Let's be honest

[Brave Volunteer]

Why? What has he done?

Because he likes cornbread, apparently.

 

[LosingFaithVol]

Why is your screen name Bear Bryant?

Bama troll!

 

[OJ]

Proud of my Coach. Not proud of you.

 

[VolAllen]

Proud of my Coach. Not proud of you.

Lmao, at this point I’ve done just as much for the Tennessee football program as he has. The only difference is, I actually give money to the cause rather than take it.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I actually like Pruitt, but the way the coaching search went soured me a lot on this season before he was even announced. So much so I didn't even try to go to a game, I usually attend O&W or one regular season game each season. Not Pruitt's fault at all either, but a few other names seemed to be "sure things" some of which really had me excited (Mike Leach) and to end up with an unproven first time HC -after- Fulmer stepped in as AD...yeah, I need to see something before I can get excited again.

Just didn't bother. But hearing what he says, how he talks ball, how he interacts with media and fans. I like him, he seems real. Maybe he doesn't end up being our savior but I can and will root for his success. Can't say the same for Dooley or Butch.

 

[VolAllen]

I actually like Pruitt, but the way the coaching search went soured me a lot on this season before he was even announced. So much so I didn't even try to go to a game, I usually attend O&W or one regular season game each season. Not Pruitt's fault at all either, but a few other names seemed to be "sure things" some of which really had me excited (Mike Leach) and to end up with an unproven first time HC -after- Fulmer stepped in as AD...yeah, I need to see something before I can get excited again.

Just didn't bother. But hearing what he says, how he talks ball, how he interacts with media and fans. I like him, he seems real. Maybe he doesn't end up being our savior but I can and will root for his success. Can't say the same for Dooley or Butch.

I think with Dooley and Butch, they were both in wayyyy over their heads and totally under qualified for the job, but they at least tried to humor the media, fans, and donors with lines like “going to bring in the best staff in America”, “win the state of Tennessee”, “our guys are building houses because they plan to stay in Knoxville for a long time”, orange pants, etc etc. After all, it’s not their fault that incompetent AD’s offered them millions.

Its one thing to strike out swinging, but Pruitt doesn’t even seem to want to hold the bat.

 

[alaVOL]

Got a buddy who is a Bama booster. (Small scale but still) he says that Pruitt has burned his bridge back to Bama. I thought it was odd considering he stayed to Coach the playoffs for Bama.

Like Mullen and Florida? Winning changes everything.

 

[Chad F]

Skepticism is the new rule. It was inevitable that it would come to this ... in fact, it’s a testament to the strength of our fan base that it didn’t set in sooner. You can only endure so much disappointment and fools masquerading as football coaches and ADs before you just start believing that the entire athletic department is populated with incompetents. Anyone who says someone isn’t a “real fan” if they show a little skepticism until we see results on the field hasn’t been paying attention for the last 10 years.

 

[VolAllen]

Skepticism is the new rule. It was inevitable that it would come to this ... in fact, it’s a testament to the strength of our fan base that it didn’t set in sooner. You can only endure so much disappointment and fools masquerading as football coaches and ADs before you just start believing that the entire athletic department is populated with incompetents. Anyone who says someone isn’t a “real fan” if they show a little skepticism until we see results on the field hasn’t been paying attention for the last 10 years.

I’m beginning to wonder if it’s ever going to change.

 

[YankeeVol]

Skepticism is the new rule. It was inevitable that it would come to this ... in fact, it’s a testament to the strength of our fan base that it didn’t set in sooner. You can only endure so much disappointment and fools masquerading as football coaches and ADs before you just start believing that the entire athletic department is populated with incompetents. Anyone who says someone isn’t a “real fan” if they show a little skepticism until we see results on the field hasn’t been paying attention for the last 10 years.

You can also apply this to the LVs on the basketball court...

