How long is Pruitt’s leash ?

#1
BigOrangeAl 1979

BigOrangeAl 1979

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#1
If Pruitt still hasn’t made a bowl game by the 2021 season but is still recruiting decently how much longer should we give him to get it turned around I’ve heard some fans say he needs 5 to 6 seasons minimum.
 
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#2
#2
BigOrangeAl 1979 said:
If Pruitt still hasn’t made a bowl game by the 2021 season but is still recruiting decently how much longer should we give him to get it turnaround? I’ve heard some fans say he needs 5 to 6 seasons minimum.
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If he hasn't made a bowl any of his first 3 years he needs to be fired immediately after season 3.
 
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#4
#4
BigOrangeAl 1979 said:
If Pruitt still hasn’t made a bowl game by 2021 season but is still recruiting decently how much longer should we give him to get it turnaround?
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Remember boy butch? As long as he was a "super duper, none better, greatest of all time" recruiter, he got an extension and a raise! Now, if we have learned anything from the boy butch years, winning should be far more important than "building brick by brick- no matter how long it takes", GS/BYU type -L- should never happen again. Good news, we have some real cupcakes next year, but we have to play some of those pesky SEC teams....
 
#5
#5
I think if he doesn't make a bowl next year, he's kind of teetering. Could go either way. It might depend on who he loses to next year and how the team looks in those losses. Either the trigger gets pulled November 2020, or 2021 needs to be some huge improvement (e.g., 8-4/9-3) or he's fired. I really think this "give him 5-6 years" stuff goes out the window if he's here 3 years and his best record is 5-7. Even Dooley and Butch did better than that.

I think there's zero, absolutely zero, chance he's fired after this season. Even if we go 1-11.
 
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#6
#6
I have no clue, but if was to guess, I think he is okay at 2-10. I'm just guessing. From there, improvement is going to be pretty easy. A bowl in 2021 should be pretty easy.
 
#7
#7
05_never_again said:
I think if he doesn't make a bowl next year, he's kind of teetering. Could go either way. It might depend on who he loses to next year and how the team looks in those losses. Either the trigger gets pulled November 2020, or 2021 needs to be some huge improvement (e.g., 8-4/9-3) or he's fired. I really think this "give him 5-6 years" stuff goes out the window if he's here 3 years and his best record is 5-7. Even Dooley and Butch did better than that.

I think there's zero, absolutely zero, chance he's fired after this season. Even if we go 1-11.
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I think you are right on all counts. If he goes 9-3 or better next year, very few would be calling for his removal, and he'll have converted a lot of decenters-me included. If all he is able to get done next year is post some wins against cupcake teams, but fails to beat any (except Vandy-and we may not beat them again this year) SEC teams, we are not on the right track. Unless, we're pulling out of the SEC, and they just haven't announced it yet....
 
#8
#8
Pruitt is here for at least 2 more years after this one, at that point if we are moving in the right direction and winning more games against good competition he is safe. For the ones clamoring for change now, do yourself a favor and quit it. Not happening, so you can either get off and not support them or get behind the big orange and support them as they get better. Pruitt is going to get the time he needs and deserves, the players he has recruited are playing good and showing promise, the guys that have bought in from the junior and senior classes are doing good too. We just lack depth and we don't have enough quality junior and seniors overall that is our overall biggest problem. After that the D-Line should be our main priority to fix but all areas have to keep pushing to get better. Our O-Line is getting better, still not top level but we are getting there and our young lineman look promising. Pruitt is not perfect, he had a learning curve moving to head coach but he does have a good staff and I believe Pruitt is adapting well. I expect year 3 and 4 to be at least steady improvement. If Pruitt can land 2 more quality classes in a row I think he will take off here. Pruitt isn't a dog and he isn't on no leash, he will either turn it around or he won't. But if any of you are thinking that he is leaving or getting canned this year or the few years your badly mistaken. GBO!!!! VFL!!!!!!!
 
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#9
#9
At least 2 more years long.

Over the next 3 or 4 weeks we will know more. Well some will know if they think it should seriously be cut shorter or not.
 
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#10
#10
This year, he’s running free. Next year, we might move to a long tether. The year after that, he will be on a short chain. Just my opinion
 
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#11
#11
BigOrangeAl 1979 said:
If Pruitt still hasn’t made a bowl game by the 2021 season but is still recruiting decently how much longer should we give him to get it turned around I’ve heard some fans say he needs 5 to 6 seasons minimum.
Click to expand...
Take it for what it’s worth but he has a longer leash than some would suspect. When Fulmer was appointed AD it was not a unilateral decision to hire Pruitt. Several money people were on board with the hire. It was spelled out this would be a lengthy rebuild. Now that said idk that anyone foresaw Georgia State happening but they knew there would be bumps in the road.

So I think he at a minimum gets three years, I believe at this point we clear Butch off the books as well. If he shows incremental progress his third year (recruiting is decent, team is competitive) he’s back a fourth imo.

I think for better or worse we need Pruitt to get four years even if he isn’t the coach for the job. Tennessee already has a pretty terrible rep with coaches. Our fans are completely delusional throwing around names like Meyer or hell even Campbell without understanding we aren’t going to pay anywhere close to what it would take and even if we did they’re likely to get similar money somewhere else.
 
