Pruitt Fired Before the New Year?

Well, if there's ever going to be a year when a team the quality of Coastal Carolina could beat the Vols, the oddity that is 2020 might be the year.

I still think not. Maybe Vandy. Not us. Not even this wacky season.

I mean we lost to 2 of those type of schools last season. So did Arky. And Ole Miss, USCjr, and Vandy all lost 1 game against a Group 5 opponent as well.

Granted, even Memphis who was likely the best of the Group of 5 programs in 2019, only narrowly beat Ole Miss by 5 points. But I still think these sort of teams are absolutely on par with a mediocre SEC team, and ever so often you do have a Boise St. or a UCF who truly is one of the better teams in the country.
 
I mean we lost to 2 of those type of schools last season. So did Arky. And Ole Miss, USCjr, and Vandy all lost 1 game against a Group 5 opponent as well.

Granted, even Memphis who was likely the best of the Group of 5 programs in 2019, only narrowly beat Ole Miss by 5 points. But I still think these sort of teams are absolutely on par with a mediocre SEC team, and ever so often you do have a Boise St. or a UCF who truly is one of the better teams in the country.
Yeah, that bit about "one of the better teams in the country." You'll never convince me of that until I see a G5 team play 8+ Power 5 opponents in a single season.

It's not about being able to scrape out a win or two against heavy-hitting opponents. It's about doing it week in and week out. And I don't think a single one of these smaller schools (I mean smaller physically as well as in student body, income, attendance) can do that. Even in their best years.

If App State had followed their 2007 victory over Michigan with a game against Penn State, then Indiana, then Wisconsin, then Illinois, then Michigan State, then Ohio State, then Nebraska ... I think they'd have had a much worse season than the 13-2 run they enjoyed against opponents like Lenoir-Rhyne, Elon, Furman and the Citadel.

Quick, name the toughest team Cincinnati played this year.

An SEC team? B10? B12? Even ACC or PAC? Nope. None of the above. They're undefeated, yes, which is always a praise-worthy accomplishment ... but they did it against teams like Tulsa, Army, and SMU. Actually, worse. Those were the three hard teams on their schedule.
 
Well, if there's ever going to be a year when a team the quality of Coastal Carolina could beat the Vols, the oddity that is 2020 might be the year.

I still think not. Maybe Vandy. Not us. Not even this wacky season.
I guess you are forgetting last year. And it wasn't wacky.

If I were putting odds on us beating any team I would have to go down to the 50th thru 75th ranked teams before I would give us even odds. Anything above 50th we would be underdogs. And in year three that's unacceptable.

The unfortunate reality is we are no better today than we would have been had we kept Butch Jones and the University paid a lot of money to get better. And now it's gonna cost a lot more.
 
Pastor he’s gotta go; canning Pruitt has nothing to do with Christmas I agree. But 3-7 isn’t cutting it; we as Tennessee fans don’t have to settle for mediocrity. Merry Christmas and GBO!

I agree with pastor. Your attitude and others like you guarantee that Tennessee will be mediocre at best for a long, long time. It seemed to be understood when Pruitt was hired that he had a 4-5 yr rebuilding job. Give the 4-5 yrs; if it doesn't work out, send him on his way. It's not a life or death matter as some seem to imply with their doom and gloom.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rikberry31
I agree with pastor. Your attitude and others like you guarantee that Tennessee will be mediocre at best for a long, long time. It seemed to be understood when Pruitt was hired that he had a 4-5 yr rebuilding job. Give the 4-5 yrs; if it doesn't work out, send him on his way. It's not a life or death matter as some seem to imply with their doom and gloom.

But shouldn't you show progress in a rebuild. I for one, don't see progress. 7 losses , all by double digits. No player development. Time for the tater to go.
 
I agree with pastor. Your attitude and others like you guarantee that Tennessee will be mediocre at best for a long, long time. It seemed to be understood when Pruitt was hired that he had a 4-5 yr rebuilding job. Give the 4-5 yrs; if it doesn't work out, send him on his way. It's not a life or death matter as some seem to imply with their doom and gloom.
Cool Cormock; I see your attitude is about being less than mediocre. Cool
 
  • Like
Reactions: ABINGDON VOL FAN
Yeah, that bit about "one of the better teams in the country." You'll never convince me of that until I see a G5 team play 8+ Power 5 opponents in a single season.

It's not about being able to scrape out a win or two against heavy-hitting opponents. It's about doing it week in and week out. And I don't think a single one of these smaller schools (I mean smaller physically as well as in student body, income, attendance) can do that. Even in their best years.

If App State had followed their 2007 victory over Michigan with a game against Penn State, then Indiana, then Wisconsin, then Illinois, then Michigan State, then Ohio State, then Nebraska ... I think they'd have had a much worse season than the 13-2 run they enjoyed against opponents like Lenoir-Rhyne, Elon, Furman and the Citadel.

Quick, name the toughest team Cincinnati played this year.

An SEC team? B10? B12? Even ACC or PAC? Nope. None of the above. They're undefeated, yes, which is always a praise-worthy accomplishment ... but they did it against teams like Tulsa, Army, and SMU. Actually, worse. Those were the three hard teams on their schedule.
Well said.

