What has become clearer and clearer over the last year is how vile a person Jeremy Pruitt appears to have been. Toxic to his staff - and, apparently, to his players as well. I didn’t have the wit to see it at the time, but this guy was a downgrade from Jones AND Dooley. THAT was once impossible to imagine.
The side effect of this realization is the accompanying conclusion that Phil Fulmer was truly inept as an AD. I usually take it easy on Phil because I think he genuinely loves Tennessee. However, he brought in Pruitt (admittedly not under the best of circumstances), and if memory serves, Fulmer was ready to extend Pruitt right before all the wheels came off. I don’t know if Fulmer had any knowledge of the recruiting payments, but the fact it happened so blatantly on his watch puts a black mark on him that ain’t going away any time soon.
The recent few years have been a true nadir for our program, falling below previous levels under Jones that I thought were unsurpassable in their ineptitude.
I really hope Josh Heupel us as good a coach as he seems . . . and that he is a much better recruiter than he currently appears.