UT’s Investigation isn’t a Hit Job on Pruitt

[WhatInVolnation]

My opinion without inside sources:

I know Tennesseans love a good conspiracy theory, especially we Vol fans, but it’s implausible that UT’s AD has concocted this investigation just to get rid of Pruitt. The danger is too real if the NCAA comes snooping around. Rather, the far more rational line of thinking is UT was about to get busted and UT instituted a self-investigation to get out ahead of this looming issue to mitigate the fallout with a proactive approach.

There was a far savvier way to handle this with Pruitt and staff if UT knew this information without a pending bigger issue with the NCAA coming up and UT was looking for a way out with Pruitt. UT would have summoned Pruitt to a private meeting and laid out the evidence. This would’ve been done after the season and ESD not to disrupt the season and the recruiting class. The end of the meeting is UT saying it doesn’t want to wreck the program and reminding Pruitt that you’ll need to coach again and we have the right to fire you for cause without the buyout and you don’t want a show cause interfering with another job. So, we will negotiate a lump sum reduced buyout with general, nonspecific, non-disclosure and nondisparagement clauses (which are typical). And then UT and Pruitt both have leverage on the other and both pray nothing further comes of it. The press conference is that UT and Pruitt had a gentleman’s meeting and they both decided it would be best for all to part ways amicably with a reduced buyout.

This publicly broadcast in-house investigation approach smacks of the horses are already being out of the barn and UT is scrambling to mitigate the fallout. This suggests to me that a rival coach and/or an inside source (or rival coaches and/or inside sources) has tipped off the NCAA and UT is now in the crosshairs.

 

[EZE]

 

[Skippy95]

My opinion without inside sources:

I know Tennesseans love a good conspiracy theory, especially we Vol fans, but it’s implausible that UT’s AD has concocted this investigation just to get rid of Pruitt. The danger is too real if the NCAA comes snooping around. Rather, the far more rational line of thinking is UT was about to get busted and UT instituted a self-investigation to get out ahead of this looming issue to mitigate the fallout with a proactive approach.

There was a far savvier way to handle this with Pruitt and staff if UT knew this information without a pending bigger issue with the NCAA coming up and UT was looking for a way out with Pruitt. UT would have summoned Pruitt to a private meeting and laid out the evidence. This would’ve been done after the season and ESD not to disrupt the season and the recruiting class. The end of the meeting is UT saying it doesn’t want to wreck the program and reminding Pruitt that you’ll need to coach again and we have the right to fire you for cause without the buyout and you don’t want a show cause interfering with another job. So, we will negotiate a lump sum reduced buyout with general, nonspecific, non-disclosure and nondisparagement clauses (which are typical). And then UT and Pruitt both have leverage on the other and both pray nothing further comes of it. The press conference is that UT and Pruitt had a gentleman’s meeting and they both decided it would be best for all to part ways amicably with a reduced buyout.

This publicly broadcast in-house investigation approach smacks of the horses are already being out of the barn and UT is scrambling to mitigate the fallout. This suggests to me that a rival coach and/or an inside source (or rival coaches and/or inside sources) has tipped off the NCAA and UT is now in the crosshairs.

IMO this wasn’t just done to get rid of Pruitt but to get rid of Fulmer as well. It gives plenty of reason to clean house from top to bottom and put people in place that actually know what they’re doing. Remember when Tennessee fans “took the program back” when Fulmer was hired? Fulmer only cares about his legacy and he’s running the program back into the ground. Finishing what he started back in 05.

 

[OrangeTsar]

I don’t believe in coincidences

 

[Honky]

Even letting him go before the NCAA may not be enough as they can come at UT for sanctions after the fact .

 

[m1al]

This suggests to me that a rival coach and/or an inside source (or rival coaches and/or inside sources) has tipped off the NCAA and UT is now in the crosshairs.

This guy says hello....

 

[WhatInVolnation]

IMO this wasn’t just done to get rid of Pruitt but to get rid of Fulmer as well. It gives plenty of reason to clean house from top to bottom and put people in place that actually know what they’re doing. Remember when Tennessee fans “took the program back” when Fulmer was hired? Fulmer only cares about his legacy and he’s running the program back into the ground. Finishing what he started back in 05.

Same private meeting could be had with Fulmer and whoever else if this is a booster or whatever power play. The risk of the NCAA making an example of a currently down and out UT is a substantial one.

 

[howie87]

Yes it is, don't be stupid...

 

[JohnWardForever]

This guy says hello....
View attachment 332236

No Doubt. The bright side is MULLEN will always own KS.

 

[m1al]

No Doubt. The bright side is MULLEN will always own KS.

That kinda like saying my fart smells better than yours....

It still smells like sh!t...

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I don’t think that it was a premeditated conspiracy. But now that it’s here it might as well be used to bargain for better financial terms when negotiating the severance.

 

[JBVolunteer]

All I know is without this ‘investigation’ that absolutely no one knew about until the last game of the season; Pruitt would most definitely be the head coach next year.

Improper benefits are given out at every university in the country but suddenly we are to believe this is a unique situation that just so happened to occur under a coach on the hottest seat in America... I’m not buying it.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

I don’t think that it was a premeditated conspiracy. But now that it’s here it might as well be used to bargain for better financial terms when negotiating the severance.

