Can we all just agree that life is so much better with head coach Josh Heupel running the show in Knoxville? Prior to Heupel getting to town, things were a mess for the Tennessee football team, of course including the nightmare campaigns with Jeremy Pruitt at the helm.
Pruitt went 16-19 overall and 10-16 against SEC opponents. Yeah, that's never going to cut it and the recruiting violations committed by UT under his watch not only made things worse, but they led to him getting fired.
Speaking of recruiting, there were some major misses for Pruitt and his staff that continue to haunt the fanbase. The list includes star running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who looked brilliant for the Detroit Lions this season. Gibbs was once high on the Vols, but Pruitt was locked in on him playing defensive back and not RB, costing any chance of signing him. Real smart move, coach:
NEVER FORGET: Jahmyr Gibbs reportedly had high interest in going to Tennessee early in his recruitment but former #Vols Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt was insistent on playing him as a defensive back.
— No Off-Season Sports (@no_offseason1) January 19, 2025
Gibbs already has 58 yards and a touchdown in the 1st Q of the divisional round pic.twitter.com/9uJeFeMqpH
Tennessee fans remain haunted over Jeremy Pruitt's recruitment of Jahmyr Gibbs
A member of the 2020 class, Gibbs was ranked the No. 4 running back in the country per 247Sports. Yet, Pruitt couldn't see that potential and tried selling him on being a stud on defense for the Vols? Give us a break.
The speedster ended up signing with Georgia Tech, then ultimately signing with Alabama after he entered the portal. Gibbs was a first-round pick and he's been a joy to watch for Detroit supporters ever since. In a losing effort against Washington, Gibbs was electric with the ball in his hands.
This past Saturday, he rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns, needing only 14 carries to do so. He's one of the most electric running backs in the game. As much as people would have loved to see him play for Tennessee, thank goodness he ignored Pruitt and didn't focus on a career as a cornerback. It's safe to say he made the right call sticking with offense instead.