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#14
#14
I40flyer said:
I think you are right on all counts. If he goes 9-3 or better next year, very few would be calling for his removal, and he'll have converted a lot of decenters-me included. If all he is able to get done next year is post some wins against cupcake teams, but fails to beat any (except Vandy-and we may not beat them again this year) SEC teams, we are not on the right track. Unless, we're pulling out of the SEC, and they just haven't announced it yet....
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Oh, 9-3 next year, we're probably talking raise and extension and he would have converted everyone at least for the time being. He wouldn't deserve it, but that'd be an incredible season.

I see the 2020 breakdown as such:
4-8 or worse: fired
5-7: Could go either way. He'd either get fired or come into 2021 on a massive hot seat, needing something like 8-9 wins to keep his job. Could depend on the outcome of a few specific games/how we looked in those games (Vandy, Kentucky, Mizzou, South Carolina, etc.)
6-6 or better: Definitely stays
 
#15
#15
Woodlawn VOL said:
Pruitt is here for at least 2 more years after this one, at that point if we are moving in the right direction and winning more games against good competition he is safe. For the ones clamoring for change now, do yourself a favor and quit it. Not happening, so you can either get off and not support them or get behind the big orange and support them as they get better. Pruitt is going to get the time he needs and deserves, the players he has recruited are playing good and showing promise, the guys that have bought in from the junior and senior classes are doing good too. We just lack depth and we don't have enough quality junior and seniors overall that is our overall biggest problem. After that the D-Line should be our main priority to fix but all areas have to keep pushing to get better. Our O-Line is getting better, still not top level but we are getting there and our young lineman look promising. Pruitt is not perfect, he had a learning curve moving to head coach but he does have a good staff and I believe Pruitt is adapting well. I expect year 3 and 4 to be at least steady improvement. If Pruitt can land 2 more quality classes in a row I think he will take off here. Pruitt isn't a dog and he isn't on no leash, he will either turn it around or he won't. But if any of you are thinking that he is leaving or getting canned this year or the few years you mistaken badly. GBO!!!! VFL!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Sadly, you may be correct. Remember how long we had the coach worshipping crowd, demanding that we love boy butch, or we weren't real Vol Fans-and if we wanted a new, and better coach, we should find another team to support? I sure do, and I think a lot of other people do to; however, there are those that believe there is some kind of deification that comes with the HC job at UT. They were not swayed, in fact, if they would have had their way, boy butch would still be making Champions of Life at UT.
 
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#16
#16
DaddyChad said:
Take it for what it’s worth but he has a longer leash than some would suspect. When Fulmer was appointed AD it was not a unilateral decision to hire Pruitt. Several money people were on board with the hire. It was spelled out this would be a lengthy rebuild. Now that said idk that anyone foresaw Georgia State happening but they knew there would be bumps in the road.

So I think he at a minimum gets three years, I believe at this point we clear Butch off the books as well. If he shows incremental progress his third year (recruiting is decent, team is competitive) he’s back a fourth imo.

I think for better or worse we need Pruitt to get four years even if he isn’t the coach for the job. Tennessee already has a pretty terrible rep with coaches. Our fans are completely delusional throwing around names like Meyer or hell even Campbell without understanding we aren’t going to pay anywhere close to what it would take and even if we did they’re likely to get similar money somewhere else.
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That's another good point. Perhaps Pruitt is save until Butch's buyout is completed, regardless of performance. That'd keep him safe through 2020 no matter what. Butch gets paid through February 2021.
 
#17
#17
G8rh8r said:
This year, he’s running free. Next year, we might move to a long tether. The year after that, he will be on a short chain. Just my opinion
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by year 4 he better a BIG DOG on the porch fighting for his place next to the rocking chair
 
#18
#18
05_never_again said:
That's another good point. Perhaps Pruitt is save until Butch's buyout is completed, regardless of performance. That'd keep him safe through 2020 no matter what. Butch gets paid through February 2021.
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I think barring another season like this one we’re going to keep him through 2021 as well. Tennessee has a pretty favorable schedule outside of Oklahoma, Bama and Georgia next year.
 
#19
#19
I say if tenn pruitt cant compete in the sec. Aka beat Bamma. Then he needs to go. Cant beat Florida and Georgia as well as Alabama. Then tenn should hang it up. Tenn should be able to beat anyone in 15 tries.
 
#22
#22
DaddyChad said:
I think barring another season like this one we’re going to keep him through 2021 as well. Tennessee has a pretty favorable schedule outside of Oklahoma, Bama and Georgia next year.
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The schedule this year is pretty favorable too. The P5 non-conf was a home game against BYU and rotating West team is Miss St at home. Completely avoided an elite non-conf team and having to play an LSU, Auburn, or A&M. Florida and Georgia are on the road, but those are automatic losses no matter where they are played. Season is going to be a disaster anyway. I don't think we're good enough to benefit from a schedule that is relatively weak, just like we aren't good enough to afford to treat Georgia St like a scrimmage game.

If we improve next year, it is going to have to be because the team itself actually got a lot better, not because the schedule is relatively easy.
 
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#23
#23
BigOrangeAl 1979 said:
If Pruitt still hasn’t made a bowl game by the 2021 season but is still recruiting decently how much longer should we give him to get it turned around I’ve heard some fans say he needs 5 to 6 seasons minimum.
Click to expand...
He shouldn’t need 5-6 seasons to get to a bowl. I think a bowl game should be a requirement for year 2 and thereafter.
 
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