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Bama fans: Would you want Jeremy Pruitt as your next HC?
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:12 am
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:12 am
We all know by now that Jeremy Pruitt (UGA DC) is the next hot HC commodity from the ranks of coordinators.
And I already know what most of your initial reactions will be: "Well Paawwwl, I really like Coach Jeremy Pruitt. He's a good, young coach who brings the passion and energy and fields a good defense like we like here on the CAPSTONE. Buuuut Paaaawl, he needs to get some experience as a HC before we hire him to coach our alright TAWD here at BAMA."
I know for any Bama fan over age 20 that hiring a "Bama man and former player" with no previous HC experience might still sound a little too familiar for comfort.
But that's okay, because if Nick Saban coaches out the remainder of his contract, or even another 5 years, then Pruitt has plenty of time to get a HC job and prove he can run a program.
Now, at this point in the thread we are going to take some time to explore if Jeremy Pruitt is really HC material and we might even delve a little bit into the validity of his reputation as an elite defensive coach.
Right off the bat Pruitt has two very important intangibles that objectively should help him to be a better HC.
1. Every job he's had in the last decade he's worked and learned under some of the most successful coaches in the country on their level: Rush Probst, Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, and Mark Richt.
2. He is a proven elite recruiter. You can't be an elite HC in this day without being an elite recruiter. It's almost as important as actual coaching these days.
We have now established Pruitt's extreme success at every coaching stop (4 BCS National Championships, and 2 Alabama 6A state championships). Now let's take a look at his jobs during his success and rise through the ranks over the last decade and try to decide how much of that success was because of Pruitt, or if he just lucked out and was along for the ride at football powerhouses.:
2004-2006, Hoover HS (DB/DC): hired by legendary GOAT high school coach Rush Probst into an already established nationally ranked football powerhouse that had already won back-to-back State Championships. Won another two straight championships with Pruitt on staff (4 in a row for the program) and state runner-up in Pruitt's last season. As DB coach was able to work with such players as Jahi Word-Daniels starting CB Georgia Tech, Joel Caldwell starting CB Vandy, Corey Reamer Safety at Hoover but starting LB at Alabama, Max Lerner starting S Furman.. And as a DC had such talent as Josh Chapman DT Alabama and now Indy Colts, Kerry Murphy 5* DL, Michael Dejohn LB Alabama among others.
2007-2009, Alabama (Director of Player Development)
2010-2012, Alabama (DB): Working under GOAT modern day CFB Nick Saban, who specializes in DBs and is a notorious micro manager (how much control of DBs did Pruitt really have at Bama?) Pruitt was handed DBs such as 1st rounders Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Demarcus Milliner and NFL starter Robert Lester among several other very good SEC players. Given credit at Bama for recruiting 3 five-stars, and 7 four-stars
2013, Florida State (Defensive Coordinator): walked into a National Championship team already loaded with NFL talent on his side of the ball. Already drafted off of FSU's 2013 defense- Lamarcus Joyner, Timmy Jernigan, Terrence Brooks, Telvin Smith, Mario Edwards Jr., Eddie Goldman, Ronald Darby, and PJ Williams.
However in only one year as a Seminole he was credited with the commitments of 2 five-stars, and 2 four-stars on the defensive side of the ball. How much impact did he actually have in one year on those recruits signing? Who knows.
Florida State's defense was already elite before Pruitt in 2012. They were #6 in scoring defense in 2012, and rose to #2 in 2012. In total defense Florida State was #2 in 2012 and #3 in 2013
Did Pruitt really have an impact on an already elite FSU defense?
2014-present, Georgia (Defensive Coordinator): Jeremy Pruitt performed as well as could be hoped for UGA in 2014. He's established himself as an elite recruiting force essentially locking down the Georgia borders for any defensive recruit he wants.
On the coaching side he also vastly improved their defensive performance for top ~60 or ~50 for total and scoring defense to top ~20 for total and scoring defense.
How much of that improvement was actual coaching skill though? He inherited a defense loaded with talent. That defense underperformed in 2012 but in previous years under Grantham performed similarly to Pruitt's first season. It's well known that Grantham was a huge gaping a-hole who's personality by 2012 had caused a divide between Richt and his players, losing his team. In contrast Pruitt is a players coach who knows how to relate to young men. Was his improvent in defensive performance for UGA really X's and O's or was it players just happy to play for their new coach/friend instead of the old a-hole coach?
