Tennessee football will take another step toward relevancy in 2020
By Nick Fiore
![Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee football (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee football (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/9c69765d13844b8a6f281437f0c42dbdf821d0ce2cb87f7b3aed3e6a6a1cd533.jpg)
Tennessee football might not be competing for the SEC, but under Jeremy Pruitt, this is a program to seriously watch out for.
Tennessee’s 2019 season couldn’t have started off any worse than it did. The Vols lost their opener as a 27-point favorite to Georgia State. They followed that embarrassing performance with a double overtime loss to BYU. Losses to Florida and Georgia put the Vols at 1-4 to start the season.
The team looked down for the count and there were people calling for head coach Jeremy Pruitt’s job. Instead of giving in, Pruitt led one of the more impressive in-season turnarounds as the Volunteers won six of their last seven regular season games, followed by a bowl victory over Indiana. The only loss during that stretch was to Alabama.
There’s reason for excitement in Knoxville. Pruitt looks like he’s the guy that can turn around the program and bring Tennessee back to relevance in the SEC.
It’s going to take time though.
The top tier SEC programs are perennial national title contenders and some of the best football programs in the country. Getting to that level won’t happen overnight, it’s a process that Pruitt will look to see through.