Jeremy Pruitt is in a bad situation with public perception, and that’s only one of his many problems. That was the sentiment from SEC Network host Paul Finebaum on Monday morning

During his weekly segment with the Birmingham-based WJOX 94.5 FM radio program “The Roundtable,” Finebaum admitted that he, like the co-hosts on the show, like the Tennessee coach, but the mistakes are unavoidable.

“Here are some of the problems, let’s look at the coaching decisions, which are inexcusable, let’s also look at his demeanor, which is more inexcusable,” Finebaum said. “You just can’t walk up to that podium namby-pamby, you’ve got to show who you are and what you’re all about. I think Jeremy Pruitt has failed miserably in that regard. He used the line, ‘I understand why fans are disappointed,’ that’s just a cliche line you hear no matter what the outcome of the game is, but he didn’t look any different.”

Beyond the football team, which has struggled to develop confidence, Pruitt has likewise been unable to inspire confidence with the fan base.

“You just don’t want to write someone off this quickly, but you start going week by week and as long as you get past Chattanooga, the schedule is self-explanatory, Florida, Georgia, I mean what, there aren’t any wins there,” Finebaum said “The danger is the season is going to be over so quickly that the interest in Tennessee as opposed to anything but a side show or a freak show will vaporize. That’s when he goes into late October, early November and is trying to find fans, really anyone to talk about his own ineptitude, that’s when you go from Defcon 4, to 3, to 2, to 1.”

The 0-2 Vols play Chattanooga this week at noon ET on the SEC Network, then play at Florida before an off week and a home game against Georgia.

Added Finebaum, “You take a good look around that stadium on Saturday, who in their right mind is going to this game?”