Jeremy Pruitt shares how Tennessee will adjust to the changing schedule, evaluates his own coaching performance
Tennessee is adjusting following the news that the Texas A&M game was postponed this week, and coach Jeremy Pruitt explained that the Vols would spend the extra time helping younger guys get more practice time.
“We will sprinkle in future opponents and go back and probably get more fundamental base practices like you would in fall camp,” Pruitt said on the SEC coaches media teleconference. “We have young guys that missed time during camp and we need to give them time to grow, that will be our focus.”
The Vols on Tuesday had about 40 plays with their younger guys, Pruitt said, and that will continue.
“I talked to Jimbo (Fisher) on Monday and he was open and honest about it but we continued to prepare like we would be playing on Saturday,” Pruitt said. “… We had a really good practice that was centered around A&M… it would be similar to an off-week practice.”
Pruitt said Tennessee would practice the next two days and make a decision on the Saturday schedule tonight.
What was the players’ reaction to the game being called off?
“It’s really unique, when we first came back in June, it wasn’t like a normal June,” he said. “Then we moved things back in July… this is not something unusual for them, it’s kinda happened with all the changes on the schedule.”
Pruitt was asked to evaluate his coaching performance.
“It’s all based on your record, right? Based on our record, it’s not where it needs to be, that’s pretty obvious,” Pruitt said.
The extra time off to work on … well, everything will help. As far as his evaluation, he is honest. Not trying to sugarcoat it. Unlike a previous coach who always had a weak excuse how it was everyone’s fault but his (looking at you Botch Jones).
I do have to give him credit for being honest and realistic. It is all about the record for all these guys. No one wants to hear vague assurances that the team is “getting better” or, as Harbaugh likes to say, “close.”
Pruitt is not a head coach/CEO. He’s a defensive coordinator. Let him go somewhere and do that. If UT is smart, they’ll try for Hugh Freeze.
Very proud of our own Sam Pittman.
If anyone knows about what a HC isn’t, ARK should know.
We don’t have many hookers on The Hill. Freeze wouldn’t like it here.
WE can pay Pruitt to go work for Saban for years like we did Butch.
Pretty soon, Saban won’t have to pay any coaches.
Don’t be so hasty. Let’s see if we can’t find a reason to terminate his contract for cause. At which point, he probably isn’t owed much of a buyout.
Focus on the young guys? You serious Clark? Unless these “young” guys are going to play next week, you better put your focus on the other guys. Don’t say your going to focus on the young guys in the middle of the dam season and then turn around and not play any of them. Sorry, but worry about the ones that will actually play because the need all the help they can get. Also, focus on your coaches and putting a real game plan together. Otherwise, what are we really doing here besides delaying the inevitable?
As of now, Pruitt gets a failing grade. This seems to be the trend with “defensive-minded” coaches, which is what I thought I wanted. But now, give me former OCs and let them hire the Pruitts, Muschamps, Smarts, and Strongs of the world to run their defenses.
I’ve liked the Vols for nearly forty years, but I’ve reached the point that I cheer for them to lose. They’re the Dallas Cowboys of the SEC. They win just enough to keep addicted fans buying ’16’ jerseys, making donations, and enjoying their showplace stadium. They’re primarily interested in making money, and their long-suffering fans need to face it and find something else to do in the fall or follow another team. If you are a diehard Vol fan, you are being played…by the UT Athletic Department, by greedy agents and subpar coaches, among others.
They have a noteworthy history with a subpar present and future.
Lastly, in 2013, my daughter was thinking about going to UT, and the Admissions personnel must have had a bad day or two, but they were rude and entirely uninterested in helping a parent with the willingness and ability to pay full tuition to come to Knoxville.
We visited the University of Arkansas. My daughter now lives in NW Arkansas, and my wife and I will happily retire there.
Tennessee is my home state, and UT is my home state university. I really want them to be better. Maybe the basketball team will do something. I hope so.
How is everything at Wally World?