Tennessee football: Did Jeremy Pruitt just turn the corner? It certainly seems so
It’s time to wonder if Jeremy Pruitt has this whole head coaching thing figured out.
Tennessee’s recent improvement was never more evident than Saturday, when the Vols beat South Carolina handily 41-21. The fashion in which Pruitt’s team did so speaks volumes about him as a head coach.
UT and South Carolina basically played to a stalemate through the first half. The Vols trailed 21-17 against the Gamecocks. Then, Pruitt and his staff seemed to find their stride. The Vols outscored South Carolina 24-0 in the second half.
Certainly, every Tennessee fan would prefer their team to dominate an opponent for four quarters but Saturday’s win showed something every bit as impressive. Pruitt and his staff showed the ability to adjust and dominate in the second half. That’s something that only good coaches do.
Will Muschamp has had ample opportunities to prove his coaching acumen. He hasn’t done so to this point. Muschamp has been a head coach in the SEC for 8 years. He was outfoxed by Pruitt on Saturday. Not to overstate one win, but if you were buying stock on Muschamp or Pruitt, which would you choose? Pruitt is the easy choice. Pruitt seems to be on the rise while Muschamp is firmly sitting on the hot seat.
Now, for those that think I’m anointing Pruitt as the next great SEC coach, please take a moment to reassess. Tennessee should always beat South Carolina. The Vols have more resources than South Carolina. The Vols should dominate the series despite what recent history may suggest.
In some ways, Tennessee looked like the Tennessee of old on Saturday. The Vols strutted to a one-sided win despite giving up a 75-yard touchdown pass on the opening play of the game. That could have crushed a team in turmoil. The Vols apparently aren’t that team. UT responded and beat a team they should always beat. South Carolina is, well, South Carolina. It doesn’t matter if Muschamp or Brad Scott is the head coach, UT should win the vast majority of its games against the Gamecocks.
So what does this win say about the recent trend of Pruitt’s Vols? A lot. Let’s begin with the fact that the Vols didn’t give up after their awful beginning of the season. That’s a plus. More recently, UT beat Mississippi State, played hard against Alabama and defeated South Carolina. If you’re buying stock in the Vols, you’re a little late.
The Vols close out the season with a home game against UAB, two road trips versus Kentucky and Missouri and a home game against Vanderbilt. Somehow, some way the Vols could still be bowl eligible if they win 3 of those last 4 games, which now seems quite possible.
The Georgia State game will always be a thorn in the side of any tried and true UT fan, but if the Vols become bowl eligible despite that loss, then Pruitt, his staff and his team should be commended.
No, the masses won’t consider this season successful even if the Vols manage to be bowl eligible. It should. If UT makes a bowl game with a Georgia State loss on its record, a new offensive system and quarterback issues throughout the season, then Pruitt should be given an extension and a raise.
Now, all of that sounds good. Pruitt has to prove he can guide that ship. As fun as it is to imagine great things for the Vols, they will be underdogs in 2 or 3 of their last 4 games. That would suggest that Pruitt can’t close out the regular season with a bowl game bid. But based off of what I’ve seen over the past three weeks, I wouldn’t bet against him.
Pruitt continues to show that he has an end game in mind. He continues to recruit well, he’s consistent in his approach in how he handles his team and he isn’t swayed by outside criticism. Pruitt has all the tools at his disposal. He’s growing Tennessee’s program.
If he isn’t as successful as UT deems necessary then he’ll set the stage for someone who will be.
I am not ready to say the corner is turned but as a Pruitt supporter, I do like what I have seen the past 2 games. I think there is a lot of training and preparing still left for this team to do and absolutely no raise for him at this point. Programs are so quick to do that with coaches. Make them earn it like I have to on my job! He is headed in the right direction but there are a lot of games still to play.
Got to give him a raise, extend his contract for 5 more years and certainly increase his buyout to at least 20 million. Can’t afford to lose him, he just beat USCe!!!
As an LSU fan, STFU.
Dude, we can go back and look at your posts. Your not an LSU fan. How pathetic is this.
Good catch.
“Your” not a high school graduate, are you?
Vols fans are getting cocky, after a couple more Ls theyll go back to their holes
Why are you pretending to be an LSU fan? Idiot.
I figured this season was going to be a bit of a struggle as we had new offensive and defensive coordinators. I certainly didn’t see the GA St fiasco, but they have continued to improve as the season has worn on. This is especially encouraging as they have a large number of youngsters playing.
Turning the corner is difficult to say right now but vol fans certainly have to feel good about the current direction things are going. Continued improvement and more winning may very well define a corner having been turned. Keep it up Big Orange!
Coaches are judged on W/L.
I hope we don’t give him an extension and raise.
His recruiting is average, and frankly we are 3-5 in his second season.
I’m just being reasonable here. I’m looking at the long game and not just a victory over USC.
Well it looked like a dumpster fire a month ago and now it looks like a team playing hard and getting results. USC has their own issues, but this was a pretty emphatic win for the Vols. If they get bowl eligible you’d have to consider (other than the Georgia State loss) the season to be a success and that the program is moving in the right direction. Whether that merits a raise and extension, I’d say not until they start really competing for a championship.
I completely agree. The big thing looming right now is how trash UT played in the beginning of the season. This year, he deserves praise if they go to a bowl game. Next year, if we see a complete team start the season, progression as a team, and more wins, then he gets the raise. I love Pruitt, I want him to stay and be successful, but you don’t give a start to a QB who can’t make throws, why give an extension to a coach who can only win at a mediocre level.
S/N: IF he beats UF next year, we should give him an extension on the spot. I’m tired of losing to that dang team.
If the playing holds up-they’ll likely get 3 more wins, two of which are sec. That would make 4 sec wins (2 over last year and 4 more than the year before), plus a bowl game. That’s worth an extension (not a raise).
Change your mind about Pruitt again Hooker? A couple weeks ago you said he was making it more of a dumpster fire than he inherited it, AND you wanted Fulmer to take over before it got too bad. At least if you wanna change your mind, admit it in the article like O’gara did when he realized Moorehead was a trash coach. (I hope Moorehead rights the ship FYI, I actually think he has more upside than has been seen)
Congrats Tenn. Buts it’s weird when we win a game it’s either a fluke or no big deal but when someone beats us that program is the next world beater. P.S… we don’t know how to play football.
bcreek do you realize every team in the sec hates on tn we have strugled for years were just looking to be a contender also i will say i had my doubts after yall knocked off ga i was pulling for sc btw i am tired of hearing bamma and ga this and that and bamma taking the sec title every year i just want someone to knock them off that pedistool
To be fair-Bama has earned it. UGA is hysterically in the exact same record they were with Richt. On paper, they’ve got the most complete team (with the Bama injuries at LB) and have the best OL, yet can be bothered to play with readiness and attitude. That’s coaching.
I don’t think the argument is that UT are world beaters (they’re not), it’s that the dismantling of a division rival after the start of the season and without your beat qb is a remarkable accomplishment.
Eat sh.t Dave Hooker
I said since BYU i was ready to ride with Pruitt to another year. Unlike in previously years with previous coaches, it is evident that Tennessee has improved over the course of the season. Pruitt has a great staff and can make adjustments in game.
That being said, I would not give him a raise just yet. We are still paying Jones’s buyout, and if things do go south we can not afford a bigger buyout. Pruitt still needs to prove he can prepare a team to be ready AT THE START of the season and he has yet to beat a big rival (Kentucky last year does not count, we own them.)
Still a lot to be happy with over the past few weeks and going forward