By Jimmy Hyams
Many SEC schools – including Tennessee – have played quite a few football games at neutral sites.
They ranged from Charlotte to Dallas to Green Bay, Wisc. Most have been at NFL stadiums.
In recent years, Tennessee has been to Atlanta, Nashville, Bristol and Charlotte, playing neutral site games.
What is Jeremy Pruitt’s take?
“Well there’s nothing like playing home and home, being on a college campus,’’ Pruitt said. “I think it’s good for the Knoxville community when you play at home, and I think it builds a lot of character when you go to one of these rival schools on the road.
“As for as neutral-site games, you definitely don’t mind doing it if it helps you in recruiting. I think there can be some things that can help us there by playing in certain locations. So we’re not opposed to that.’’
While several SEC coaches – like LSU’s Ed Orgergon – strongly dislike the transfer portal, Pruitt sees value. His opinion is somewhat swayed by the fact he transferred from Middle Tennessee State to Alabama so he could play at a higher level.
“I don’t see it as a negative,’’ Pruitt said. “I see it as a positive. We’ve had very few (at UT) that’s went in it.’’
Pruitt said he “realy loved’’ his two years at MTSU but had other goals.
“I left not because I wasn’t happy or wasn’t playing,’’ he said. “I left because I had a dream of doing something else. So I was able to do that.
“I just look at it as, somebody comes to your school and maybe things don’t work out the way they see fit, and they have an opportunity to figure it out somewhere else.’’
Interestingly, Orgeron, a lineman, transferred from LSU to Northwestern State because the Tigers wanted him to play along offensive line. Orgeron said he loved his time at NSU but regretted every day leaving LSU.
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