Tennessee football: Jeremy Pruitt fired, Phil Fulmer retires after investigation

The Tennessee Volunteers are expected to part ways with Jeremy Pruitt.

Pruitt, who was hired before the 2018 season after the debacle that was the Tennessee Volunteers coaching search, went 16-19 in three years at the helm. For a school that considers itself among the best in the SEC, that’s not good enough. The hidden secret here, of course, is that the Vols football program hasn’t played up to par in quite some time, so that confidence might be a little misguided.

Despite that, it makes for an excellent soap opera down in Knoxville. Even with a Gator Bowl win in 2019, the disappointment of 2020’s failure in a COVID-19 shortened season was enough to show Pruitt the door. Per Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel, Pruitt’s time in Knoxville is up, and AD Phil Fulmer is also retiring.

Per the Tennessean, Pruitt is being fired with cause in the wake of an internal investigation into recruiting practices. Fulmer, meanwhile, is retiring in an unrelated decision, per the University.

Tennessee’s expectations for replacing Pruitt will be too high

This isn’t based on any sort of inside information or reporting. Mainly, it’s because this is the Vols we’re talking about. A starved fanbase is always tough to please, and Tennessee fans are no exception.

Back in 2018, Tennessee fans were unwilling to accept the hiring of Greg Schiano, who is now potentially in the process of turning around Rutgers, of all schools. Vols fans took to social media and literally overturned a hire. It doesn’t get more volatile than that.

So, Fulmer (or whoever is in charge after this nightmare) better get the next hire right. If not, what’s turned into an endless search for a capable head man will take another step in the wrong direction.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.