TL;DR
Jeremy Pruitt - "What's asparagus? I never heard of it."
And I already know what most of your initial reactions will be: "Well Paawwwl, I really like Coach Jeremy Pruitt. He's a good, young coach who brings the passion and energy and fields a good defense like we like here on the CAPSTONE. Buuuut Paaaawl, he needs to get some experience as a HC before we hire him to coach our alright TAWD here at BAMA."
I know for any Bama fan over age 20 that hiring a "Bama man and former player" with no previous HC experience might still sound a little too familiar for comfort.
But that's okay, because if Nick Saban coaches out the remainder of his contract, or even another 5 years, then Pruitt has plenty of time to get a HC job and prove he can run a program.
Now, at this point in the thread we are going to take some time to explore if Jeremy Pruitt is really HC material and we might even delve a little bit into the validity of his reputation as an elite defensive coach.
Right off the bat Pruitt has two very important intangibles that objectively should help him to be a better HC.
1. Every job he's had in the last decade he's worked and learned under some of the most successful coaches in the country on their level: Rush Probst, Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, and Mark Richt.
2. He is a proven elite recruiter. You can't be an elite HC in this day without being an elite recruiter. It's almost as important as actual coaching these days.
We have now established Pruitt's extreme success at every coaching stop (4 BCS National Championships, and 2 Alabama 6A state championships). Now let's take a look at his jobs during his success and rise through the ranks over the last decade and try to decide how much of that success was because of Pruitt, or if he just lucked out and was along for the ride at football powerhouses.:
2004-2006, Hoover HS (DB/DC): hired by legendary GOAT high school coach Rush Probst into an already established nationally ranked football powerhouse that had already won back-to-back State Championships. Won another two straight championships with Pruitt on staff (4 in a row for the program) and state runner-up in Pruitt's last season. As DB coach was able to work with such players as Jahi Word-Daniels starting CB Georgia Tech, Joel Caldwell starting CB Vandy, Corey Reamer Safety at Hoover but starting LB at Alabama, Max Lerner starting S Furman.. And as a DC had such talent as Josh Chapman DT Alabama and now Indy Colts, Kerry Murphy 5* DL, Michael Dejohn LB Alabama among others.
2007-2009, Alabama (Director of Player Development)
2010-2012, Alabama (DB): Working under GOAT modern day CFB Nick Saban, who specializes in DBs and is a notorious micro manager (how much control of DBs did Pruitt really have at Bama?) Pruitt was handed DBs such as 1st rounders Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Demarcus Milliner and NFL starter Robert Lester among several other very good SEC players. Given credit at Bama for recruiting 3 five-stars, and 7 four-stars
2013, Florida State (Defensive Coordinator): walked into a National Championship team already loaded with NFL talent on his side of the ball. Already drafted off of FSU's 2013 defense- Lamarcus Joyner, Timmy Jernigan, Terrence Brooks, Telvin Smith, Mario Edwards Jr., Eddie Goldman, Ronald Darby, and PJ Williams.
However in only one year as a Seminole he was credited with the commitments of 2 five-stars, and 2 four-stars on the defensive side of the ball. How much impact did he actually have in one year on those recruits signing? Who knows.
Florida State's defense was already elite before Pruitt in 2012. They were #6 in scoring defense in 2012, and rose to #2 in 2012. In total defense Florida State was #2 in 2012 and #3 in 2013
Did Pruitt really have an impact on an already elite FSU defense?
2014-present, Georgia (Defensive Coordinator): Jeremy Pruitt performed as well as could be hoped for UGA in 2014. He's established himself as an elite recruiting force essentially locking down the Georgia borders for any defensive recruit he wants.
On the coaching side he also vastly improved their defensive performance for top ~60 or ~50 for total and scoring defense to top ~20 for total and scoring defense.
How much of that improvement was actual coaching skill though? He inherited a defense loaded with talent. That defense underperformed in 2012 but in previous years under Grantham performed similarly to Pruitt's first season. It's well known that Grantham was a huge gaping a-hole who's personality by 2012 had caused a divide between Richt and his players, losing his team. In contrast Pruitt is a players coach who knows how to relate to young men. Was his improvent in defensive performance for UGA really X's and O's or was it players just happy to play for their new coach/friend instead of the old a-hole coach?
