER record for getting curb stomped in less than 3 seasons.

So I really would like to know what makes you think you can trust him to bring us back to relevancy let alone championship caliber?
 
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