Tennessee Vols: Jeremy Pruitt's staff moves don't require rationalizing
Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt just "gets it" when it comes to assembling a coaching staff. Unlike his predecessor, Butch Jones. Since arriving in Knoxville in late 2017, Pruitt has done nothing but exceed expectations when it comes to building his coaching staff. Pruitt immediately hired well known coaches with established resumés in the […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt just "gets it" when it comes to assembling a coaching staff.
Unlike his predecessor, Butch Jones.
Since arriving in Knoxville in late 2017, Pruitt has done nothing but exceed expectations when it comes to building his coaching staff.
Pruitt immediately hired well known coaches with established resumés in the SEC (and other Power-5 conferences) when he was hired.
And when coaches have left, Pruitt has replaced them with obvious choices that have excited the fan base.
Tee Martin, Jim Chaney, and Derrick Ansley were among the big names that Pruitt added to his staff last year.
And now he's added Jay Graham, who is coming home to Tennessee to coach running backs (according to a report from VolQuest).
The former Vol running back spent the last seven seasons working on Jimbo Fisher's staff at Florida State and Texas A&M (Pruitt and Graham were both on Florida State's staff in 2013).
Every time Pruitt makes a hire, it galvanizes the fan base. Because his hires make sense. They just feel right.
In fact, the only hire that folks questioned was Brian Niedermeyer's in 2017. And he's proved to be one of the top recruiters in college football.
This is in stark contrast to Butch Jones. Fans regularly had to rationalize the hires that Jones made (oddly enough, the only hire fans didn't really question was Bob Shoop, who didn't have a good tenure at UT).
When Jones hired Mike Canales and Larry Scott before the 2017 season, there was a lot of "well, maybe this could work out". There was never instant excitement. Fans had to talk themselves into liking the hires.
That's not the case with Pruitt. His hires are routinely met with instant praise. Pruitt's made it a point to surround himself with the best coaches possible. And he's embraced former Vols on his staff.
There was always a sinking feeling with Jones, even in the early days, that he wasn't a natural fit at Tennessee. He just isn't a SEC guy (being an analyst at Alabama doesn't count).
Pruitt, on the other hand, is as SEC as it gets.
There will still be some ups and downs for Pruitt at Tennessee. But it has to be nice for fans to have a coach that doesn't make puzzling moves on the regular.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
