The last successful rebuild

[HessHallHeath]

I think people underestimate the mental aspect with this team and group of players. They may need a good psychiatrist worse than another oc, DC, or head coach. They have been beaten down so bad that I'm not sure Pruitt can change the culture without a complete roster flip just to eradicate the soft,lazy,undisciplined loser mentality. Did you see 5* Phillips celebrate what seems like his 1st sack of his career ? If you didn't know the score, you'd have thought we just sealed a win or something spectacular. I don't know if Pruitt is the answer or not but I don't think even Saban or Meyer could win 5 games with the group of guys he's inherited. Dobbs saved Butch's job for several years and Currie didn't have the nads to cut butch loose after the Georgia game last year which allowed the wounds to fester beyond repair. I believe we have a lot of talented players who were babied and coddled instead of coached and developed that they are too far gone to improve.

Well hear is the problem with this rebuild. We've already went through 3 before this one. Problem is Pruitt has no track record of success other than being a pretty good DC. The patience has ran thin at this point and the fans are already souring on it somewhat. It's more than wins and losses this year and most rational fans knew that. We figured a loss to WV was possible and they beat us pretty handily. Florida was supposed to be a more even matchup and we couldn't get out of our own way. I just hope they at least improve over the course of the year. It's about all you can expect now.

 

[McDad]

I totally agree. But since Pruitt is not going to get as long a leash, can it be done? Look at Kentucky. They’ve been a coaches graveyard for ages. Stoops goes 2-10 his first year, but they’ve been more competitive since then. Now in year 6, they may be able to post their first winning SEC record since 1977. It takes time.

Not arguing because there is benefit to stability. But our expectations are much higher than uk for football.

 

[FranklinVFL]

If we are talking basketball I can live with the comparison..Football not so much.

LOL. Unfortunately, I have to agree with you....

 

[Cartervol]

I think people underestimate the mental aspect with this team and group of players. They may need a good psychiatrist worse than another oc, DC, or head coach. They have been beaten down so bad that I'm not sure Pruitt can change the culture without a complete roster flip just to eradicate the soft,lazy,undisciplined loser mentality. Did you see 5* Phillips celebrate what seems like his 1st sack of his career ? If you didn't know the score, you'd have thought we just sealed a win or something spectacular. I don't know if Pruitt is the answer or not but I don't think even Saban or Meyer could win 5 games with the group of guys he's inherited. Dobbs saved Butch's job for several years and Currie didn't have the nads to cut butch loose after the Georgia game last year which allowed the wounds to fester beyond repair. I believe we have a lot of talented players who were babied and coddled instead of coached and developed that they are too far gone to improve.

Yeah. I agree. Our culture is soft now and Pruitt is old school. There was going to be some clash..

 

[Vol8188]

They could play then.

Thanks I just looked up the rule and you’re right. Apparently that changed longer ago than what I thought

 

[GrizzlyVol]

Dude....fair weather..Are you freaking awake?

We sucked last year, were embarrassed 3 weeks ago and showed up en masse fired up and ready to rock last night (more than can be said for the team or staff) and you say we are fair weather fans?

get a clue brother.


We would be better off getting rid of the kool aid drinkers.

Get a clue? I have one YOU are for sure a fair weather fan and when Pruitt gets it turned around you'll be right back on board spewing your non football knowledge you heard on sportscenter. I didn't direct anything towards you but you sure took the bait so tells me everything I need to know. So your opinion is anyone that supports our coaching staff and team is a Kool aid drinker, ok whatever you say. I knew better than to reply on here so that's my fault, since I don't argue with children or people with ZERO knowledge of the game I'll see myself out. GBO

 

[MurphyVol]

Majors would never get that amount of time today. He was 6-5-1 in year six.

The modern rebuild to beat is 9 wins in year 3 by Josh Dob... uh Butch Jones. Can JP get us there?

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

Was by Majors. His first 4 years were 4-7, 5-5-1, 7-5 and 5-6. This was while Alabama and Georgia were on top of College Football.

You’d think he would’ve been on the hot seat going into 1981. We started that year with road losses to Georgia (44-0) and USC (42-7). Nowadays he would’ve been fired by then. But UT stuck with him and they finished 8-4. It still took him 4 more years to win the SEC. But the program was at least stabilized.

This is going to take longer than most of us are going to want.

