Really? Hmmmm. I'd like for Pruitt to take a lie detector test on this one.
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2014/01/fsus_jeremy_pruitt_says_kirby.html#incart_m-rpt-2FSU's Jeremy Pruitt says Kirby Smart kept his Auburn secrets to himself (Kevin Scarbinsky
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Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt meets the press Jan. 2, 2014, to discuss the BCS Championship Game matchup with Auburn. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)
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Kevin Scarbinsky | kscarbinsky@al.com By Kevin Scarbinsky | kscarbinsky@al.com
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on January 02, 2014 at 2:21 PM, updated January 02, 2014 at 2:24 PM
NEWPORT BEACH, California - Jeremy Pruitt and Kirby Smart are more than former colleagues on the Alabama defensive staff. They’re also friends. Pruitt said they talk to each other about once a week.
You would assume that Pruitt, the Florida State defensive coordinator, and Smart, the Alabama defensive coordinator, have shared some trade secrets on Auburn.
Pruitt said you’d be wrong.
“They’ve still got that SEC thing going,†Pruitt said Thursday. “There’s some pride there.â€
Wait. What? Is he saying an Alabama coach didn’t want to give up any inside info that might hurt Auburn in the BCS Championship Game?
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,†Pruitt said. “Don’t think I didn’t try.â€
Believe it or not.
It’s easier to believe that Pruitt doesn’t need any help understanding what the FSU defense is about to face in the Auburn offense after working at Alabama from 2007 through last season.
He knows Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, and he knows the Auburn personnel. He also knows how Malzahn attacked the Alabama defense Nov. 30, what worked for the Tigers that day in their 34-28 victory that helped them rush for 296 yards and what didn’t work.
How does that benefit Florida State?
“Schematically,†Pruitt said, “us and Alabama are very similar.â€
Statistically, the Seminoles have been better, leading the nation in scoring defense with Alabama at No. 2 and ranking third in total defense ahead of No. 4 Alabama.
Pruitt and Malzahn actually have something in common themselves. They both traveled the road less taken from high school to college. Since 2006, Pruitt has progressed from Hoover High defensive coordinator to Alabama director of player development to Alabama secondary coach to Florida State defensive coordinator.
He adjusted to calling the defensive sets for FSU as quickly as the Seminoles warmed to him after their last coordinator, Mark Stoops, left a year ago to become Kentucky’s head coach.
Their first impression of the 39-year-old Pruitt?
“His country accent, his Alabama accent,†linebacker Christian Jones said.
“A country guy, very country,†safety Terrence Brooks said.
But Jones also said that Jimbo Fisher hiring Pruitt played into his decision to return for his senior year. Brooks raved that Pruitt “has really helped me understand the game a lot more.â€
Nose guard Timmy Jernigan already knew and liked Pruitt, who’d recruited him at Alabama. He told his teammates, “This guy’s the real deal.â€
“Alabama was in my top three coming out of high school because of Coach Pruitt,†Jernigan said. “I love the guy. He has the ability to get everyone around him to buy in and believe what he’s saying, and everything he’s told us has been true.â€
So maybe we should believe Pruitt when he says Smart didn’t scheme with him on how to beat Auburn. Hard to believe, sure, but this is a guy 60 minutes away from his third straight national title.
As much as Pruitt learned working with Smart, he’s done quite nicely out on his own.