Tennessee football fans want Jeremy Pruitt’s head on a spike
By Scott Rogust
Tennessee Volunteers fans haven’t been pleased with head coach Jeremy Pruitt’s performance, and it resulted in many calling for his job on Saturday.
We’re nearing the end of the college football regular-season, which means we’re getting that much closer to the coaching carousel this upcoming offseason. We’ve heard names like Texas’ Tom Herman being shown the door in the very near future. But if you ask Tennessee Volunteers fans, they would like to write-in Jeremy Pruitt to that list.
Pruitt’s team fell to the rival Florida Gators by the score of 31-19 on Saturday, which extended the team’s losing streak to six games. With his third season nearing its end, it’s safe to say that Tennessee fans have seen enough of the sideline boss, based on the reaction on Twitter.
Alexa, show me all the people who love Jeremy Pruitt. pic.twitter.com/UAuihwVc7g
— Bryan with a Y (@HeyBeeCee) December 5, 2020
"Jeremy Pruitt thinks the gap is closing, it just doesn’t show on film. I really don’t think it’s lack of talent” — Aaron Murray with the killshot
— zach ragan (@zachtnt) December 5, 2020
Pruitt hasn’t lived up to the hype in Knoxville
Back in 2017, Tennessee was looking for a new head coach to bring the football program back to glory. So, they opted to hire Pruitt, then the defensive coordinator of the Alabama Crimson Tide. As an assistant, Pruitt won five National Championships with Alabama (2009, 2011-12, 2017) and Florida State (2013). He had the resume, but after three seasons, things haven’t clicked.
With this latest loss, Pruitt is now 15-18 as the sideline boss for Tennessee. Additionally, the defensive-minded coach is now 0-9 against Florida, Georgia and Alabama, but the positive was that this was the smallest margin of defeat of the bunch. Still, that wasn’t cutting it with the fanbase.
Jeremy Pruitt's record vs. Florida, Georgia and Alabama is now 0-9. Today's 12 point loss to the Gators is the closest margin of defeat in any of those games. Previous was 22 last season at Alabama.
— Vince Ferrara (@VinceSports) December 6, 2020
Jeremy Pruitt running hurry-up with the game out of reach just so he can cost all of his fans money is him asking to be canned.
— Jordan Dajani (@JordanDajani) December 6, 2020
Dan Mullen is winning the SEC East in year 3, meanwhile in the same year Jeremy Pruitt is still trying to ram square pegs in round holes
— aaron lewis (@_el_pelirrojo) December 5, 2020
Jeremy Pruitt and Gus Malzahn likely to join Will Muschamp in looking for new jobs.
— Mike Mooneyham (@ByMikeMooneyham) December 5, 2020
Tennessee did manage to put up 334 yards of total offense, didn’t turn the ball over once and out-rushed Florida (94 to 19), but it just wasn’t enough. Gators quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Kyle Trask completed 35-of-49 pass attempts for 433 yards and four touchdowns, putting Tennessee in a 31-7 hole in the fourth quarter.
While the fans have reached their breaking point with Pruitt, it’s unknown if the university will opt to part ways with him. There won’t be an answer until the end of the season. Until then, Pruitt will ignore the noise and look to close out the season with wins over Vanderbilt and Texas A&M.
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