Tennessee football: 5 concerning signs for Vols Jeremy Pruitt’s first year
4. Questionable handling of public relations
Say what you want, but Jeremy Pruitt was not always honest and up front with the media. In fact, his closed off mentality was eerily similar to what Butch Jones did at times, although Jones just flat-out lied.
I understand Pruitt’s job is not to appease the press. But it’s not a good look when he never really named a starting quarterback and pretended three weeks into the season that the job was still open. We all saw that the coaches wanted Jarrett Guarantano over Keller Chryst.
By the way, that’s fine, but such mishandling gives off the impression that the coaches don’t know what they’re doing. And it can be a problem long-term, especially if the losses continue to pile up. Remember, Jones’s clashes with the media became a major story once he started losing again.
Tennessee football assistants also not being able to talk to the media is also a potential issue. Pruitt got lucky luring Jim Chaney back to Knoxville this past year. But what about the next staff hire he has to make?
Marky Billson of Tri-Cities Sports NOW has accurately pointed out that this policy is outdated and does the person running it no favors. It can lead to cover-ups, and it can also deter assistants from wanting to go there. Since it applies to many players, it can also push away recruits.
Dabo Swinney built the Clemson Tigers doing the exact opposite, by being as open as possible. Sure, Nick Saban keeps everybody away from the media. But Saban already has credibility, and he’s coaching at a much easier program to recruit at. Don’t forget that Saban was much more open with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
People can dismiss this all they want, but public relations is a big deal with coaches. We’re not talking about playing golf with the boosters. This is about being honest with the public and allowing other people on your team to have a voice. Pruitt didn’t always come through on the first one and miserably fails on the second one.