Recruiting Forum Football Talk II

[KB5252]

I've been wanting to put you on ignore for a while. You're a dumb a**.

When you can't stand on an argument, take your ball and go home. By the way no need to announce it, as Nike says JUST DO IT!

 

[KPT_VFL]

This is me being a total homer, but this path forward makes more and more sense to me:

HC: Tee Martin
OC: Jim Chaney (mainly because that contract makes him very hard to fire, and he might find himself again without a defensive head coach micro-managing him)
QBs: Anyone with a pulse.
RB: Jay Graham
OL: Tee, Chaney and Phil should be able to come together and make a good hire here.
WR: Find a good recruiter, Tee will have contacts in this area.
TE: Chaney or outside hire.

DC: Ansley (he won't stay so we're looking at outside hire) Kevin Steele will probably be available.
DL: There are a ton of VFL options here. Chief, Brooks, outside hire.
LBs: Probably another outside hire, although Kevin Simon is still on staff.
DBs: Ansley if he stays, otherwise outside hire.

This makes sense to me because, financially, it would save UT from paying buyouts besides Pruitt's. It would also bring stability and be a very seamless transition, something I think the UT AD would prioritize.

I'm not saying I would prefer this route to a "sure thing" like Freeze or Fickell, but I would be more excited about this than trotting Pruitt out there again next season.

If we're writing 5 year blank checks like has been rumored with Pruitt, I'd rather give that opportunity to a VFL and National Championship winner.

Please read what's in bold before you yell at me.

No to Tee.

 

[VolGee4]

i know. just giving you a hard time.

i think money is a problem.

at least to the extent that you just keep throwing good money after bad, and to foot the bill for this one, it'd likely rely very heavily on donor money...money that i would suspect they aren't necessarily willing to part with....

but, if they made this a priority, and it was presented in terms of what they're going to go get, instead of what they're running off, maybe it changes things.

no idea.

so, yeah. money is an issue....but if they really all got on the same page and wanted the same thing....it'd happen.

they don't have a clue, collectively, what they want....so nothing happens.

So, looking back, the AD had surpluses of $10 million + from 2015-2017. I believe that was after running a deficit before Butch because when Hart was there, the university agreed to suspend its payment from the AD for a few years. So, those surpluses paid back some things that needed to be paid. Let's say they could bank $15 million. Then, after firing Butch and maybe Holly, 2018 was a deficit of $6.5 million. Things had to be paid.

In 2019, the surplus was $750k. That's peanuts...half of what Chaney makes. So, even if we have $10-$15 million in the bank, we are going to be down in revenue this year. That bank money will cover some of it, but they expect to lose $40 million. It won't cover it all, so you have to cut expenses. Then, we talk about firing and hiring new coaches.

This was just a quick glance, but I think that's what we are looking at unless donors want to pony up.

 

[Tennessee Golfer]

DCJW

 

[KPT_VFL]

DCJW

This and only this.

 

[VolGee4]

Ranking college football's richest, poorest programs

This is from March this year. Money ain’t a problem covid is an excuse not to spend any. Profit of 55 million for a 2018 5-7 record.

That's just football. Football pays for ALL of the other programs. That's not an AD number.

There was not $55 million to put into the bank at the end of the year.

Tennessee Athletic Department Reports Budget Deficit of Nearly $6.5 Million - WDEF

 

[LynxVol]

Oh well. If there’s anything I’ve learned in these last 20+ years following UT football, especially the last 10, it’s that coaching matters and Chris Weinke sucks at developing talent. Most of this staff sucks. Adios to them all! Fulmer can go too if he doesn’t agree.

I’m tired of supporting a loser program. It’s going to take elite coaching to turn this around, not a top tier QB being coached by losers. We’ve had enough of that nonsense.

Was just stating info. based on what Price reported earlier this week.

I don’t think Pruitt is a loser. It’s just looking like he’s not the guy to turn this thing around.

 

[bignewt]

This is me being a total homer, but this path forward makes more and more sense to me:

HC: Tee Martin
OC: Jim Chaney (mainly because that contract makes him very hard to fire, and he might find himself again without a defensive head coach micro-managing him)
QBs: Anyone with a pulse.
RB: Jay Graham
OL: Tee, Chaney and Phil should be able to come together and make a good hire here.
WR: Find a good recruiter, Tee will have contacts in this area.
TE: Chaney or outside hire.

DC: Ansley (he won't stay so we're looking at outside hire) Kevin Steele will probably be available.
DL: There are a ton of VFL options here. Chief, Brooks, outside hire.
LBs: Probably another outside hire, although Kevin Simon is still on staff.
DBs: Ansley if he stays, otherwise outside hire.

This makes sense to me because, financially, it would save UT from paying buyouts besides Pruitt's. It would also bring stability and be a very seamless transition, something I think the UT AD would prioritize.

I'm not saying I would prefer this route to a "sure thing" like Freeze or Fickell, but I would be more excited about this than trotting Pruitt out there again next season.

If we're writing 5 year blank checks like has been rumored with Pruitt, I'd rather give that opportunity to a VFL and National Championship winner.

Please read what's in bold before you yell at me.

stopped reading at Chaney, wadded it up and threw it in the fire barrel.

 

[jakez4ut]

So, looking back, the AD had surpluses of $10 million + from 2015-2017. I believe that was after running a deficit before Butch because when Hart was there, the university agreed to suspend its payment from the AD for a few years. So, those surpluses paid back some things that needed to be paid. Let's say they could bank $15 million. Then, after firing Butch and maybe Holly, 2018 was a deficit of $6.5 million. Things had to be paid.

