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The people saying he needs 5 years are killing me. If he can't beat Georgia St. with the team he has, I have zero faith he can do anything with his own players.
I think the only way a new coach who inherits the train wreck Pruitt did, is to very strong team leaders. We have not yet seen this from the Juniors and Seniors on this team. Maybe JJ and one or two others can provide the needed leadership. If so, we might begin to see a brighter light at the end of the tunnel. I surely hope so.
 
I think the only way a new coach who inherits the train wreck Pruitt did, is to very strong team leaders. We have not yet seen this from the Juniors and Seniors on this team. Maybe JJ and one or two others can provide the needed leadership. If so, we might begin to see a brighter light at the end of the tunnel. I surely hope so.

This isn't really directed at you, but rather the narrative:

This is what irks me....it seems the whole "inherited a train wreck" is pulled out after we lose. Before Saturday not one person on this site actually really believed we'd lose to Georgia St. You can say the people calling for 9-3/8-4 were crazy but the overall consensus was this was probably a 7-5 team that shows improvement and might even hang with the big boys on our schedule. Now it's back to it's a train wreck and Pruitt has nothing to work with.

I'm sorry but that's just garbage and an excuse. Dooley inherited crap, Jones inherited crap, yet neither of them had a loss like that to a team like that.
 
He has no history as a head coach. There is nothing to base your faith on; blind faith is all that's available. that only works in religion. Facts so far say his motivational skills are highly inconsistent. Pretty good recruiter though. would appear low marks on teaching skills too.

The problem with this is that Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Dabo Swinney, and now Ryan Day didn't have head coaching history as well. They are all coaching playoff/high level programs. Pruitt actually probably has more experience as a coordinator than 3 of those guys.

Even high level programs are having to hire guys with no head coaching experience these days. Just have to find the right one.
 
The problem with this is that Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Dabo Swinney, and now Ryan Day didn't have head coaching history as well. They are all coaching playoff/high level programs. Pruitt actually probably has more experience as a coordinator than 3 of those guys.

Even high level programs are having to hire guys with no head coaching experience these days. Just have to find the right one.

Well, Dabo did get a half season as an interim, and Day had 3 games as interim last year. And I do think it's valid to say both Smart and Day walked into much better situations. Plus Fulmer was a coordinator; different time I know but Day's situation is close to what Fulmer's was.

But it's still no excuse for what happened Saturday. I'm judging him against what Dooley and Jones did, and so far he's done worse.
 
This isn't really directed at you, but rather the narrative:

This is what irks me....it seems the whole "inherited a train wreck" is pulled out after we lose. Before Saturday not one person on this site actually really believed we'd lose to Georgia St. You can say the people calling for 9-3/8-4 were crazy but the overall consensus was this was probably a 7-5 team that shows improvement and might even hang with the big boys on our schedule. Now it's back to it's a train wreck and Pruitt has nothing to work with.

I'm sorry but that's just garbage and an excuse. Dooley inherited crap, Jones inherited crap, yet neither of them had a loss like that to a team like that.
The irony? No one inherited a train wreck as bad as Barnes and fans crucified him for benefiting from success and results.
 
This isn't really directed at you, but rather the narrative:

This is what irks me....it seems the whole "inherited a train wreck" is pulled out after we lose. Before Saturday not one person on this site actually really believed we'd lose to Georgia St. You can say the people calling for 9-3/8-4 were crazy but the overall consensus was this was probably a 7-5 team that shows improvement and might even hang with the big boys on our schedule. Now it's back to it's a train wreck and Pruitt has nothing to work with.

I'm sorry but that's just garbage and an excuse. Dooley inherited crap, Jones inherited crap, yet neither of them had a loss like that to a team like that.

There’s zero reason he couldn’t build off 4-8, that was as low as low will/should ever get at Tennessee...he came in and got them to 5-7, not what people hoped for, but at the very least you can point to it and say it’s a step. Going to Year 2 there once again is zero reason it shouldn’t be another step forward, he didn’t take over a 10-2 team and so only way up is 11-1. Saturday’s loss is inexcusable and embarrassing, however it is also just 1 game, it’s not a good sign but I’m also in the camp of let’s see how the next 11 play out. As you mentioned, most people agreed on 7-5 and maybe 6-6, at this point getting to either of those is going to require beating someone, and so if he does that you can somewhat forget the opening game...especially if it’s followed with a solid bowl game showing.