 

[VolInNW]

Skepticism is the new rule. It was inevitable that it would come to this ... in fact, it’s a testament to the strength of our fan base that it didn’t set in sooner. You can only endure so much disappointment and fools masquerading as football coaches and ADs before you just start believing that the entire athletic department is populated with incompetents. Anyone who says someone isn’t a “real fan” if they show a little skepticism until we see results on the field hasn’t been paying attention for the last 10 years.

Well said.

 

[VolForLife83]

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.

Those season attendance records were from previous seasons success, or lack of. Not the coach

 

[chattavol420]

I'll go on record and admit I'm not a fan. Going out and hiring an assistant at bama was the most fulmer thing we could've possibly done. He hired a guy that couldnt say no. He didn't go get a big/proven guy that he was able to convince to come here. He hired a life long bammer that could never turn this job down (because there were no other programs interested in him as a head coach). It turned me off that he stayed with them through the college football playoffs and freaking celebrated with bama. What the hell? And how on earth could fulmer have interviewed him and came away impressed? Dude has the personality of a brick wall. I also hate that he sounds so dumb when he talks. "They done good out there" we wuz trying to stop em but we ain't good"...he also continually threw our players under the us all year. Some of those kids played their asses off for him. They weren't the ones calling inside runs on first and second down when the defense had the box loaded all year. He's not the charismatic leader that a great coach has to be. Unfortunately...he'll be here for about 4 more years. Fulmer will be loyal to him till the end because thats fulmers legacy on the line as an ad. Just sucks to be a Tennessee fan honestly.

 

[Devo182]

I'll go on record and admit I'm not a fan. Going out and hiring an assistant at bama was the most fulmer thing we could've possibly done. He hired a guy that could t say no. He didn't go get a big/proven guy that he was able to convince to come here. He hired a life long bammer that could never turn this job down. It turned me off that he stayed through the college football playoffs and freaking celebrated with bama. What the hell? And how on earth could fulmer have interviewed him and came away impressed? Dude has the personality of a brick wall. I also hate that he sounds so dumb when he takes. "They done good out there" we wuz trying to stop me but we ain't good"...he also continually there our players under the us all year. Some of those kids played their asses off for him. They weren't the ines calling inside runs on first and second down when the defense had the box loaded all year. He's not a charismatic leader that a great coach has to be. Unfortunately...he'll be here for about 4 more years. Fulmer will be loyal to him till the end because thats fulmers legacy on the line as an ad. Just sucks to be a Tennessee fan honestly.

C'mon, the qualities you're looking at are 1) personality and 2) charisma??

Seriously, look up top coaches right now and you'll find more dull guys than not I bet. Now go to the rah rah up and comer cheesy guys and you'll find all the personality in the world.

Saban - dull, robotic, has he ever cracked a smile?

Kirby - same and he seems dumb too with that face of his

Urban - dull with a resting bitch face

Dabo - Most charismatic so far. Seems likable. 1 out of 4

Most coaches aren't Bruce Pearl. They are tough and serious, even to a fault. But so are great generals.

 

[photovol]

Skepticism is the new rule. It was inevitable that it would come to this ... in fact, it’s a testament to the strength of our fan base that it didn’t set in sooner. You can only endure so much disappointment and fools masquerading as football coaches and ADs before you just start believing that the entire athletic department is populated with incompetents. Anyone who says someone isn’t a “real fan” if they show a little skepticism until we see results on the field hasn’t been paying attention for the last 10 years.

A good paraellel would believing the news media, while everyone knows 98% of what the media says is BS

 

[spyfish007]

I am curious about another impact, which are the changes to the tax law. We're season tickets down significantly? If so not being able to write off the donation could be a factor.

 

[08Vol]

A good paraellel would believing the news media, while everyone knows 98% of what the media says is BS

Fake news. America is falling apart b/c the truth doesn’t agree with their feelings

 

[photovol]

Fake news. America is falling apart b/c the truth doesn’t agree with their feelings

The media is owned and they say exactly what their piers tell them to say, it's that simple.
Sad, very sad, but the truth is out there some where, you just have to look for it.

