Just hear me out on Pruitt.....

[ftsandersvol]

Pruitt deserves one more year this season should’ve been a mulligan for all coaches.

So if you have a broken washing machine, are you willing to wait a year to fix it?

 

['Boro-vol]

I think there is some truth to that. But moreso from a level of competition standpoint. He lacks something that Im not sure you can really teach. Its an instinct that good and great QBs on this level have and it grows with experience. The game is just being played faster than he's capable of reacting to pre and post snap and that hasn't changed regardless of the HC, OC or QB coaches he has had here. This conference will expose that pretty quick.

All of that can be fixed with coaching. If it can't...well, that's where the 2nd and more difficult part comes in. It is also on the coach to bench and replace a kid unable to pick it up. I don't think that is the problem with JG, by the way. I think he is a product of the environment he was thrust into. Too many staff changes, new offenses and QB coaches broke whatever skillset he showed up with. He wasn't recruited the way he was for no reason...and in fact I think he has regressed since his arrival.

It's all speculation anyway. I'm just drawing on the experience with my kid. Now that it is reportedly over, we should thank JG for his time, embrace him as a VFL and move on. We owe him that, and if I'm right...much more.

 

[ArdentVol]

Look if we go out and beat #6 Florida and then # 5 Texas A&M, and beat another Bowl Game opponent, because of Bailey.

Then

1) Why didn't he start by Arkansas game?

2) You have to be optimistic about the potential moving forward.

3) He wins those 2 games, then Pruitt absolutely deserves another season. No question...

I'll go with No.2, and not the one wearing that number

 

[BeardedVol]

All of that can be fixed with coaching. If it can't...well, that's where the 2nd and more difficult part comes in. It is also on the coach to bench and replace a kid unable to pick it up. I don't think that is the problem with JG, by the way. I think he is a product of the environment he was thrust into. Too many staff changes, new offenses and QB coaches broke whatever skillset he showed up with. He wasn't recruited the way he was for no reason...and in fact I think he has regressed since his arrival.

It's all speculation anyway. I'm just drawing on the experience with my kid. Now that it is reportedly over, we should thank JG for his time, embrace him as a VFL and move on. We owe him that, and if I'm right...much more.

Only in the sense that having different OCs just highlighted the deficiencies he displayed in high school. He was always overrated when you looked at the competition he faced in high school, and still put up questionable numbers.

In hindsight, no one should be surprised that he throws so few TDs, his college performance has been in line with his HS performance in terms of what areas he was actually capable of developing.

 

[ArdentVol]

I really think the problem is Guarantano, and please understand how much I hate to say that. I wanted that kid to succeed so badly. I remember the day that he released his commitment video and where I was when I saw it. I remember being excited that another highly ranked dual threat was going to follow up Dobbs and (hopefully) continue good things.

I remember when he was caught pouting on camera his first season, and then how he really rebounded and showed resilience during the last of the Butch years when he was getting absolutely destroyed by defenses because of a crap offensive line. I gained respect for the way he took hits and just kept coming back. I respect how he played through a broken hand, because it's what we needed him to do.

I like the kid. I really wanted him to be successful and have a great UT career. And he has been a great ambassador for the school. But he has gotten more opportunities to prove himself than he ever would have gotten at any other school. And there have been times where he has looked incredible. I remember feeling so happy for him after the Auburn win in Pruitt's first season, and thinking "Okay, maybe this kid and Pruitt are going to turn it around."

But he just hasn't proven himself as a reliable, consistent quarterback at the SEC level. And ultimately, that fact just is what it is. It's not that he is a bad kid, it's quite the opposite. He is a great kid. But that alone does not an SEC quarterback make.

I am sure that for whatever reason, it has been extremely difficult on Pruitt to pull the plug on Jarrett's career at Tennessee and most likely any pro aspirations he may have had. However, his failure to do so, I fear has caused a lot of heartache, and is likely why we are in this 2-5 hole we are in. I believe that Jeremy loves and cares for his players, and desires to reward those who do well in practice, and who work hard and study film, which, by all indications, Jarrett excels at. But, the results have not shown on the field. And I'm sure for someone like Pruitt who has been around nothing but State Championship teams like Hoover High School, and then National Championship/high level teams like Alabama, Florida State, and Georgia, that doesn't compute. I'm sure he scratches his head wondering how in the world JG can do so well at practice, know the game plan and playbook so well Sunday through Friday, and then turn around and be so singlehandedly destructive on gameday. I imagine it is similar to helping your child study for a test, quizzing him daily, and the night before the test, and even the morning of the test, he knows all of the answers, and is ready, and yet, still bombs it. It just doesn't make sense to anyone.

