Author Archives: Brad Shepard

The Must List: Tennessee Quarterbacks

With the start of fall camp right around the corner, it’s time to look at some picks to prosper at each position.

Over the next couple of weeks leading up to the beginning of practice, we’ll examine each position and spotlight a player who the Vols desperately need to perform well as well as one who could elevate the team if he lives up to expectations.

Think of these as the old Chicago White Sox WGN announcers’ “picks to click.”

Today, we’ll start with the most vital spot on the whole team: the signal-callers. That’s where new QBs coach Mike Canales will be looked upon to milk some magic from the unproven players ready to step into the Sasquatch-sized footprints of Joshua Dobbs.

This one’s easy…

MUST

QUINTEN DORMADY, Junior

It’s anybody’s guess right now who will trot out with the 1s when Tennessee opens the season at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Labor Day night. But if this spring is any indicator, it’ll be Dormady.

That’s the safe bet, anyway.

Despite all the hubbub surrounding one-time marquee recruit Jarrett Guarantano, Dormady stole the spotlight. Considering pretty much every coach in the country would like to go with experience if it’s paired with enough talent, if the race is really close in late August, coach Butch Jones will probably give Dormady the chance to earn the job.

The 6’4″, 222-pound junior from Boerne, Texas, has only limited experience backing up Dobbs the past two years, but when it was his turn this spring, he didn’t disappoint. Though Dormady needs to get more consistent throwing the ball, he possesses the arm strength and accuracy to “throw guys open,” as the old football cliche goes. With all the inexperience in the receiving corps beyond Jauan Jennings, that may prove to be a valuable asset.

For Tennessee fans used to watching a versatile, dual-threat quarterback with Dobbs under center, Dormady is going to be a break from the norm. That may not be such a bad thing. With new offensive coordinator Larry Scott’s history being grounded in more pro-style elements, Dormady wouldn’t necessarily be a square peg in a round hole. Tennessee’s offense actually could evolve with him under (behind?) center.

Though Dormady’s sneaky athleticism can keep teams honest (think Baker Mayfield- or Andrew Luck-type skill set tucking and going) he isn’t going to lead the Vols in rushing the way Dobbs did several times. That’s OK. With John Kelly, Ty Chandler and Co. in the backfield, that’s for other folks.

It’s not a stretch to believe Tennessee’s passing offense will be better with Dormady dropping back than it was with Dobbs. The draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers was a gamer for the Vols, but he was never the zippiest passer with the most accuracy. UT did Dobbs a disservice by never employing a dedicated quarterbacks coach, and that became obvious when Dobbs began to unlock some of his hidden potential with some mechanical tweaks during his NFL workout tour.

With Canales in tow, that’s no longer the case. Dormady has somebody who can dissect his every move and work with him to unlock his full passing potential. That potential is massive, as he has an NFL arm. If he can read through progressions and be on-point with his accuracy, the Vols’ passing game could be much improved.

If not, it’ll be Guarantano’s job before too long.

 

MIGHT

JARRETT GUARANTANO, Redshirt Freshman

Guarantano’s potential is tantalizing, and even if he doesn’t wind up being “The Man” this year, UT looks to be in strong hands when he takes over.

The redshirt freshman New Jersey native may be too talented to keep off the field.

At the very least, it’s possible Jones finds ways to navigate a two-quarterback system at times in 2017 thanks to having two capable quarterbacks with a different arsenal of weaponry.

Jones didn’t differentiate that much between the tool sets of Dormady and Guarantano, saying they had similar attributes. He admitted Tennessee may play two quarterbacks at SEC Media Days last week, according to GoVols247’s Wes Rucker:

“I think playing time is earned, so if both players earn their right to play, we’ll play both quarterbacks,” Jones said. “I’ve been in systems where we’ve been able to do that, and really Quinten and Jarrett’s skill sets are very similar to each other. I think we have an offense that really can play to the skill sets of the quarterback and all of the players around.

“Again, if both players earn the right to play, they’ll both play. Again, it’s how it’s gonna play itself out, because these two individuals are very, very capable and very good football players.

“It’s a good problem to have.”