That’s just my take, the big picture is to see improvement and that’s still a possibility, it will definitely take a different showing than Saturday, but it’s possible.
 
I agree, but we're not a top tier team. We should have enough talent to win 4 games in the SEC but from what I saw Saturday the coaching isn't there, on either side of the ball, trench play especially. Need a guy like Pitman on the O side. No hope on D.
I think you hit the nail squarely on the head.
 
There’s zero reason he couldn’t build off 4-8, that was as low as low will/should ever get at Tennessee...he came in and got them to 5-7, not what people hoped for, but at the very least you can point to it and say it’s a step. Going to Year 2 there once again is zero reason it shouldn’t be another step forward, he didn’t take over a 10-2 team and so only way up is 11-1. Saturday’s loss is inexcusable and embarrassing, however it is also just 1 game, it’s not a good sign but I’m also in the camp of let’s see how the next 11 play out. As you mentioned, most people agreed on 7-5 and maybe 6-6, at this point getting to either of those is going to require beating someone, and so if he does that you can somewhat forget the opening game...especially if it’s followed with a solid bowl game showing.

That’s just my take, the big picture is to see improvement and that’s still a possibility, it will definitely take a different showing than Saturday, but it’s possible.
To me, the only way he can recover his evaporated equity with any portion of the fanbase this year is to beat one of UF, UGA, or Bama, and go 7-5, or better. 6-6, no matter how he attains it, was never going to be well-received by many, even if it was technically improvement. 6-6 with a loss to Ga St could be argued as just as bad as last season, or potentially worse if we struggle to beat Chattanooga, BYU, UAB, Vandy, UK, and Missouri just to get there, and get blown out by every other opponent on our schedule. That loss Saturday, while true that it was only one game, was the worst kind of loss at the worst possible time. It will, literally, end up costing the university millions of dollars in lost revenue, and Pruitt, who already has struggled to connect with/engage the fans, will only be further vilified with every struggle. Apathy is a program’s worst enemy and is extremely difficult to overcome and reverse. Apathy before September is a death knell.
 
To me, the only way he can recover his evaporated equity with any portion of the fanbase this year is to beat one of UF, UGA, or Bama, and go 7-5, or better. 6-6, no matter how he attains it, was never going to be well-received by many, even if it was technically improvement. 6-6 with a loss to Ga St could be argued as just as bad as last season, or potentially worse if we struggle to beat Chattanooga, BYU, UAB, Vandy, UK, and Missouri just to get there, and get blown out by every other opponent on our schedule. That loss Saturday, while true that it was only one game, was the worst kind of loss at the worst possible time. It will, literally, end up costing the university millions of dollars in lost revenue, and Pruitt, who already has struggled to connect with/engage the fans, will only be further vilified with every struggle. Apathy is a program’s worst enemy and is extremely difficult to overcome and reverse. Apathy before September is a death knell.
Well I did add the fact of a solid bowl game showing, I think at 6-6, with a bowl win there’s plenty of people still supporting the program...they go 4-8, 5-7 and you’ve got people buying in saying 9-3 and packing the stadium. Yes they all deserted the place at halftime, but the same thing happens every year, even after going 4-8 or 5-7...I have a hard time believing 6-6 with a bowl game and what appears like another solid recruiting class that they won’t be able to talk up the fan base again into saying “this is our year”.
 
There’s zero reason he couldn’t build off 4-8, that was as low as low will/should ever get at Tennessee...he came in and got them to 5-7, not what people hoped for, but at the very least you can point to it and say it’s a step. Going to Year 2 there once again is zero reason it shouldn’t be another step forward, he didn’t take over a 10-2 team and so only way up is 11-1. Saturday’s loss is inexcusable and embarrassing, however it is also just 1 game, it’s not a good sign but I’m also in the camp of let’s see how the next 11 play out. As you mentioned, most people agreed on 7-5 and maybe 6-6, at this point getting to either of those is going to require beating someone, and so if he does that you can somewhat forget the opening game...especially if it’s followed with a solid bowl game showing.