TL;DR
Jeremy Pruitt - "What's asparagus? I never heard of it."
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:13 am to BowlJackson
If I was a Bama fan I wouldn't be opposed to it, but I think the popular choice among their fan base would be Kirby.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:15 am to AUTigermitch1995
Same question for Smart as Pruitt. Do you want another Bama Man with no HC experience? At least Pruitt has gotten out from under Saban's shadow
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:17 am to BowlJackson
Don't know; don't care.
This post was edited on 5/20/15 at 1:18 am
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:20 am to BowlJackson
quote:
At least Pruitt has gotten out from under Saban's shadow
That he has but I'm sure they're all for Kirby, because Saban has "molded" him even though it is more Saban's defense than his
This post was edited on 5/20/15 at 1:21 am
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:20 am to BowlJackson
By the time Saban retires, technological advances will allow us to splice the genes of Saban and Bear, ushering in an era of total Bama oppression.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:22 am to HempHead
Man Pruitt shot up the ranks pretty fast. I wouldn't want him id want Kirby.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:24 am to BowlJackson
I'll take Pruitt over Kirby.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:25 am to Tide or Die87
Kirby isn't an awful choice, but let's wait to see who is available when the job is open. I'd prefer someone with experience actually running a program, but given our past decisions we'll hire fricking Dabo.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 1:29 am to Tide or Die87
quote:
Man Pruitt shot up the ranks pretty fast.
Yup. And then you realize he's never been at a job that wasn't a pre-established power already at the top and already with elite players... Makes you wonder, how much of his rise has been due to sheer luck? He's always been in the right place at the right time.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 2:48 am to BowlJackson
Sorry, my dog ate my care.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 3:47 am to AUTigermitch1995
quote:
I think the popular choice among their fan base would be Kirby
Then you think wrong.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 4:28 am to BowlJackson
I think he would have to have some coaching experience. I don't see Alabama taking a chance with a coordinator but if they did. Pruitt, Muschamp & Smart would all probably get an interview.
Or Bill Battle might hire an ESPN analyst that use to coach NFL.
Who knows.
I do think Pruit, Muschamp and Smart will all be very good coaches. If Muschamp is willing to learn from his mistakes. I'd bet one of the three will be better than good.
Or Bill Battle might hire an ESPN analyst that use to coach NFL.
Who knows.
I do think Pruit, Muschamp and Smart will all be very good coaches. If Muschamp is willing to learn from his mistakes. I'd bet one of the three will be better than good.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 4:31 am to BowlJackson
I'm not sure Kirby should stick around as the DC anymore, let alone HC.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 5:08 am to BowlJackson
quote:
He inherited a defense loaded with talent
Not really. The front 7 was pretty solid. Good talent and some good incoming players there.
The secondary was a fricking train wreck. Shaq Wiggins, Josh Harvey Clemons, and Tray Matthews gone. We started from day 1 a true freshman and a walk on and played numerous other true freshmen throughout the season.
The most impressive part about that is, we saw the most improvement out of our secondary from Grantham to Pruitt.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 5:10 am to General13
quote:
Pruitt, Muschamp & Smart would all probably get an interview
Why would Alabama give muschamp an interview?
Posted on 5/20/15 at 5:10 am to BowlJackson
Here's what you should know in regards to us:
2013 was statistically the worst defense in school history. That's not hyperbole, it was literally the worst. In 2014 we improved in every defensive category there is, some of them in dramatic fashion.
I'm not at a comp, but similarly to how our defense got better in every category last year compared to 13, fsu's got worse in every category.
That's not a coincidence.
2013 was statistically the worst defense in school history. That's not hyperbole, it was literally the worst. In 2014 we improved in every defensive category there is, some of them in dramatic fashion.
I'm not at a comp, but similarly to how our defense got better in every category last year compared to 13, fsu's got worse in every category.
That's not a coincidence.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 5:35 am to BowlJackson
quote:No
Do you want another Bama Man with no HC experience?
Posted on 5/20/15 at 6:02 am to BowlJackson
I worry about what will happen when Nick retires.
Posted on 5/20/15 at 6:05 am to BowlJackson
Bowl, you post a lot about Pruitt. It's bordering on creepy.
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