Let's be honest

[VolAllen]

I know a lot of you are internet tough guys and actual conversation is far less likely than getting flamed. I don't hold it against you, it's just the East Tennessean fighter blood that flows through your veins. And no, this isn't a "knee jerk" reaction after a loss thread. This is a legitimate question/concern/conversation/get the gears in your head turning thread.

Do any of you guys actually like our coach? I know winning cures all. But I mean do you actually like the dude? Dig deep. Actually think about the question. Are you proud to call Jeremy Pruitt the coach of our beloved Vols? Or did Fulmer and our university totally just whiff the hell out of this thing the way they always do?

It would be fair to wait until the end of the season to judge, and even then seems a bit premature. But I'm not necessarily talking about his win/loss record. I'm talking about him as a representative of our program. Forget the 5-6 start. I can look beyond that.

Most of you are going to throw hateful things in my direction and tell me to go back to my momma's basement, but some numbers tell me that others may feel the same.

2009, Lane Kiffin's first and only season. 7-6 record. We averaged 100,000 fans in the seats.

2010, Dools first season. 6-7 record. We averaged 100,000.

2013, Butch Jones first season. 5-7 record. We averaged 96,000.

2016, Butch Jones best season. 9-4 record. 101,000 average attendance.

2018, Jeremy Pruitt's first season. 5-6 record. 92,869 average attendance. 3 games didn't even hit 90k.

There should be a spike in enthusiasm for a coach's first season, so why such a large drop in attendance? Lane obviously got fans excited. I remember it vividly. He was the first coaching change I had experienced and it was a feeling of new blood and a new era. Dooley received far less enthusiasm from the fans, but it was expected given the sudden and strange departure of Kiffin. Butch came in and really had the fan support. He said all the right things, knocked recruiting out of the park, beat Steve Spurrier in his first season. Hell, he crushed it.

Pruitt. It irked the hell out of me the way he answered Bob's question in the 2nd episode of The JP Show regarding running through the T for the first time. I stated that it bothered me right after it happened in the JP Show thread and caught some heat for it. Guess what? It still bothers me. Even more so now that we're 5-6. "It was uhhh....different", was the line. Mind you, this episode was following a win. It wasn't after getting straight whipped by West Virginia. No. It was after beating lowly ETSU, Pruitt's first win as the Tennessee head coach. His attitude sucks, and it's not good for business.

Do I like Pruitt more than Schiano? You're damn right I do. Do I like him more than Mike Leach? Not even close. Les Miles? Nope. Dan Mullen? Hard to say. Butch Jones? I don't think so. Dooley? I'm not sure.

Win, and of course, I'll shut up. But Coach Pruitt, you're making $4,000,000 a year to coach football. Ideally, you're supposed to win the games. If you don't, however, at least give us the impression that you're a good dude and that you're happy to be in Knoxville. Because at the end of the day, you're still going to be rich, and we're still going to be sitting on cold, hard, metal bleachers hoping that things change.

I'll go on record right now and say I have doubts that this experiment is going to work out. I think Mike Leach, Les Miles, or Dan Mullen would have been a better choice. And I'm not saying fire the guy. That's not going to accomplish anything. But win or lose, I don't really like this dude, and I'm feeling super disconnected from Tennessee football because of it.

Flame away.

 

[SigSaurP228]

Think we are all just tired of the 10 year perpetual rebuild, and we are all being more skeptical. Whats the point in throwing good money after bad. Do I like or dislike him well I don't really know him.

 

[james_govols]

Currie led us to believe he would break the bank to get an elite guy.

Instead, we find out he only went after Schiano.

That leaves a foul taste in your mouth. Sucks for Pruitt. I have to say though so far I like him.

 

[VolAllen]

Currie led us to believe he would break the bank to get an elite guy.

Instead, we find out he only went after Schiano.

That leaves a foul taste in your mouth. Sucks for Pruitt. I have to say though so far I like him.

I will say, I love his use of the onside kick. I'd love it even more if our guys would execute it.

 

[GAVol]

Vol fans are punch drunk at this point after a decade of screwy losses, embarrassing failures of leadership and whiffed hires. The amazing thing is that it took this long for attendance to slip.

Pruitt just isn't particularly articulate or warm and fuzzy. Every bit of love he gets will be a function of results. I'm fine with that.

 

[Elhanan]

I don’t really care about him either way tbh. Trying not to get too attached considering how the last 3 coaches went.

I hope he’s dominate because that means UT is too but I would have been just as happy if Kiffin, Dooley, or Jones were the ones to bring us back.

