Let's be honest

[YankeeVol]

Tennessee was not going to spend big money. They been hiring guys who would take the job. Dooley and Butch Jones. Really. Both of them were in way over their heads. So are you happy with what Butch Jones says about running through the T for the first time? He goes 0-8 in the SEC and says the right things and that's not ok with me. You people will get to like Pruitt. Lets say this. You wonder why no elite coach would take the Tennessee job. It's because they would have to rebuild the whole football team from the ground up. Pruitt catches all kind of crap from you so called fans. Jones left him a sorry football team. It starts in the weight room. This team for the last 8 years has been soft. Bama, Florida, Georgia and Carolina just lines up and smashes us in the month. This team has no depth either. The one thing we can't afford to lose was O-lineman. We lost 2 for the year. We have not had a big time QB in for how long. None was comming here because of that stupid offense Butch Jones ran. And no big time WRs were comming here either. You see a big time WR in Higgins went to Clemson. And another big O-lineman Mayes he went to Georgia. The kids seen what was going on here. Pruitt is going to change all that.

Pruitt is making just over $3.8 mil, good for 8th in the SEC. Not bad for a first time HC.

It came down to more than money during this search. Curry made a complete debacle out of the coaching search. We weren't getting a top tier coach (not that I think Fulmer went after any).

 

[82_VOL_83]

VolNavy01......…...Good point. To me, he's condescending to a fault. Yes, I am basing this on what I have personally seen from him, after all, it's my opinion, you are certainly welcome to yours. Yes, I have listened to those stupid questions he tries to answer. He can answer them without his demeanor. No, I don't personally know CJP. Since you obviously do, please tell us some great stories that you have personal knowledge. How long have you known CJP? No, I don't hang out with him, do you? The players probably do need to like him...…….or maybe the word should be respect. If he was 11-0 right now, my opinions wouldn't change. Sorry you wasted your time trying to set me straight.

Said @VolNavy01 never.

 

[basspond]

Whether Pruitt is likable on a personal level is hard to assess without actually meeting him. I can see where his deadpan TV persona, while a welcome change from Butch, could leave some fans cold. But, if he starts winning, no one will care if he is not Mr. Congeniality. If he doesn't start winning, its just one more reason not to like him, I guess.

Is there a single Patriot fan that doesn't want Bill Belichick? It's not because of his glowing personality.

 

[ptcarter]

I think the attendance numbers are due to a couple of issues...
1. with high-def TV and comfort of your own home becoming widely normal to the general community makes attending a packed out stadium where you squeeze into your hard metal bench seat not very accommodating. Just general conveinences, like getting up to get a fresh cold one out of the fridge.
2. After this coaching carousel we've been on with our inconsistent win record and just plain fall of our dominance in the east from what were accustomed to for so long to now being in in competive games with Kentucky and vandy. That is starting to take it's toll on our fan base, appathy sets in and people get tired of getting kicked in the balls weekend to weekend...as another vn member put it.

As far as Pruitt goes...I don't think he is happy with this current situation. He doesn't have his guys here yet.. hopefully he gets them in here but I can tell he is a bammer through and through. As long as the player like him and the coaching staff that's what really matters. They have to want to play for him. He's got to be able to connect with them and have them in the right mindset to come out and perform. I do like his straight forward approach as "I'm just a no nonsense football coach though. On a personal level we probably wouldn't have enough in common to warrant hanging out on the weekends.

I'd add a number 3. Tickets to the big games hovering around $100 per. It's a big commitment to take a family of 5 to a ballgame. Refer to point 1 above. Me: I've been a season ticket holder for a long time. Never thought I'd drop them. I live 200 miles from Knoxville and there are games that I just don't want to drive too. I'm thinking about going to a couple of games I want to a year, and not paying for the cupcake games. Those tickets have traditionally dried up in the drawer where I keep them.

Just looked at next years schedule. Actually, the home games look decent for 2019, so it might not be the year to pull the plug. BYU, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vandy. Not a bad slate. Throw in UAB and Georgia State, which I won't go to. Dunno. Note, my kids aren't in school there anymore as of May, so that's part of it.

