I'm afraid lately he's taken a bit of the Butch Jones approach which is recruit stars that don't end up being coached up well by some of his assistant coaches. When he first arrived, he had a staff of assistants who seemed better at developing talent although they may have not been the best recruiters at landing the big fish.
If I'm Coach Pruitt, I change up the coaching staff, and this may very well be his last shot at it, and hire coaches who know their positions well. Tee Martin is a good WR coach he can build the rest of the staff around. If he has a shot at Bobo, I take him and hand the offense and quarterback development off to him. If he trusts Will Friend, keep him and let him continue to develop the offensive line. Like Tee Martin, I think we have a very good RB coach in Jay Graham who knows his position group well. Keep and build around him too.
On the defensive side, try to land Bo Davis to coach the defensive line and monitor his recruiting activity. If you think Shelton Felton and Brian Niedermeyer are coaching the LB'ers up, keep them. If not, make a change. If you don't think Derrick Ansley is doing a quality job as DC or secondary coach, make a change, and even consider making yourself the DC as well as the head coach. Coach Pruitt should have an extensive list of coaches with a reputation to coach up and develop defensive backs and linebackers.
We saw it with Butch. If you land highly rated classes, but your staff of assistant coaches can't develop them, what good does it do? As the losing continues, those star players become harder and harder to land anyway. Hire a staff of assistant coaches who are great at developing their position groups. If you land a few more 3 stars than the fanbase likes, so be it. I'd rather build a 3 star who has the physical tools and can be developed into a big time contributor than a 4 or 5 star who graduates without getting drafted or transfers out. If you look closely, the NFL is full of former 3 star rated players who were developed in college. Win with this angle, and the 4 and 5 stars will come anyway.
It'll take more time and some on this board won't like it, but it'll be done right.
If I'm Coach Pruitt, I change up the coaching staff, and this may very well be his last shot at it, and hire coaches who know their positions well. Tee Martin is a good WR coach he can build the rest of the staff around. If he has a shot at Bobo, I take him and hand the offense and quarterback development off to him. If he trusts Will Friend, keep him and let him continue to develop the offensive line. Like Tee Martin, I think we have a very good RB coach in Jay Graham who knows his position group well. Keep and build around him too.
On the defensive side, try to land Bo Davis to coach the defensive line and monitor his recruiting activity. If you think Shelton Felton and Brian Niedermeyer are coaching the LB'ers up, keep them. If not, make a change. If you don't think Derrick Ansley is doing a quality job as DC or secondary coach, make a change, and even consider making yourself the DC as well as the head coach. Coach Pruitt should have an extensive list of coaches with a reputation to coach up and develop defensive backs and linebackers.
We saw it with Butch. If you land highly rated classes, but your staff of assistant coaches can't develop them, what good does it do? As the losing continues, those star players become harder and harder to land anyway. Hire a staff of assistant coaches who are great at developing their position groups. If you land a few more 3 stars than the fanbase likes, so be it. I'd rather build a 3 star who has the physical tools and can be developed into a big time contributor than a 4 or 5 star who graduates without getting drafted or transfers out. If you look closely, the NFL is full of former 3 star rated players who were developed in college. Win with this angle, and the 4 and 5 stars will come anyway.
It'll take more time and some on this board won't like it, but it'll be done right.
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