Tennessee announces two-year extension for Jeremy Pruitt

Tennessee has announced a two-year extension for head football coach Jeremy Pruitt, just days before the start of the 2020 season. The 46 year old is entering his third season at the helm of the program. His new deal will take him through the 2025 season.

Pruitt replaced Butch Jones ahead of the 2018 season, going 5-7 in his first year. He then improved to 8-5 in 2019, rebounding from a dreadful start to the season. The Volunteers won six straight games to close last season, including a Gator Bowl win over Indiana.

That momentum carried Tennessee into the offseason, where Pruitt and his staff were able to pull in a top ten recruiting class.

Tennessee renewed its commitment to Pruitt today, adding two years to his contract. According to Chris Low, Pruitt will now earn $4.2 million annually. That’s a raise of $400,000, starting in 2021.

Phillip Fulmer Statement

“I’m excited that this extension gives Jeremy the runway to continue to build on the momentum and energy we have around our football program coming out of last season,” Fulmer said. “He has made excellent progress entering just his third year and clearly realizes there is much work still to be done. This extension secures him to continue his efforts to return our program to a championship level and shows our commitment to him, his staff, this team and the future of the Tennessee Volunteers. I am very grateful to Chancellor Plowman, our administration and Board of Trustees for their confidence and support as well as their leadership and attentiveness to the future of our overall athletics program.

“Jeremy and I were close to finalizing his extension early this year. But once the pandemic hit and we learned more and more about its potential impact on the department, Jeremy informed me that he preferred not to accept a raise for this year. His focus quickly shifted to his players and supporting them through a period of interruption and uncertainty. His selflessness and concern for the greater good has been neat to observe through all of this.”

Jeremy Pruitt Statement

“My family and I are grateful for the unwavering commitment the University of Tennessee has made to us,” Pruitt said. “We have worked hard to build our program the right way in a short amount of time, and there is still much work to be done. It’s a privilege to coach and mentor the outstanding young men who represent the Tennessee Volunteers. We are excited about the future and will continue to build a program Tennessee fans can be proud of.”