Pruitt’s First 25 Games

[JMSqb11]

I’m still not 100% sold on him, but I like the brand of football we’ve been playing lately. So far I mostly approve

I think the next two years, our defense is gonna be wicked awesome. I also think Pruitt is learning as well and eventually has to let Chaney be more authoritative with the offense and personnel.

This win, even against lowly Indiana, goes a long way for Pruitt and building this program back.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Overall body of work isn't great but the sample size is still too small to make a determination IMO

Year 1 was bad with blowouts losses and no bowl game.

Year 2 showed improvement as it should have but still had The Loss That Shall Not Be Named.

Year 1 they choked down the stretch to miss a bowl.

Year 2 they played well down the stretch and sealed the bowl appearance.

Year 1 The offense and Guarantano are a disjointed mess.

Year 2 The offense and Guarantano are a disjointed mess after paying Chaney 1.5 million.

The QB situation needs to improve and Pruitt needs a signature win over 1 of the big 3 next season I think for the corner to have been truly turned.

 

[whodeycin85]

Overall body of work isn't great but the sample size is still too small to make a determination IMO

Year 1 was bad with blowouts losses and no bowl game.

Year 2 showed improvement as it should have but still had The Loss That Shall Not Be Named.

Year 1 they choked down the stretch to miss a bowl.

Year 2 they played well down the stretch and sealed the bowl appearance.

Year 1 The offense and Guarantano are a disjointed mess.

Year 2 The offense and Guarantano are a disjointed mess after paying Chaney 1.5 million.

The QB situation needs to improve and Pruitt needs a signature win over 1 of the big 3 next season I think for the corner to have been truly turned.

Biggest concern after this season is I feel like CJP is coaching "not to lose" quick triggers, juggling lineups, conservative play calls...he needs to coach to win....a sign of a struggling or scared coach is pulling players quickly and moving too many pieces

 

[rgvol]

Hope CJP stays along time....... Old fashion Southern football coach. GBO!!!!!

 

[JMSqb11]

Biggest concern after this season is I feel like CJP is coaching "not to lose" quick triggers, juggling lineups, conservative play calls...he needs to coach to win....a sign of a struggling or scared coach is pulling players quickly and moving too many pieces

This is part of him being a first time head coach. Just like a freshmen QB will be high risk/high reward, it’s the same with Pruitt. In two years, he has installed his defense and Inhave to be honest, it’s been nice compared to the last 7 years. I can’t remember a defense since Chavis where we had a season of constantly forcing turnovers.

Pruitt is building a team that can hang around mainly because of defense. Unfortunately, that only gets you so far, see UF and UGA games. Bama game was closer than scoreboard says.

At some point the offense under Chaney and Pruitt has to “bust loose”. After three years of action, JG will not be the QB to do that. Nothing against him but he’s easily the worst QB in UT history with 20+ starts. The crazy thing about him that sums up his career is that he had 400+ yards with 3 receivers getting 100+ receiving yards and we only scored 24 points.

We also lose 3 of our top 4 receivers / tight end this offseason. Those guys bailed our quarterbacks out bigly this year.

Next year could be even worse for JG’s stat line which so many people care about first and foremost

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Biggest concern after this season is I feel like CJP is coaching "not to lose" quick triggers, juggling lineups, conservative play calls...he needs to coach to win....a sign of a struggling or scared coach is pulling players quickly and moving too many pieces

It's understandable to a point.

First time head coach in a high pressure job but I think the juggling of QBs will eventually wear thin on some of the players.

25 games into the tenure and I still don't know what the offensive identity of this program is under Pruitt.

Back in the day it was Wide Receiver U.

The Manning years were sandwiched between having a stable of outstanding running backs.

Even Lyle had Dobbs and Hurd to point to as focal points on offense.

For now the identity seems to be "hope Guarantano can turn it on long enough after digging a hole to squeak out a win".

That should be enough against the Vandys and Indianas of the world but the offense needs to take a step forward like the defense did this year.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Still in a holding pattern for me. Great finish to the season, and we did improve from last year. But, it's hard to over look the first 2 games this year, and I want to see how he handles the QB situation next year.

Pretty much this

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

This is part of him being a first time head coach. Just like a freshmen QB will be high risk/high reward, it’s the same with Pruitt. In two years, he has installed his defense and Inhave to be honest, it’s been nice compared to the last 7 years. I can’t remember a defense since Chavis where we had a season of constantly forcing turnovers.

Pruitt is building a team that can hang around mainly because of defense. Unfortunately, that only gets you so far, see UF and UGA games. Bama game was closer than scoreboard says.

At some point the offense under Chaney and Pruitt has to “bust loose”. After three years of action, JG will not be the QB to do that. Nothing against him but he’s easily the worst QB in UT history with 20+ starts. The crazy thing about him that sums up his career is that he had 400+ yards with 3 receivers getting 100+ receiving yards and we only scored 24 points.

We also lose 3 of our top 4 receivers / tight end this offseason. Those guys bailed our quarterbacks out bigly this year.

Next year could be even worse for JG’s stat line which so many people care about first and foremost

I think this is being glossed over by quite a few fans.

Too much focus on Bailey being a savior and nowhere near enough on who catches the passes for whoever takes the snaps next year.

