College football Twitter is having a field day after the Tennessee Volunteers fired head coach Jeremy Pruitt for cause. Additionally, Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer is likely going to step down and retire.
If some of the recruiting violation rumors are false, then it still doesn’t change the fact that Tennessee’s program has seen a level of decline on par with Florida State in recent seasons. The Volunteers did finish 8-5 in 2019 after a rocky start, but the program took a major step back in 2020 with a 3-7 season.
According to the Dan Patrick Show, Tennessee handed recruits money in McDonald’s bags during campus visits. This rumor gave Twitter some easy material to work with and of course college football fans came up with some funny reactions:
Source: Tennessee #Vols got sloppy with recruiting. They were handing recruits cash in McDonald's bags when they visited campus.
Also a name to look out for to fill the Head Coaching vacancy: Jason Witten pic.twitter.com/HKDd02rldz
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) January 19, 2021
Gonna miss this recruiting staff. pic.twitter.com/hCJdrGSdj4
— Houston Kress (@VolRumorMill) January 19, 2021
When they ask if you want fries with that in Knoxville pic.twitter.com/qrJ6Y3CQSd
— Evil Kirby Smart (@EvilKirbySmart) January 19, 2021
Does McDonald’s already sponsor Tennessee athletics? If not, seems like a great marketing opportunity
— Jake Reuse (@ReuseRecruiting) January 19, 2021
This is how I picture Tennessee recruiting weekends going under Jeremy Pruitt.
(@jddalton04 provided me with the photo) pic.twitter.com/fAVqTP31hP
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) January 19, 2021
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt denied the rumor via Twitter.
If y’all really believe that you got issues…. https://t.co/pZ5rkwgBGt
— Jalin Hyatt (@jalinhyatt) January 19, 2021
The new coaching search at Tennessee should be very interesting. The Volunteers face a potential NCAA punishment and many of the potential head coaching hires have already settled into new positions for the 2021 college football season.
Tuesday morning update on Rocky Top pic.twitter.com/d3NCrYsPkQ
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) January 19, 2021
I for one, am ready for another Tennessee Football coaching search pic.twitter.com/fpmW4yJcHR
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) January 18, 2021
Even with all that’s having to be digested on Rocky Top today, Tennessee fans are less than 24 hours away from believing once again that they are only one or two 4-star recruits away from being Alabama.
— Logan Booker (@LoganMBooker) January 18, 2021
I wonder how bad Tennessee would have been if they didn't cheat.
That's hard to wrap my head around.
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) January 18, 2021
Tennessee assistants Shelton Felton and Brian Niedermeyer are also being fired for cause.
— David Ubben (@davidubben) January 18, 2021
Luckily Tennessee is such a stable program that it should be able to move through this rocky time with relative ease and no drama whatsoever.
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) January 18, 2021
Tennessee Update, Day 23:
❌ Gruden
❌ Mullen
❌ Frost
✅ Schiano, then ❌ Schiano
❌ Brohm
❌ Cutcliffe
❌ Cooter
❌ Gundy
❌ Doeren
❌ Sumlin
✅ Leach, then ❌ Leach
☠️ AD Currie fired
❌ Kiffin
◻️ Jeremy Pruitt
◻️ Tee Martin
◻️ Les Miles— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) December 6, 2017
Among the few things you can count on in the college football world: @Vol_Football will find a way to trip over its own two feet. That’s four coaches and no @SEC East titles since forcing Phil Fulmer out in 2008. Last SEC title: 1998, the year Tennessee won it all. Long time ago.
— Ivan Maisel (@Ivan_Maisel) January 18, 2021
Meanwhile, Tennessee and Jeremy Pruitt will be in a battle over firing the former head coach for cause. If Tennessee can justify the firing, then they will be off the hook for guaranteed money that Jeremy Pruitt is owed.
Statement provided to @Stadium from attorney Michael Lyons representing former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt pic.twitter.com/mAgCsaOC6S
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 19, 2021
