University of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks about who he sees as the Vols' opponents during his introduction ceremony in the Neyland Stadium Peyton Manning Locker Room Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.
Pro experience always looks good on the résumé of a college head coach. Alabama coach Nick Saban can vouch for that.
His credentials serve as a reminder to every recruit that he can help someone advance from high school to the NFL. And what recruit doesn’t want to make the pros?
But there’s something to be said for high school experience, too. That came to mind when new Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt was speaking at his introductory press conference last week.
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Pruitt would have fit in nicely on the “Friday Night Lights” coaching cast. Nor would he have been out place amid the high school coaches I used to cover in South Texas in the mid-1970s.
Those Texas high school coaches had a language all their own. I remember one coach who referred to all football laymen as “coach,” too. That saved him the anxiety of trying to remember anyone’s name. It also made for an amusing interview.
I called him “coach;” he called me “coach.” Back and forth our conversation went, one coach to another.
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High school football in the Southeast might not compare to Texas high school football. What does? But both matter.
Never mind that Pruitt has gained most of his football fame as a defensive coordinator at big-time college programs like Florida State, Georgia and Alabama. His experience as a high school coach in Alabama could be just as significant in recruiting.
Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt was introduced during a timeout at the Vols basketball game on Saturday Mike Wilson/News Sentinel
Pruitt made that point in his introductory press conference. His father, Dale, is a longtime high school coach in Alabama. Jeremy coached at three different Alabama high schools before moving up to college football in 2007.
Think that won’t matter when it comes to recruiting, which he’s already doing on behalf of Tennessee? When he steps into a high school coach’s office, he has an immediate connection. He’s one of them.
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They’re also his connection to the players he recruits. It’s so much easier to recruit when you have to establish a good relationship with high school coaches. Pruitt should know that as well as anyone.
But it’s also important to maintain that relationship — no matter how much success you have at the college level. That shouldn’t be a problem for Pruitt. Not with his background.
He also should be able to capitalize on the improved caliber of high school football in Tennessee. And while he emphasized how crucial it was to get the best players locally and in the state, a Tennessee coach still has to be able to recruit regionally and nationally.
Pruitt had a great track record as a recruiter when he was an assistant. Of course, it’s not that hard to recruit to places like Florida State, Georgia and Alabama.
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Tennessee also has plenty of advantages when it comes to recruiting based on its facilities, tradition and strategic location. But you can’t judge Pruitt as a recruiter based on what he does in what's left of this recruiting season. He’s struggling to salvage a class that has dropped from the top five to outside the top 25.
However, he should really make recruiting inroads in the 2019 class after he has had a full year to recruit to Tennessee. And after he has had a chance to remind the high school coaches throughout the state that he’s one of them.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: Twitter.com/johnadamskns.
Keaton Jones, whose bullying video has gone viral, visited with UT Athletics Director Phil Fulmer and members of the Vols football team on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. Submitted/ University of Tennessee.
Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt was introduced during a timeout at the Vols basketball game on Saturday Mike Wilson/News Sentinel
Watch a time lapse of University of Tennessee sophomore Kate Luffman painting The Rock to welcome UT Vols new coach Jeremy Pruitt. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel
University of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks about who he sees as the Vols' opponents during his introduction ceremony in the Neyland Stadium Peyton Manning Locker Room Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.
The Tennessee coaching search has gone through a tumultuous week. Angela Gosnell/News Sentinel
Tennessee has named former head football coach Phil Fulmer as the athletics director. Wochit
John Currie is out as the Tennessee athletic director after eight months on the job and one chaotic week of a football coaching search, according to media reports. Angela Gosnell/News Sentinel
Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has been hired as the next coach at Tennessee. Wochit
More than 100 people gathered outside Neyland Stadium on Nov. 26, then marched on Anderson Training Center to express outrage after reports surfaced that Tennessee is finalizing a deal to hire Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano. Calvin Mattheis
Jauan Jennings on Sunday drove by a crowd who, minutes earlier, had chanted "Free Jauan." The UT Vols released Jennings after he posted a profanity-laced rant to Instagram. He has since apologized. Submitted / Twitter user @witness781
Keaton Jones visits UT
Jeremy Pruitt introduced at Vols basketball game
Watch a time lapse of The Rock being painted to welcome UT Vols new coach Jeremy Pruitt
Who Pruitt sees as Vols' opponents
A timeline of Tennessee's coaching search
Phil Fulmer named Vols athletics director
John Currie out as Tennessee athletic director
UT Vols: 5 things to know about Jeremy Pruitt
Crowd speaks out against Greg Schiano, calls for John Currie's firing
Jauan Jennings drives by Sunday's protest of Greg Schiano