Tennessee Vols' culture change extends past the football program
The culture change that's taken place in the Tennessee Vols football program over the last year has been incredible. A year ago, the UT football program could best be described as toxic. Jeremy Pruitt, who was fired as Tennessee's head football coach after the 2020 season, was driving the program straight into the ground. Pruitt's […]
The culture change that's taken place in the Tennessee Vols football program over the last year has been incredible.
A year ago, the UT football program could best be described as toxic.
Jeremy Pruitt, who was fired as Tennessee's head football coach after the 2020 season, was driving the program straight into the ground.
Pruitt's coaching staff became a revolving door of disgruntled employees. And various sources have said Pruitt wasn't holding players accountable in the weight room or in the classroom. It was basically a free-for-all.
By the time Pruitt was fired, the program had hit rock bottom for what felt like the 15th time in the last 10 years.
Over the last year, however, the culture has improved dramatically under new athletic director Danny White and new head football coach Josh Heupel.
Players are more locked in. They're focused on winning for each other. They aren't rushing to leave the facility after practice. The coaching staff actually gets along. It's refreshing.
The culture change that's taking place extends beyond the football program, too.
Tennessee's expectations in every sport are growing under White's leadership. And it's evident that UT's student-athletes support each other.
Vols defensive back Alontae Taylor made sure to shout out the Tennessee women's soccer team on Monday team for its recent SEC championship win.
Taylor made sure to say that the "sky is the limit" not just for the football team, but for UT athletics in general.
Hiring Heupel to replace Pruitt was obviously the right move, but that move never happens without hiring White to replace Phillip Fulmer as the program's athletic director.
10 years from now, I have a feeling that the decision to hire White will go down as the moment that Tennessee athletics finally turned the corner.
Featured image via Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