But I really do think that once we do move on from Jarrett, be it by Pruitt's choice (which would be the right decision) or COVID keeping him for participating (not ideal or desired), or by him just moving on, we can at least start to see where we are moving forward as a program. And when you're 2-5, likely to be 3-7 (or God forbid, 2-8), with a coach who is almost certainly going to be retained, the only thing you CAN do at this point is give your fans (and recruits who are committed and watching) reason to believe that you haven't thrown the towel in, and that there is still something to believe in.

I HOPE that we will see some of that on Saturday if it is true that Bailey is starting/playing the whole game.

Very well said.

 

['Boro-vol]

Only in the sense that having different OCs just highlighted the deficiencies he displayed in high school. He was always overrated when you looked at the competition he faced in high school, and still put up questionable numbers.

In hindsight, no one should be surprised that he throws so few TDs, his college performance has been in line with his HS performance in terms of what areas he was actually capable of developing.

I don't disagree at all. I always thought the league he played in was a red flag. I believe he was possibly best athlete in a low, private school division. That's where he got his "duel-threat QB" label...that we NEVER saw any indication of here.

Regardless...he was never developed while at UT, which is magnified by the fact that he wasn't a highly rated passer to begin with. My point still stands that it's on the coaches to coach them up, or bench them and replace them. Neither was done here.

 

[BeecherVol]

All of that can be fixed with coaching. If it can't...well, that's where the 2nd and more difficult part comes in. It is also on the coach to bench and replace a kid unable to pick it up. I don't think that is the problem with JG, by the way. I think he is a product of the environment he was thrust into. Too many staff changes, new offenses and QB coaches broke whatever skillset he showed up with. He wasn't recruited the way he was for no reason...and in fact I think he has regressed since his arrival.

It's all speculation anyway. I'm just drawing on the experience with my kid. Now that it is reportedly over, we should thank JG for his time, embrace him as a VFL and move on. We owe him that, and if I'm right...much more.

I agree that you cant paint yourself into a corner especially at the QB position. In other words, you better have an option B and if you make a move to it, you better be getting C ready to be next. So from a coaching standpoint yes, it can be fixed. It has yet to happen.

Its nothing personal with JG, I didnt see it when he got here and that hasnt changed in 5 years. He may be like the current HC, good in a specific situation its just not on this level.

 

['Boro-vol]

I agree that you cant paint yourself into a corner especially at the QB position. In other words, you better have an option B and if you make a move to it, you better be getting C ready to be next. So from a coaching standpoint yes, it can be fixed. It has yet to happen.

Its nothing personal with JG, I didnt see it when he got here and that hasnt changed in 5 years. He may be like the current HC, good in a specific situation its just not on this level.

Absolutely. I've said for two years that it is coaching malfeasance to have failed at developing JG, a workable backup, or finding a grad-transfer that could step in.

7 figure HC's shouldn't have to be told that.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

You are making too many assumptions that don't particularly line up well with what seems apparent. Pruitt had the option of playing for the future with Maurer and/or Bailey. Both guys have talent and need development. Instead he invested the reps and scheme in JG.

One of the overlooked things is that you design your playbook around your current QB. You can't make things he cannot do part of your gameplans... so you can't afford to spend a lot of time practicing those things just for the sake of a back up. Those things could very well emphasize what a back up does well. So even when you see one of the others play... they're tasked with executing a gameplan and scheme designed around JG's abilities or lack thereof. For instance, if you see timing off on RPO's, slants, timing routes, or other plays that require quick reactions or anticipation... don't condemn the new QB. JG doesn't do those things well so they haven't been a focus of practice for anyone. That's one of the biggest problems with Pruitt's decision to stay with JG... his limitations have become limiting factors in the development of the other 3.

I am not an insider, but I am going to beg to differ and offer a perspective for consideration. I did played high school sports, and my brothers both played football at ORHS and one of them was a starter for Oak Ridge's state championship team, his senior year.
Both brothers graduated from UT with degrees and a strong love for all things UT. Frankly, we are extremely frustrated with this teams weaknesses.

