The Tennessee Volunteers hunted for someone, heck, anyone to lead their program back to glory. The Vols haven't reached 10 wins since 2007. Since then, the program has a combined record of 62-63 — last season under Butch Jones was the final straw, after Tennessee started the year ranked No. 25 in the country, yet finished with a 4-8 record.
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Enter Jeremy Pruitt, one of the most highly-touted head coach signings in college football.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive coordinator worked all over the Southeast before agreeing on a six-year contract to be the next head coach at the University of Tennessee.
Pruitt spent time as the defensive coordinator and coached defensive backs at both Georgia and Florida State, as well as spending some time at West Alabama. He's also coached defense at three different high schools across the state of Alabama.
Look familiar? That's because Jeremy Pruitt was the legendary defensive coordinator on the 2006 MTV Show "Two-A-Days" who didn't know what asparagus was.
Moral of the story: Jeremy Pruitt knows football in the Southeast.
On Friday morning, four-star defensive back Jaylen McCollough, the tenth-ranked safety in the nation by 247 Sports, announced his commitment to play football at the University of Tennessee in 2019.
With McCollough's commitment, the Volunteers now have the No. 11 recruiting class in the nation next season, including the top offensive lineman in the country in five-star offensive tackle Wanya Morris.
McCollough, a Georgia All-State selection in both football and basketball from Powder Springs, is Tennessee's seventh four-star recruit joining the program next season.
The only thing better than his Jaylen's athletic ability? This reaction from his Hillgrove high school friends and teammates.
Congratulations to Jaylen McCollough who will play football next year @Vol_Football @Jay_Mccollough2 pic.twitter.com/Djza75VEeY
— Hillgrove Hawks (@hillgrovesports) August 17, 2018
C🍊MMITTED ‼️‼️#T19 #PruittEra pic.twitter.com/16xn1AtAgr
— Tank ™️ (@Jay_Mccollough2) August 17, 2018
Coach Jeremy Pruitt's staff is on fire right now.
Knoxville has been waiting years for a coaching staff to use Tennessee's ability to bring in an elite recruiting class every year, and they finally have it.
McCollough joins four-star safety Anthony Harris, along with cornerbacks Tyus Fields and Warren Burrell to make up one of the nation's best defensive backfield recruiting classes for 2019.
Tennessee football is back, but an unranked Volunteers team will have a lot to prove in year one under head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
