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Jeremy Pruitt hire, Brandon Kennedy grad transfer gives Alabama-Tennessee rivalry new life

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Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks during Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks during Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA — Tennessee should be so tired seeing tweets of Alabama players smoking victory cigars on the third Saturday in October.

The Crimson Tide have won 11 straight games over the Volunteers to match the longest winning streak in the rivalry by an average margin of 24.5 points.

Last season, they blasted UT 45-7 in Tuscaloosa. Tennessee managed just 108 yards of total offense.  

This rivalry needed some punch — and got it when Tennessee hired Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt to replace a fired Butch Jones.

Then when Brandon Kennedy looked to leave Alabama as a graduate transfer for Tennessee or Auburn, it created a controversy that made Nick Saban more defensive than normal.

Alabama initially blocked the transfer, but Kennedy a backup offensive lineman from Wetumpka, followed Pruitt as the SEC now allows grad transfers to relocate within the league and play right away.

So between the Pruitt hire and Kennedy transfer, this once great rivalry that’s gone way south in Alabama’s favor has some much-needed bite.

“It’ll probably add a lot to (the rivalry),” said Tennessee junior receiver Marquez Callaway about the Pruitt hire. “The players that he coached are still on the Alabama team. They may take it more personally or he may take it more personally.  All we know is that when they come to us, we’re going to give them all we got.”

Tennessee NCAA college football receiver Marquez Callaway speaks during Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Tennessee NCAA college football receiver Marquez Callaway speaks during Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Alabama will probably pummel Tennessee again Oct. 20 in Knoxville, but Pruitt may turn UT around as quickly as another Saban defensive coordinator did at Georgia.

Kirby Smart went from losing to Vanderbilt in his first year in Athens to nearly beating Alabama in the College Football Playoff title game.

Now Pruitt has the challenge of rejuvenating the Vols and contending for an SEC title.

He has some kick to him now. Former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray found that out after suggesting Pruitt isn’t a people person and that'll hinder him as a head coach.

Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks during Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks during Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

“Fifteen years ago, I was a kindergarten teacher,” said Pruitt, who was an assistant at Georgia in 2014-15. “Now I’m the head coach at Tennessee. You probably don’t make that ascension without knowing how to treat people.”

If Pruitt gets it going at UT, his attitude will go over well in Knoxville.

The Kennedy transfer proved to be the one of the final nails in the SEC rule change. Before it went down, Saban was in full bunker mode talking about it at SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida.

“If we agree in the SEC in these meetings that we’re going to have free agency in our league and everybody can go wherever they want to go when they graduate and that’s what’s best for the game, then I think that’s what we should do,” Saban said.

“Then Brandon Kennedy can go wherever he wants to go. But if we don’t do that, why is it on me?”

So Saban, who is motivated by the smallest things, will likely have extra fuel going into the UT game, but Pruitt said this situation won’t cause any riff on his end between him and his former boss.

Jeremy Pruitt had two coaching stints under Nick Saban at Alabama.

Jeremy Pruitt had two coaching stints under Nick Saban at Alabama.

“Absolutely not,” Pruitt said. “I respect Coach Saban. We’re friends. He’s been really good to me over the years. I wouldn’t be standing here if he hadn’t called and offered me a job one day, and I’m very thankful for him for doing that.”

Then again, Pruitt isn’t expecting Saban to help him out now that he's at Tennessee.

“You think Coach Saban is going to give me advice?” joked Pruitt with a big smile.

I think Saban’s bigger concern is losing a grad transfer in a unique situation like Jalen Hurts than someone like Kennedy who didn’t and likely wouldn't play at Alabama.

As for the Tide players, they’ll want to get after Kennedy, but he’ll want to prove he should’ve been playing at Alabama.

Brandon Kennedy, here signing autographs at Alabama's Fan Day last year, will continue his college career at Tennessee.

Brandon Kennedy, here signing autographs at Alabama’s Fan Day last year, will continue his college career at Tennessee.

“We’re excited to have him,” Pruitt said. “He’ll be a great part for our offensive line. The guy’s smart, obviously graduated and has two years of eligibility. He’s a really good competitor.”  

As noteworthy as the transfer is, the bigger story is Tennessee hiring Pruitt to ultimately top Alabama, something that hasn’t happened since 2006 when Saban was coaching the Miami Dolphins.

Saban left the NFL, returned to college and has had his way with the Vols.

  • 2007 — 41-17
  • 2008 — 29-9  
  • 2009 — 12-10
  • 2010 — 41-10
  • 2011 — 37-6
  • 2012 — 44-13  
  • 2013 — 45-10
  • 2014 — 34-20
  • 2015 — 19-14
  • 2016 — 49-10
  • 2017 — 45-7  

Alabama will beat Tennessee again by a similar score on the upcoming third Saturday in October, but at least we’ll have something else to discuss.

Then if the Vols give Alabama a tough game, that’ll further rejuvenate what was once a great rivalry.


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