So, you're in the business world, and you consider yourself someone who knows how to make $$$, and is GREAT at making $$$.
You're offered two jobs to make $$$ in: one job gives you the opportunity to make $$$, the other job gives you the opportunity to make ten times the $$$ as the first job.
So you accept the 2nd job that gives you 10 times the $$$, and so you're afraid to compete, because you're not taking the harder chance to make $$$??? It's not a case of not competing - its STILL the SEC, and either you're a competent DB, or you're not. USC is bringing in something like 6-7 DBs in this class, between the recruits from the '21 class and transfers. They lost their starters plus 2-3 others who transferred out, but still have 4-5 others returning, and will have a decent depth although not of many with experience in the program, but then again with a totally new staff everything resets anyways.
Doubt the staff told Prunty that he was guaranteed starts - but they truly could have just told him that right now there is NO set depth chart for the secondary, and EVERYONE will start out fall camp at Step 1 with having to earn their positions, because that would actually be the truth. The staff may have some ideas with the returning players due to spring camp, but NO ONE enters fall camp truly winning a starting job, because all the players that would have earned that right have all left the program.....
And on the flip side, doubt that the Tennessee staff guaranteed Prunty that he would NOT earn a starting job, but they may have told him that they have guys ahead of him on the depth chart at this time, or upperclass guys returning from last season that have earned more opportunities than he has at this stage....