UT Hires Jeremy Pruitt

[jared52 4,354]

Surprised there isn't already a thread here. uat DC to UT. Didn't really watch this dumpster fire of a coaching search so I didn't know he was on the list, but I think it's a good hire for them. Going to be interesting to see how it affects uat as they prepare for their well earned trip to the playoffs (ahahahaahaahahaaa....).

[jared52 4,354]

@AUGoo, why the facepalm? I didn't see a discussion in the Rivals forum. I see it mentioned in the Steele thread in the main forum, but thought it needed its own thread.

[AUGoo 2,662]

I was agreeing with you about the well earned trip.

Too lazy to write it.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

It is kind of nice to see bama experience the defensive coordinator carousel that we went through. Unfortunately, it's really Saban's D, so it's not going to cause the same issues it caused for us. 

[milehighfan 1,240]

I'm just glad Steele was not the man and that he is staying at Auburn.

[The Freak 2,527]

19 minutes ago, milehighfan said:

I'm just glad Steele was not the man and that he is staying at Auburn.

Me too, I would much rather throw stupid money at him to stay than Gus, lol.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,297]

He's already hiring a great staff too.

Earlier today, word leaked that Will Friend — Pruitt's college roommate at Alabama — will join the staff as Tennessee's offensive line coach. Friend could retain other titles, too, after serving as Colorado State's OC/OL coach the last three seasons. Pruitt and Friend coached together at Georgia in 2014.

One of Pruitt's most important hires also appears done.

Sources tell Volquest that Southern Cal's Tyson Helton is expected to take the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach role for the Vols. Helton, 38, served as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Southern Cal since 2016, tutoring Sam Darold.

Helton spent two seasons at Western Kentucky before going to USC, where the Hilltoppers broke more than two dozen school records. 

As of now, it's unclear if Pruitt will split his offensive coordinator duties or if Helton will assume all responsibilities. Friend could be the run game coordinator and Helton the passing game coordinator.

Meanwhile, former Vol Terry Fair is also joining Pruitt's staff.

Fair is returning to Knoxville where he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Butch Jones. Sources say that Fair, Friend and Helton will be in Knoxville as early as tonight or in the morning ready to recruit.

Sources also indicate to Volquest that Pruitt would like to keep Tennessee running backs coach Robert Gillespie on his staff.

Gillespie is under contract with the Vols through next year.

Staff hires

[BJCrawford 1,568]

Immulating Saban with those “ah-rite”s throughout his press conference.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

 

[around4ever 4,139]

Pruitt is talking a good game in his introductory PC.  Saying all the right things and everything the vol nation wants to hear.  

[AU64 10,122]

Interesting....but I have absolutely no feel whatsoever about the impact of this hire.....

At this point JP is probably the best they could do....but a year from now how is this going to look?

[around4ever 4,139]

7 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Interesting....but I have absolutely no feel whatsoever about the impact of this hire.....

At this point JP is probably the best they could do....but a year from now how is this going to look?

Who knows?  I know it will take longer than a year to turn that program around.   He is putting together a decent staff and not wasting any time recruiting.

 

[lionheartkc 6,150]

40 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

 

Oh no... A4E's heart is going to be broken.  You know he was counting on us hiring Rocker as our 10th assistant.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

30 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Interesting....but I have absolutely no feel whatsoever about the impact of this hire.....

At this point JP is probably the best they could do....but a year from now how is this going to look?

he is a great recruiter. I think in personality he is the most like saban of all his assistants who went on to become head coaches. He also showed he could be a great DC away from saban. How will it work out? I think he will be a good coach. I hope so. UT being good is good for Auburn.

[around4ever 4,139]

7 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

he is a great recruiter. I think in personality he is the most like saban of all his assistants who went on to become head coaches. He also showed he could be a great DC away from saban. How will it work out? I think he will be a good coach. I hope so. UT being good is good for Auburn.

And he's got that ah-ight down. 

[1auburn1 1,110]

CJP  has certainly come along way in 10 short years. From changing grades at Hoover high school all the way to UT’s HC.    Wow!

[milehighfan 1,240]

1 hour ago, lionheartkc said:

Oh no... A4E's heart is going to be broken.  You know he was counting on us hiring Rocker as our 10th assistant.

I thought Rocker wanted out of college coaching because he didn't like recruiting. I've got a feeling at some point and juncture, he is going to be called on to recruit

[autigeremt 6,601]

Win-win. Raiding thUGA and taking his talents away from turdtown. 

