Tennessee Football is done

[codyg10]

We're 0-4 in year 1, so under your test, you think it is unacceptable if we aren't at least 4 games over .500 against those four teams in years 2, 3, and 4. I don't think that's a reasonable expectation considering Bama is probably going to be the 2 time defending national champion after tomorrow, both UF and UGA are going to finish in the Top 10 and all 3 are ahead of in recruiting, with Bama and UGA being way ahead, at least doubling us up on blue chip (4 and 5 star recruits) in this class. If we beat South Carolina twice in the next 3 years and UF and UGA once, that will be great work, especially if we have a winning record against the rest of the East.

I said close to .500. Going 3-1 against USCjr isn't too much to ask as well as a win over Georgia within the next 3 and 2 over Florida within the next 3 and at least a competitive game against Bama. In other words out of the 12 games over the next 3 years against those 4 teams asking for 4-6 wins isn't too much to ask. I know Florida, Georgia, and Bama have elite teams, but if Pruitt isn't able to make a difference in 4 years it's likely not going to happen in 5-6. Also I was always under the impression that we were shooting for trips to Atlanta and 8-9 win seasons at worst by the final year of Pruitt's initial contract. Not going 7-5/8-4 after 4 years of going 5-7/6-6. If that were the case firing Butch was pointless. I never expected a quick rebuild. I think 8-4 next year is a realistic expectation and possibly 9-3 if they can catch a few breaks against Miss St or Diet USC, but if we haven't gotten to an SECCG by 2021-22 there's a problem

 

[montanatenn]

You cite 4 good examples of first time head coaches that were successful. Compare that to a list of first time coaches that did not succeed and see which is longer.

What Tennessee has needed is a proven winner (Rick Barnes anyone...), and unfortunately a proven winner will not come to Tennessee under the current circumstances (schedule, talent level, administration, etc.), so we are left, hoping against hope, that Pruitt is the next Stoops. Odds of that are slim.

Tennessee hasn't made a good head football coach hire in over a quarter of a century. I hope Pruitt succeeds but my days of blind optimism are over.

If they don't want to come to UT because of schedule and talent level, let them go somewhere else. The SEC is tough.

 

[VolforFootball]

Just stating the facts. And I'd rather be an optimist than a pessimist, my choice. The sky isn't falling.

Hard for the sky to fall when it's already hit the ground.

 

[kbear01]

If they don't want to come to UT because of schedule and talent level, let them go somewhere else. The SEC is tough.

Exactly. If you aren't up to the challenge, go away!

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I said close to .500. Going 3-1 against USCjr isn't too much to ask as well as a win over Georgia within the next 3 and 2 over Florida within the next 3 and at least a competitive game against Bama. In other words out of the 12 games over the next 3 years against those 4 teams asking for 4-6 wins isn't too much to ask. I know Florida, Georgia, and Bama have elite teams

We went 0-4 against those 4 last year, which pretty much everyone outside of a few in our fanbase expected. To get to .500 by the end of year 4 requires 8-4 combined against these teams the next 3 years. That's not realistic at all, we've lost 12 straight to Bama and they currently have the #1 recruiting class; we've lost a combined 79-12 to Georgia the last 2 years and they currently have the #2 recruiting class, #1 last year; our last 2 wins against Florida came in 2016 and 2004; we have never beaten Muschamp as coach, not once. Just come out in the open and say you want Pruitt fired now if you think he is a failure for not going 8-4, 7-5, or even 6-6 against these teams the next 3 years.

If you only meant 4-6 wins total against these teams in 4 years, that's a lot different than what you said originally that you expected to be .500 or close to it by year 4. For me, it's about how we look, if we are 7-2 or better against Missouri, Vandy, and Kentucky the next 3 years beat Georgia once, or at least beat Florida once and aren't getting consistently curb stomped by Bama, Florida, and Georgia in our losses to them, that will be serious improvement, especially if we can at least beat Sakerlina the next 2 times we play them at home. If we are improving, continuity will start paying dividends in year 5, 6 and on down the line like it has at Kentucky. We'll be getting ourselves into position to step into a power vacuum when the opportunity presents itself.

 

[sona]

I get being skeptical about the VOLS potential based on where we are right now. It is a mess and not an over night fix. Step back for a while if you can’t muster any hope at all. VOLS will still be here fighting.

 

[hUTch2002]

You cite 4 good examples of first time head coaches that were successful. Compare that to a list of first time coaches that did not succeed and see which is longer.

What Tennessee has needed is a proven winner (Rick Barnes anyone...), and unfortunately a proven winner will not come to Tennessee under the current circumstances (schedule, talent level, administration, etc.), so we are left, hoping against hope, that Pruitt is the next Stoops. Odds of that are slim.

Tennessee hasn't made a good head football coach hire in over a quarter of a century. I hope Pruitt succeeds but my days of blind optimism are over.

