Tennessee Vols: Another sign that UT is heavily invested in returning the football program to its past glory
The Tennessee Vols' football program has become a caricature in recent years because of several notable reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the lack of serious financial commitment to the program. But that's no longer the case with Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer calling the shots. Want proof? Strength […]
The Tennessee Vols' football program has become a caricature in recent years because of several notable reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the lack of serious financial commitment to the program.
But that's no longer the case with Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer calling the shots.
Want proof?
Strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald, who is one of the highest paid strength coaches in the nation, was given free reign when UT hired him to head up one of the most important aspects of Tennessee's football program.
How much free reign? Well, Fitzgerald completely redesigned the Vols' recently revamped weight room (it was previously "upgraded" during the Butch Jones era). According to VolQuest, Fitzgerald's redesign cost almost $700,000.
That's a ton of cash to commit to a weight room with a rookie head coach and a strength coach who had no previous ties to Tennessee.
But that's what programs do when they want to win. They spare no expense. Do you think Alabama is cutting corners when it comes to their weight room? Absolutely not. If Bama strength coach Scott Cochran says he needs something, he gets it. That's what elite programs do. And it appears that UT is following suit.
The only way for the Vols to compete with the likes of Alabama, Clemson and Georgia is for them to operate their program the same way as those schools.
Dropping $700,000 without hesitation to revamp a weight room, that was already "revamped" by the previous coaching staff, shows that Tennessee is financially committed to being great.
With the right resources in place, there should be no doubt that Vol football will see significant improvements in the near future.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