[Mikey 16,579]

11 hours ago, milehighfan said:

I thought Rocker wanted out of college coaching because he didn't like recruiting. I've got a feeling at some point and juncture, he is going to be called on to recruit

Since  his NFL gig blew up he has to take what's out there. "Any port in a storm", as the sailors say.

[keesler 5,924]

13 hours ago, milehighfan said:

I thought Rocker wanted out of college coaching because he didn't like recruiting. I've got a feeling at some point and juncture, he is going to be called on to recruit

He's already been called on to recruit - it is the top responsibility on Pruitt's staff.  No slackers on the recruiting trail will be allowed on that staff, just like their mentor - - - recruiting is paramount and you top priority.

[AUIH1 1,515]

17 hours ago, AU64 said:

Interesting....but I have absolutely no feel whatsoever about the impact of this hire.....

At this point JP is probably the best they could do....but a year from now how is this going to look?

Need to wait after year 3 to start getting a read on any coaching hire.  Pruitt is a loose cannon who loved the coeds at FSU and UGA and tried to fight Brian Schottenheimer at a cookout so it is possible he could cut his time short because of something like that.  Pruitt is a dang good DC (I think he is a better DC than Kirby Smart).

wde

[doc4aday 1,887]

On ‎12‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 7:11 PM, GwillMac6 said:

he is a great recruiter. I think in personality he is the most like saban of all his assistants who went on to become head coaches. He also showed he could be a great DC away from saban. How will it work out? I think he will be a good coach. I hope so. UT being good is good for Auburn.

The better UT and Florida are, the more likely the mutts will have some real competition in the east. This will help pull some of the recruits from UGa and lessen their recruiting impact. Right now, I want to see as much interference from as many SEC east teams as possible to weaken Uga. I think in the next 2 years the east will have made some significant inroads to being a challenge to the west and this will come from other teams besides the mutts.

We should be able to gain strength in the west.  I think MSU, OM, and Ark., will be the weaker teams in the west for the next few years and beyond. I do not see TAMU doing that great even with Jimbo at the helm. Jimbo is way overrated and will wind up a 9-3 & 8-4 coach much like Sumlin, but maybe a hair better. TAMU has a history of high paid coaches crapping out. Look at Jackie Sherrill, Dennis Franchione, and even Sumlin.  Jimbo could even be a bust for all we know. The SEC west is light years tougher than the ACC Jimbo was used to.  

Lsu is an interesting team that I think can hang around in the top 3 in the west but not overcome us and Bammer.  I do think coach O is decent but no top level  coach over the long haul.

[CR 2,442]

Pruitt's going to recruit Alabama and Georgia much better than Butch or Dooley did so that is a negative for AU. The good news is he will provide much better competition for Bama and Georgia and I think that's good for AU. 
As for Rocker I always understood he didn't "like" to recruit but he was pretty damn good at it. As mentioned above if you need a check I guess you just do what you have to do. That's a pretty nice looking staff Pruitt's putting together.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

On 12/7/2017 at 6:11 PM, GwillMac6 said:

he is a great recruiter. I think in personality he is the most like saban of all his assistants who went on to become head coaches. He also showed he could be a great DC away from saban. How will it work out? I think he will be a good coach. I hope so. UT being good is good for Auburn.

He has serious personality issues and a very hot temper. He is like nickster in several other ways too......mostly no ethics and a  weak moral compass.  I'm not sure how that will play out for him in the SEC. When he and nickster go after the same recruits I wonder what will happen. We saw what the outcome was for Hugh Freeze. JP has the insider knowledge on bammer so it could get entertaining. 

[meh130 1,043]

On 12/9/2017 at 12:58 PM, Tigerbelle said:

He has serious personality issues and a very hot temper. He is like nickster in several other ways too......mostly no ethics and a  weak moral compass.  I'm not sure how that will play out for him in the SEC. When he and nickster go after the same recruits I wonder what will happen. We saw what the outcome was for Hugh Freeze. JP has the insider knowledge on bammer so it could get entertaining. 

The comparison to Freeze is worth considering. Pruitt is the most ambitious of the Saban assistants. Pruitt's ambition is what drove him to jump around, step on toes, and jump again. He could get ahead of his skis, and he has yet to be in a position where the long knives are out. If he underperforms expectations, and the heat is turned up, how will he react?