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Tennessee football: Five best arguments for Vols to fire Jeremy Pruitt immediately

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt walks down the sideline during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.100320 Tenn Mo Jpg
Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt walks down the sideline during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.100320 Tenn Mo Jpg /
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COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 24: Former Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phillip Fulmer looks on during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 24: Former Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phillip Fulmer looks on during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Should the Tennessee football Volunteers move on from their head coach immediately?

Let’s be honest. This isn’t going to happen. Phillip Fulmer’s legacy as UT athletic director is tied to his decision to hire Jeremy Pruitt as Tennessee football head coach. As long as he’s in charge, it will take overwhelming evidence to fire Pruitt.

A bad third season that had so many adjustments due to the pandemic would not qualify for overwhelming evidence. Taking that into account, the Vols are stuck with the guy for at least another year after this one.

However, is that the wise decision? Should Tennessee football cut bait with Jeremy Pruitt now? Honestly, there’s a case to make for doing that. These are the five best arguments for the Vols to fire their head coach.

5. Results from two years of staff attrition showing

Derek Dooley and Butch Jones both lost jobs the year they went through staff overhauls. In both cases, numerous staff members left for equal or even worse jobs elsewhere, which should have been a major red flag. Given what has happened with Tennessee football under Pruitt for two years, that’s another issues.

After 2018, the Vols lost two staff members who did take better jobs. However, this past offseason, they lost running backs coach David Johnson to the Florida State Seminoles, which was a downgrade given the situation Johnson was inheriting at FSU with Mike Norvell. They lost Chris Rumph and Kevin Sherrer to position coaching duties in the NFL.

Finally, Jeremy Pruitt couldn’t retain Tracy Rocker as defensive line coach. Well, Rocker’s replacement, Jimmy Brumbaugh, was fired four games into the season, and he appeared to be scapegoated after a 34-7 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Pruitt is now coaching the defensive linemen, and the situation hasn’t gotten any better. For whatever reason, nine coaches have left in three years under Pruitt, and only one had a promotion. Only one position, offensive line, has the same coach it had when he took over. That’s an issue and needs to be addressed.

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