 

[05_never_again]

There should be a spike in enthusiasm for a coach's first season, so why such a large drop in attendance? Lane obviously got fans excited. I remember it vividly. He was the first coaching change I had experienced and it was a feeling of new blood and a new era. Dooley received far less enthusiasm from the fans, but it was expected given the sudden and strange departure of Kiffin. Butch came in and really had the fan support. He said all the right things, knocked recruiting out of the park, beat Steve Spurrier in his first season. Hell, he crushed it.

Diminishing returns. Remember, when Lane took over, this program was just 2 years removed from an SECCG appearance. When Dooley took over, just 3 years removed. We are now 11 years removed from the last division title and approaching 20 years removed from our last truly "good" season (2001). BVS (Battered Vol Syndrome) is a real thing.

All that's going to matter with Pruitt is if he wins. If he was funny, or charismatic, or had some other quality about him that made it easy for the fans to like him, but he didn't win, would he remain the coach? Of course he wouldn't. Just win baby. A losing coach with a charismatic/charming/magnetic personality quickly becomes labeled as "fake" or "disingenuous."

And honestly, how much a coach wins effects if you view their personality as "likable" or not. How quickly would Bammers put up with Saban's demeanor if he didn't win enough for their liking? They think that Saban's shortness with the media and overall grouchy attitude is funny because he wins. If you're a football fan, a coach who wins instantly makes them likable no matter what their personality is. If Saban consistently lost big games and blew opportunities and came into the media room saying "trust the process" and was curt with reporters, would Bammers think it was funny?

This fanbase is bipolar - after wins, Pruitt's demeanor on the coach's show is funny and seen as a good thing because it means he'd rather be watching film. After losses, his demeanor is unacceptable because it means he doesn't care about Tennessee and its traditions. Your perception of his personality is almost entirely determined by the outcome of the previous day's game.

 

[ptcarter]

The guy is following the worst season in UT history which was at the end of one of the worst 10 year stretches in UT history . I see development in the team on the field , no turmoil off the field , 2 SEC wins , and a shot at a bowl game. I like him for the upward trending results. I don't need 'feel good talk' from a coach ( see Butch ) . It is worthless in the big picture. I want to see a competitive product on the field. I feel like we are getting there . I am anxious to see what happens with the new class and what happens when we have some depth and developed talent on the field next season . Holding judgement until then

Take that one step further. I'd be REAL suspicious if we were getting "feel good" talk at anytime during this season.

 

[Mightyvol]

It took 10 to 15 years to destroy TN football, this mess isn't going to be fixed in a year. The SEC better get it's act together also. The officiating is nothing short of atrocious. The TV timeouts are too frequent and too long diminishing the stadium experience and the main reason we attend, to watch the Vols play football.

 

[IPleadInsanity]

He is not a media guy with a big personality. Refreshing after the last joker.

 

[R481967]

1. with high-def TV and comfort of your own home becoming widely normal to the general community makes attending a packed out stadium where you squeeze into your hard metal bench seat not very accommodating.

Add to that running the gauntlet of female city police officers groping my fishing tackle, and traffic cops closing off all but one or two entrances to the environs of the stadium, the "Saturday afternoon @ Neyland" experience has lost a lot of its luster. And the fact that I'm decades older than when I went to school there, trying to do the "updated" stairwells of the remodeled stadium is hard on me. Yeah, we got elevator passes, but that's an admission of old age. And, as ultimateUT stated, having a monstrous Samsung 4K HD tv is not bad. But I do miss Bob's game calling... something else.

 

[maotai]

Most of us just have reset fatigue. This is what apathy feels like. It’s difficult to get excited after all of the crap we’ve had for a decade. All there is to do is nitpick or seek out moral victories.

You hit on what I think is the biggest reason for the fan attitudes right now. This is the fourth coach in a row telling everyone that it is the players that are the problem and it is going to take three, four, even 5 years years to turn things around, etc, blah blah blah. This is also the fourth coach in a row that the coach worshiping fans are telling everyone he has us on the right path, I believe in my heart of hearts he is going to do well, if you can't see the improvement you are blind, its a 5 year rebuild, etc blah blah blah.

