Pruitt’s plan to inspire UT on Vol Walk failed
KNOXVILLE — Jeremy Pruitt stopped and huddled his players around him during the Vol Walk before Tennessee‘s game Saturday against Missouri. The Vols’ first-year coach had a message to deliver.
“I wanted them to see who they represent, the people who come to support this university, that have pride in the Tennessee football program and in the university itself – that it’s bigger than these guys,” Pruitt said after the game.
“It’s a pretty huge sight to see – all these people with orange on standing out there to watch these guys walk.”
Had the moment sparked a third straight Tennessee victory, it would have been hailed as an inspirational move.
Instead, it became a passing moment because the Vols proceeded to lose 50-17 to Missouri on senior day at Neyland Stadium.
“It’s not about them; it’s not about me; but we need to make sure we leave it better than we found it,” Pruitt said, “and I just wanted them to see it and understand it. It didn’t work, but I wanted them to see it and understand it.”
The game was the latest dip in an upand-down season.
Tennessee logged three turnovers. The Vols had 255 yards of offense. Missouri topped 250 yards through the air and 200 on the ground, joining Alabama as the only opponents to check both of those boxes against the Vols.
“We’ve got to make sure we get more locked in – being knowledgeable about football, being knowledgeable about our opponents,” defensive end Kyle Phillips said. “I think that’s one thing we can definitely improve on as a team, as a program, so we can move up to the next level.”
Tennessee (5-6, 2-5 SEC) must beat Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5) in the regular-season finale on Saturday (3 p.m., SEC Network) in Nashville to qualify for a bowl.
“We will have to go back and regroup,” Pruitt said. “We have one more game to play, and it’s a game that means a lot to a lot of people around here.”
A 6-6 season isn’t often dubbed a success around these parts, but reaching a bowl game would mark undeniable progress after last year’s four-win season that included an 0-8 SEC campaign.