Well, if it works.

Playing two quarterbacks has produced results across the spectrum depending on what teams run it.

The old adage goes, “if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none.” While that is certainly the case sometimes, it isn’t always. If the Vols decide to do that, it needs to be because Guarantano (or Dormady, whoever loses the battle) plays his way onto the field, and not because the starter plays his way off it.

Whatever happens, it’s a safe bet Guarantano earns some reps in 2017. That could be good news or bad news for the Vols.

It’s bad if Dormady wins the job and is ineffective, leading to Jones feeling like he must make a switch in order to win games. Guarantano offers an option that is much more similar to Dobbs’ ability to be a dual-threat weapon. The 6’4″, 200-pound Bergen (N.J.) Catholic signal-caller was the nation’s No. 1-ranked dual-threat quarterback according to 247Sports, and many of the top teams in the country wanted him.

He chose the Vols over Ohio State and his father’s alma mater of Rutgers, and the family has a strong relationship with the Vols’ head coach from his days as an assistant with the Scarlet Knights during James Guarantano’s days.

Just because Dormady holds the clubhouse lead for the starting gig doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near over. Guarantano has the opportunity to seize the gig this fall and be the first UT quarterback on the field against the Yellow Jackets. He has really good speed, even if he isn’t as deceptive in the open field and as slippery as Dobbs. He also has a cannon for an arm, possibly even better than Dormady’s, though it isn’t as polished yet.

If Guarantano puts all those skills together, it’ll be tough to keep him off the field.

Both quarterbacks give the Vols some exciting options. They just need one (or both) of them to prove they deserve to be an elite-level SEC quarterback.

Counterpoint: Butch Jones’ Positive Spinning is Maddening to the Vols Fanbase

I started a new job this week, and I’ve gone from being a virtual expert at my daily responsibilities to having to train for 8 hours the past few days just to get a handle on all of my new tasks.

That’s disappointing.

After all, I thought even though I was changing gigs, I’d catch on quickly.

In one of my night jobs, I thought I wrote a kick-butt article for Bleacher Report last night that I re-read multiple times and published this morning. Looked clean to me. Though the content was strong, I got an editorial note that on one of the slides, I forgot to link an article I quoted.

That’s disappointing.

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones doesn’t understand the definition of disappointment, obviously. After he was quoted — yet again — as saying something cringe-worthy at SEC Media Days this week, answering that last season wasn’t a disappointment, he led to yet another national media frenzy dissecting his words with a gigantic, 500-word “seriously?”

The words, yet again, have split an already fractured fanbase down the middle. The staunch Butch supporters believe the words were no big deal and point (rightfully) to the fact that the past two nine-win seasons are better than the five-win seasons of Derek Dooley not so long ago.

Others, like the jaded, frustrated fans who remember the glorious 1990s and can’t quite stomach even the upper end of mediocrity have used this as yet another battle cry that Butch isn’t the answer.

Neither extreme is OK. Why? Because even though last season may not have been bad, it was, indeed, a disappointment, by definition. After saying, “I don’t view it as a disappointment, these were his VERY NEXT WORDS:

“The way I view it is we didn’t accomplish everything we set ourselves out to. And, again, our goal every year is to win a championship and compete to win a championship.”

[We interrupt this regularly scheduled column to bring you the actual, real-life definition of “disappointment.”

dis·ap·point·ment
disəˈpointmənt/
noun
the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.
Uhhhhhhh, yeah. So, um, Butch, last year was a disappointment, big guy. It just was. Ask senior defensive tackle Kendal Vickers, who is 22 years old and still more media-savvy than our head football coach.

If it sounds like I’m going after Butch, it shouldn’t, because I’m not. My track record proves I’m a Butch supporter. I believe he has gone a long way in re-establishing the program to a level of respectability. The jury is still out on whether he’s good enough to be a championship-level coach at Tennessee, but he’s earned enough string to prove whether he can or not.

I’m sorry, but three years of rebuilding from the doldrums of the worst head coaching hire in SEC history and an injury-plagued 2016 season isn’t enough to tell us either way.