The timing of this is absolutely no coincidence. After NSD and right before Championship Saturday. And you are 1000% correct, we will use this as leverage to negotiate a smaller buyout since that idiot Fulmer didnt include an offset clause in the original contracts...

 

[VolNExile]

The timing of this is absolutely no coincidence. After NSD and right before Championship Saturday. And you are 1000% correct, we will use this as leverage to negotiate a smaller buyout since that idiot Fulmer didnt include an offset clause in the original contracts...

I imagine the original proposed contracts had one, but it got negotiated away by Sexton.

Parallel to all this is the problem of gross overpayment of ALL coaches due to agents like Sexton representing multiple clients. He has a very heavy thumb on the scales.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

I imagine the original proposed contracts had one, but it got negotiated away by Sexton.

Parallel to all this is the problem of gross overpayment of ALL coaches due to agents like Sexton representing multiple clients. He has a very heavy thumb on the scales.

Sexton represents 11 SEC coaches. 12 of 13 (Vandy excluded) have offset provisions. We are the only school that doesnt.

Our issue isnt Jimmy Sexton...

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Only at UT can a potential NCAA investigation be considered a good thing.

 

[tnutater]

Improper benefits are given out at every university in the country but suddenly we are to believe this is a unique situation that just so happened to occur under a coach on the hottest seat in America... I’m not buying it.[/QUOTE]
I not purchasing either.
If UT uses "improper benefits" as an excuse to fire Pruitt in order to get out of the buyout clause in his contract. WE WILL NEVER be able to lure a great coach.

 

[Redleg68]

Improper benefits are given out at every university in the country but suddenly we are to believe this is a unique situation that just so happened to occur under a coach on the hottest seat in America... I’m not buying it.

I not purchasing either.
If UT uses "improper benefits" as an excuse to fire Pruitt in order to get out of the buyout clause in his contract. WE WILL NEVER be able to lure a great coach.[/QUOTE]
Why would we think we could get a great coach? Looks like according to the majority of Vol Nation we have not had a great coach in the last 70 years and everyone that came here arrived brain dead to never be able to coach again. . I have never seen so much dis-information, innuendos and just plain old gossiping in my life as I am seeing on this board. I agree with the above that it is done everywhere on the benefits from a hamburger to a lot of cash. Just wait a little while and the facts will come out whatever they are and we will not be giving the competition a thousand things to put in a potential player's face about how disfunctional we are.

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

I don’t believe in coincidences

The radio fanbros timed the release of the news to coincide with Pruitt’s final game to make him look bad (as if he needed help with that). The violation itself is likely very minor

 

[Spook1]

My opinion without inside sources:

I know Tennesseans love a good conspiracy theory, especially we Vol fans, but it’s implausible that UT’s AD has concocted this investigation just to get rid of Pruitt. The danger is too real if the NCAA comes snooping around. Rather, the far more rational line of thinking is UT was about to get busted and UT instituted a self-investigation to get out ahead of this looming issue to mitigate the fallout with a proactive approach.

There was a far savvier way to handle this with Pruitt and staff if UT knew this information without a pending bigger issue with the NCAA coming up and UT was looking for a way out with Pruitt. UT would have summoned Pruitt to a private meeting and laid out the evidence. This would’ve been done after the season and ESD not to disrupt the season and the recruiting class. The end of the meeting is UT saying it doesn’t want to wreck the program and reminding Pruitt that you’ll need to coach again and we have the right to fire you for cause without the buyout and you don’t want a show cause interfering with another job. So, we will negotiate a lump sum reduced buyout with general, nonspecific, non-disclosure and nondisparagement clauses (which are typical). And then UT and Pruitt both have leverage on the other and both pray nothing further comes of it. The press conference is that UT and Pruitt had a gentleman’s meeting and they both decided it would be best for all to part ways amicably with a reduced buyout.

This publicly broadcast in-house investigation approach smacks of the horses are already being out of the barn and UT is scrambling to mitigate the fallout. This suggests to me that a rival coach and/or an inside source (or rival coaches and/or inside sources) has tipped off the NCAA and UT is now in the crosshairs.

???Could this have originated with the fired defensive line coach??? It had to come from someone with knowledge from within the program and persons involved.

 

[imw8n4u]

Given what I have seen from the athletic department administration, it would not surprise me one bit if we fired Pruitt citing this investigation AND still paid the full buyout.

 

[OrangeTsar]

???Could this have originated with the fired defensive line coach??? It had to come from someone with knowledge from within the program and persons involved.

If so it would be the ultimate stone cold payback

 

[OrangeTsar]

Given what I have seen from the athletic department administration, it would not surprise me one bit if we fired Pruitt citing this investigation AND still paid the full buyout.

So true!!!$

 

[allvol]

IMO this wasn’t just done to get rid of Pruitt but to get rid of Fulmer as well. It gives plenty of reason to clean house from top to bottom and put people in place that actually know what they’re doing. Remember when Tennessee fans “took the program back” when Fulmer was hired? Fulmer only cares about his legacy and he’s running the program back into the ground. Finishing what he started back in 05.

Because the program was in such great shape when Fulmer became AD

 

[Sara Clark]

It's being used as a tool to get the results they want, a reduced buyout or firing for cause. You will never convince me if he were winning an internal investigation would have started.

**Edit** Even worse, every coach in the country is going to think the same thing.