Mike K (Duke BB coach) is an undisputedly great bb coach. He was ridiculed and the fan base complained that he was 'making' Elliot Williams ride the pine. He was an idiot of a coach not to see the opportunity to develop Elliot. Mike's failure to play EW, was the subject of repeated distain by fans.
Not sure of the exact quote, but coach K's response was something along this line, When he is ready, he will play more. Till then, he plays the minutes I determine he has earned. I am not playing a player who is not ready to play.

Coach K get's it. There is a tremendous risk to playing players who are not ready. Even more true in football. Think back at how many players BJ got hurt because they were NOT ready to play.

Love him or hate him, I certainly can respect a coach for NOT sending a player out there when they are 'not' ready for it. THAT IS a coaches decision.
There are reasons to play a freshman at quarterback: you got nobody else, they are already better than everyone else on the team, they make fewer bad decisions, they are the only qb the team believes in, etc.

Furthermore, we are overlooking the efforts of Sunday night scrimmages to get players more playing time .... to get them more ready to play. That is an out of the box solution ... to solve a really bad situation. Players are not ready ... that is why he started Sunday night scrimmages (or at least one of the reasons).
Blame JP (or one or more of his coaches) for lack of development: that very well could be a fair complaint. But remember, you have no idea how much time to develop them the coaches have actually had this year (I am assuming none of us have been at practice).
Everybody and his entire family is blaming things on Covid19 (some of it real and some of it is an excuse), but for us to contend that it has no affect on the state of the football program is ... frankly, asinine.

I am looking forward to what HB shows us on Saturday against FLA. Go Vols.
Ricochet. Fire away.

 

[VolArmy74]

All in losing efforts.

They beat Vandy, lost by 7 at UGA and 7 at Ole Miss. In year one. With no practice in spring or summer. With a completely different system than the team was built to run. If you don't think a true freshman going on the road at Georgia and throwing for 300+ yards with no interceptions is impressive, how badly must you view our QB situation?

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

Pruitt deserves a pink slip.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Maybe all of this is the “rough patches” a 1st time head coach goes through and Pruitt will come out the other side a better coach.

I would have agreed with this last season. But this year, he has made the EXACT same mistake, relying solely on JG while not having a backup ready to step in. That is not a „rough patch“ from which Pruitt can learn since he obviously learned absolutely NOTHING last time around.

 

[Noggin]

I’m not taking sides with anybody on the issue, but the fact is the RESULTS are not looking good. Let’s say Pruitts hands were tied with JG and Bailey comes out breathing new life into the program. I know everyone else has dealt with Covid as well, but Bailey missed a lot of coaching and reps because of this crappy pandemic. I may be digging too deep but I honestly think when Pruitt kept saying “JG gives us the best chance to win”, I think he was saying that because Bailey hasn’t had the reps. I also agree that Bailey should’ve gotten more reps earlier, that’s the one part that upsets me the most. I want the results (wins) just as much as anybody and I’m mad as hell about how this program has seemed to go backwards after a somewhat positive year last year, but what will everyone’s reactions be if Bailey comes out on fire?

Pruitt needs to stay till the end of the 2025 season or later.

 

[rnouredd]

My thing with Pruitt is that he seems to have just lost his fire. He seems too calm and almost apathetic on the sidelines and in press conferences. Doesn’t seem as pissed as he should be anymore.

Y’all remember that intensity he had when he first took over? His first press conference as the new head coach? He got us fans so fired up with that intensity, that “everyone from the guy mopping to the fans” doing their part in building the program.

Now he lethargically praises the team after taking 30+ point a$$ whoopings every week.

 

[CINCYVOL]

We should’ve had Shrout and Maurer better prepared too. Im sorry, but in the Mizzou game and Kentucky games we should’ve had HB in there a lot sooner. also Pruitt practically said he threw and kept Bailey on scout team until Kentucky game, which should not have happened. I hope Pruitt proves us all wrong and is able to turn it around, but its looking very unlikely

JG, Shrout, and Mauer aren’t SEC caliber QBs

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

I don’t think anybody is gonna say “fahr” him, it’s all about just seeing a change at this point and getting him reps.

My point is he is most likely not going to come out “on fire,” and we shouldn’t set the kid up to fail by expecting he will.

 

[tastycar]

Pruitt needs to stay till the end of the 2025 season or later.

I'm lobbying for lifetime extension!