In 2019, the surplus was $750k. That's peanuts...half of what Chaney makes. So, even if we have $10-$15 million in the bank, we are going to be down in revenue this year. That bank money will cover some of it, but they expect to lose $40 million. It won't cover it all, so you have to cut expenses. Then, we talk about firing and hiring new coaches.

This was just a quick glance, but I think that's what we are looking at unless donors want to pony up.

in the loosest of terms, this sounds right....lol.

and i still say if they got on the same page with what we were GOING TO DO by parting ways with this staff, they'd find a way to get it done.

we're probably a long ways from that though.

 

[Jack Burton]

If Tennessee is serious about football they’ll reach out to Freeze. If he’s willing then they fire CJP right away and move forward.

This time next year there will be twice as many coaching vacancies as a normal year. That’s precisely NOT the time to fire CJP and begin a search. Now is the time.

If we’re serious about football it’s the obvious move.

 

[Catbone]

If we have to hire and spend a bunch of money on new coaches next year anyway (after the incoming mass exodus) would it make more sense just to cut Pruitt off now? We are going to be in a hole regardless...

 

[Volsdeep4]

Oh well. If there’s anything I’ve learned in these last 20+ years following UT football, especially the last 10, it’s that coaching matters and Chris Weinke sucks at developing talent. Most of this staff sucks. Adios to them all! Fulmer can go too if he doesn’t agree.

I’m tired of supporting a loser program. It’s going to take elite coaching to turn this around, not a top tier QB being coached by losers. We’ve had enough of that nonsense.

This is a message I can get behind

 

[Kingston Vol]

If we have to hire and spend a bunch of money on new coaches next year anyway (after the incoming mass exodus) would it make more sense just to cut Pruitt off now? We are going to be in a hole regardless...

Depends on if they see Freeze as someone they have to have. We don’t know they do.

 

[Ron Swanson]

He’ll be right back telling us that coach McGoogle in 2022 will get us back

Nope. Not anymore.

 

[Paper_Towel]

Pruitt talking to the staffers who declined the pay cut:

 

[Ron Swanson]

I think you have to have talent before you can develop talent. Our current QB's are just not talented--HB excluded.

I bet a good coaching staff could find plenty of talent on this roster, including the QB room.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Was just stating info. based on what Price reported earlier this week.

I don’t think Pruitt is a loser. It’s just looking like he’s not the guy to turn this thing around.

I know, wasn’t directed at you. He’s certainly not showing to be a winner, as a HC.

 

[vol9799]

I don't think UT has an appetite for cleaning house this year. If some coaches don't want to be here, it's a win-win for UT to help them find their way to another school or the NFL, as we have done in the past.

The only thing UT wants less than a coaching search is a public, drawn-out coaching search. The current administration will want a succession plan in place to avoid another public fiasco. With the positive way last year ended and this year started, potential coaching searches at the HC or coordinator levels weren't even on UT's radar. Factor in the pandemic, the financial shortfall, Fulmer standing behind Pruitt and the way Boyd prefers to do business... no cleaning house.

I don't really call it house cleaning. It's just rolling Pruitt down to DC, helping Ansley return to the NFL on his own, bringing in Freeze to replace both Pruitt and also to handle play calling since Cheney will retire. Other than that minor reshuffling we're just backfilling some assistants as they leave like you said. There, we've cleaned house without any public house cleaning. Just a nice neat orderly process and with Pruitt staying even the recruiting flows seamlessly.

 

[drvenner]

This - 100% correct. Sat in Neyland and watched it all happen. That was CJM at his finest point as a Vol HC IMO.

Agree whole-heartedly.

 

[KPT_VFL]

That's just football. Football pays for ALL of the other programs. That's not an AD number.

There was not $55 million to put into the bank at the end of the year.

Tennessee Athletic Department Reports Budget Deficit of Nearly $6.5 Million - WDEF

Well well well..... from your own article..... Bottomline UT has money. Doubt this reserve is all they could scrounge if they had to either. Also here’s a more up to date article on yours.
Tennessee athletics operates at $790K surplus in 2019 fiscal year after cutting severance costs

 

[Jack Burton]

How is it toast? Who has decommitted that really means anything? I believe we still have a top 10 class and that's not too shabby.

I very much doubt the final signing class will be top 10. We’ll have many defections.

 

[825VOL]

I seriously doubt we will be down $40m with not having the expenses of recruiting in person or hosting athletes. That has to be a good size chunk

 

[SoilVol]

That's sh


I don't really call it house cleaning. It's just rolling Pruitt down to DC, helping Ansley return to the NFL on his own, bringing in Freeze to replace both Pruitt and also to handle play calling since Cheney will retire. Other than that minor reshuffling we're just backfilling some assistants as they leave like you said. There, we've cleaned house without any public house cleaning. Just a nice neat orderly process and with Pruitt staying even the recruiting flows seamlessly.

That would be incredible, but I fear it would have disastrous consequences. In order for it to work, Pruitt has to have absolutely no ego about it. I inagine it would be hard to be in the same facility and no longer get to call the shots. You can't have disagreement on things, because then you might have players pick between Pruitt or Freeze. Pruitt would have to 100%, unequivocally buy into Freeze and lead the players loyal to him to do the same. Can he do that? I don't know. Might be worth trying, but there's a risk that it fails.

 

[scienceteaching_vol]

Makes you wonder how our own parents sat through shows we watched as kids. I was a bigtime Captain Kangaroo kid, lol.

Peewee herman here. (He shudders with the memories as he regretfully types those words)

 

[KB5252]

I very much doubt the final signing class will be top 10. We’ll have many defections.

Even if we keep what we have now is isn't top 10. I don't think they understand how the rest of this class will shake out once others add to their classes. We are largely done with little room to add.