TN OL Chris Morris (Texas A&M commit - Now JUCO)

[chargervol]

He was college roommates with Friend, along with Kitchens. It’s fine to bring your buddy along but very hard to fire them.

CJP appears to have a lot of friends, best I can tell. His hires seem to require something more than just knowing them.

And he's dayum sure proven he'll demote, friend or not.

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Austin Thomas, Bagman/RecruitCoordinator

Does he have the same control that he was seeking at TN? Does he have an axe to grind against UT? I'm thinking with all the talent in TX, it's odd that they're poaching TN kids.

 

[AngryButchJones]

Does he have the same control that he was seeking at TN? Does he have an axe to grind against UT? I'm thinking with all the talent in TX, it's odd that they're poaching TN kids.

They also have Darrell Dickey, who was a coach at Memphis in 1986-87 and again from 2012-17. Probably using his connections quite a bit for the west TN kids, which is most of what they've gotten out of TN.

 

[BigorangeBoy]

Austin had a very nice job. He shot for the moon at Tennessee and came up short bc he could do so. He knew he would end up back at LSU or find a better job if Tennessee didn’t pan out.

It’s funny bc we seem to have no loyalty whatsoever as far as former associations or alumni are concerned. People want more out of Tennessee than anywhere else. Probably bc our admin has a history of incompetence

They could not make him de facto AD and Univ President, the Director of Football operations can’t have that much power. He’s great at what he does, let’s just leave it at that

 

[butchna]

He was college roommates with Friend, along with Kitchens. It’s fine to bring your buddy along but very hard to fire them.

I knew that part. You bring an UNQUALIFIED “buddy along” to your first HC gig? Familiarity has two edges.

 

[butchna]

CJP appears to have a lot of friends, best I can tell. His hires seem to require something more than just knowing them.

And he's dayum sure proven he'll demote, friend or not.

Sherrer’s a “buddy”.

 

[InVOLuntary]

So you think we ended up with Crouch after going 9-15 the last two seasons because Pruitt beat him at XBOX? Our current AD got our current WR coach paid back during the day. The people at the top of our program know what’s up. I’m sure our “investment “ level is just fine lol.

I said we pick and choose who to throw the kitchen sink at. Many boosters are still skeptical about the last several years. It will take a while to get them back. Also, these things happen in a network. When the network dissolves it takes a bit to reorganize it. Add to that the infighting amongst the boosters, it complicates it even more. Our under the radar recruiting efforts are not on the same level as Bama, GA, LSU, or A&M.

 

[chargervol]

Imsaidmwe pick and choosewho to throw the kitchen sink at. Many boosters are still skeptical about the last several years. It will take a while to get them back. Also, these things happen in a network. When the network dissolves it takes a bit to reorganize it. Add to that the infighting amongst the boosters, it complicates it even more. Our under the radar recruiting efforts are not on the same level as Bama, GA, LSU, or A&M.

In other words..
Certain schools land A LOT of Crouch's.

 

[InVOLuntary]

@Atlanta VOL said you were? Support for TN has never been a problem, always backed the program in every way.

And @Atlanta VOL has also said that Georgia is throwing money around like there's no tomorrow.

 

[DaddyChad]

@Atlanta VOL said you were? Support for TN has never been a problem, always backed the program in every way.

I’m sorry but some are on a different level, Auburn for instant.

 

[DaddyChad]

And @Atlanta VOL has also said that Georgia is throwing money around like there's no tomorrow.

Georgia football has been waiting on a coach worth a damn for a long time. No surprise if there is renewed intere$t on some peoples behalf.

 

[InVOLuntary]

Georgia football has been waiting on a coach worth a damn for a long time. No surprise if there is renewed intere$t on some peoples behalf.

Us too really. But when you throw out the last three coaches and people that have money start to question their return on investment. Many are in a wait and see mode with Pruitt.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

Mike Hamilton killed UT football for over a decade.

What ever happened to Mikehamiltonfan on here?

 

[Volbucky]

What ever happened to Mikehamiltonfan on here?

Renamed catbone

 

[secking]

Georgia football has been waiting on a coach worth a damn for a long time. No surprise if there is renewed intere$t on some peoples behalf.

Very seldom does it go to the HC level, if it does, that’s when you see more visible violations (Freeze or Kiffin using burner phones)

 

[secking]

I’m sorry but some are on a different level, Auburn for instant.

Auburn has perfected the system, lately, they’ve had quite a few “run ins” with the NCAA. Speaking of, Auburn will be receiving a Letter of Accusations within the next couple months.

 

[secking]

Us too really. But when you throw out the last three coaches and people that have money start to question their return on investment. Many are in a wait and see mode with Pruitt.

Can’t blame them, after Fulmer, UT really hasn’t got their money’s worth, think they do with Pruitt.

 

[KeyVol14]

That's an asinine argument. Only J Johnson was that weight. Trey Smith, Drew Richmond, Ryan Johnson, Jerome Carvin, Riley Locklear, etc. were all well over 300lbs.

No matter how you slice it, the OL was ass and Friend didnt make any improvement as the season progressed.

Im a massive homer and believe in this staff to a fault, but Friend underachieved at UGA for years, and based on the zero improvement he made in year one I'm going to be critical.

I think this staff is the best in a decade by a country mile, but Friend is a sub par recruiter and a weak developer of talent, and I will maintain that stance until he proves me wrong. Hope he does.

I've always thought Will Friend was overrated as heck but then I saw how well he did at CSU

 

[Joe Dirt]

He’s gotta be a “daughter”, right? Cuz always a woman disagreeing with you!

More like the last time I saw someone on here assume another poster's gender it turned out to be a woman and he was told off. So now I'm more inclusive in my assumptions

 

[Roustabout]

Which makes it hard.. memphis is a Long Long ways to knoxville With other SEC schools closer

Yup, Memphis is closer to Ole Miss, Miss state, Bama, Arkansas, and Baton Rouge.

 

[secking]

I knew that part. You bring an UNQUALIFIED “buddy along” to your first HC gig? Familiarity has two edges.

Friend’s rep is solid coach, average recruiter. He did more as a recruiter last year than the rest of his career, definitely a good recruiting year for him. Will still make it harder for Pruitt to fire him IF the need arises.

 

[butchna]

Friend’s rep is solid coach, average recruiter. He did more as a recruiter last year than the rest of his career, definitely a good recruiting year for him. Will still make it harder for Pruitt to fire him IF the need arises.

If he ever needs to be fired, Pruitt will make it look effortless.

 

[UpstateVol613]

Friend’s rep is solid coach, average recruiter. He did more as a recruiter last year than the rest of his career, definitely a good recruiting year for him. Will still make it harder for Pruitt to fire him IF the need arises.

In all fairness Pruitt gave All SEC/SEC Champion Vol Terry Fair a gitshirt. I don’t question him struggling to make tough decisions. Business is business...one of the ways he is very different than Richt.

On a side note what does Willie Martinez say or do at all these coaching conventions to allow him to always have a landing spot when he fails and is fired at his current spot? The guy simply can’t coach but always falls forward.

***I am not ready to kick Friend to the curb yet. Minus 1 transition year he took over for Don Mahoney who couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag. Easily the worst position coach on Jones staff.

 

[LouderVol]

If he ever needs to be fired, Pruitt will make it look effortless.

I think some of the consideration has to be who is getting as a replacement. Pruitt's seems to get upgrades, so who would be next OL coach?

 

[butchna]

I think some of the consideration has to be who is getting as a replacement. Pruitt's seems to get upgrades, so who would be next OL coach?

He’s not on our list. Pruitt knows a lot more coaches.