Recruiting Forum Football Talk III

[Vols4us]

Pruitt is the worst coach we’ve ever had. A complete disaster. Never thought I’d say that

Most of us missed it, a few called it immediately. I thought Uncle Phil would help him through the rough patches. That was really dumb on my part to think that - he enabled it to be a disaster.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I still want to know what hex someone did to our program at half time at the uga game. Literally we have been terrible ever since then. **** even our bball team has lost 3 games since playing them.

I think once the losses started the team became more divided. And SCAR and Mizzou were that bad.

 

[mikemist]

This has always been the source. Poor leadership since then.

That's why hiring White gives me hope. If he can do what he did at UCF/Buffalo our program will be in good shape in a few years.

 

[Kingston Vol]

Pruitt is the worst coach we’ve ever had. A complete disaster. Never thought I’d say that

Yep - it's so weird to think about that 2019 season in hindsight. He loses to Mississippi State and I think Fulmer was ready to step in.

 

[johnfnkelly]

I've always thought that. I realize it takes big men longer for their games to develop. But its hard for that to happen sitting on the bench and getting 4 minutes of PT a game. He's got talent and is the future - let him play.

Olivier gives his all every single play and doesn't get pushed around. I think his minutes should be at the very least even with Fulky.

 

[rockytop25]

Side note--- Man I have to say this gif says a lot... I have noticed for a few years during games and interviews that Barnes does not like Fulky and is always on his rear for just about everything... I've yet to see anything positive from Barnes to Fulk... I know there most likely is, but just haven't seen it... This is kind of embarrassing and could have been handled differently...

You need to go listen to what Barnes said about Fulky the other day then. Barnes loves Fulky and he would not be playing here if Barnes did not like him. He's said over and over that at one point he was better than Grant was, and I think that is why Barnes is so hard on him, he sees the potential he has. Barnes loves Fulky no doubt.

 

[VFL1993]

All of this talk about how horrible of a decision hiring Pruitt was has me thinking about coaches we missed out on. One name I don’t hear mentioned a ton is Kirby Smart. Wasn’t UT looking at him back before we hired Butch (and even offered him the job)? I wonder how this program would look now if we were able to get him here. Perhaps he ends up leaving us to coach at UGA in 2016 but by then he would have been here for three seasons so if we were competing for the East, maybe he decides to stay. Just some food for thought.

 

[WarMachine]

All of this talk about how horrible of a decision hiring Pruitt was has me thinking about coaches we missed out on. One name I don’t hear mentioned a ton is Kirby Smart. Wasn’t UT looking at him back before we hired Butch (and even offered him the job)? I wonder how this program would look now if we were able to get him here. Perhaps he ends up leaving us to coach at UGA in 2016 but by then he would have been here for three seasons so if we were competing for the East, maybe he decides to stay. Just some food for thought.

Yuck. I hate looking at that guy.

 

[ChattaTNVol]

I didn't realize this but according to the Palm Beach Post Danny White forced Randy Shannon on Heupel as the defensive coordinator at UCF. I had seen some muttering about who White wanted to hire for Heupel here and I also heard that Heupel had pushed back. I don't know what criteria an administrator uses to make sophisticated technical hires but if what the PBP reported is true I don't want to think about us having another Dave Hart "let's get the LB coach at Alabama to be your defensive coordinator."

Anyway, I'm glad that I read somewhere that Heupel had pushed back this time. White had said in an interview that Josh would be able to hire his own team. I figure since it's out there Josh has some leverage, at least for the time being. jmo.

So I'm still digging for more info to sort of inform my vision of our prospects with this staff. I've read a lot of articles. I start by searching for everything that doesn't include Tennessee because we know after a new hire is made we get the wall to wall sales pitch. I found one article from this past year, a Clay Travis type article, where the writer went totally over the top calling for Heupel to be fired after I think it was the 2nd loss of the 2020 season at UCF. If anyone recalls Clay's profanity-laced tirade against Butch Jones in 2015, well, you get the idea.

