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Tennessee football: 5 positives signs for Vols Jeremy Pruitt’s first year

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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4. Aggressive play calling

In one year, Jeremy Pruitt showed more guts than Butch Jones did throughout his five years on Rocky Top. Remember, this was a Butch Jones who refused to go for two to win against the Texas A&M Aggies on the road when his team got the ball on the one-yard line after an offside penalty on the extra point.

Pruitt, meanwhile, was as aggressive as possible, even if it didn’t work. Tennessee football’s first touchdown of the season was off a play-action goal line pass on fourth down against he West Virginia Mountaineers.

He then tried five onside kicks throughout the year, despite none of them being converted. And he went for two twice against the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs. Let’s also not forget all the times he went for it on fourth down.

Simply put, Pruitt may want to have a run-oriented, safe offense. But his in-game strategies in the grand scheme of things are all about aggression. The only time he played it safe was when he punted on 4th and inches against Georgia in the first half. But that came after the Vols failed to convert a short running play on 3rd and inches, so there was no reason to believe it would work out on the next down.

Outside of that, Pruitt went all-out whenever he could. He didn’t just go for it on numerous fourth downs. Many of those were play-actions just like against West Virginia on fourth and short. Summing it all up, he won’t lose the Vols a game by being too safe.

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