Bodysuit Man

I think he saw it coming this time.

I don't think Butch was a better coach actually. Great recruiter, but didn't do a lot with the players. Pruitt? He's got nothing.

I wasn't as optimistic about year two under Pruitt as a lot of fans, but even I wouldn't have given Georgia State the opening win. I figured six wins was a given, and if they won a single SEC game, it would be a huge positive. Now? I can't imagine how bad it can get. We're all obviously Pruitt doubters at this point. So, since there's nowhere to go but up after this turd, let's see how he responds. Does he (and his staff) have the guts and the knowledge to make this year's team respectable, or will he wilt and make it all worse? I will say this too: He better shut up and take it if the fans start to turn on him and his team, because we're entirely justified in doing that at this point. Last year he called out the fans and that didn't sit well. It will be even worse now, so get some thicker skin or resign because we can't lower our expectations any more than this. Just shut up, do your job, and collect that big paycheck while you can. I think you'll be back in a more fitting role as an assistant again pretty soon.

We can only pray that Alabama will get caught in some sort of scandal and be placed on probation. Not going to happen, but there has to be SOME hope.

I thought Leach turned UT down. I guess I don't remember it all now.

You're right. Unfortunately, we're stuck with Pruitt for a couple more years. His replacement isn't going to be easy to find either. Not only will the memory of the coaching search that netted our #5 choice be fresh in every candidate's mind, but the cupboard will be pretty bare as Pruitt will start losing recruits at an alarming rate after these ugly losses start piling up. Pruitt might be an okay HC in the right circumstance, but this isn't it. His success as an assistant to some recent excellent programs obviously showed us very little about his knowledge of the game or his readiness to take a program on his back. He's made it clear he's a fairly unintelligent guy who isn't a real leader and certainly isn't any sort of sound football mind. The next HC at Tennessee will have to be a guy from a smaller program who has been a HC for a few years and has had some success at his level. There needs to be a program set up that will succeed with the talent an SEC team can recruit against SEC competition. If the HC at Bowling Green or Utah State can win 9 games for five years in a row, he's the guy. These hotshot assistants that ride Nick Saban's coattails can make it at a program that has everything in place, but that's not where UT is right now. We need a rebuild. All of this is moot point, however, if the guy who hired Pruitt is in charge of hiring the next guy. Fulmer isn't going to do anything different or better the next time he has an opportunity. Anyone that remembers his methods as a coach will know that isn't changing. We have had a bunch of bad luck and bad decisions in the past decade or so that are piling up dangerously high. We need a bit of good luck soon.

It's going to be Freeze. Saban can get him more money, he'll be working with the best players in the country which will make him look great for his HC gig this time next year, he won't be on some other staff giving Saban fits any more, and the press won't raise a stink about it because they're afraid of Saban. What could possibly hinder this from happening?

It's funny to see college football fans act like all the other coaches are dirty, but not theirs. IF you don't think every coach in the country is doing the same stuff, you're incredibly naive. Some of them just have the network and booster money to make it less visible or go away entirely. If there is a coach in America that isn't using dirty tactics in recruiting, it's Nick Saban. And that's only because at this point, he doesn't have to.

If he couldn't do anything with Auburn recruits, what's he going to do with Tennessee recruits?

Tennessee is not yet in a position to hire it's first choice in anything. We will settle for leftovers until that diamond in the rough turns up. It's the only way it can be done at this point, unless some great coach--out of the goodness of his heart or sympathy--accepts a job that is beneath him.

Alabama could pay him more money, get him more wins, get him a better HC job this time next year. Saban would hire him just to keep him from everyone else. Saban/Alabama get everything/everybody they want. Haven't you noticed?

This kid doesn't appear to be too bright. Hopefully he can play football though.

It's not going to be Freeze. He's only going to be an OC for one season, so why waste time with a team with no players to pull it off? He'll go to a winner and look better for the head coaching job he gets next year. The OC at UT next season will be a virtual nobody, like the head coach is.

If there were no such thing as illness, sadness and death, this would be heaven rather than the fallen creation. Heaven is what we have to look forward to if we swallow our arrogance and pride, repent of all the sin we have committed and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Some things are more important than football. Well, most things are more important than football. Don, you too can be saved from eternal torment if you repent and follow Jesus.

You talkin to me? I think I'm clever? No, not really. I'm a Vols fan, how clever could I be?

Still should be able to come out of this disappointing season with 8 wins and a bowl game. North Texas, Missouri and Vandy should all be wins to close out the season. There, I was positive!

Seems like the competition is able to adjust their gameplan at halftime and the Vols aren't. I really think Mike DeBord is the weakest link on this football team right now. Butch has proven to be a fantastic recruiter and a great motivator of his players, but they need a good plan and the ability to let the talent put points on the board. Something just isn't clicking with this talented team. They should be pouring it on teams like South Carolina, Florida and Arkansas the way they did Kentucky.

Me too. It will be nice when the Vols start beating Florida and Alabama again. But would it shut their fans up? Doubt it.

There's a difference in a coach trying to get his players and fan base pumped to go against a rival who happens to be the better team, and someone from the better team gloating about being that way (two years after graduating). Stay classy McCarron.

Totally agree. Time to forget friends and ties from the past and offer that job to a competent, proven OC who can get the Vols to compete at the same level as their talent.

Okay, so it takes a few minutes for a post to go through. You get the point.

It's easy to chant "fire Butch Jones"--and I'm as disappointed as the next guy--but remember a couple of things: first, he's signed through 2020 (nice move Hart). Secondly, he wasn't exactly UT's first choice when they fired Derek Dooley (I think he was fourth or fifth). He's doing as well as a coach as we realistically should have expected, but thankfully he's been a lot better at recruiting than I think anyone expected. He has been able to bring in some outstanding players, now he just needs to find some guys who can coach them into winners (clearly he isn't one of those). Butch will no doubt be pressured to upgrade at least the offensive coordinator job, maybe DC too. Come next season, he needs to have an OC that has coached an offense in this decade and has proven he can get the ball downfield.

It's easy to say "fire Butch", and I'm as disappointed as anyone, but remember he wasn't exactly Tennessee's first choice (I think it was more like fifth) and he's signed through 2020 (smart move Dave Hart). Butch obviously isn't much of a coach, but considering how great he is at recruiting, we at least know the next offensive coordinator (and there had better be a good one in 2016) will have something to work with. You want to get mad at someone, make it Mike DeBord, who has shown he can do little to nothing with some of the best talent in the country on offense.