Cons of Hiring Pruitt
No Head Coaching Experience
The biggest question mark about Jeremy Pruitt is evident: His lack of head coaching experience. Pruitt has never been a head coach at the collegiate level, and that leaves a ton of questions to answer. He’s proven to be a fantastic coach as a coordinator and assistant, but he’s about to take on a myriad of other responsibilities as a head coach. How will he adapt?
Can He Develop?
Pruitt sure can recruit. But how is he and his staff at developing players? Pruitt showed the ability to develop some of his highly-rated players at Alabama as an assistant, but he hasn’t been anywhere longer than two years as a coordinator. This question doesn’t apply as much to him as it did to Jones, but how does he and his staff do at developing players not on the defensive side of the ball?
What About the Quarterback?
As a defensive coach, Pruitt obviously hasn’t had much experience developing quarterbacks. Can he bring in someone who can recruit and develop quarterbacks at a high level? Reports have it that he may be bringing Tyson Helton from USC to come coach quarterbacks and maybe be the offensive coordinator. Helton has been the quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator for the Trojans since 2016. Tennessee has several talented, young quarterbacks on their roster. Developing them is paramount to the Vols’ success in the future.
