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

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.
This season is a tune up for next season which is a tune up for the season after that. Buckle up!
 
OL has to get better. IMHO... I don't think starting two Fr at OT will make them better. What would make them immediately better is for the experienced guys to improve.

I guess my theory is that if both Fr start at OT then they are investing for a future improvement rather than an immediate one.

The worst whiff I saw in the O&W game was Morris. As talented as they are... you get that with Fr.
 
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.

CJP & staff need to figure out what they can do and make it happen.

If they can’t protect a “7 step drop” then don’t run a play that requires a “7 step drop”.

These guys are football coaches, they need to figure this out and practice plays that can work.

If it means we have to move the pocket then move the pocket. Don’t call a play knowing it provably won’t work.
 
I like this by Pruitt. He's given them the tools to succeed. They are the ones that have to put it together. Even if the OL is average this year, it will put us in the position to be competitive in the East.
 
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Psychologically, it's probably better for the head coach to be the severe quality control guy. Then the position coaches can come from a more supportive stance in order to accomplish what the HC wants without abrasion. I might be reading too much into it. But, I know from experience that big young men can get their feelings hurt and it can stall progress. -Dad of a 20 year old and a 17 year old.
I agree with that philosophy. I mentor young Marines on a daily basis and I know from first hand experience that the iron fist yields the best results when paired with a velvet glove. One leader needs to be hard and uncompromising while the other leader, usually in a lower or lesser role within the organization, builds the guys back up after they are broken down by the main authority. If you just break them down they lose the will to try to improve because they feel like nobody recognizes how hard they work and how far they have come. But you have to have that constant pressure to push and let them know that not only can they always get better, but that improvement is the standard and is expected. If CJP is using this philosophy paired with the position coaches and the coordinators building the guys up the team with improve and UT will see success.
 
the hyperbole in this thread is strong lol.

OL is and always has been a developmental position. it's the exception, not the rule that guys are good to great early....

we're just conditioned as a fan base to believe that the next crop of guys is automatically better than the existing guys. cause the suck has just kept continuing year after year.

now, new staff, another new way of doing things, same players. we're going to start, likely anyway, 2 tr fr at OT.

talent upgrade? yup. performance upgrade? probably not. we're fortunate that this year we're at least going to have 10 guys that can play. not near enough of them are of the quality (yet in some cases) needed to really compete in this league.

OL takes time. we're not there yet. it is what it is. i'll defer on Friend until we see where we're at in a year or two.
 
Publicly calling out the O-line isn't going to solve anything. Recruiting better linemen and coaching them up is! Even coaching up the ones we've got will help more.
The hell it won’t. Those guys need a fire lit under them and to be put on notice. They need to increase their focus and commitment to getting better and where they need to be to help their win. And, quite honestly, they need better coaching whether it be for technique or motivation or whatever. Will Friend needs to be put on notice as well. Our OL didn’t improve one iota last from from week 1 through week 13, not one bit. And the spring game didn’t inspire any confidence either.

I think Pruitt understands how bad the OL was last year and how much it kept the team from getting bowl eligible and even overachieving in his first year.....and I think him publicly, singularly calling them speaks to his frustration and doing whatever he needs to do to get them up to speed. Jmo.
 
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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.
With all due respect, I think you have it backwards. We need the OL to step up, improve and just get near competent so we can see how good the other offensive players, the QB, RBs, TEs and WRs can be. We’ve seen the holes in the OL, they’re everywhere.....missing assignments, no blocking guys head up on them, not picking up stunts/blitzes/twists, even not taking the correct first steps and immediately losing leverage.

We have some talented skill players who we’ve seen make plays despite very difficult circumstances set upon them by the bad OL play. It’s time the OL step up and do their jobs do we can see the skill players flourish.
 
I agree with that philosophy. I mentor young Marines on a daily basis and I know from first hand experience that the iron fist yields the best results when paired with a velvet glove. One leader needs to be hard and uncompromising while the other leader, usually in a lower or lesser role within the organization, builds the guys back up after they are broken down by the main authority. If you just break them down they lose the will to try to improve because they feel like nobody recognizes how hard they work and how far they have come. But you have to have that constant pressure to push and let them know that not only can they always get better, but that improvement is the standard and is expected. If CJP is using this philosophy paired with the position coaches and the coordinators building the guys up the team with improve and UT will see success.
A civilian version of "Generation Kill"'s "groomin'standard". 😊
 
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Hmm I got ridiculed for saying the boys line coach sucks and now this comes out more people are agreeing with me wow
 
Thought you were saying that about the girls line coach. This makes more sense.
Idk why it auto corrected to boys line coach but clearly we talking football and talking about the oline. But hey if that's all you got to say then stay salty
 

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