Jimmy Brumbaugh coached at UK under Mark Stoops. (Vicky Graff Photo)
There was a basketball season at Kentucky when I swore at times that coach Tubby Smith got so upset with point guard Rajon Rondo that he took guard Patrick Sparks out and put him on the bench. Okay, maybe it wasn’t really true but it sure seemed like that. That memory came back after learning that Tennessee fired defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh, a former UK assistant, after Saturday’s 34-7 loss to Kentucky.
You might remember that Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns in a two-minute span in the first half and also lost a fumble in Kentucky territory. His backup also threw an interception.
Yet it was the defensive line coach who got blamed for the loss. ONLY IN TENNESSEE.
Brumbaugh, 43, was also co-defensive coordinator coaching only his fourth game at Tennessee after signing a two-year, $1.3 million contract in February.
Maybe we should have known it was coming after the game when Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt clearly placed the blame on the defense and not his quarterback or offense that did not score the second half while losing to UK in Knoxville for the first time since 1984.
“We’re not very dominant up front,” Pruitt told the Vol Network after the game. “When you tackle running backs, you need to be able to knock them backwards. And we did that the first half, but we didn’t do it the second half.”
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops did not avoid commenting on the situation Monday when asked about Brumbaugh’s dismissal.
“I am really disappointed to hear that,” Stoops said. “I caught word of that yesterday and wasn’t sure if it was true or not.”
Stoops didn’t reach out to “friends” at Tennessee because he probably was convinced the report about Brumbaugh’s firing was wrong. He did plan to reach out to Brumbaugh today.
“I consider him a friend and wish nothing but the best for him,” Stoops said. “He is a quality coach and will land on his feet. I have no idea what is going on there.”
I do. Pruitt is probably trying to take the focus off him and the way his team self-destructed. He’s trying to place blame anywhere he can to save his job and Brumbaugh apparently was the first and easiest target but I am guessing will not be the last considering the Vols play Alabama this week.