So in looking at the good and bad it comes down to this. This clip from an article more than a decade ago I think fairly describes who Josh Heupel is from an overall consensus perspective, outliers notwithstanding. jmo.

A left-hander from Aberdeen, S.D., by way of Snow (Utah) College, (in 1999),Heupel rewrote the OU record book for passers in leading the Sooners to a 7-5 record - the program's first winning record in seven years - then outdid himself by leading the Sooners to the national championship in 2000, when OU went 13-0 and he finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

When injuries ended Heupel's playing career in 2001, he did what he was born to do: He went into coaching.

The son of high school football coach Ken Heupel, Josh Heupel spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons as an OU graduate assistant. His first full-time paid job was as tight ends coach at Arizona, where he worked under Mike Stoops.

Then in 2005, prior to the Sooners' trip to San Diego to play Oregon in the Holiday Bowl, Heupel was hired by Bob Stoops as OU's quarterbacks coach.

In 2006, Heupel tutored Paul Thompson, who switched back from wide receiver and led the Sooners to the Big 12 championship. In 2007, Heupel tutored Sam Bradford, who set a handful of national freshman records and led the nation in passer efficiency while leading OU to a repeat Big 12 title. And in 2008, Heupel helped Bradford win another passer efficiency crown, another Big 12 title and the Heisman Trophy. Bradford went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in last year's NFL draft and is a leading candidate for the NFL's rookie of the year award.

Last year, when Bradford went down with a shoulder injury, Heupel molded Landry Jones into a record-setting quarterback who set marks for touchdown passes in a game (six) and passing yards in a bowl (418). This year, Jones won the Sammy Baugh Award as the nation's top passer, and helped get the Sooners another Big 12 championship while setting school records for pass attempts and completions. Jones' 4,289 yards ranks second in OU history (Bradford threw for 4,720 yards in 2008).

In October the OU staff received pay raises, and Heupel's was the largest. Heupel's base salary and personal services income was increased $50,000 to a total of $250,000. Stoops has consistently rewarded Heupel's coaching acumen. As recently as 2007, Heupel's income, before incentive bonuses, was $136,000.

Since his playing days, Heupel has been active in the Norman community. Each holiday season, his 14 Foundation, now administered by his parents, raises money to buy food for needy families throughout Oklahoma.

On Monday, OU coach Bob Stoops announced that Heupel and receivers coach/assistant offensive coordinator Jay Norvell would be promoted to co-offensive coordinator, and that Heupel would be calling plays, starting with the Fiesta Bowl.

 

[johnfnkelly]

All of this talk about how horrible of a decision hiring Pruitt was has me thinking about coaches we missed out on. One name I don’t hear mentioned a ton is Kirby Smart. Wasn’t UT looking at him back before we hired Butch (and even offered him the job)? I wonder how this program would look now if we were able to get him here. Perhaps he ends up leaving us to coach at UGA in 2016 but by then he would have been here for three seasons so if we were competing for the East, maybe he decides to stay. Just some food for thought.

Kirby Dumb**s wouldn't have built us back. He took the keys to a ferrari and got a paint job.

 

[Vols4us]

Olivier gives his all every single play and doesn't get pushed around. I think his minutes should be at the very least even with Fulky.

I agree and don't get it with CRB not doing it. He is in great shape and gives his all as you say. He could develop some low post moves to go with the D and rebounding if he played. He already has the baby hook in the lane. Kick it up to 15-18 minutes a game and see what happens, It can't be any worse than what Fulky is providing now - which is next to nothing.

 

[franklinpence]

CB, I accept you for who you are.

 

[Nashvegas31]

Most of us missed it, a few called it immediately. I thought Uncle Phil would help him through the rough patches. That was really dumb on my part to think that - he enabled it to be a disaster.

Same. My initial thoughts when hired were we were either be really happy or in some trouble. I hated Pruitt before becoming TN coach but had hoped that Fulmer would help him with the mess I didn’t like, keep him in check and that he would be a good coach and have good staffs and recruit a nice roster. It sounds like he couldn’t control his ahole part enough to allow his coaching to elevate and allow his staff to do their job.

