Phillip Fulmer was the last Tennessee head football coach to defeat Alabama, and though it came 11 years ago in 2006 (new-aged Tide fans don’t remember this), the now esteemed athletic director wants neither the players nor his coach to forget how he truly feels about the Tide.
Jeremy Pruitt, first-year head coach for the Volunteers, is a native of Rainsville, Ala., which is 159 miles north of Tuscaloosa. Pruitt built his coaching career through the high school ranks of Plainview, Fort Payne and Hoover, before landing his first opportunity as a director of player personnel under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2007-09. After earning national championships from the personnel department and defensive backs coach (2010-12), Pruitt served as defensive coordinator at Florida State University and University of Georgia – winning a BCS national championship with the Seminoles in 2013 under the leadership of Jimbo Fisher.
Upon his return to Tuscaloosa in 2016, the 44-year-old would coach two of the more elite defensive units of the Saban era. Despite its linebacker position getting hammered with injuries last season, Pruitt coached the defense to securing a national title in a 26-23 win over Georgia.
Following his third win as head man of the Volunteers, Pruitt looked on both annoyed and confused as his boss led the team in a chant that was captured on social media.
Phil Fulmer leads the one-conference-game-win-in-two-years Vawls in a thrilling chorus of “We dont give a d*mn about the whole state of Alabama!” while Rainsville, AL native Jeremy Pruitt looks on awkwardly #RollTide pic.twitter.com/n4efXcoxpa
— … and Tennessee Too! #RollTide ? (@CrimsonClio) October 14, 2018
“We don’t give a damn about the whole state of Alabama.”-Fulmer to the team
The rivalry between both schools runs so deep that each year Tide fans refresh a particular interview from a former student who talks about why he hates Tennessee. Even with him improving this year’s team, Pruitt knows that one never should poke the coach that has already carved his name on the Mount Rushmore of his profession. Fulmer has the team revved up; however, the guys in Las Vegas have Alabama dominating this matchup by 28.5 points.
This weekend should be fun.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