If we hired a hfc who just won a national championship, not to mention was an All American player at UTK, we'd give him a lot of time. Pruitt is on a short leash with many of us.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Get a clue? I have one YOU are for sure a fair weather fan and when Pruitt gets it turned around you'll be right back on board spewing your non football knowledge you heard on sportscenter. I didn't direct anything towards you but you sure took the bait so tells me everything I need to know. So your opinion is anyone that supports our coaching staff and team is a Kool aid drinker, ok whatever you say. I knew better than to reply on here so that's my fault, since I don't argue with children or people with ZERO knowledge of the game I'll see myself out. GBO

I am on board. That why I suffered through another embarrassment from section NN yesterday.



Of course I'm on board as a Big Orange fan, not a head coach fan..

 

[GrizzlyVol]

I am on board. That why I suffered through another embarrassment from section NN yesterday.



Of course I'm on board as a Big Orange fan, not a head coach fan..

Yeah it wasn't good yesterday in xx1 either, and I can somewhat understand alittle on your feelings of Pruitt, but wouldn't you agree he deserves more than 4 games before the "fire him" crowd shows up? Not saying your part of that just asking. I've always liked Pruitt as a coach even when he was against us because of the way his players played and the way he coaches reminds me of my old coaches I guess. There have been a few mishaps along the way but it happens. I feel like he is such a good coach there have been some unrealistic expectations put on him especially this season by some. Maybe you've never liked him or even knew who he was. I'll admit I never liked Butch at all but I still supported the team and didn't bash him and gave him his time, he done some good things here and there but once you start improving expectations go up and that's when he failed. GBO!!

 

[GetEmVols]

Was by Majors. His first 4 years were 4-7, 5-5-1, 7-5 and 5-6. This was while Alabama and Georgia were on top of College Football.

You’d think he would’ve been on the hot seat going into 1981. We started that year with road losses to Georgia (44-0) and USC (42-7). Nowadays he would’ve been fired by then. But UT stuck with him and they finished 8-4. It still took him 4 more years to win the SEC. But the program was at least stabilized.

This is going to take longer than most of us are going to want.

Fulmer should have hired Majors.

 

[UTwild82]

I think a good comparison would be Oklahoma and Bob Stoops.

Stoops was a very successful DC at Florida. Got hired at Oklahoma, a historical program who had been down for about a decade. Stoops came in and went to a bowl game year 1 and then won a NC.

Now that's not going to happen, but a good coach will win more than expected. And the Big 12 back in the late 90's and early 00's was a fantastic conference.

Are we good enough to beat Bama and Georgia? No. But do we have a enough talent to beat Kentucky, Vandy, Mizzou, or South Carolina? Absolutely. Not saying we should win all four, but 1 or 2 for sure. We have that much talent. Can it be developed and focused? That's the question.

 

[VolAllen]

I think a good comparison would be Oklahoma and Bob Stoops.

Stoops was a very successful DC at Florida. Got hired at Oklahoma, a historical program who had been down for about a decade. Stoops came in and went to a bowl game year 1 and then won a NC.

Now that's not going to happen, but a good coach will win more than expected. And the Big 12 back in the late 90's and early 00's was a fantastic conference.

Are we good enough to beat Bama and Georgia? No. But do we have a enough talent to beat Kentucky, Vandy, Mizzou, or South Carolina? Absolutely. Not saying we should win all four, but 1 or 2 for sure. We have that much talent. Can it be developed and focused? That's the question.

At this point, brother...I wouldn’t overlook Charlotte.

 

[Orangeslice13]

If we hired a hfc who just won a national championship, not to mention was an All American player at UTK, we'd give him a lot of time. Pruitt is on a short leash with many of us.

No we would not.
After year 3 we’d be saying he wouldn’t have won his title without Tony Dorset and be calling for his head as overrated.

We fired the guy who won A NT here because he lost his edge. Nobody gets beyond year 3 with less than 8-9 wins.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

No we would not.
After year 3 we’d be saying he wouldn’t have won his title without Tony Dorset and be calling for his head as overrated.

We fired the guy who won A NT here because he lost his edge. Nobody gets beyond year 3 with less than 8-9 wins.

I hope you are correct.

 

[GrizzlyVol]

No we would not.
After year 3 we’d be saying he wouldn’t have won his title without Tony Dorset and be calling for his head as overrated.

We fired the guy who won A NT here because he lost his edge. Nobody gets beyond year 3 with less than 8-9 wins.

Fired a guy with a NC and a 152-52 overall record sounds crazy don't it, it is and was lost edge or not. Your right we got spoiled with success, I'm a firm believer in Pruitt and nothing anyone says will change that, just like what I say won't change the doubters minds. At the end of the day we're all vol fans and want our success back

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

You charge premium prices then you have to deal with premium expectations. KY doesn’t charge $95 for one ticket. I think the frustration with most fans is that we have been told for 10 years “it will be 3-4 years” that gets old after a while. The fans were there last night and were ready for anything to get excited about, but some where the school has to realize they are charging a lot of money and they need to get this right.