 

[joevol33]

Currie led us to believe he would break the bank to get an elite guy.

Instead, we find out he only went after Schiano.

That leaves a foul taste in your mouth. Sucks for Pruitt. I have to say though so far I like him.

I agree.

 

[alaVOL]

I'll go on record right now and say I have doubts that this experiment is going to work out. I think Mike Leach, Les Miles, or Dan Mullen would have been a better choice. And I'm not saying fire the guy. That's not going to accomplish anything. But win or lose, I don't really like this dude, and I'm feeling super disconnected from Tennessee football because of it.

OP, Dan Mullen is a proven SEC program builder and I'd been proud to have him. Mike Leach would have been fun for a bit, but not the answer in the SEC. Les Miles is getting hired at Kansas for a reason. We're tired of excuses and losing but it's still gonna take recruiting and more time. Hang in there, JP is a solid coach and knows how to build a solid defense which is job 1.

 

[Cat fan in tn]

From an outsider looking in, I think you all have a pretty good coach. It just appears to me that the Vols are playing, for the most part, with more passion than I saw last year. But there aren't enough horses yet and a lot of missing pieces. A few of your games have gone sour this year, but a few have been very well played...esp against the Wildcats. The potential is there, and if you give him time I believe he will build the program back up. It is very difficult to do that against so many good SEC opponents, but imo TN looks like a much improved product over last year. A couple top recruiting classes and who knows where it might go. Sometimes you have to climb the ladder one rung at a time.

 

[VolAllen]

OP, Dan Mullen is a proven SEC program builder and I'd been proud to have him. Mike Leach would have been fun for a bit, but not the answer in the SEC. Les Miles is getting hired at Kansas for a reason. We're tired of excuses and losing but it's still gonna take recruiting and more time. Hang in there, JP is a solid coach and knows how to build a solid defense which is job 1.

It's ironic that Les is going to end up at Kansas. Fulmer almost took that job as well after he "resigned".

 

[TJ1985]

I'll like him if we start recruiting and winning at a high level. I won't if we don't.

When I read your thread title, I thought this was another JJ thread... I kid, I kid.

 

[wtmvol]

College football attendance has been declining across the country for several years now. I don’t think you can parse out of our attendance numbers that we don’t like JP.

He’s a guy that’s had to learn on the job. We knew that when we hired him. We also knew he wasn’t a warm fuzzy dude, so it’s not surprising that he doesn’t blush with excitement over anything not directly related to coaching his guys, like coaches shows, running through the T, interacting with us, etc.

I think bottom line is that most of us are giving him the benefit of the doubt for a couple years, knowing he’ll be here at least 3.

 

[Chad F]

I

Currie led us to believe he would break the bank to get an elite guy.

Instead, we find out he only went after Schiano.

That leaves a foul taste in your mouth. Sucks for Pruitt. I have to say though so far I like him.

You are right. It’s difficult to grasp exactly how pathetic of an AD hire Currie was. On top of that, we have expensive tickets and 10 years of incompetence st every level in our football program. Battered fan syndrome is real.

 

[John Vol Jones]

When talking about the average fan, I think that we have finally reached the point that instead of being upset about the constant rebuild but still passionately supporting the team..... people are losing interest. It is what it is at this point.

 

[beneVOLence]

At first I really liked Butch because he accepted former players back into the program. He seemed excited and really got into our traditions and sold the program. He recruited well and acted link this was his dream job. Ultimately, he couldn't win and couldn't take criticism and had a thin skin. Pruitt doesn't seem to be genuinely exited to be our coach. He doesn't seem to particularly care about our traditions (running through the T). This definitely not his dream job. Everyone knows that Bama would be his dream job. If he can win, I guess it won't matter to me, if he turns out to be a mediocre coach, then I think his shtick will get old with the fan base pretty quickly. Saban and Belichick are not really a likable guys, but because they win people just look past it.

 

[ultimateUT]

I know a lot of you are internet tough guys and actual conversation is far less likely than getting flamed. I don't hold it against you, it's just the East Tennessean fighter blood that flows through your veins. And no, this isn't a "knee jerk" reaction after a loss thread. This is a legitimate question/concern/conversation/get the gears in your head turning thread.

Do any of you guys actually like our coach? I know winning cures all. But I mean do you actually like the dude? Dig deep. Actually think about the question. Are you proud to call Jeremy Pruitt the coach of our beloved Vols? Or did Fulmer and our university totally just whiff the hell out of this thing the way they always do?