I know for a fact that Jones isn’t on the hot seat, no matter what a vocal minority on social media and message boards want to say. New athletic director John Currie knows what state the program has been in, and he knows how far it’s come. This year is a pivot point in Jones’ tenure, sure, but there won’t be any serious talk about going in a different direction until after the 2018 season, at least.

So, divorce that idea from this one: Jones needs to learn what to say when.

Last year was a disappointment. It started with a 5-0 flurry, and was a whole lot of fun breaking the Florida streak and beating Georgia on the Dobb-nail boot. But also included in those five wins was the lucky-to-win game against a less-talented Appalachian State team to open the season.

Then, even though the wheels didn’t necessarily come off, the Vols had to steer to the curb and call a tow service. After an injury-cursed loss at Texas A&M, UT was blown to smithereens by Alabama. Then, they fell apart defensively down the stretch in wins against Missouri and Kentucky and losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

No matter what you want to call it, there’s no excuse for those defensive performances in Year 4 of any coach’s tenure. Tennessee is historically supposed to beat Vanderbilt and South Carolina regardless of the circumstances, but there’s no question UT should have still been more talented than those teams even with all the injuries. At the very least, they shouldn’t have given up miles worth of yards, including a school-record high in yards allowed against Mizzou in a game they actually won.

It’s unacceptable. It’s a disappointment.

Many writers have weighed in over the past few days on Jones’ words. Anything else I say about what he should have said would just be a repeat of that. But even though Butch’s sound bytes are scrutinized more than they probably should be by people across the country, his track record doesn’t exactly give him any free passes.

Much like Jones’ progress in the win column has bought him some wiggle room when it comes to keeping his job (as we’ve already discussed), his verbal miscues have tightened the noose in the realm of public perception. After “champions of life” and “five-star hearts” Butch needs to rebuild his reputation “brick by brick” before the cynical world of media and the court of public opinion.

The fact is Tennessee’s historical fortitude and the heights of the program’s success have sculpted a world where nine wins is acceptable, but it’s not good enough. Butch’s opinion doesn’t matter to a fan base that has seen its two biggest rivals reach unprecedented success during a dark time. The successes of Nick Saban at Alabama and Urban Meyer at Florida haven’t done Butch or anybody else in the SEC, for that matter, any favors.

But Butch didn’t have to beat Alabama in 2016 for it to keep from being a disappointment. All he had to do was win against South Carolina and Vanderbilt and seize a down SEC East with the door wide-open in a year the Vols were expected to do just that.

He didn’t do it. A Florida team with one of the worst offenses in the country has gone to the SEC Championship Game two years in a row now because the Vols couldn’t seize what was being handed to them. Bottom line.

And while last year shouldn’t be nearly enough to get him fired, it’s the first flesh wound.

If that’s not disappointing to Butch, well, it should be.

Here’s the thing, Vols fans. It actually IS disappointing to him. You’ve seen the man on the sidelines. You know he is passionate, turns eight shades of red and looks like his head is going to blow off. He tirelessly recruits, scrutinizes every single detail of the program with his fingerprints all over it and has proved over and over again he will make the difficult decisions — even when it means severing ties with long-time friends — when it comes to upgrading his coaching staff.

He cares. A lot. And he’s disappointed last year didn’t end with the Vols playing for a championship. He said it. The goal is to win championships, and the Vols didn’t do it.

By definition, that’s disappointing.

All he has to do is say it. All he has to do to stay on the same wavelength as the sane Tennessee fans is to just let them know that while things are getting better and the program is getting healthier, seasons like last year are unacceptable. They’re disappointing.

If you want a team that competes for championships and expects championships, you have to preach to your team that anything less is not OK. I’ve been behind closed doors, and Butch does that. He says it all the time; he lives it and breathes it.

For some reason, he just refuses to tell us that. And that’s why we don’t see eye-to-eye.

Tennessee’s Biggest 2017 Question: Where’s the Rush?

While some Tennessee fans may be wringing their hands over life after Joshua Dobbs, those concerns need to shift to the opposite line of scrimmage instead.

