Tennessee football: Vols recruiting shakeups are nothing to be concerned about
By Colby Howell
Tennessee football saw lots of decommitments after the hire of Jeremy Pruitt as head coach. Here’s why that’s perfectly normal for the Volunteers.
Jeremy Pruitt as Tennessee football’s new head coach has fans excited. Some are concerned with the recent decommitments in recruiting. But they should not worry.
Any time you get a new head coach in a program, it’s perfectly normal to see once committed players have a sudden change of heart. It could be a number of things.
1) They may not mesh with the new staff.
Consider this. You’re open on the job market and a lot of companies are interested in giving you different/more opportunity at each place. There’s one company that sticks out to you in particular. You’re getting along well with the head honcho and it seems like it’s the perfect place for you.
But, you suddenly see this business and bossman start to have a tough time. Sales are down and it seems impossible to recover should things not change. Boss man is fired and now a new guy steps in. Despite the fact he’s still trying to bring you on to the company, the vibe is off.
It’s a completely different feel all around and you find yourself drawn toward a more stable company and boss you’ve also been talking to behind the scenes. It’s safe and it’s guaranteed. That’s recruiting. No, it’s not players abandoning their roots or turning their back on their home state. It’s just their future.
These players have to make tough decisions at a very young age and Tennessee football hasn’t exactly looked stellar the past couple of years. However, one of the biggest key selling points for this University is the fresh start, the blank slate.
Despite Pruitt not having head coaching experience, he can sell his plan. He’s a vicious recruiter. Only time will tell if his southern charm and determined attitude is enough to persuade talent back to UT.
2) The player might not match the vision of the staff.
Jeremy Pruitt has been known to run a specific 3-4 defense throughout his career. He hasn’t mentioned if he will continue to run with it. But, it’s difficult to imagine a switch up with the success that he’s had.
If he or anyone on his staff feels that the recruited talent might not thrive in his scheme (offensive or defensive), it’s best to part ways. Turn the tables on the previous scenario in point one. If you are the boss and have a particular way of running things, you don’t want somebody who either A) doesn’t have experience or B) doesn’t fit your style.
Pruitt has a team to run. Despite it being his first year as a head coach, he seems like your typical, “my way or the highway” kind of guy. This is also a crucial part of recruiting that fans tend to overlook.
Jeremy Pruitt’s attitude says it all, “Don’t worry about the ones we don’t get, worry about the ones we do get.” While it’s easy to feel discouraged losing out on in state prospects, Pruitt’s vision will not be disrupted.
It’s also to important to remember it is year 1. This is his first off-season with a team that was the worst in the SEC. Even still, several JUCO and high school stars have been offered by UT and many have reciprocated interest in the program. Twitter is a powerful tool.
Jeremy Pruitt asks for fans to help, to reach out and touch someone. I think it’s time for the Tennessee football fans to follow through if they genuinely want to see a change.