 

[ptcarter]

There is little question in my mind at least that Pruitt is a full blooded Bammer and that will take years to wash off, if it ever does. That said, I think the reason you see his taciturn side is because he is not winning. From all I have heard, he is a hyper competitive guy and I think he is frustrated that players are not executing what he is coaching - he is not really used to that. He has a "RAGE to win" and I dont think he much appreciates or understands anyone who doesnt, much less some of the soft players he inherited. Consider that Pruitt has not been on a team with a losing season perhaps his entire coaching career. Let that sink in a second.

I like his homegrown Southern shtick. I do wish it was a bit more eloquent in his articulation. I think, however, after the rah rah rah of the past, I am happy to trade for someone who is relentlessly fixated on recruiting, practicing and game day coaching and thinks everything else (including our opinion) is a waste of his time. Winning is the only thing that matters. Traditions are great and all but Pruitt is not here to live off of the glories of the ancient past. He is here to create the program everyone speaks about in hushed tones in years to come when lesser men replace him. That is how we make those traditions mean something both now and in the future. That is a mindset that Saban no doubt reinforced. Sadly, the UT admin lost sight of that some time ago and look where that has gotten us.

I've heard him say a couple of times: (paraphasing) "My duty is to leave this place better than I found it". There is a paranoid side of me that says "He's outta here once he gets the a good thing going and an offer rolls in". Then I talk myself off the ledge and think: well, I heard that a thousand times from my Mom, and maybe he's had the same type of raising. Ya gotta wonder, it wouldn't take much to leave at any time and realize it's better than what he found when he landed here. Bar was set to an all time low.

Also, think of the seniors this year and even next year - what they have been through, even the 5th year ones. So much negativity and poor coaching along the way. How do you motivate a guy that already has his legacy etched in stone as being on crappy teams, and when Tennessee rebounds, they can't claim any of that. Pruitt probably wants to see most of these guys be replaced. Not all - Some I'm sure he will miss. Kyle Phillips and Shy Tuttle come to mind.

Let's see what he restocks the shelves with before we rush to judgement.

 

[OldandStillaVol]

Agree. I want Coach Pruitt to focus his energy and time on recruiting and development of players. Less energy devoted to media and fans is fine with me. I don’t worry about attendance drop off - this is happening across the board at sporting events. Put a great team on the field and Tennessee will support it.

 

[VolNavy01]

VolNavy01......…...Good point. To me, he's condescending to a fault. Yes, I am basing this on what I have personally seen from him, after all, it's my opinion, you are certainly welcome to yours. Yes, I have listened to those stupid questions he tries to answer. He can answer them without his demeanor. No, I don't personally know CJP. Since you obviously do, please tell us some great stories that you have personal knowledge. How long have you known CJP? No, I don't hang out with him, do you? The players probably do need to like him...…….or maybe the word should be respect. If he was 11-0 right now, my opinions wouldn't change. Sorry you wasted your time trying to set me straight.

It’s obviously obvious you need to work on your reading comprehension.

 

[Vol524]

I don't know him personally. I do like his style of coaching and his approach to dealing with the players. No nonsense, straight to the point and make no excuses. When I was young and played sports my favorite coach was just like Pruitt. I would love to sit down and drink a beer with Pruitt sometime. Probably won't happen but I am up for it. I do love some of his facial expressions when Bob or some reporter asks him a stupid question. I will give him one thing. He is NOT a cheerleader and he is all business when it comes to football. GO VOLS

 

[volcop1]

I will say, I love his use of the onside kick. I'd love it even more if our guys would execute it.

I wish he had the on sides kick shoved up his arse

 

[Vol524]

I've taken numerous folks into Neyland Stadium to watch a game. And I've always hoped that they felt what I felt when the T opened up and the team ran through it. I really find it to be one of the most spectacular elements in all of college football. And to describe it as "uhhh....it's different" is a total slap in the face to the fans, our state, our history, and our tradition.