You’re right that a lot don’t work out but that’s true of hiring coaches with prior experience too. So my point stands. It’s just as likely to work out as hiring someone with prior experience.

 

[SolidRockGolf]

It hurts me to say this, but it's time we face the facts as a fanbase. This program will never be relevant in the SEC again. At least not any time soon. Bama and Georgia are getting too many elite athletes at too quick of a pace and Florida is about to be dominant again with Florida State and Miami falling apart along with them having the 2nd best coach in the SEC at the helm. Combine that with having to play 1 other team out of the west every year and a decent South Carolina program that seems to be improving, and it doesn't make for a promising outcome. There's no reason to think recruiting will pick up any time soon either. 7-5 doesn't sell any better than 5-7 when you're going up against Florida, Georgia, Bama, Auburn, and LSU for talent. Not to mention very few proven coaches want to coach in Knoxville. There may be years where a 9-3 finish happens, but there's no possibility of us going to Atlanta over the next 5-10 years unless it's for a kickoff game

Correct me if I’m wrong but haven’t you posted negative comments to recruits on Twitter and in the RF years ago?
Haven’t you had a few mental breakdowns over the years?
Haven’t you been tagged as a rival fan troll?

I could be wrong here but I don’t think so.

 

[Old-n-4getful-Vol]

Correct me if I’m wrong but haven’t you posted negative comments to recruits on Twitter and in the RF years ago?
Haven’t you had a few mental breakdowns over the years?
Haven’t you been tagged as a rival fan troll?

I could be wrong here but I don’t think so.

He might need a hug...

 

[General Jack]

You’re right that a lot don’t work out but that’s true of hiring coaches with prior experience too. So my point stands. It’s just as likely to work out as hiring someone with prior experience.

Disagree. Much better odds of success with a proven winner over someone with no experience, and I don’t think that’s debatable.

Doesn’t mean Pruitt won’t be successful, I hope he is, but I would have preferred a proven winner. Unfortunately that wasn’t in the cards.

 

[TC 83]

Butch had us a dark horse title contender JUST two years ago. Jones had it back going the right way but his inefficiencies in coaching and development came back to haunt him. Too many times his teams lost a lead or played down to lesser opponents. If Pruitt and this staff is coaching those 15-16' rosters then we are in ATL. I LOVE the players Pruitt is going after for the team. If you don't think TN will be relevant again answer this: who is the only team inside the top 20 recruiting that has had 2 losing seasons? TN has had 2 horrible seasons and we might still finish in the top 10 recruiting. I thought it was amazing that we've even had hats on the table for some of these kids. Just wait till the ball gets rolling. It's starts in 19'. Just be patient. The 20' class is lining up to be a monster too. This is a long play to gain stability. Don't let this OC hire bother you too. Half of the people on this site thought they could call a better game than Helton--so if he picks one of the sofa coordinators here I'd be fine with it. At least it would be your dream job and you'd care. The cry babies on here complaining that we haven't hired one is nauseating. The players and the head coach are really what matters. Plus we have Phil who wants win as badly as any of us here. GBO.

 

[SmashMouth]

Tennessee football done? What will we do with the stadium?

I say fill it with water and make a big fishing pond

 

[NoogaVol96]

It hurts me to say this, but it's time we face the facts as a fanbase. This program will never be relevant in the SEC again. At least not any time soon. Bama and Georgia are getting too many elite athletes at too quick of a pace and Florida is about to be dominant again with Florida State and Miami falling apart along with them having the 2nd best coach in the SEC at the helm. Combine that with having to play 1 other team out of the west every year and a decent South Carolina program that seems to be improving, and it doesn't make for a promising outcome. There's no reason to think recruiting will pick up any time soon either. 7-5 doesn't sell any better than 5-7 when you're going up against Florida, Georgia, Bama, Auburn, and LSU for talent. Not to mention very few proven coaches want to coach in Knoxville. There may be years where a 9-3 finish happens, but there's no possibility of us going to Atlanta over the next 5-10 years unless it's for a kickoff game

I don’t like you.

 

[Powder and shot]

So what. We are Tennesseans. We love our state and our state university school and the Vols. If it never gets better than this then what shall we do? Shall we as vol fans follow Bama? Stop the silly womanish whining. No divorces allowed. GBO

 

[GoVols15]

It hurts me to say this, but it's time we face the facts as a fanbase. This program will never be relevant in the SEC again. At least not any time soon. Bama and Georgia are getting too many elite athletes at too quick of a pace and Florida is about to be dominant again with Florida State and Miami falling apart along with them having the 2nd best coach in the SEC at the helm. Combine that with having to play 1 other team out of the west every year and a decent South Carolina program that seems to be improving, and it doesn't make for a promising outcome. There's no reason to think recruiting will pick up any time soon either. 7-5 doesn't sell any better than 5-7 when you're going up against Florida, Georgia, Bama, Auburn, and LSU for talent. Not to mention very few proven coaches want to coach in Knoxville. There may be years where a 9-3 finish happens, but there's no possibility of us going to Atlanta over the next 5-10 years unless it's for a kickoff game

Execuse me sir, but you get the award for the best negavol on Volnation or one of the worst troll jobs ever attempted! Which is it?

