Grade Pruitt's Staff

Discussion in 'Vols Football' started by Tenacious D, Jan 16, 2018.

  1. Tenacious D

    Tenacious D The law is of supreme importance, or no importance

    Pruitt's staff looks to be full & final, as:

    OC/QB- Tyson Helton
    DC- Kevin Sherrer
    OL Coach- Will Friend
    RB Coach- Gillespie
    WR Coach- David Johnson
    TE Coach- Brian Niedermeyer
    DL Coach- Tracy Rocker
    LB Coach- Chris Rumph
    CB Coach- Terry Fair
    ST/Safety Coach- Charles Kelly
    S&C Coach- Craig Fitzgerald

    I was wondering how you felt this staff stacked up versus those of other SEC schools, in the following categories:

    1. Offensive staff
    2. Defensive staff
    3. Strength & Conditioning
    4. Recruiting
    5. Experience & Success
    6. Respect in Coaching Community
    7. Innovation / X's & O's
    8. Other

    Or, rank the individual members of this staff, from best to worst, based on what you believe to be their relative importance to this team. Is Sherrer at DC more valuable than Helton at OC? Or, is Gillespie more important than both, because of recruiting? Or, is Craig Fitzgerald the most important of all, at strength and conditioning? And absolutely include Pruitt in the mix.
     
  2. Beechervol

    Beechervol Super Moderator

    Offense - biggest concern or question IMO. Gillespie is a proven for what he does as much if not more than anybody hired. I won't call it bad, but more you just dont know.

    C

    Defense - HC being a successfully DC (at multiple) high level stops will play big. And that may be why his D staff seems to out pace his O staff.

    B+

    Recruiting - given this is the only thing the staff can do at this point it's gonna be considered the strength. Looking at the track record for this group and given UT has everything you need to get players, this should not be a concern going forward. HS talent in the state of TN is getting better every season.

    B+

    Strength and Conditioning - Fitzgerald has a solid rep. Have yet to see anyone question the hire and the majority thinks it was a good one. As important as the OC and DC on any team IMO.

    A-

    Overall - everybody wanted the more known name with a track record. It didn't happen which always leaves you with questions of why and whether the guy without those will show them here. Pruitt has all those questions, but he is a football coach. Not the car salesman that was just fired. I expect him to recruit consistently well and not allow the program to become toxic the way trumpet boy did.

    B
     
    10SEvols and IP like this.
  3. Ssmiff

    Ssmiff Went to the White House...Again

    Agree with Beech. Excited though. We need to get these lbs and cbs signed and finish strong. Would be a big bummer to miss on Hall, Peterson, Quay, and the 2 California cbs.
     
  4. chavisut

    chavisut Dan Mullen Fan Club President

    Offense- 3 stars
    Defense- B+
    ST- 7/10
    S&C- Pass
     
    InVolNerable likes this.
  5. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    The important thing is there is at least a chance this could work out. There was no chance with butch, as we learned by year 3 at most and we should have cut bait.

    Hopefully we don't give this guy a big raise/extension if he goes 6-6 or 7-5.
     
  6. kptvol

    kptvol Super Moderator

    He’s the only coach in America that could that. You know, except for every coach we’ve had since I’ve been alive. Also several recent Vandy coaches.
     
    chavisut likes this.
  7. BigOrangeBeech

    BigOrangeBeech Poster of the Month, July 2014 and recruiting guy!

    Offense: C until proven otherwise. So much unknown o. That side of the ball.

    Defense: B+ with A+ potential, my only question on D is the coordinator, but with Pruitt being a defensive guy it doesn't bother me as much.

    Edit: and I don't doubt Sherrer as a coach, but if if I remember correctly he doesn't have coordinator experience. That's the only small concern.
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2018
  8. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    The offense has good parts, it's how they work together. The biggest question mark is Helton, in my opinion.

    The defensive side is full of top notch coaches.
     
  9. BigOrangeBeech

    BigOrangeBeech Poster of the Month, July 2014 and recruiting guy!

    Agree all the way around. It's more Helton than anything on O.

    Sherrer as DC is only question, but having Pruitt to work with alleviates that. Position coaching wise, including Sherrer, the defense is stout.
     
  10. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    Helton may be a great OC that's been handicapped by his brother and Tee or he could just be average.
     
  11. A-Smith

    A-Smith Chieftain

    You aren't grading or you think he gets a passing grade? Or we should have passed?
     
  12. chavisut

    chavisut Dan Mullen Fan Club President

    Passing grade. Looks like a really good hire.

    I think groves said it best though, your S&C coach is as good as your HC.
     
    Volst53 and A-Smith like this.
  13. Volst53

    Volst53 Super Moderator

    I think the defensive staff is an A.

    Offensive staff is a C. There’s not any one that blows me away on this side of the ball.
     
  14. lylsmorr

    lylsmorr Super Moderator

    B+ overall. Would be difficult to ask for better recruiting prowess and defensive coaches.
     
  15. BigOrangeBeech

    BigOrangeBeech Poster of the Month, July 2014 and recruiting guy!

    It's like this:

    Butch recruited well enough to win the east and compete with Bama. He got the players here but he couldn't develop or coach them up in practice or on the field.

    If this guy recruits well enough like stated above, and theres no reason to believe he cant based on the results so far, and puts himself in a position to win the east, I feel much more confident about him being able to do it than the previous regime.
     
  16. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    Niedermeyer may end up being the best recruiter on staff
     
  17. lylsmorr

    lylsmorr Super Moderator

    Will Friend is a crucial hire. Great OL coach and that's exactly what this group of players needs to be competitive soon
     
    TDVol1989 likes this.
  18. Volgrad98

    Volgrad98 Contributor

    Great D and an average O can still win championships...I'll take it!
     
  19. chavisut

    chavisut Dan Mullen Fan Club President

    Recruiting is a 6.1 5 star.

    We'll sign a top 3-5 class next year.

    Interested to see if they can get a top flight QB early.
     
  20. A-Smith

    A-Smith Chieftain

    I believe he's a good coach too.
     

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