Fingers are pointing in all directions, but who is actually responsible for Jeremy Pruitt?
- Phillip Fulmer
Phillip Fulmer has been a staple of Tennessee football since he won a national championship in 1998. Yes, he was there before the National Championship, as a player, assistant coach, offensive coordinator and head coach, but didn’t become a part of Tennessee folklore until he won that elusive title. Since his involuntary departure in 2008 and the many unfortunate coaching choices made by Tennessee since, there has been a debate amongst fans whether the administration made the right decision in letting the beloved head coach go.
His short stint as AD from 2017 to 2020 seemed to clear up the harsh feelings any fans were holding on to about his termination. However, his decision to hire Pruitt did not end up well, as evident by the NCAA letter off allegations delivered to Tennessee on Friday. There were 18 infractions cited that were all considered Level I, which is the most serious of any violation.
- The Administration
This needs no explanation. The administration at Tennessee, along with every institution, is responsible for making the best decisions for the students, the boosters, and the overall well-being of the university itself. It’s no secret that the higher ups at UT haven’t been the greatest, especially during the Pruitt era.
- The Fans
Every fanbase has members that they wish would attach themselves to a different bandwagon, but Tennessee is known to be a difficult place to coach. Why? The fans. The Vols are used to a certain amount of respect and let’s face it, none of the head coaches selected by the administration in the last 15 years has panned out until now. Tennessee fans are tired of being built up, whether “brick by brick” or in some other way, only to be let down once again. Blaming the dumpster fire that was Jeremy Pruitt on the fans is certainly an option, but is it a good one? I don’t think so.
- The NCAA
The NCAA is known for making rules… and that’s it. There is no enforcement of those rules and hasn’t been for quite some time. Once boundaries are broken with no consequences, expect it to happen over and over. As a college football coach, what do you have to gain by abiding by rules that no one else follows? Nothing; you only have recruits and championships to lose. When there is no actual governing body, just a shell of an institution that once played a big part in college football, chaos is sure to take place. And here we are.
Who do you think is to blame for the embarrassment of Jeremy Pruitt?
One Response
Jeremy Pruitt is solely responsible. But, he was just doing what he was taught at former coaching stops, just not as discrete in implementation.