VTTW Board Index

Just curious what everyone else thinks he did wrong. 

Here is my list.

1. Was too stubborn about starting JG (if this isn't no. 1 on everyone's list, I will be shocked).
2. Utter incompetence at or inability to make second half adjustments (as firm a lock as 1 is, this is fairly close).
3. Degradation of what had been a decent pass defense. (a distant third).
4. Under performance of the OL (a common theme since he has been here and largely blamed on Will Friend).
5. Overall under performance of team (just a catch all, but honestly I don't have any other specifics).

What do y'all think?  Any specific things that are glaring that I missed?

Side note...I would not be surprised of a list of five that all say "JG", or one liners saying "Pruitt sucks", but am definitely looking for specifics.  :naughty:

1 Agree about JG
2 The db's not being able to cover slants and wheel routes all year.
3 The OL play with that talent was awful.
4 Should have got the young receivers on the field sooner.
5 Poot sucks.

Additions:
Lack of development across the board
Specifically, ILB/OLB, secondary, OL and #1 QB!

Inability to recruit and develop ILB that sufficient SEC speed
Inability to recruit and develop safeties with sufficient SEC speed
Inability to recruit a develop DL with SEC level skills
Inability to recruit and develop OL with SEC level skills
Inability to recruit and maintain a coaching staff to recruit and develop players at the SEC level

BBut we forget that this was supposed to be the most talented OL in recent history. Where did that talent go. Even with shizzle coaching you think they would be decent just on talent alone.  Don't know that we were even a mid-pack team in SEC as far as OL and DL's. We definitely have a long way to go.

We recruited very well at OL.  Development I guess was an issue.  OL definitely underachieved.  I thought maybe their underachievement had been overstated, but I checked the stats.

Vols were 85th in the country in yards per rush attempt (3.7 yards per carry)
Vols were 106th in the country in sacks allowed (2.9 per game)

Some of that second stat is JG's utter and complete inability to sense a pass rush coming, and also his tendency to hold on to the ball too long (which in fairness to him did improve this year), but at the end of the day most of it is probably the OL

I was very surprised those stats were so bad.  My subjective impression of the OL was that it was very mediocre (an underachievement because they were supposed to be good), but they actually were really putrid.  Unfortunately.   :frown:

If we are stuck with Pruitt another year I'd like to see him at least fire Will Friend, which likely will never happen, but should.  We have (at least!) 3 five stars on the OL, including a likely first rounder (would be a lock if not for health issues).  To have THAT BAD a performance with that talent takes monumental incompetence.   :frown:

But to push back slightly, we recruited very well on the OL.  That is not the issue at all, I don't think.

So I also posted this on VN, and got a lot more responses (go figure  :naughty:).

One of the most frequent, and one I overlooked on here, is that Pruitt made whole sale changes to his staff over the summer, and they DID NOT go well.  Also, he fired Brumbaugh in the middle of a game.   :wtf:

So the very close second should be "inability to assemble and maintain a good staff".  I liked Tracy Rocker a lot, not just because he was a hell of a player at Auburn back in the day and so at least knew football, but mostly because our DL was surprisingly good last year.  Followed by surprisingly bad this year and Brumbaugh is fired. In the middle of a game.   :frown:

If Pruitt is back next season, and indications are that this is likely, the one glimmer of hope we might have is that if he reverses the disastrous restructuring of his staff from last year and hires folks who can coach, and not just recruit.  Given that he blew this assignment last year. He will need help I think.

Thank God we have Fulmer as AD.  He does know how to hire (and when necessary fire) good staff (or bad). 


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Sorry that was a joke.  What I would do if I was in charge (and thank goodness I'm not, but this idea might have some merit) is hire a proven coach currently out of work as a consultant (Stoops?  Meyers?  Or whoever) and let them make recommendations on staff.  Someone with a proven record of hiring good assistants.  I would not trust Pruitt at this point to make the decisions, and outside of OL coach, I would not trust Fulmer either.

Then again, Fulmer did occasionally luck up and hire a good assistant. I think Dan Brooks was outstanding, and even Chavis had his moments.  So he at least likely would be better than Pruitt. But get the consultant I say.  I have zero confidence that they will, but.... :dunno:

What am I, chopped liver. see my last bullet

Yes sorry missed that, and had a nagging feeling I had missed one from this board.  But the response on VN was overwhelming on this one, and it does actually explain quite a bit of the ones above your last bullet.  But yes you did get it.

Playing JG was the main one. Since I said it before the season I can reiterate it now. He should have blew off this season and started the future starter. That level of failure to this season I think we all would have understood.

I agree. It would have been kinda of like the same move Majors did with Alan Cockrell and the majority of us would be pointing toward the future with a young QB at the helm.