Between experienced junior Quinten Dormady and talented redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano, the Vols will have a capable quarterback behind center. It may be worth your worry to wonder how Larry Scott will fare in his first year as an offensive coordinator, but with running back John Kelly and a quality offensive line to help matters, it shouldn’t be as big of a deal moving forward on that side of the ball as some may think.

The real sweaty palms need to come on defense, particularly on the edges.

A season ago, UT’s defense was horrific in high-dollar coordinator Bob Shoop’s first year on Rocky Top. He has as much to prove as any player on the team after an embarrassing season that saw the Vols completely fall apart down the stretch. Yes, injuries were a contributing factor, but there’s still no reason South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky and Vanderbilt should have been able to torch Tennessee in Year 4 of a coaching tenure.

If it’s not an indictment of recruiting depth against Butch Jones, then it’s got to fall on somebody. Jones is the head coach, so he deserves a portion of the blame, but Shoop gets paid $1 million a year to scheme things up better than he did a season ago.

If that happens again in 2017, there’s no reason why Tennessee should keep paying him.

“I think at the end of the year you always critique yourself and you quality control your personnel, your philosophy, your scheme, your execution and your personnel,” Shoop told GoVols247’s Patrick Brown recently. “I think I might have billed it (with) some unrealistic expectations, and when we got guys injured, maybe the guy calling the shots was a little bit stubborn right there, me. I really wanted to force-fit, this is my style of defense or whatever. I probably didn’t do a great job at times of tailoring things.”

As the story notes, Tennessee’s defense allowed 353 and 409 yards rushing to Texas A&M and Alabama. Later, it got much worse.

Kentucky gained 635 yards, including 443 on the ground. Missouri rushed for an unreal 420 yards en route to a 740-yard performance, the most yards ever allowed by a Tennessee defense. Then Vanderbilt scored 45 points in a season-ending upset.

Embarrassing.

What led to those gaudy numbers was a fundamental breakdown on all three levels of the defense. When you factor in the fact that Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Cam Sutton and especially Derek Barnett are gone, the Vols are going to have to shake things up under Shoop to improve. And they need to improve dramatically on that side of the ball in ’17 to even match the nine wins from a season ago.

The biggest loss is Barnett — a record-setting Tennessee legend when it comes to sacking the quarterback. Underrated are the losses of his end mates, Corey Vereen and LaTroy Lewis, too. Vereen was sneaky-good, and with all the added attention on Barnett, he performed well, even for an awful defense. Lewis gave quality late-down snaps, too.

Where do the Vols go from here? How do you replace the irreplaceable in Barnett and his supporting cast?

That’s the biggest question mark of the season. Tennessee has to generate a pass rush among the players remaining on its roster. It also has to build quality depth where, at least on the surface, none exists on the roster. While UT has some depth at defensive tackle [though the Vols need Shy Tuttle to get back from his injury sooner rather than later, and the first of the year isn’t looking like it’s going to happen…] the ends are paper-thin.

A year ago, Jonathan Kongbo played much of the time on the interior. Many reports are that he’s gotten his body in a good position, and he is showing the type of leadership that is necessary for a player of his ilk. After showing some flashes late last year, the Vols need the junior former No. 1-ranked JUCO player to live up to his ranking under new line coach Brady Hoke.

The other starter should be battled out between promising redshirt sophomore Darrell Taylor and oft-injured, formerly highly-ranked prospect Kyle Phillips. Neither player has proven he can be an every-down SEC defender, but both have immense talent. Taylor is over 250 pounds and is the kind of speed-rusher teams covet, but he’s got to prove he can get off blocks and play with more consistency than he did this spring. Phillips simply can’t stay on the field. His freshman and sophomore seasons were cut short with injuries, and he didn’t participate this spring, either. The Vols must have him all year.

Beyond that, your guess is as good as any where Tennessee will find depth.

The best guess right now is true freshman mid-term enrollee Deandre Johnson, who the Vols flipped from Mississippi State. The Miami native looked like a player who maybe can help right away this spring, and that’s big news for Tennessee. Perhaps one of the most intriguing players with college-ready bodies is freshman Matthew Butler, too. He is a jumbo defensive end who looks versatile enough to play either inside or out and should get snaps right away for the Vols, too.

