I am making the argument that hiring someone the fans are into will go a long way toward weathering the storm. We likely have some inbound NCAA trouble. And we will need some changes. It could very well mean a couple 4 to 6 win seasons. Hire a Schiano, Marrone, or Jim Caldwell and we are back to public anger. Hire a Kiffin, Stoops, or even Chadwell and we can avoid the apathy and get some folks behind the new guy needing a couple off years. The last 3 coaches were all bad from day one. And they all all 3 lost a bowl eligibility game against either Vandy or KY season 1. Give us some damn hope. I can’t find the post but pretty sure I called 5-7 year 1 on Pruitt. Not that it makes me an expert but just hire a fan energizer.
Also it isn’t like everything was great 1 day and tragic the next. This was coming. So it should be expected that we have a plan.
My kind of hot take. Bill O’Brien would be a better hire than Gruden would’ve ever thought about being.
This is the guy on Volnation from the thread Coachery that I keep copying and pasting. TIFWIW. I personally don't think he's making it up, but at the very least it makes for good gossip fodder: A couple of quick updates from inadmissible hearsay from a very unreliable source who speaks very little English and wishes he never met me: Search firm is moving in overdrive. My friend says they are doing background checks and character interviews on AD candidates already. While it seems to be the journalists’ opinion that an AD won’t be hired until mid February, my friend says he can’t see it going more than a week. He says that there is the most organized group behind how to hire that there has been on any search. There is also the most money prepared to hire someone. He guessed that there is over 40mm to hire a coach on a five plus year contract. He said that the university has the be careful in how they handle the hire. It needs to be perceived as a thoughtful response to the past infractions, or it won’t play well with the NCAA or SEC. Right now, we’re in hot water with both. On Pruitt, my friend said there is a real sadness for the damage done. Some of those fired in compliance were kids following orders. Many of them were told what to say, and then fired for saying it. Players and signees were assured by Pruitt and Fulmer that things would be ok, and he would not be fired. Phil resigned as much for that as he did for Pruitt’s failure. For all Phil’s mistakes, I think he may regret the last few weeks of fighting for Pruitt the most. People who know him say he’s crushed and in a daze. To be clear, Pruitt’s failure was epic, and began on day one. In the early days Pruitt treated AD staff, compliance and even professors like they served the team. Prior to Plowman, more than one person elevated concerns that Pruitt and Nieds practices were too egregious and would be caught. Those concerns were ignored. Many were rooting for him to fail, and many expected it. Pruitt’s style is to use his allegiance of players, and threats to micromanage others. Many of our on the field failures were him making a point. Friend pushed back on cross-training all linemen like high schoolers, and Pruitt tripled cross-training them. Look at West Virginia game for results. This year, Chaney designed three core plays for Shrout without discussing with Pruitt. He used them in a scrimmage, and blew away the D. While it’s a common thing for OC and DC to try things in a scrimmage, Pruitt threw a public fit, and said we’d never see those plays in a game. Pruitt changed starting DL lineup before KY game, and humiliated Brumbaugh in front of team and fired him. Look at the score for the results. This is the kind of thing he was willing to do just to make a point. In the conference people perceive that Nieds and Pruitt created an “arms race” on player payment. (More hearsay) Big signees families typically were given a standard payment in many tens of thousands. There are even instances of players receiving money and signing elsewhere. It will be interesting to see how much of this the NCAA wants to face. UT is on the record after the investigation. Many other coaches know who else plays dirty. The money and power will not want a light shined or Georgia or Bama. Given that Georgia is where some paid players landed, it will be harder for them to hide. The NCAA will be very cautious in how they handle us given the possibility of opening more wounds by digging too deep. That said, our list of level one and two violations is a long one. As for current coaches, they aren’t being given much communication or support for understanding what’s next. Frankly they don’t even know who to listen to. Steele is the key communication point for players. He’s doing a good job. Pruitt spoke highly of him in his message to players. They see Steele as trustworthy. Look for the university to hire an AD quickly, and to make a big offer to a coach with a good reputation and long track record. If you can imagine a candidate selling glitter-coated bibles at a strip club, he probably isn’t getting hired. We probably won’t be hiring Joey Freshwater, Jamey Jet Ski or Reverend Blindside. I’m not judging the quality of those guys as coaches, but no one expects the Chancellor to ride with the devil on this one. Consensus seems to be they are going to pay serious money for a very experienced candidate who will sign a long term deal. Some of the names being discussed are very impressive. I have no idea how realistic they are. If they succeed with that tier, we’ll all be very happy. If they move down a level, expect stability over glitz. Strange times on the hill. One final observation, Nieds, Probst and Pruitt allegedly had a nickname known by Saban, Kirby, Garner, M Stoops etc. When Pruitt bought JJ, who might not have been as good as billed, my friend heard the line “No honor among the North Alabama Shithouse Rats” from a competing coach. He heard that expression many times after. Gotta love it. North Alabama Shithouse Rats. That’s where we’ve been. Also: Gilbert is a heavy favorite among Barnes and some key boosters. There is a perception that he knows everyone, and how to give control to bigger fish. My friend says that is the opposite of what Plowman requested in certain ways. It will be interesting to see if that hire is in the family, or from a pool of a national search. None of that implies Gilbert is unqualified or slippery. By all accounts, he’s a star on the rise with high integrity. Update: I just heard we extended an AD offer last night. Buzz says coaches represented by Sexton were asked to sit tight as there is already some heavy discussion with a candidate for HC.
I was down to just enjoy the message board bullshit this go round, but I gotta admit, the posts are getting much better. They're pulling me back in.
When the dust settles, we will all be sick of it, and sick over the outcome. Completing the Vol fan cycle of life, only to begin it anew.
I can see this. I expect Mississippi-sized punishment from a not seriously probing investigation, but what do I know? Seriously. Like clockwork. We hear this every time. Next step, we will hear how insert big name here is tire of the insert some common job complaint here at insert super successful school here and is looking to make a move. Expect stability or to be turned down as usual. Peterson? It was a fun read, and some of that is doubtlessly true. I think it's mostly the part where whoever wrote it was unsure that is most accurate, but it was fun to read. I wonder if his friend with poor English skills is also a prince.
I remember that the last time I was told "everyone was going to be very happy," it turned out they thought Schiano would make anyone happy, which is simply incredible.