It would be fair to wait until the end of the season to judge, and even then seems a bit premature. But I'm not necessarily talking about his win/loss record. I'm talking about him as a representative of our program. Forget the 5-6 start. I can look beyond that.

Most of you are going to throw hateful things in my direction and tell me to go back to my momma's basement, but some numbers tell me that others may feel the same.

2009, Lane Kiffin's first and only season. 7-6 record. We averaged 100,000 fans in the seats.

2010, Dools first season. 6-7 record. We averaged 100,000.

2013, Butch Jones first season. 5-7 record. We averaged 96,000.

2016, Butch Jones best season. 9-4 record. 101,000 average attendance.

2018, Jeremy Pruitt's first season. 5-6 record. 92,869 average attendance. 3 games didn't even hit 90k.

There should be a spike in enthusiasm for a coach's first season, so why such a large drop in attendance? Lane obviously got fans excited. I remember it vividly. He was the first coaching change I had experienced and it was a feeling of new blood and a new era. Dooley received far less enthusiasm from the fans, but it was expected given the sudden and strange departure of Kiffin. Butch came in and really had the fan support. He said all the right things, knocked recruiting out of the park, beat Steve Spurrier in his first season. Hell, he crushed it.

Pruitt. It irked the hell out of me the way he answered Bob's question in the 2nd episode of The JP Show regarding running through the T for the first time. I stated that it bothered me right after it happened in the JP Show thread and caught some heat for it. Guess what? It still bothers me. Even more so now that we're 5-6. "It was uhhh....different", was the line. Mind you, this episode was following a win. It wasn't after getting straight whipped by West Virginia. No. It was after beating lowly ETSU, Pruitt's first win as the Tennessee head coach. His attitude sucks, and it's not good for business.

Do I like Pruitt more than Schiano? You're damn right I do. Do I like him more than Mike Leach? Not even close. Les Miles? Nope. Dan Mullen? Hard to say. Butch Jones? I don't think so. Dooley? I'm not sure.

Win, and of course, I'll shut up. But Coach Pruitt, you're making $4,000,000 a year to coach football. Ideally, you're supposed to win the games. If you don't, however, at least give us the impression that you're a good dude and that you're happy to be in Knoxville. Because at the end of the day, you're still going to be rich, and we're still going to be sitting on cold, hard, metal bleachers hoping that things change.

I'll go on record right now and say I have doubts that this experiment is going to work out. I think Mike Leach, Les Miles, or Dan Mullen would have been a better choice. And I'm not saying fire the guy. That's not going to accomplish anything. But win or lose, I don't really like this dude, and I'm feeling super disconnected from Tennessee football because of it.

Flame away.

I think the attendance numbers are due to a couple of issues...
1. with high-def TV and comfort of your own home becoming widely normal to the general community makes attending a packed out stadium where you squeeze into your hard metal bench seat not very accommodating. Just general conveinences, like getting up to get a fresh cold one out of the fridge.
2. After this coaching carousel we've been on with our inconsistent win record and just plain fall of our dominance in the east from what were accustomed to for so long to now being in in competive games with Kentucky and vandy. That is starting to take it's toll on our fan base, appathy sets in and people get tired of getting kicked in the balls weekend to weekend...as another vn member put it.

As far as Pruitt goes...I don't think he is happy with this current situation. He doesn't have his guys here yet.. hopefully he gets them in here but I can tell he is a bammer through and through. As long as the player like him and the coaching staff that's what really matters. They have to want to play for him. He's got to be able to connect with them and have them in the right mindset to come out and perform. I do like his straight forward approach as "I'm just a no nonsense football coach though. On a personal level we probably wouldn't have enough in common to warrant hanging out on the weekends.

 

[JACK8254]

Think we are all just tired of the 10 year perpetual rebuild, and we are all being more skeptical. Whats the point in throwing good money after bad. Do I like or dislike him well I don't really know him.

He doesnt need to be likable if he wins- do you think Saban is ? If he loses, it really wont matter bc he will be fired like Botch. To address yr question- he speaks like some redneck you would find in a dive pool hall- his grammar is cringe-worthy and his abrupt manner borders on rudeness. One wonders if people around the country assume he is a typical UT graduate ( I know he went to Bama where English is taught as a foreign language , but they may not) IE, he is not a person I would pick to represent the school.

 

[Grudenhaslanded]

I do not like him and never have. He’s a full blooded bammer that isn’t ready to be a head coach, especially not at Tennessee. There have been too many embarrassing losses thus far, regardless of the teams talent level.

