Phillip Fulmer talked about the Smokey Grey uniforms under Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Here’s why the Volunteers should keep them.
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As head coach of Tennessee football, Phillip Fulmer did not often oversee alternate uniforms. Although there were uniform changes, the only notable times his team deviated from their traditional looks were three games when they broke out orange pants and then the retro jerseys in 2004.
On Wednesday, when asked about keeping the Smokey Grey uniforms, Fulmer said on The Swain Event that would be up to new head coach Jeremy Pruitt. He did not that Pruitt was a ‘traditionalist’ but also gave some positive quotes on the uniforms, calling them “a recruiting thing as much as anything.”
The quote of Pruitt being a traditionalist did raise some eyebrows that the Smokey Greys won’t come back. But they absolutely should.
In fact, if you’re a traditionalist, that’s more reason for them to stay. Part of tradition is taking pride in the new things brought into the program. And the Smokey Grey uniforms are a huge boost for the Vols’ tradition.
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While every other program usually has alternate uniforms in the form of a blackout or a whiteout, Tennessee football is very unique going with grey. And having it reflect the Smokey Mountains and the culture of East Tennessee is a great boost.
Tennessee football should be breaking those out every time they host the South Carolina Gamecocks right before Halloween, and they should always save it for one big game a year. Just because it’s not an old tradition doesn’t mean they shouldn’t keep it.
Gen. Robert Neyland never ran through the T, nor did “Rocky Top” exist when he was coaching. And Smokey did not become the mascot until after he retired.
It wasn’t until the 1970s, under Ray Mears, that Tennessee started using the phrase “Big Orange Country.” The Vol Walk technically wasn’t made official until 1990.
That doesn’t stop all of those things from being a huge part of Tennessee football’s tradition now. So why should they abandon something like the Smokey Grey uniforms just because they are newer?
Traditionalist in the college football sense of the word means keeping in touch with your past. But that does not mean that you can’t insert new things into the pageantry of the sport. Tennessee football loses nothing by adding the Smokey Grey uniforms.
And let’s face it, they’ve been a part of the program for five years now. For those who might want to get rid of it because it serves as a reminder of Butch Jones being there, you might as well get rid of the “Vol for Life” program as well since it started under Derek Dooley.
While we’re at it, Smokey should’ve been gone years ago. After all, he was introduced under Harvey Robinson, a failed coach to follow Neyland’s third stint.
“Rocky Top” debuted in 1972 under Bill Battle. That’s a tenure people want to forget as well, so should the Vols drop the song? Of course not!
Jones may have failed as a head coach in Knoxville. Tennessee football fans will definitely want to forget all of his shortcomings. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
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The Smokey Grey uniforms are a good tradition to have. And if Pruitt is a true traditionalist, he should keep them and bring them out at least twice a year. It’s things like that keeping Tennessee football special for recruits and fans.