 

[engineerVOL]

young ern on her cellular talkin' device drivin' dat Minivan, tried teh cheat by cuttin' in line. Old lady in front of me, gets out the car and yells, flippin' her the bird. Meanwhilst, muscle car drive up to her and lays on said horn, also wielding natures perfect gesticulation. it was at this point that i began laughing hysterically.

but wait, theres more. another, third car up the rear also engages. finally outmatched, and outwitted. Millenial drives awf into thu sunset. Pissed awf. Then honks at me, gives me the tweety all bc she cut in line and blocked traffic. cant write this any better.

View attachment 355520

Thas a lot to process

 

[eVOLve]

It’s bad

Did it have anything to do with a player’s health?

 

[Jackcrevol]

Thas a lot to process

indeed

 

[VFL1993]

Kirby Dumb**s wouldn't have built us back. He took the keys to a ferrari and got a paint job.

I’m definitely not sold on him being an elite coach but you can’t deny that he would have been a lot better than Butch and Pruitt.

 

[Nashvegas31]

All of this talk about how horrible of a decision hiring Pruitt was has me thinking about coaches we missed out on. One name I don’t hear mentioned a ton is Kirby Smart. Wasn’t UT looking at him back before we hired Butch (and even offered him the job)? I wonder how this program would look now if we were able to get him here. Perhaps he ends up leaving us to coach at UGA in 2016 but by then he would have been here for three seasons so if we were competing for the East, maybe he decides to stay. Just some food for thought.

He would have probably struggled here too with some things he has done at UGA. He was always waiting and brokering behind scenes for UGA job

 

[SugarCC]

Saw something where a fan was saying there's a theory that it all started with the HEX Rohan Davie's Mom (Jamaican) put on us after her son went down during the UT vs LSU SEC Championship game back in 2001... The backup came in the second half (Mauk??) and balled out to give them the win... we imploded the second half. Kept us out of the 2001 Natty... Since then our Football program has skidded downward and has never recovered...
One of our boosters needs to find her, go see her, and "make it right" to get this curse off our backs.... like ASAP....

I've said since it happened, that loss was the worst loss I have seen in almost 40 years as a fan.

 

[Nashvegas31]

Olivier gives his all every single play and doesn't get pushed around. I think his minutes should be at the very least even with Fulky.

Been one of my biggest frustrations the past 2 years. He won’t let certain kids seemingly in the post to develop in game through the year and work through things. Last year was such a good opportunity for ON to play through some things and learn to play aggressive and faster. We had no expectations. He didn’t play him. Now coming into season we had expectations. Imagine what a ON with a full year of playing consistently might could have done to help with Fulky/Pons struggles? Springer and ON play pretty well together and considering how big of a key Springer is it seems to make sense to play someone he connects with well. I just think Barnes has failed to let ON develop. He has so much talent to be a big time contributor.

 

[volbeast33]

I've said since it happened, that loss was the worst loss I have seen in almost 40 years as a fan.

Yep..... it was so depressing in those stands.

 

[SugarCC]

Yep..... it was so depressing in those stands.

The moment the clock struck zero, I looked at my buddy and said, "That one will sting for awhile". Never dreamed, or nightmared, it would be 20 years and counting. Imo, it was the last truly relevant team the Big Orange has fielded.

 

[Dudley Smith]

Yep..... it was so depressing in those stands.

The LSU fans were the worst. Auburn and MSU fans (despite the cowbells) were all good sports. The LSU fans were just awful from the get go that night. Would scream at small children who were with Tennessee families.

 

[volbeast33]

The moment the clock struck zero, I looked at my buddy and said, "That one will sting for awhile". Never dreamed, or nightmared, it would be 20 years and counting. Imo, it was the last truly relevant team the Big Orange has fielded.

That was good old days..... I was running on no sleep at all.... I was pretty irritable to say the least.

 

[Cosmo Kramer]

The LSU fans were the worst. Auburn and MSU fans (despite the cowbells) were all good sports. The LSU fans were just awful from the get go that night. Would scream at small children who were with Tennessee families.

LSU Fans are insane. Drunk LSU fans are really insane