 

[jwilliams]

 

[VolAllen]

I am curious about another impact, which are the changes to the tax law. We're season tickets down significantly? If so not being able to write off the donation could be a factor.

That could be true going forward, but not for any prior season. Also note, the country was in a deep recession during 2009, and Kiffin was still able to create enough enthusiasm to get people out of the house and into the stands.

 

[CA_Vol]

Pruitt is an old school football coach. He isn’t going to seek out love from the fans. He isn’t going to develop a bunch of hollow slogans. What he wants to do is develop young men and put together a winning program.

The reality is he inhereted a really bad locker room at a time when the perpetual rebuild is more difficult than ever, with UGA and UF clearly ahead of us in talent and staff. And losing to Vandy by 26 didn’t help instill in anyone that this is going to be a quick turnaround.

Pruitt is an elite recruiter. But what weve seen thus far is that he can get the horse to the water, but he can’t make them drink. He isn’t doing to be able to close the guys who are going to our top rivals until we are at least competing against them. Sure, he will grab a few, and we may have a nice class, but we are still failing behind from a talent perspective. That will only change if he can coach them up and scheme around our deficiencies. That is a question still without an answer.

 

[volgrad500]

I don't know if he's going to be a decent head coach, and I don't think anyone else does yet either. His recruiting is pretty much where any coach would recruit here (see Arkansas and Ole Miss being in top 20 also after also having bad seasons). But the guy does not seem like he's all that bright, to be honest. It may be a schtick, idk. But his interview during signing day made him look like sling blade.

 

[volgrad500]

Pruitt is an old school football coach. He isn’t going to seek out love from the fans. He isn’t doing to develop a bunch of hollow slogans. What he wants to do is develop young men and put together a winning program..

I get that. But people act like the only choice is between an idiot like Butch who was nothing but slogans and bullshat, or a complete stiff who instills zero confidence. Saban, Kirby, Dabo, etc. those guys may not love talking to the media, but they know leading an organization like this requires a certain skill set. If you aren't able to do that, you should probably stay as an assistant.

 

[Behr]

Pruitt is an old school football coach. He isn’t going to seek out love from the fans. He isn’t doing to develop a bunch of hollow slogans. What he wants to do is develop young men and put together a winning program.

The reality is he inhereted a really bad locker room at a time when the perpetual rebuild is more difficult than ever, with UGA and UF clearly ahead of us in talent and staff. And losing to Vandy by 26 didn’t help instill in anyone that this is going to be a quick turnaround.

Pruitt is an elite recruiter. But what weve seen thus far is that he can get the horse to the water, but he can’t make them drink. He isn’t doing to be able to close the guys who are going to our top rivals until we are at least competing against them. Sure, he will grab a few, and we may have a nice class, but we are still failing behind from a talent perspective. That will only change if he can coach them up and scheme around our deficiencies. That is a question still without an answer.

Good post IMO.

I'm undecided on the whole "he can lead them to water but can't make them drink".

I don't have kids but I know lots of people that do and I've been one, obviously.

I constantly hear it talked about and I see it all around me " teenagers today. Can't do anything with them." Their voice matters more than it ever has. I know blah blah blah.

I'm not making excuses for Pruitt, but I do try to understand what he may be dealing with. Its hard enough without them have been under the influence of the previous leaders.

I don't know, I'm not privy to any inside info, but Pruitt had to field a team, so not playing some of the "problems" as a "punishment", wasn't an option that some think it was.

I dont know, maybe all of that is BS and Pruitt just sucks. Or maybe he's dealing with it and some people just don't understand or like it. Or him.

 

[CA_Vol]

I get that. But people act like the only choice is between an idiot like Butch who was nothing but slogans and bullshat, or a complete stiff who instills zero confidence. Saban, Kirby, Dabo, etc. those guys may not love talking to the media, but they know leading an organization like this requires a certain skill set. If you aren't able to do that, you should probably stay as an assistant.

I hear what you’re saying. I would also say it’s easier to explain things when you have playoff teams and elite talent. There are only so many ways you can articulate “we suck” without actually saying just that.