Well, I try to do one of these every year. Last year I was so disheartened that the trumpet humper was still around I didn't even bother. This year at least I can care again......... I also used to take the absurdity of the VN trumpet blower worshipers and give their synopsis. Since we have a new coach and that nonsense will be over for awhile I'll give a Knoxville media question and Pruitt's response after each game: September 1 - vs West Virginia (Charlotte) - WVU 34, Tennessee 21 (LOSS) - This is a game that I'm really torn on mostly because who the hell knows what West Virginia will do game-to-game. I do think that they score points though and this is CJP's first ever game as HFC. And it's in Charlotte..........I just see this game being one that we look decent in from time to time but ultimately just get outscored by a better Week 1 team. Media: "Well coach, that was your first game as UT head coach and it didn't end like you had hoped. What will you take out of the loss?" Pruitt: (Glaring at idiot) - "What will I take? Well, we got our ass beat so it appears we still have a lot of work to do. I'm not here to make excuses. We have to get better. I saw some soft players out there today and that will continue to be corrected through rigorous practice sessions. You don't feel good when you lose and there's no excuses when you lose. We just have to get better and that starts at the top with me." September 8 - vs ETSU (Home) - UT 58, ETSU 10 (WIN) Media: "Your first win as a head coach. How special is it to get that first one?" Pruitt: (Glaring at idiot) - "I think today was a good opportunity for some of our younger players to get reps. I saw a lot of missed opportunities out there today though and know that we need to improve as a unit. ETSU has just had a football team for a couple of years and hats off to them for coming in here and playing hard. But I expected to see better execution out of our guys out there today and we didn't see that. As far as this one being special. Ask me that question again after we win a National Championship." September 15 - vs UTEP (Home) - UT 62 UTEP 7 (WIN) Media: "You are 2-1 on the season now getting ready for the Gators next weekend. What's this week going to be like heading into your first Florida week?" Pruitt: (Glaring at idiot) - "This week will be like every other week. We'll watch film, practice hard, and prepare to fully execute. UTEP was 0-12 last year. I'm just happy we got a lot of the young guys reps again this week and the opportunity to be a little more rested for the Gators next weekend." September 22 - vs Florida (Home) - UT 19, Florida 13 (WIN) Media: "Coach, you were able to hold off the Gators late with a crucial goal line stand. What did you think of your teams execution down the stretch?" Pruitt: (Glaring at idiot) - "I think today is just a testament for all of the practice and hard work the guys have put in this offseason buying into the system. We need some dogs out there and they stepped up big in this game. We limited Florida to less than 250 yards of total offense. The fans were loud and definitely made a difference at the end of the game." September 29 - vs Georgia (Away) - UGA 24, UT 17 (LOSS) Media: "Tough loss today coach. Georgia is undefeated on the year and you come up just short on the road against one of the toughest teams in the country. Even though this is a tough loss, does staying in the game for four quarters give you some positive outlook on the weeks ahead?" Pruitt: (Glaring at idiot) - "WHAT? Positive outlook? Well, let's see Einstein. We lost our first SEC game of the season. I'm just tickled pink. What kind of.............ok, listen, there's nothing positive about losing. That may have been the culture before but that's just not good enough now. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. We just need to be ready for Auburn next week because this run of games isn't gonna get any easier." October 13 - vs Auburn (Away) - Auburn 34, UT 13 (LOSS) Media: "Coach........" Pruitt: "SAVE IT. We got manhandled out there today and this is NOT what UT football is all about. I'm disgusted at the way we played today and there's no excuse for it. October 20 - vs Alabama (Home) - Alabama 21, UT 19 (LOSS) Media: "Coach, walk us through that missed field goal at the end of the game." Pruitt: (Glares at idiot) - "Huh. Walk you through it? Well, he lined up a 53 yard field goal into the wind and had the leg for it and missed it just right. Can't blame him for that. It was a good effort on the kick we just needed to get a little closer. And before you start with this moral victory bullcrap there's no moral victories today. You go tell my guys with their head hanging down between their legs they got a moral victory out there today. We're worried about real victories not moral one's." {I don't think all the rest of the games need blow-by-blows on Pruitt vs the media. It will be a very contentious relationship I'm sure. A LOT of the Butch Jones worshippers will HATE Pruitt just as soon as he gets a little sideways with the Knoxville media. He's not going to be a namby-pamby [ussy pay] about things and that's just not going to be good enough for a lot of hill people. They will have to be conditioned to his "ways."} October 27 - vs South Carolina (Away) - UT 38, USC-e 13 (WIN) November 3 - vs Charlotte (Home) - UT 42, Charlotte 17 (WIN) November 10 - vs Kentucky (Home) - UT 34, Kentucky 20 (WIN) November 17 - vs Missouri (Home) - UT 17, Missouri 13 (WIN) November 24 - vs Vanderbilt (Away) - UT 48, Vandy 21 (WIN) We finish the 2018 season at 8-4 and win a decent bowl with positive momentum heading into 2019. We won't get killed by anyone (except a bigger loss to Auburn) and we will beat the teams we should beat. And we'll get close against Bama. That's where I'm at. At least I think this coach has a chance of breaking through the glass ceiling. The trumpet humper couldn't break through a glass ceiling strapped to a 100,000 mph rocket.
I don't think we are going to be scoring so much in those wins. That's a plausible 8 win season you just conjured.
I am more optimistic about WVU and UGA (they lost 33 seniors including Roquan Smith, Sony Michel, Isaiah Wynn, Nick Cubb, Lorenzo Carter, and several others drafted by the NFL
We don't have a proven QB or Rb and we maybe have 2 Wr's and the O-line is suspect at best. Who even knows about TE and play calling. The D is even more confusing especially with (also) a new scheme. I can't wait for the season to start to see what we got. This year we should improve as the season goes on, instead of get worse. I'll guess 7-5.
I have a hard time seeing us beating SC like that with all the things going against us(they're a physical team with a QB and a defense and a bye week and we'll likely have an injury at QB at that point and coming off of one of if not the toughest stretches anyone in the country will have to face). Call me crazy but if we whip them like that I'll know that the culture has changed and much faster and more drastically that I could have ever imagined.
Call me crazy part deux, I got a feeling about that Auburn game. They don't follow up good seasons very well lately.
If we don't beat UTEP by at least 20 something, then there is a big problem for the rest of the season.
I’m with you on QB and defense and a bit on OL though I’m starting to think they could be ok there. RBs are the least of my worries. I appreciate the positive attitude from some but I’m still afraid it’ll take longer than a season to purge the Butch
My only deep concern is QB. That's it. The o line will be good enough. The backs will be good enough if the blocking is good enough. The d-line will be better just by not lining back 3 yards from the LOS. The linebackers will be better if there isn't a key injury before the season. The secondary can't be worse, and will likely be better. We went 4-8 but goodness we should have beaten Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vandy. Guys, that's 8-4. Someone argue with me that this wasn't likely an 8-4 team without Butch Jones. It's really hard to do, if you watched the games. So when folks are marveling at the jump to 9-3 or 10-2, remember that.
We're going to rock WVU. Grier will turn it over enough times to allow for a double digit upset win. There, I said it.
Auburn is a total wildcard. I don’t think Tennessee has the horses right now, but I think it was Groves that said essentially that it could unravel if they lose to Washington. He isn’t wrong.
Tennessee has one TE in Dominick Wood-Anderson. They want 3, though. I think the defense is going to work in the players' favor. It's a much simpler defense