 

[volsportsfan]

Running through the T is an awesome tradition that we have. Maybe you heard him wrong, or maybe the task/problems in front of him had him in a sour mood. Sour enough to basically dismiss the question because he knows traditions dont produce wins, only hard work and growing as a person.

I'm with you though, as a fan, our traditions mean something to me. I always get excited about the team running though the T. It's a great tradition we have that I don't want to see tossed aside or performed half hearted. Of course winning makes the team and the fans more excited about running through the T, no doubt.

 

[VolAllen]

Running through the T is an awesome tradition that we have. Maybe you heard him wrong, or maybe the task/problems in front of him had him in a sour mood. Sour enough to basically dismiss the question because he knows traditions dont produce wins, only hard work and growing as a person.

I'm with you though, as a fan, our traditions mean something to me. I always get excited about the team running though the T. It's a great tradition we have that I don't want to see tossed aside or performed half hearted. Of course winning makes the team and the fans more excited about running through the T, no doubt.

I've taken numerous folks into Neyland Stadium to watch a game. And I've always hoped that they felt what I felt when the T opened up and the team ran through it. I really find it to be one of the most spectacular elements in all of college football. And to describe it as "uhhh....it's different" is a total slap in the face to the fans, our state, our history, and our tradition.

A lot of people here want to compare Pruitt to Saban. The difference is Saban is actually a funny guy. Sure, he's an ass sometimes, but he's got how many trophies? I find the comparison to be wishful thinking.

 

[Gandalf]

There is little question in my mind at least that Pruitt is a full blooded Bammer and that will take years to wash off, if it ever does. That said, I think the reason you see his taciturn side is because he is not winning. From all I have heard, he is a hyper competitive guy and I think he is frustrated that players are not executing what he is coaching - he is not really used to that. He has a "RAGE to win" and I dont think he much appreciates or understands anyone who doesnt, much less some of the soft players he inherited. Consider that Pruitt has not been on a team with a losing season perhaps his entire coaching career. Let that sink in a second.

I like his homegrown Southern shtick. I do wish it was a bit more eloquent in his articulation. I think, however, after the rah rah rah of the past, I am happy to trade for someone who is relentlessly fixated on recruiting, practicing and game day coaching and thinks everything else (including our opinion) is a waste of his time. Winning is the only thing that matters. Traditions are great and all but Pruitt is not here to live off of the glories of the ancient past. He is here to create the program everyone speaks about in hushed tones in years to come when lesser men replace him. That is how we make those traditions mean something both now and in the future. That is a mindset that Saban no doubt reinforced. Sadly, the UT admin lost sight of that some time ago and look where that has gotten us.

 

[VolAllen]

But you have to wonder if some recruits are feeling the same way as I am. It’s easy to have that attitude and get them to Bama. It seems extremely difficult to have that attitude and get them to Knoxville. If I were a parent and my kid had offers from Kirby, Saban, Mullen, etc....I don’t see how Pruitt competes with them.

 

[bpalmer28]

It’s fair to not be on the Pruitt wagon after losing to Missouri the way we did and it’s fair to think Mullen would’ve been better. But I don’t think it’s fair to suggest that it was a bad hire.

Personally, I’ve seen enough to like Pruitt. We’ve beaten two top-25 teams and every position has improved from last year. There’s just some things that are impossible to fix without getting better players; lack of size at the LOS, lack of ability at linebacker, and lack of speed on the perimeter.

What I like the most is that we’ve got a guy humble enough to see what needs improvement. I like that we’ve got a defensive minded head coach. And I like that we’ve got someone who’s proven himself to be an elite recruiter.

 

[Gandalf]

But you have to wonder if some recruits are feeling the same way as I am. It’s easy to have that attitude and get them to Bama. It seems extremely difficult to have that attitude and get them to Knoxville. If I were a parent and my kid had offers from Kirby, Saban, Mullen, etc....I don’t see how Pruitt competes with them.

Two words - "Playing Time". By openly stating we dont have the horses to do the job now, he is setting the expectations for those young bucks who come in =- and lets them know if they are as hot as they think they are, they will jump over others in line.

 

[majic73]

The guy is following the worst season in UT history which was at the end of one of the worst 10 year stretches in UT history . I see development in the team on the field , no turmoil off the field , 2 SEC wins , and a shot at a bowl game. I like him for the upward trending results. I don't need 'feel good talk' from a coach ( see Butch ) . It is worthless in the big picture. I want to see a competitive product on the field. I feel like we are getting there . I am anxious to see what happens with the new class and what happens when we have some depth and developed talent on the field next season . Holding judgement until then