This is why everyone saying a tougher schedule is better for us. It's not, at the end if the season they just talk about "undefeated teams" , "one loss teams", and "2 loss teams". Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina are perfect examples
 
Well said.

This is why everyone saying a tougher schedule is better for us. It's not, at the end if the season they just talk about "undefeated teams" , "one loss teams", and "2 loss teams". Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina are perfect examples
Truth is that a lot of the teams outside the top 10 or even lower are politically correct rankings and not legitimate. Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina would be cellar dwellers in the SEC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jonnon111
Cool Cormock; I see your attitude is about being less than mediocre. Cool

No, My attitude is not about being less than mediocre; it's about not being ready to jump off a cliff if that's what happens. People are dying with Covid, starvation , hunger. Humanity suffers earthquakes, floods, fire, etc, etc. Children are being abused. These things are truly important. Football is a game. This thinking is what I've finally discovered by being in this world a long time. Direct your energy to things that are really important.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Myrtleturtle
No, My attitude is not about being less than mediocre; it's about not being ready to jump off a cliff if that's what happens. People are dying with Covid, starvation , hunger. Humanity suffers earthquakes, floods, fire, etc, etc. Children are being abused. These things are truly important. Football is a game. This thinking is what I've finally discovered by being in this world a long time. Direct your energy to things that are really important.
Who says I don’t ? I just stating; never once did I state “it’s the end of the world” because Jeremy Pruitt is our coach. I just stated his results are starting to speak for themselves. I don’t lose sleep over UT athletics never have and never will. I sincerely appreciate you thinking I do. Thanks and GBO!
 
That’s a great plan as long as you don’t mind hiring another high-risk coach. Any coach with a “proven track record” will be in demand, and as long as another school is willing to offer a better deal, and they will be, you aren’t getting him.

There are fewer good coaches available than there are schools who want them. Until that changes, the nature of the contracts will not.

We make the market. Sadly we make it an emotional market and forget to use common sense and it is out of control. We ...the fans of all College systems need to start realizing this. It is a joke how we let the administration negotiate high cost contracts for high risk unproven coaches.

Correct proven track record means just that and we pay for them. Unproven track record as a head coach but as an assistant you pay at that level.
I cannot accept this as the Norm. Maybe if we started paying the players more it would cut into the Coaches honey pot?
 
Why does any one think that Pruitt will suddenly learn to be a head coach in year 4 or 5.He is as good as he is going to be right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: loservol
Why does any one think that Pruitt will suddenly learn to be a head coach in year 4 or 5.He is as good as he is going to be right now.
Why do you say that?

Do you believe that you've stopped learning, developing, improving in various aspects of your life?

As a soldier, I got better and better, every single year I learned more and developed skills. I may have lost a step or two as I got older, but made up for it by being smarter about the job.

You don't feel the arc of your life goes something like that?

So why on earth wouldn't a football coach's?
 
I just don’t see it. He would have been fired before A&M if we wanted to move on. Don’t get me wrong I think we want him gone but not enough to pay his buyout. Fulmer is praying next year is better and with the pathetic schedule it should be better. Fulmer has pretty much tied his fate to Pruitt’s with the extension and he is vested in letting this dumpster fire continue to burn.
Ole Miss comes to town. And Lane will remind us that we should have considered him for coach.
 
But shouldn't you show progress in a rebuild. I for one, don't see progress. 7 losses , all by double digits. No player development. Time for the tater to go.
At some point, you have to realize that he’s not putting us on the right trajectory. Most 20 point losses through 3 years of any coach in SEC history. 7 losses by double digits this year. 16 of 19 losses by double digits. And of the 3 close losses were Georgia St and the meltdown vs BYU. Listen to the outgoing players. The culture and team morale is still bad. The coach is NOT entitled to 5 years.

The #1 reason for keeping him is to save face after the ridiculous raise and extension.
 
Last edited:
Why does any one think that Pruitt will suddenly learn to be a head coach in year 4 or 5.He is as good as he is going to be right now.
Who is this everyone. Literally nobody here thinks that. It only takes a couple of people in a specific place to believe. Unfortunately they seem to. And they’re the only ones who matter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tastycar
I just don’t see it. He would have been fired before A&M if we wanted to move on. Don’t get me wrong I think we want him gone but not enough to pay his buyout. Fulmer is praying next year is better and with the pathetic schedule it should be better. Fulmer has pretty much tied his fate to Pruitt’s with the extension and he is vested in letting this dumpster fire continue to burn.

Do you think it is CPF against the rest of the power team that is keeping Pruitt? I think they are all holding their breath that Pruitt can show up next year and not have to make a change this year when revenues went away, buyouts too high, and a woefully weak field if you are looking for a home run hire. There are some fine up and comers out there, and anyone might be a surprise, but not sure any of the big money guys want to spend their money that way. Simply not the time. Barring a miracle turnaround we can start earlier, buyouts down, and the field will have to be at least this good.
 

VN Store



Back
Top