 

[LadyinOrange]

View attachment 187273

I had to laugh.

 

[hUTch2002]

Disagree. Much better odds of success with a proven winner over someone with no experience, and I don’t think that’s debatable.

Doesn’t mean Pruitt won’t be successful, I hope he is, but I would have preferred a proven winner. Unfortunately that wasn’t in the cards.

Well now you are talking about a proven winner. That’s entirely different than someone having been a prior HC. The problem is there are literally a handful of “sure things” out there. Mullen would have been one. Leach was the other we were seemingly close to reeling in. But it is rare for a proven winner to move schools. Outside of those handful of coaches that are proven you have to roll the dice with an up and comer from a smaller school or a first time HC. Even some guys that are thought to be good some times bust. Sark is one example there. He did pretty well at Washington so it seemed like he would do better at USC but that didn’t work out. It’s all a crap shoot outside of a few

 

[General Jack]

Well now you are talking about a proven winner. That’s entirely different than someone having been a prior HC. The problem is there are literally a handful of “sure things” out there. Mullen would have been one. Leach was the other we were seemingly close to reeling in. But it is rare for a proven winner to move schools. Outside of those handful of coaches that are proven you have to roll the dice with an up and comer from a smaller school or a first time HC. Even some guys that are thought to be good some times bust. Sark is one example there. He did pretty well at Washington so it seemed like he would do better at USC but that didn’t work out. It’s all a crap shoot outside of a few

I presumed experienced head coach would be synonymous with proven winner but then remembered that we hired Dooley and Butch so maybe that wasn't a fair assumption...

Agree that its tough to hire a proven winner. Leach and Mullen would have qualified... and I would have taken either of those guys over anyone we've had since Fulmer.

 

[1974Vol]

A bit off topic but hardly separate thread worthy is the question of why in each of the last 3-4 years has the team hit a wall in November? 2016 is the worst case but even this past season what happened to the team that boat raced Kentucky only to get crushed by Missouri and Vandy? Is it injuries, lack of SC, millennial attention spans? I have to say I'm at a loss.

 

[Volfan76]

So what. We are Tennesseans. We love our state and our state university school and the Vols. If it never gets better than this then what shall we do? Shall we as vol fans follow Bama? Stop the silly womanish whining. No divorces allowed. GBO

The same thing you do as a consumer of any other product when a supplier continues to put out a subpar product. We stop spending our money on this silly garbage and demand they get to work fixing the problem. If the University is have trouble selling tickets, do you think they are going to let the HC fumble around with a OC for forty some odd days? There are going to be sit down talk with the HC and the AD about what is expected and how fast they will be replaced if the expectations are met. We have a collective voice that is louder than any other voice on the hill if we choose to use it.

 

[SmokeyDaBear]

Too much $$$$$ being made, it will never end. Or we will end up with one of these new amateur pro football teams.

 

[GulfCoasterVol]

Tennessee football done? What will we do with the stadium?

I say fill it with water and make a big fishing pond

...... And have bass tournaments !!!

 

[VolATLien]

as a black male this isn't racist (authority) it is what it is... isolation from the primary source of great defensive line and skill position talent. These are new social economical factors that are major factors in recruiting NOW A DAYS..(Nebraska sucks and will for ever more suck)

But no I think we can still be an elite football program, just in a different mold than the past. Believe we should create an IMG type of model where football is prioritized (recruiting budget and etc. already show this is the case) and an nfl style environment is displayed along with coaches with pedigree and influence to get players there.


Said something similar in a post a year back....thoughts?

Taken from a "14 things we hate about the 2017 college football season (so far)" article on MSN.. Everyone is well aware of the Nebraska effect where once power house schools due to changing social economic factors (Nebraska is isolated and cold with low population) are not able to continue success like in the past.. Is it time for Tennessee to face the music too

I don't think so, think we can offer a sort of football first environment with the right coach, where we're located close to home of our talent base but still kind of away from it all where football is top priority.

 

[btate]

Ok

I believe our plan is to out develop Sabin regarding our new 3 stars and a hand full of 4 stars over Sabin and Kirby . We will develop our 3 stars into four stars and convert some of our 4 stars to 5 stars. But we need at least 20 with this upgrade. CJ knows more about player development than Sabin. What do you think?

 

[COOTERMAC]

I believe our plan is to out develop Sabin regarding our new 3 stars and a hand full of 4 stars over Sabin and Kirby . We will develop our 3 stars into four stars and convert some of our 4 stars to 5 stars. But we need at least 20 with this upgrade. CJ knows more about player development than Sabin. What do you think?

who is Sabin???