Watching the Florida State defense play, you would never have any clue the 'Noles are playing for a coordinator who wasn't even there 13 months ago, and who assumed his first on-the-field coaching position in 2010. The Seminoles' defense is the very definition of a well-oiled machine and, from hearing Florida State's defenders speak about their new coordinator, there's a love between players and coach that feels much older than 13 months.
"He's a great motivator. He's a great teacher. I look forward to going into meetings every day just to figure out what I can learn from the guy and know what else he has in store for us to learn. It's a blessing that he came here and it's a blessing just to play with him," said junior defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan.
That mutual appreciation goes both ways.
"I've never been a group who loves to practice, who loves to prepare like these guys," Pruitt said. "And that's saying a lot because I've been around some really good football teams....You have to run them out of our office."