Though Austin Smith and Ja’Quain Blakely are listed as linebackers, either could play with his hand down. Smith played defensive end after moving from linebacker a season ago, but he’s back to 236 pounds, and the redshirt sophomore could stay on the next level. With all the glut of second-level defenders, though, the quickest path to the field for him may be at end. Regardless, he’ll get snaps somewhere. He’s too talented to keep off the field. As for Blakely, he’s a good-looking player who redshirted a season ago and, now at 254 pounds, he looks like he can play at end. That’s where he should spend most of his time, and the Vols would love for him to break out this spring and prove deserving of some snaps.

If Mykelle McDaniel can remain in good standing with the Vols after being suspended last year, he’s a guy who could provide meaningful reps or at least is talented enough to.

Anybody projecting Ryan Thaxton, Kivon Bennett or Marquez Bembry right now knows more about the team than I. Nobody knows if those guys are going to be able to help in 2017 or when they’ll be able to at all.

And, yeah, that’s it.

So, as we said, the pass-rushers are far and away the biggest question marks and the utmost concern. If you can’t get to the quarterback and he has all the time to find open receivers downfield, he’ll find them. Tennessee’s defensive backs were terrible a season ago, and though new secondary coach Charlton Warren may actually get a player to turn around and play the ball every once in a while, it’s not realistic to think UT can go from as bad as it was defending the pass to the top half of the SEC.

In other words, the Vols need to find some guys to get after the quarterback from the end position (or from the second level like Quart’e Sapp is possibly capable of doing). If they do that, the defense stands a good chance of being much better.

If they can’t, it’s going to be a tough time to be a Vols fan when the defense takes the field again in 2017.

Tennessee Recruiting Continues Hot Streak with Dorian Gerald

Over the past few months while Tennessee has been burning up the recruiting trail addressing needs on the defensive interior, offensive line, at quarterback and in the backfield, one glaring concern remained.

Who was going to rush the passer off the edge?

The Volunteers must worry about that in 2017 with the departure of legendary pass-rusher Derek Barnett as well as veteran staples Corey Vereen and LaTroy Lewis. With a ’17 class that failed to feature any marquee names, the Vols have depth and experience concerns off the edge, fielding a unit that will see Jonathan Kongbo, Darrell Taylor, Kyle Phillips and a bunch of freshmen take snaps at defensive end.

Though UT was piecing together perhaps coach Butch Jones’ best haul, defensive end was still a major concern in the 2018 class.

Not anymore.

Less than a week after netting the No. 1 player in the state in Greg Emerson, a 260-pound defensive end who some analysts project to play inside in college, the Vols again struck with a defensive end commitment on Thursday in talented JUCO lineman Dorian Gerald.

This is a big one for many reasons. Not only was Gerald a hotly coveted player with offers from Alabama, home-state South Carolina and plenty others, he’s a pure defensive end with excellent size (6’3″, 260 pounds) and has the ability to step right in and get major reps in 2018.

UT plucked the College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita, California) star away from an opportunity to play for head coach Will Muschamp and his home-state Gamecocks. The Vols actually sold Gerald on the opportunity to be used much like Barnett, according to GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan who quoted Gerald as saying:

“Just last year, with them having Derek Barnett and him having such huge success, and me being — I mean, I wouldn’t say I’m totally identical to him, but me being similar to him in size, height, everything,” Gerald said.

“They play the type of defensive front I need. Coach (Brady) Hoke also is  a great D-line coach. I mean, he’s a legendary coach — D-line, head coach, it doesn’t even matter. He’s legendary. And we’ve built great relationships — not with just me. They did a great job building a relationship with my family, and that’s everything. My family is everything to me.”

Gerald may still visit other schools, but he seems sold on Tennessee. That’s huge news for a Vols team that continues to dazzle with a complete, star-studded class that not only is grabbing impact players but addressing major areas of need.