A lot of people here want to compare Pruitt to Saban. The difference is Saban is actually a funny guy. Sure, he's an ass sometimes, but he's got how many trophies? I find the comparison to be wishful thinking.

I didn't like his response to how it felt to run through the T either. Then I got to thinking about. He doesn't have the past here that most of us do. It used to send chills up my spine when we were feared by many of our competitors and we would come roaring through the T on game day. I don't think many teams fear us now. I do think that will change soon. Pruitt did stop the team on their Vol walk this past weekend and try to get them to understand what it is all about. He is coming around.

 

[volgrad500]

I see the VN echo chamber has been fired up. This notion that we have no talent is simply not true, no matter how many times it gets repeated. Do we have the talent to beat Alabama-no. But our roster isn't some buy-game type team either. We have bottom of the half SEC players (as they have been developed), and that's what our results have been.

 

[pharmDvol11]

I say next coaching search we use eHarmony. That way we can make sure we find not only our coach but our soul mate too...

 

[BloomuVol]

I see the VN echo chamber has been fired up. This notion that we have no talent is simply not true, no matter how many times it gets repeated. Do we have the talent to beat Alabama-no. But our roster isn't some buy-game type team either. We have bottom of the half SEC players (as they have been developed), and that's what our results have been.

It's not a lack of talent, it's a lack of development, unfortunately the upperclassmen are not likely to develop enough to get to were they should be. This team is very much filled with what could have been.

 

[volgrad500]

It's not a lack of talent, it's a lack of development, unfortunately the upperclassmen are not likely to develop enough to get to were they should be. This team is very much filled with what could have been.

I agree, that's why I said "as they have been developed". Based on talent alone, we have consistently pulled in upper tier talent. But like we both acknowledged, that hasn't been developed and is now bottom rung SEC quality. But that kind of talent should at least be competitive. There has been a lot of games we have not been. It's still WAAAAY to early to make any judgements on Pruitt imo, but those acting like he's done some miraculous job so far I think are spinning like crazy.

 

[greazy1722]

Coach Pruitt at least should have won 7 games this season..This was an experience football team this year..I really didnt see much improvements..The key to Tennessee sucesss is not just Pruitt coaching but its about finding that franchise QB..JG is not the answer if Pruitt start JG expect 5 to 6 wins next season..

 

[YankeeVol]

I'd add a number 3. Tickets to the big games hovering around $100 per. It's a big commitment to take a family of 5 to a ballgame. Refer to point 1 above. Me: I've been a season ticket holder for a long time. Never thought I'd drop them. I live 200 miles from Knoxville and there are games that I just don't want to drive too. I'm thinking about going to a couple of games I want to a year, and not paying for the cupcake games. Those tickets have traditionally dried up in the drawer where I keep them.

Just looked at next years schedule. Actually, the home games look decent for 2019, so it might not be the year to pull the plug. BYU, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vandy. Not a bad slate. Throw in UAB and Georgia State, which I won't go to. Dunno. Note, my kids aren't in school there anymore as of May, so that's part of it.

I was a season ticket holder up until this season (including 3 years in Alaska). It just wasn't worth the 'investment' to me anymore.

I still made it to 3 games this season

 

[Orangeredblooded]

I know a lot of you are internet tough guys and actual conversation is far less likely than getting flamed. I don't hold it against you, it's just the East Tennessean fighter blood that flows through your veins. And no, this isn't a "knee jerk" reaction after a loss thread. This is a legitimate question/concern/conversation/get the gears in your head turning thread.

Do any of you guys actually like our coach? I know winning cures all. But I mean do you actually like the dude? Dig deep. Actually think about the question. Are you proud to call Jeremy Pruitt the coach of our beloved Vols? Or did Fulmer and our university totally just whiff the hell out of this thing the way they always do?

It would be fair to wait until the end of the season to judge, and even then seems a bit premature. But I'm not necessarily talking about his win/loss record. I'm talking about him as a representative of our program. Forget the 5-6 start. I can look beyond that.