That’s just my take, the big picture is to see improvement and that’s still a possibility, it will definitely take a different showing than Saturday, but it’s possible.
I predicted 7-5 and had someone comment to me, "NEGAVOL."
 
Well I did add the fact of a solid bowl game showing, I think at 6-6, with a bowl win there’s plenty of people still supporting the program...they go 4-8, 5-7 and you’ve got people buying in saying 9-3 and packing the stadium. Yes they all deserted the place at halftime, but the same thing happens every year, even after going 4-8 or 5-7...I have a hard time believing 6-6 with a bowl game and what appears like another solid recruiting class that they won’t be able to talk up the fan base again into saying “this is our year”.

I think anything less than 6-6 and he's lost the fanbase. I mean he already may have lost some but if we end up 5-7 and don't go bowling because we couldn't beat Georgia St. at home, that's a hard sell.

The BYU game is crucial for him; we lose that and it's almost a given we aren't going bowling. And I kind of wish BYU had upset Utah now so that they might actually come in overlooking us; now I think they they are looking at us as a rebound game.
 
I think anything less than 6-6 and he's lost the fanbase. I mean he already may have lost some but if we end up 5-7 and don't go bowling because we couldn't beat Georgia St. at home, that's a hard sell.

The BYU game is crucial for him; we lose that and it's almost a given we aren't going bowling. And I kind of wish BYU had upset Utah now so that they might actually come in overlooking us; now I think they they are looking at us as a rebound game.

Oh I agree 5-7 and it’s gonna be a major issue, and a really tough sell...I think there’s a huge difference between 5-7 and 6-6. Like I said, you win 6 games and go bowling, win your bowl game handily and bring in a Top 10-15 class hitting on positions of need and I think you’ll see a similar level of interest as this past year...I don’t think you’ll see the major fan apathy being mentioned.
 
Lose to BYU this weekend and we are in for a wild ride. Everyone will be losing their minds.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Fulmer was interim coach before the season ended.

And I’m not saying that’s a good idea. I’m just saying there is gonna be a lot of pressure and total madness from our fan base if we keep going off the rails this year.
 
Lose to BYU this weekend and we are in for a wild ride. Everyone will be losing their minds.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Fulmer was interim coach before the season ended.

And I’m not saying that’s a good idea. I’m just saying there is gonna be a lot of pressure and total madness from our fan base if we keep going off the rails this year.

Might not be a bad idea either
 
Lose to BYU this weekend and we are in for a wild ride. Everyone will be losing their minds.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Fulmer was interim coach before the season ended.

And I’m not saying that’s a good idea. I’m just saying there is gonna be a lot of pressure and total madness from our fan base if we keep going off the rails this year.

I don't think BYU it would happen, but lose that and then somehow lose to UTC and then I think there is a slight chance that he is removed. But then again we'd be paying him almost $10 million to walk away so generally I think we'll have to suck up and take whatever happens.

I can say I think if this season goes like I think that the UAB game may be the lowest attended game in decades.
 
This isn't really directed at you, but rather the narrative:

This is what irks me....it seems the whole "inherited a train wreck" is pulled out after we lose. Before Saturday not one person on this site actually really believed we'd lose to Georgia St. You can say the people calling for 9-3/8-4 were crazy but the overall consensus was this was probably a 7-5 team that shows improvement and might even hang with the big boys on our schedule. Now it's back to it's a train wreck and Pruitt has nothing to work with.

I'm sorry but that's just garbage and an excuse. Dooley inherited crap, Jones inherited crap, yet neither of them had a loss like that to a team like that.

The only coach to inherit anything like what coach Pruitt did is Johnny Majors, and it took 5 years to have an 8 win season.
 
The only coach to inherit anything like what coach Pruitt did is Johnny Majors, and it took 5 years to have an 8 win season.

I'm not old enough to remember what Majors inherited; but I still disagree. Dooley and Jones both inherited crap, Dooley even moreso than Jones. Compared to both of them, Pruitt had it better.
 
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