But at what point will fans be patient? It's now or never....we have a football coach and a fooball AD. Everyone knew that this year would be bad.

 

[LWSVOL]

Was by Majors. His first 4 years were 4-7, 5-5-1, 7-5 and 5-6. This was while Alabama and Georgia were on top of College Football.

You’d think he would’ve been on the hot seat going into 1981. We started that year with road losses to Georgia (44-0) and USC (42-7). Nowadays he would’ve been fired by then. But UT stuck with him and they finished 8-4. It still took him 4 more years to win the SEC. But the program was at least stabilized.

This is going to take longer than most of us are going to want.

this is correct. Majors only had 6 SEC games a year in a conference that was no where near as tough as this one today. The mountain is much higher to climb now. Pruitt and his staff may or may not be the guys to do it. Its too early to say. They were unproven when hired and to date, have not shown to be elite. So a long way to go.

 

[GulfCoasterVol]

Why dies everyone want to use Kentucky as an example when their celing is 8-4? Are some of you that conditioned to losing now that you wohld just acceot 8-4 every uear and call that success?

Yes we are

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Yes we are

UK is just an example. But right now they are ahead of us in the SEC. they don’t get - nor evidently need - Top 10 recruiting classes to be competitive.

It’s time to face facts that we still expect to be a 10 win program but have taken a long road to the basement. It will not be brought back overnight. Aside from UK’s disastrous 2011-12 seasons, there isn’t a huge different record wise between those 2 programs over the last 10 years.

The culture change is going to take longer than a couple of recruiting classes. That’s why schools like UK and Vandy are usually at the bottom. The players get used to it.

Pruitt is going to have to make some examples if we are to move forward.

 

[Shadrach]

Should have hired Les Miles and taken the same route we did with the basketball team. Hire a proven winner to come in and stabilize for 5-6 years and groom someone to take his place. Les Miles would probably have us sitting at 4-0 right now.

Not with the talent level on this team. Dreaming.

 

[majic73]

Riiiiight

we need less 4 and 5 stars and more time!!

Did Saint Nick's teams come out flat, unmotivated and slow every game? I seriously can't believe any reasonable person would compare CJP with Nick. The Kool-aid is strong for some of ya.



PS. Did it take Saint Nick years and years and a complete roster change to be successful? I'll hang up and listen.

It did take him 5 seasons to take an 0-11 Michigan State team to a 9 win season ….there were 4 seasons of 6 and 7 wins. LSU was several years of success , regression, success. Bama first season was 6-6 with a loss to LA Monroe. All of the schedules of these teams were much easier than the schedule we are up against. Of course Saban was and is successful at Alabama , but that is a very strong recruiting region and he was instantly successful in recruiting ...where as our last year at recruiting was a salvage job at best.

I don't think anyone can be compared realistically to Saban . I have no idea how Pruitt is going to work out , although I am optimistic.

I will say that most 'turn arounds' break slightly even or a bit better of worse in the first year . So 3 to 6 wins is realistic in year based on results from any coach tackling a turnaround. Every situation is different. Harbaugh had instant success at UM ...but his success at Stanford was measured and yearly. Same guy , different result. The determining factor was ability to recruit and relative strength of schedule.

I don't think a rebuild can be judged by year one ...especially considering the schedule strength and the results of the team last year and the fractured recruiting last year.

 

[MAUSERWERKE]

Why dies everyone want to use Kentucky as an example when their celing is 8-4? Are some of you that conditioned to losing now that you wohld just acceot 8-4 every uear and call that success?

I would accept a number of 8-4 seasons as a way stop to better things, yes. Do you expect to go straight from 4-8, 3-9 to 9-3 or 10-2?

 

[barryjim]

Was by Majors. His first 4 years were 4-7, 5-5-1, 7-5 and 5-6. This was while Alabama and Georgia were on top of College Football.

You’d think he would’ve been on the hot seat going into 1981. We started that year with road losses to Georgia (44-0) and USC (42-7). Nowadays he would’ve been fired by then. But UT stuck with him and they finished 8-4. It still took him 4 more years to win the SEC. But the program was at least stabilized.

This is going to take longer than most of us are going to want.

I want live that long!

 

[Alex10]

Why dies everyone want to use Kentucky as an example when their celing is 8-4? Are some of you that conditioned to losing now that you wohld just acceot 8-4 every uear and call that success?

Some now believe that we will be lucky to compete with them in a few years... a team we have lost to twice in my lifetime ( I’m 34.) we are now reduced to hoping to compete with them in a handful of years.