What former UT Vols are saying about Jeremy Pruitt entering his first season at Tennessee

Blake Toppmeyer | Knoxville

Show Caption Hide Caption Former UT Vols football players gather to host camp in East Tennessee The Legends of Tennessee football camp will run Thursday through Saturday in Kodak, Tenn. Former Vols football player Jabari Davis organized the camp.

KODAK — A first-year football coach generally enjoys widespread popularity leading up to a season opener – he hasn’t lost a game, after all – and Jeremy Pruitt is no different.

Vols fans and former players alike seem to like what they’re hearing and seeing from Pruitt.

It probably helps that Pruitt's all-about-football demeanor is different than that of his predecessor, Butch Jones, who had a program-salesman mentality.

More: SEC coaches' advice for UT Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt

Former Vols Tony Robinson, Jabari Davis, Eric Westmoreland and DeAngelo Lloyd offered their thoughts on Pruitt during a break in the Legends of Tennessee Football Camp they hosted for area youth last week.

Here’s what they had to say about the Vols’ coach.

Tony Robinson (Quarterback, 1982-85)

“I like Coach Pruitt. I think that’s what we need. That coaching style, that’s exactly what they need over there, somebody that’s going to push them, make them work hard. If you want to win, you’ve got to work. These past few years, you didn’t see that work ethic. He’s got a different work ethic. These guys are working, and you’ve got to put your work in if you want to be a winner.”

Jabari Davis (Running back, 2001-04)

“I think we got a really good football coach on our hands. We’ve got a guy that’s an old-school football guy, that’s not all about chalk talk, winning the press conferences, motivational clichés and this and that. He’s intense. He wants to win. He’s been successful. He has a great résumé of success, coached a lot of great football players. He’s been developed and groomed by one of the best football coaches in the last 15 years, Nick Saban. So I think he’s ready for the challenge, and he’s going to get us where we need to be.

“I think this year will be a great transition year. I think we’ll win eight games. I think we’ll sneak and beat some people that we’re not supposed to beat. But I think we’ll play with unbelievable effort, and you’ll see a different mind-set of guys just on coaching from what we had over the last couple years.”

Eric Westmoreland (Linebacker, 1996-2000)

“I think they got a coach and also a coaching staff who are teaching the techniques of the game and also instilling effort and hard-nosed play – just being physical, giving all-out effort, but also doing it with great technique. I’ve been to practice a couple of times, and when I leave from practice, that’s what I see. I see the intensity. I see the effort being pushed. But I also see all of that coexist with technique.”

DeAngelo Lloyd (Defensive end, 1997-00)

“I like his message. I like his delivery. And I’m quite sure since Coach (Phillip) Fulmer had something to do with the pick, I’m quite sure it’s going to be a pretty good decision.”