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Pruitt needs to stay till the end of the 2025 season or later.

The opposing SEC coaches feel the same way

 

[BeardedVol]

Pruitt needs to stay till the end of the 2025 season or later.

 

[sjt18]

I am not an insider, but I am going to beg to differ and offer a perspective for consideration. I did played high school sports, and my brothers both played football at ORHS and one of them was a starter for Oak Ridge's state championship team, his senior year.
Both brothers graduated from UT with degrees and a strong love for all things UT. Frankly, we are extremely frustrated with this teams weaknesses.

Mike K (Duke BB coach) is an undisputedly great bb coach. He was ridiculed and the fan base complained that he was 'making' Elliot Williams ride the pine. He was an idiot of a coach not to see the opportunity to develop Elliot. Mike's failure to play EW, was the subject of repeated distain by fans.
Not sure of the exact quote, but coach K's response was something along this line, When he is ready, he will play more. Till then, he plays the minutes I determine he has earned. I am not playing a player who is not ready to play.

Coach K get's it. There is a tremendous risk to playing players who are not ready. Even more true in football. Think back at how many players BJ got hurt because they were NOT ready to play.

Love him or hate him, I certainly can respect a coach for NOT sending a player out there when they are 'not' ready for it. THAT IS a coaches decision.
There are reasons to play a freshman at quarterback: you got nobody else, they are already better than everyone else on the team, they make fewer bad decisions, they are the only qb the team believes in, etc.

Furthermore, we are overlooking the efforts of Sunday night scrimmages to get players more playing time .... to get them more ready to play. That is an out of the box solution ... to solve a really bad situation. Players are not ready ... that is why he started Sunday night scrimmages (or at least one of the reasons).
Blame JP (or one or more of his coaches) for lack of development: that very well could be a fair complaint. But remember, you have no idea how much time to develop them the coaches have actually had this year (I am assuming none of us have been at practice).
Everybody and his entire family is blaming things on Covid19 (some of it real and some of it is an excuse), but for us to contend that it has no affect on the state of the football program is ... frankly, asinine.

I am looking forward to what HB shows us on Saturday against FLA. Go Vols.
Ricochet. Fire away.

I am actually talking about a long line of decisions starting in January '19.

But no. I don't buy it. To start the season? OK. Maybe he didn't have time to work the others and particularly HB. But he CHOSE to stick with JG even after it was clear he couldn't get it done. He's had time over the last 6 or 7 weeks to get at least a limited playbook developed for someone else. He continued to give JG the starter's reps. He continued to design the gameplans around him and his limitations. Those gameplans do not work well for the others. Last year Maurer did much better when they gameplanned for him to be the starter. For the most part JG struggled even worse when it was a Maurer gameplan. The opposite was also largely true. Two different players. One with limitations a 4th or 5th year QB shouldn't have. Another with weaknesses you'd expect a true Fr to have. But they struggled to do well at the same things.

If HB is the starter then one of the things I look forward to is seeing how he looks in a gameplan designed for him.

 

[sjt18]

Maybe all of this is the “rough patches” a 1st time head coach goes through and Pruitt will come out the other side a better coach.

Maybe. Unfortunately coaches that have failed at first usually only find success after a change of scenery.

 

[sjt18]

Pruitt needs to stay till the end of the 2025 season or later.

If your long term goal is to compete with UK for 4th in the East... then you are right. Keeping a coach who isn't championship caliber assures you of having a program that isn't championship caliber.

 

[901 Orange]

I honestly think people will be even more pi**ed if that happens.

But they shouldnt be. Its highly possible and probable that HB is actually just now at a point in his development to give him the keys. He missed alot of time which set him back. Even if u started to get him live reps after Kentucky it was still only 4 weeks (10-12 practices). Pruitt is actually practicing what he preached. He didnt want to throw HB to the wolves so he let the wolves eat off JG's face.

 

[OrangeSquid]

Look if we go out and beat #6 Florida and then # 5 Texas A&M, and beat another Bowl Game opponent, because of Bailey.
Then.....
3) He wins those 2 games, then Pruitt absolutely deserves another season. was and is an idiot No question...

I honestly think people will be even more pi**ed if that happens.

Everyone will be more pissed than ever to find out Baily sat on the bench during all the games that JG through away!

Couldn't agree more with these 2 statements!

 

[kbear01]

Pruitt deserves one more year this season should’ve been a mulligan for all coaches.