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Tennessee football: Jeremy Pruitt is cleaning house, even the team doctors

By Billy Williford

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Alabama Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt walks on the field during warm ups prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Alabama Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt walks on the field during warm ups prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT /
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There is no question Jeremy Pruitt is making the Tennessee program his own. That includes getting rid of the team doctors.

First-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt let go of two team doctors late last week. Pruitt hasn’t been shy with wanting to put his fingerprints all over the Tennessee football program. Which, fans should be happy with that considering how well Pruitt is recruiting at the moment.

In early spring, John Burnside, one of the lead trainers lost his job in the overhaul Pruitt wants out of the medical staff.

Now, team doctors, Greg Mathien and Russell Betcher are no longer affiliated with the Tennessee football program. You aren’t going to get a feel sorry post from us about the situation. However, there are some folks a part of the community that it is a bad move. But, of course, there is politics involved in almost every decision.

Does anyone blame Pruitt, though? It is tough to suggest the team doctors had anything to do with all the injuries the past two seasons. However, they could have cleared players before being 100 percent ready.

Remember the Brett Kendrick concussion debacle? If not, we have a video from @zachTNT below.

If that isn’t the most striking descriptions of what to look for in a concussion or even a telling sign that something is wrong with the kid, I don’t know what is. How in the world the team doctors cleared him to play is beyond me.

There is a scrum for the football and Kendrick is seen standing there, or should I say wobbling, holding his head.

So, yeah, maybe it is a fantastic thing that these aren’t the doctors helping treat and provide care for the student-athletes.

Look, I’m the first person to understand people make mistakes. Go ahead, read over the post a couple of times. There surely should be a mistake or two. However, that’s just it; my mistakes aren’t life threating.

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Making a mistake about a concussion is something that just can’t be done. There is no doubt things should head in the right direction with Jeremy Pruitt leading the way.

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