Warrior credits frank Pruitt meeting for changing Vols' season

#1

Shades

30 minutes of ball and we are smokin at the end
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
849
Likes
3,347
#1
Warrior credits frank Pruitt meeting for changing Vols' season
By WES RUCKER

Warrior credits frank Pruitt meeting for changing Vols' season


Most people who live in the Greater Knoxville Area and just about everywhere in the state of Tennessee weren’t happy with the Vols’ start to this football season.

It was anything but ideal, but it was the reality Tennessee had built for itself, and Pruitt wanted to make sure everyone in the program knew that.

There was a frank discussion between Pruitt and the players in the locker room moments after their 34-3 loss at Florida on Sept. 21, and a slightly-more-pleasant meeting after the airplane landed back in Knoxville later that night.


One of Tennessee’s few seniors — safety Nigel Warrior — didn’t hide his happiness in the moments after Saturday’s big win on a cold night in the Midwest.

“It feels good,” Warrior said. “The past couple years, you know, hasn’t gone our way. Just being able to go to a bowl game this year, to turn it around this year, it feels amazing.”

Warrior said there was “no doubt” in his mind that Pruitt’s two post-Florida meetings with the players set the stone for the team’s mid-season reboot.


“I would say, you know, that whole meeting was … it was, you know, ‘If you here, and you really gonna be here with us, you gonna promise to give your all for the rest of these games,’” Warrior said. “It was, ‘Are y’all gonna really turn it around? Are you gonna play for your brother?’ Everybody agreed. And as you can see, we changed it around. We came closer. We became one.

“Really, I’m just thankful for those guys, man. They’re taking me out with a boom, and I can’t complain about it.”

Warrior — who had six tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass breakups against Missouri — said personal responsibility was the main message of the meetings.

“Going back to the meeting, [it was about] being there for one another,” he said. “And being there for one another goes back to just being more into your plays, knowing more, having more awareness on the field, talking, having more communication. That’s what he laid out for us. We just listened, really.”


Warrior — a son of former Vols and NFL star Dale Carter — said leaving Tennessee in a better place than it’s been “the past little bit” is something that’s really important to him, and he said Saturday’s win was another big step in that direction.

“It feels amazing,” he said. “It’s not just us [seniors]. It’s from the freshmen to the sophomores to the juniors, but being a senior in this team, it feels amazing. It shows that we can turn around a bad season to something pretty good. I’m just happy to be a part of it, man.”
 
#4
#4
Warrior's improved play at Safety is a real evidence and credit to the DEFENSIVE coaches.....beginning with CJP.

Rucker's article saying that we weren't really better than last year was the EPITOME of STUPIDITY coming from pencil-necks who've never worn a jock strap in their lives.
It's just one of the reasons that CJP--or any HC in any college program--owes the reporters absolutely NOTHING.
Most are idiots--and RUCKER is still an IDIOT who should've included a Mea Culpa in the article.

No matter what is said--it really does matter if you've played the game past the 8th grade--and what level of competition was experienced at your school.

Most who knew anything about FB believed this team would finish between 6-6 to 8-4 (if we got all of the breaks).
I personally thought that we could get to 8-4 by posting 4-4 in the SEC.
I also never thought we'd lose to Georgia State and BYU--but I was NOT in that crowd who were chicken-littles after the first 2 games.

So--CJP has definitely EXCEEDED my expectations within SEC competition--given that I expect them to finish at 5-3 in the SEC by whoopin' the crap out of Vandy next week.
 
Last edited:
#6
#6
Warrior's improved play at Safety is a real evidence and credit to the DEFENSIVE coaches.....beginning with CJP.

Rucker's article saying that we weren't really better than last year was the EPITOME of STUPIDITY coming from pencil-necks who've never worn a jock strap in their lives.
It's just one of the reasons that CJP--or any HC in any college program--owes the reporters absolutely NOTHING.
Most are idiots--and RUCKER is still an IDIOT who should've included a Mea Culpa in the article.

No matter what is said--it really does matter if you've played the game past the 8th grade--and what level of competition was experienced at your school.

Most who knew anything about FB believed this team would finish between 6-6 to 8-4 (if we got all of the breaks).
I personally thought that we could get to 8-4 by posting 4-4 in the SEC.
I also never thought we'd lose to Georgia State and BYU--but I was NOT in that crowd who were chicken-littles after the first 2 games.

So--CJP has definitely EXCEEDED my expectations within SEC competition--given that I expect them to finish at 5-3 in the SEC by whoopin' the crap out of Vandy next week.


AMEN!!
 
#9
#9
He was found off that milk carton mid season. Where has he been for these years? Glad he came around!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MadWorld
#10
#10
Rucker was speaking to record/schedule comparisons with last year at the same point in the season. Reasonable observation and definitely not a negative article. He’s usually a UT homer.
 
#11
#11
Giving credit where credit is due? I’ve always been a Vol fan, when the Lane Train came to town I was on board, when Lyle was laying his bricks I was mixing the mud for him. Lol it’s what fans do especially the fans that are as passionate as Tennessee fans(best fan base hands down in the country). Then Fulmer hires Pruitt and I was excited all over again. What I love about Pruitt is he’s connecting with these kids and he’s coaching and developing them. He’s all business all the time and I think Pruitt is the man for Tennessee!!
Go Vols
 
#12
#12
Giving credit where credit is due? I’ve always been a Vol fan, when the Lane Train came to town I was on board, when Lyle was laying his bricks I was mixing the mud for him. Lol it’s what fans do especially the fans that are as passionate as Tennessee fans(best fan base hands down in the country). Then Fulmer hires Pruitt and I was excited all over again. What I love about Pruitt is he’s connecting with these kids and he’s coaching and developing them. He’s all business all the time and I think Pruitt is the man for Tennessee!!
Go Vols

You forgot promoting shower discipline and bottle tosses for Dooley! lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: VOLSONLY
#20
#20
Warrior is one of the great success stories here. He has really turned it around, and is playing his best ball of the season. All props to this young man.

I agree 100%, although having said that I'd give Warrier a like just for being Dale Carter's son. :D
See below for a reminder why Dale Carter is the UT legend (this play from the last UT game I attended as a student - epic beatdown of Spurrier's gators).
Dale's highlight starts at 1:58 and is one of my all time favorite UT football memories.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Vol Main
#23
#23
Jerm’s evil twin that lives in the attic at the football complex. He has long flowing golden locks and speaks in soliloquies and in the third person exclusively.

But he also is the team motivator, life coach, and guru.

Frank = BMF
 
  • Like
Reactions: Elhanan
#24
#24
Yes he is. And early in the year, he was catching almost as much grief from the fans as JG.

Well when you cost the team a W with boneheaded play, you deserve the Grief. Review the byu tape. If you get the praise, you should also get the grief. NO Participation Trophies .
 
Advertisement



Back
Top