Most of you are going to throw hateful things in my direction and tell me to go back to my momma's basement, but some numbers tell me that others may feel the same.

2009, Lane Kiffin's first and only season. 7-6 record. We averaged 100,000 fans in the seats.

2010, Dools first season. 6-7 record. We averaged 100,000.

2013, Butch Jones first season. 5-7 record. We averaged 96,000.

2016, Butch Jones best season. 9-4 record. 101,000 average attendance.

2018, Jeremy Pruitt's first season. 5-6 record. 92,869 average attendance. 3 games didn't even hit 90k.

There should be a spike in enthusiasm for a coach's first season, so why such a large drop in attendance? Lane obviously got fans excited. I remember it vividly. He was the first coaching change I had experienced and it was a feeling of new blood and a new era. Dooley received far less enthusiasm from the fans, but it was expected given the sudden and strange departure of Kiffin. Butch came in and really had the fan support. He said all the right things, knocked recruiting out of the park, beat Steve Spurrier in his first season. Hell, he crushed it.

Pruitt. It irked the hell out of me the way he answered Bob's question in the 2nd episode of The JP Show regarding running through the T for the first time. I stated that it bothered me right after it happened in the JP Show thread and caught some heat for it. Guess what? It still bothers me. Even more so now that we're 5-6. "It was uhhh....different", was the line. Mind you, this episode was following a win. It wasn't after getting straight whipped by West Virginia. No. It was after beating lowly ETSU, Pruitt's first win as the Tennessee head coach. His attitude sucks, and it's not good for business.

Do I like Pruitt more than Schiano? You're damn right I do. Do I like him more than Mike Leach? Not even close. Les Miles? Nope. Dan Mullen? Hard to say. Butch Jones? I don't think so. Dooley? I'm not sure.

Win, and of course, I'll shut up. But Coach Pruitt, you're making $4,000,000 a year to coach football. Ideally, you're supposed to win the games. If you don't, however, at least give us the impression that you're a good dude and that you're happy to be in Knoxville. Because at the end of the day, you're still going to be rich, and we're still going to be sitting on cold, hard, metal bleachers hoping that things change.

I'll go on record right now and say I have doubts that this experiment is going to work out. I think Mike Leach, Les Miles, or Dan Mullen would have been a better choice. And I'm not saying fire the guy. That's not going to accomplish anything. But win or lose, I don't really like this dude, and I'm feeling super disconnected from Tennessee football because of it.

Flame away.

I’ve thought about your comment on CJP making that comment about running through the “T” and pretty much agreed with you at the time. As the season has gone, I’ve also believe now, that he is from Alabama, played for them and coached for them. Up until when he was hired here, bled Crimson and their traditions. Running through the “T” is one our emotional traditions and means a lot to anyone that bleeds orange. Anyone outside of our program and fans probably doesn’t understand the significance of it to us. Since he is now the head coach, I hope he learns that and hopefully embrace it in the future.

 

[bpalmer28]

Coach Pruitt at least should have won 7 games this season..This was an experience football team this year..I really didnt see much improvements..The key to Tennessee sucesss is not just Pruitt coaching but its about finding that franchise QB..JG is not the answer if Pruitt start JG expect 5 to 6 wins next season..

Experienced? We’ve got 4 new starters on the OL and the 5th is Richmond. Our top 2 corners are true freshmen. We’ve also got first year platers starting at TE and S. Our RB is a first year starter. Everyone on the team is in their first year in the system.

Why you so mad at Pruitt?

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

I will say, I love his use of the onside kick. I'd love it even more if our guys would execute it.

This is my favorite thing about CJP. I personally think we should do it more. It is a low percentage play with regard to getting the ball but with todays new rules regarding getting the ball at the 25, the fact that a pooch that is covered by the receiving team is only going to give up about 10 yards in field position and the absolute momentum shift that happens when you do recover one, doing this basically every game a minimum of one time will make your deep kicks more effective and your team WILL get better at recovering the kick.