Pruitt calls out Tennessee's O-line, demands summer step-up

#79
#79
I say we keep two TE sets to block and throw 50-50 jump balls to Calloway, Palmer, and Jennings....

Hopefully the guys take up the challenge and work extremely hard the next few months on improving. It was never going to be easy to build the interior lineman. Butch really left the cupboard dry with the players he recruited:
5* Drew Richmond - over-rated
4* Jack Jones - Retired due to injuries
3* Chance Hall - Retired due to injuries
3* project players on the O-Line such as Tatum, Neihous, Locklear,
Antonoutti - Retired due to injuries..

We have been decimated by both poor recruiting, lack of development, and unfortunate injuries at O-Line. Pruitt is taking project 3*s and freshman and building the O-Line from scratch. Yes we have some 5* guys coming in, but it is going to take time for them to get acclimated. This is a rebuild and it doesn't happen overnight or even in one season. Look at our basketball team...it took those guys 3 years to develop into the players and team they were.
 
#81
#81
Relax guys, it’s early. You watched a scrimmage and you know this team? Look at how ridiculous that sounds. Not to mention our O-Line woes are accentuated by delays, which fall on the QB, RB, WR routes, etc. We need everyone else doing their job 100% before we can truly see the holes in the OL.

Give them time. We have all summer and a couple tune up games before the season starts.
 
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#82
#82
Sweet Jesus.

Do you think he "called them out" then went home opened an 18 pak and is watching reruns of Friday night lights waiting for someone to call and tell him they've improved?
I honestly do not know what to think he did afterwords. I don't know the guy or his habits. Nor, do I know what he watches on TV or even if he likes Friday Night Lights.
 
#83
#83
This whole ordeal can’t be that we have crappy players on the line. A lot of these guys were recruited heavily, even the ones that have been here 2+ years.

Maybe recruiting evaluations were the problem. May have been relying on too much film and not enough real life research. Lots of guys look good film. Game film can't see into a person's head nor can you really "know" a person until you talk to those who have been around them for a few years. Being a really good player is not enough at the big time college level. Everyone is a good player at this level, it's the other things that make a standout player...
 
#84
#84
Trey Smith 5 star
Wanya Morris 5 star
Darnell Wright 5 star
R Johnson 4 star
N Niehulus 4 star
M Tatum highly recruited 3 star
Question; Did the O-line look so bad when Maurer was in??
O-line is not nearly as bad as it seemed the past 2 years. Dlinemnen just pin their ears back on JG because he doesnt scramble and he holds the ball too long. Why is he holding it so long? Because he isn't processing the play fast enough. The opponent knows this and so does our O-line. Understand that anytime JG takes the field, the offense as a whole does not feel like they can score easily. None of them believe in him.

Here again as I stated in a post above, you have to recruit beyond the playing ability, which is what the ratings report on. I think that is only a part of the process (yes, a big part) but a large part goes beyond playing ability. Our previous staffs my have had "stars" in their eyes.
 
#85
#85
No OL coach is great until their recruiting pans out...see Sam Pittman.
Part of me wishes we had gotten Pittman. Just to watch VN burn when he also failed to make a cobbled together group of culturally depraved back-ups and freshmen into a real SEC line by the O&W game.
Reading declarations of "he forgot how to coach" and "I knew he was a fraud", from the - fire him now crowd, would have at least been entertaining.

Maybe even re-hire Shoop and insult his coaching abilities while we were at it. 😏
 
#89
#89
Pruitt calls out Tennessee's O-line, demands summer step-up

Its almost like Pruitt is eagerly reading my posts here on VN! ......or not....but at least he clearly has the same mindset and is publicly stating what is obvious to anyone watching. Sadly, I think a number of the players are just what we have and we are going to have to wait till the new recruits have a year or two under them before we get into real contention. Without a solid O line, JG and RBs cant really drive the run or throwing game and 3 and outs gas the D for the 4th QTR. Hope Pruitt and Chaney and the new guys coming in light a fire under people.

I listened to and read the reports linked. I did not interpret Pruitt's response to be an indictment of the O-line. He spoke of needed improvement. The "calls out" headline is click bait - sensationalizing the content to grab eyeballs. An example of the unsavory side of journalism.
 
#90
#90
Maybe the vn faithful will read this article and realize we are not winning 8 games this year
 
#91
#91
1) I have no doubt that Will Friend is a good OL coach and knows what he's doing.

2) However our OL is still a mess between the ears ... in technique, decision-making, etc. They simply haven't improved that much individually since he arrived.

3) It's possible, although unlikely, that all of these players are just in over their head and aren't up to SEC level football.

4) It's far more likely that for some reason his teaching is not resonating. It's not clicking with these guys. As we all know, this happens sometimes. Doesn't mean he doesn't know how to coach, but it could very well mean there's another issue and this unit needs a new voice in leadership.
 
#93
#93
Maybe the vn faithful will read this article and realize we are not winning 8 games this year
Outside of Bama, UF, and UGA, we will win some ball games. First we need to put USCjr, Mizzou, and Vandy back in their place. I think we should win two of those ball games. or At least one.
 
#95
#95
1) I have no doubt that Will Friend is a good OL coach and knows what he's doing.

2) However our OL is still a mess between the ears ... in technique, decision-making, etc. They simply haven't improved that much individually since he arrived.

3) It's possible, although unlikely, that all of these players are just in over their head and aren't up to SEC level football.

4) It's far more likely that for some reason his teaching is not resonating. It's not clicking with these guys. As we all know, this happens sometimes. Doesn't mean he doesn't know how to coach, but it could very well mean there's another issue and this unit needs a new voice in leadership.

Yeah “the next guy” will knock it out of the park. That’s why they’re available. He only gets one year tho, right?
 
#98
#98
1) I have no doubt that Will Friend is a good OL coach and knows what he's doing.

2) However our OL is still a mess between the ears ... in technique, decision-making, etc. They simply haven't improved that much individually since he arrived.

3) It's possible, although unlikely, that all of these players are just in over their head and aren't up to SEC level football.

4) It's far more likely that for some reason his teaching is not resonating. It's not clicking with these guys. As we all know, this happens sometimes. Doesn't mean he doesn't know how to coach, but it could very well mean there's another issue and this unit needs a new voice in leadership.
I am reassured somewhat by knowing that behind Friend stands Chaney, Pruitt, and Fulmer. They know what we need in the OL, they will be monitoring the situation along the way, providing input, and will make adjustments as needed.
 

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