Tennessee Vols: Comparing Jeremy Pruitt and Josh Heupel's comments when faced with adversity
The Tennessee Vols have played well this season under new head coach Josh Heupel, but there's also been some adversity. Tennessee is 5-5. They don't have a lot of depth. And the defense has struggled mightily in third-down situations. Heupel, however, isn't discouraged. He loves this team. And he made it clear after the Vols' […]
The Tennessee Vols have played well this season under new head coach Josh Heupel, but there's also been some adversity.
Tennessee is 5-5. They don't have a lot of depth. And the defense has struggled mightily in third-down situations.
Heupel, however, isn't discouraged. He loves this team. And he made it clear after the Vols' 41-17 loss to Georgia on Saturday that he loves competing with the players on his roster.
"No doubts in our guys and who they are….it’s a group that I’ll go compete with every Saturday," said Heupel.
That comment from Heupel is a lot different than the comments we heard from previous UT head coach Jeremy Pruitt during his first season on Rocky Top.
Pruitt had a "my way or the highway" approach to coaching. That works for some teams. But for it to work, the coach has to get players to buy-in. Pruitt couldn't manage to accomplish that part.
As a result, the comments from Pruitt in year one and the comments from Heupel in year one are vastly different.
Which of those head coaches do you think players want to play for?
I'm pretty sure it's going to be the guy that wants to go to battle every Saturday with the kids on his roster.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
