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Tennessee football: Jeremy Pruitt receives contract extension

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee football Volunteers gave Jeremy Pruitt an extension.

After winning six straight games, including a bowl game, to finish the year with an 8-5 record, Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt is getting rewarded with a good bit more money. It’s happening just in time for him to try to take the program to the next level at the start of his third season on the job.

UT Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer announced a contract extension for Pruitt on Thursday through the 2025 season. Pruitt will make $3.8 million in 2020, and that number will then increase to $4.2 million beginning in 2021.

According to Fulmer, a raise and extension had already been in the works, but due to the pandemic, Pruitt declined the raise for the 2020 season in order to help the athletic department save money. That’s why it won’t start until next season. After the announcement of the extension, the Tennessee football Twitter account released a hype video on Pruitt.

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Obviously, this is a big bet by the Vols. UT has had lots of issues with buyouts in the past given what they are still paying Butch Jones and his staff, and that means they can’t really afford for Pruitt not to work out at this point.

Add in the pandemic that has affected everybody’s budget this season, one that can’t be offset simply by Pruitt declining a $400,000 raise this year, and the Vols desperately need this situation to work out. If it doesn’t, it will be disastrous.

Whether or not Pruitt earned this extension and a raise is debatable, but it’s safe to say it helps a lot when it comes to recruiting. Prospects are now less likely to question any sort of hot seat Pruitt is on, and the incredible support he’s been shown by the department certainly helps.

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It’s safe to say that regardless of what happens, though, the way Tennessee football finished last season under Pruitt was incredible. Starting 0-2 and then falling to 1-4 before going on a six-game winning streak amidst a 2-5 record to finish the season was incredible. Given what he inherited, it’s even more impressive. That’s a strong case for the raise.

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