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

Next season is the litmus test. You couldn't get too mad at him for not getting very far the first season. It was a dumpster fire. This season should have been better than it was. I will never get over the fact that we lost those first two games after having an entire summer to prepare. However, I can't argue how well the team rallied. We have got to get our quarterback situation squared away. And our offensive line still is below par. I expect big things next season. Next season there should be no excuse. We've got experience all over the field. We've got recruiting classes that should be able to play would anybody we match up against except for maybe Georgia and Alabama. And to be perfectly honest we should give those two teams fits if not surprised one of them.

 

[JMSqb11]

Next season is the litmus test. You couldn't get too mad at him for not getting very far the first season. It was a dumpster fire. This season should have been better than it was. I will never get over the fact that we lost those first two games after having an entire summer to prepare. However, I can't argue how well the team rallied. We have got to get our quarterback situation squared away. And our offensive line still is below par. I expect big things next season. Next season there should be no excuse. We've got experience all over the field. We've got recruiting classes that should be able to play would anybody we match up against except for maybe Georgia and Alabama. And to be perfectly honest we should give those two teams fits if not surprised one of them.

End of year 3 is when I've always said he should be judged fairly. I think the minimum should be an 8-4 regular season with losses to OU, UF, UGA, and Bama. Anything about 8 wins means we upset some of those teams.

 

[wmcovol]

He really needs to hire an advisor like Ed O did. Experienced former HC to help with strategy & game management decisions. The trick on the snap that was called and stopped the clock was one of the stupidest things Ive seen in several years.

 

[SaintLouisVol]

Approving of his performance though his first two seasons is not the same as saying he's a NCG kind of coach.

In my mind, it is pretty simple. You ask yourself one question: is the program showing steady improvement? And, in my mind, it is.

I believe you give any coach the opportunity to reach his ceiling. Once he does, you evaluate from there.

 

[volsdeepnsc]

First big test for Pruitt in a pivotal 3rd year is to see how quickly he runs Guarantano off. He better get rid of the kid or he’s find himself on the hot seat after year 3.

Like it or not, JG helped us win 8 games this year. Is he great? No! Do we have better? Probably not. Will HB take the job? Maybe. Give credit where it’s due. There were a few times last night JG drove me nuts, however, our coach was smart enough to put the right QB back on the field. We don’t win that game without him

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

How does everyone feel?

Pruitt currently has the following thru 25 games:

6 game active winning streak / 7-1 in final 8 games
1 Bowl Win
7-9 SEC Record / 2-2 Record vs SEC West
#16 Recruiting Class Ranking Average

Until he beats at least one of these: FL/UGA/AL, it will be "meh". We are an average team.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Like it or not, JG helped us win 8 games this year. Is he great? No! Do we have better? Probably not. Will HB take the job? Maybe. Give credit where it’s due. There were a few times last night JG drove me nuts, however, our coach was smart enough to put the right QB back on the field. We don’t win that game without him

It's interesting that JG gets crap for his high throws. Yeah he was probably a little amp'd up, but those endzone passes.. if not high... are picked. I can only imagine the catterwallin that would permeate these boards then...

 

[mattutk2005]

Considering the year before he came UT won a big fat 0 (zero) games in the conference I'd have to say I approve based on that alone. Literally the worst year ever played by a Volunteer team.

Offensively, as has previously been stated, he and the staff gotta figure out something at the QB position. Whoever it is has gotta be better/more consistent.

Defense is a friggin dreamboat compared to most years from the previous decade.

 

[JMSqb11]

So 36+ hours later, 4/5 approve of coach Pruitt’s job. Would be interested to see where this number was prior to the season.

 

[KINGSVOL]

So 36+ hours later, 4/5 approve of coach Pruitt’s job. Would be interested to see where this number was prior to the season.

Probably 3/5, after the GAST game 1/5!
WINNING and losing does strange things to people!

 

[JMSqb11]

Probably 3/5, after the GAST game 1/5!
WINNING and losing does strange things to people!

Would definitely love to see a rolling approval/disapproval thread lol

 

[TGFHeupel16]

Biggest concern after this season is I feel like CJP is coaching "not to lose" quick triggers, juggling lineups, conservative play calls...he needs to coach to win....a sign of a struggling or scared coach is pulling players quickly and moving too many pieces

I thought those onside kicks throughout the year were definitely playing to win.

 

[butchna]

It's really not up to him, just like it wasn't this year. He simply didn't have a better option to go to.

Saying that he will be be on the hot seat for not running off his best QB is a bad take, no matter how you look at it.

Do what I think or I’ll think you’re gone.
- VN prolly

 

[TJVol95]

Need to see consistent wins. He’s learning the HC position as he goes and is improving.

 

[Orange defense]

Kirby Smart can’t coach?

 

[Ratvol]

Like I’ve said before we all knew it would take 4+ years to claw our way back to the top. Next year is year #3. We still gotta couple years to go. We will get there under Pruitt. And we will reach the top.

Go VOLS

 

[wmcovol]

Tennessee is making too many fundamental mistakes, both players & coaches, that’s keeping lesser teams in games. That’s got to improve a lot next year or Im afraid a lot of us will be very disappointed.