A season ago, UT fleshed out its recruiting class with developmental defensive linemen like Ryan Thaxton, Marquez Bembry, Deandre Johnson and Kivon Bennett to go along with Matthew Butler and Eric Crosby. Some of those guys will likely turn into quality college players, but a lot of them weren’t coveted by the top teams in the nation.

This year, new defensive line coach Brady Hoke (with a strong assist from top recruiter Walt Wells, who, again, was Gerald’s lead recruiter … note a trend?) possibly has amassed the best defensive line class (on paper) in school history.

Gerald is only a 3-star player, but his offer sheet suggests he’s better than that. He’s the nation’s No. 11 JUCO player and the second-ranked strong-side defensive end, and he joins an already strong defensive line class that includes Emerson (who is on the cusp of 5-star status), 4-star in-state defensive tackles D’Andre Litaker and Brant Lawless, and 3-star former LSU commitment Jamarcus Chatman, who flipped from the Tigers shortly after visiting Knoxville for Orange Carpet Day.

Gerald gives UT an embarrassment of riches on the line, and the Vols still would love to add a pair of speed rushers. While Memphis end and Alabama commitment Jordan Davis may be a long shot, the guys seemingly at the top of UT’s list right now are Richard Jibunor (from Athens, Ga.) and Azeez Ojulari (from Marietta, Ga.). There are several other names on the list, but that is a pair who UT is in the top few schools for right now.

Getting some pin-your-ears-back-and-go guys would be ideal with the jumbo duo of Emerson and Gerald already in the fold.

This is a major commitment for the Vols, who appear to have assembled an ace recruiting staff.

Greg Emerson Gives Tennessee the Jewel of its Recruiting Class

When the news broke on Sunday that elite Tennessee defensive end target Greg Emerson suffered a leg injury at “The Opening” recruiting showcase camp, Volunteers fans and commitments everywhere showered the 4-star prospect with love.

The news improved significantly on Monday when it became clear the Jackson, Tennessee, star would be running again after just 4-6 weeks on the shelf.

Then, 24 hours later, the headlines concerning Emerson became front-page news for UT fans when perhaps the top target in the 2018 Vols recruiting class made his commitment to Tennessee official on the NFL Network with a surprise announcement.

“I said I was going to do it in December, but I guess I’ll go ahead and let everybody know. For the next four years, I’ll probably be furthering my education at the University of Knoxville. Go Big Orange.”

It’s all good that he left out the “Tennessee” part right now. Quite honestly, nobody who cares anything about Vols football cares that a nervous kid mixed up the name. The bottom line is Emerson is an elite prospect who has seemingly favored UT for a long time and will play his college days on Rocky Top. That’s massive news for head coach Butch Jones, Emerson’s top recruiter Walt Wells and his position coach, Brady Hoke, who deserves a big assist in the commitment.

Emerson is the nation’s No. 26-ranked player overall in the 247Sports recruiting rankings and the third-ranked defensive tackle. In the composite ratings, he’s the No. 76 player and fifth-ranked defensive tackle. He is currently 6’3″, but he wants to stay on the outside and play defensive end in college, and because he’s reportedly down to 260 pounds (from 296), his weight and his athleticism may allow him to do just that. Last year, there were 32 5-stars on 247Sports, so with a strong senior season, there’s no reason to believe he can’t finish there.

247Sports analyst Steve Wiltfong believes the Vols are getting one of the most athletic defensive linemen in the nation, which is saying something at his size.

Emerson’s size may sound like an interior lineman, and he may very well be, but Emerson’s burst is elite. At the very least, he’ll be a guy who can be a versatile cog anywhere up front the way Jonathan Kongbo projects to be and much the way a guy like Malik Jackson was able to do in the past. Emerson has that type of talent, and it’s the reason why he’s one of the most sought-after players in the country.

Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Florida State and basically everybody else wanted him to commit to them. Emerson even admitted early in the process he grew up an Alabama fan. But Emerson has been feeling the Vols for a while. Last year, when UT won a hotly contested recruiting battle for the services of 5-star offensive lineman Trey Smith of Jackson, Emerson was present at his announcement, and he was visibly excited for Smith committing to Tennessee.

Over the past few months, Emerson visited Knoxville multiple times. He developed a strong bond with Jones, Wells and Hoke, and, beyond that, he also built a rapport with two other big-time linemen from the Volunteer State in Brant Lawless and D’Andre Litaker. Both of those kids verbally committed to Tennessee over the past few months, and it became evident that it would be a major upset if Emerson went anywhere else.

On Monday, he made his verbal commitment official.

The Vols continue to load up in the Volunteer State. Pretty much, the only three players they wanted who haven’t committed are running back Master Teague (Ohio State), offensive lineman Max Wray (Ohio State) and Jordan Davis (Alabama). The Vols quickly moved on at running back and on the O-line, and they’re still heavily recruiting Davis, but it appears he’s solid to the Crimson Tide at the moment.

Davis visited at “Orange Carpet Day” a couple of weeks ago, as did Emerson, who actually silently committed to Tennessee during that visit, according to VolQuest’s Jesse Simonton and Austin Price, who did a commitment video with the big lineman during that weekend.

With Emerson’s commitment, it gives Tennessee a bevy of Volunteer State studs. Five-star offensive lineman Cade Mays from Knoxville Catholic leads the pack with Emerson not far behind him in the rankings. Alontae Taylor is also at “The Opening” recruiting showcase camp in Nike’s world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. The Manchester, Tennessee, athlete gives UT another marquee player from close to home. Lawless and Litaker have all the trappings to be next-level studs, and Chattanooga safety Brendon Harris looks like he could be a multi-year starter, too. Farragut tight end Jacob Warren and Knoxville (Gibbs) center Ollie Lane round out the players from within state borders in UT’s haul.

The Vols have a few other in-state targets they’d love to land, but topping that list is offensive lineman Jerome Carvin.

If UT can get him, that will mean perhaps the best instate recruiting class in the history of Vols football. It will mean the Vols addressed major needs in both trenches without even having to venture out-of-state. When you’re able to take care of business at home, it can be the beginning of a fantastic class.

Throw in two good-looking running backs and a pair of stellar quarterbacks, and this class is off to as good a start as any nationally.

This UT recruiting machine has come a long way in the past year when you take into consideration that nearly a year ago, the Vols were receiving a crucial blow when Oak Ridge wide receiver was choosing Clemson over his hometown team. Toss in Jacob Phillips and JaCoby Stevens choosing LSU, and it was a forgettable recruiting class for the Vols in their own state.

This year, the class is elite. And it’s getting there because all the big boys in the Volunteer State are staying home to be part of the #Dom1n8 class that is shaping up to be dominant, at least on paper. It’s a class that is loaded. Emerson makes it much more so.

With the changes he made on the coaching staff, they’re paying major dividends with prospects. Tennessee is currently ranked fourth nationally in recruiting and second in the SEC. The Vols have put together a strong group of 16 kids in a class that should swell to 25-26.

Regardless of what big fish Jones may land between now and National Signing Day, Emerson is going to be among the top two or three in the group. He’s exactly the kind of player who can be a playmaker and an immediate-impact prospect in Knoxville.

Do You Smell What Walt Wells is Cooking?

There’s no wonder players everywhere love Tennessee offensive line coach Walt Wells. If he winds up coaching half as well as he’s recruiting, the new Volunteers assistant will wind up being a home-run hire for coach Butch Jones.

Upon getting hired by the Vols to be the full-time offensive line coach, Wells referred to Tennessee as his “dream job.” So far, it’s been a dream fit.

How many times have you heard over the past few years of Jones’ tenure that the Vols needed another “ace” recruiter. It’s hard to believe there’s been one just down the hall as an offensive quality control assistant. After last year, South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp came calling, trying to get Wells to be the Gamecocks’ new offensive line coach. But Wells stayed. Perhaps he already knew what was going to happen as UT parted ways with O-line coach Don Mahoney and promoted Wells to a full-time gig.

It’s already paid massive recruiting dividends on the recruiting trail, and it looks like it could be one of the best hires of an offseason full of assistant flipping.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to be here and I know it’s more than a dream, it’s reality now and I know what the reality is – we need results,” Wells told the media in his first interview as UT’s O-line coach. “That’s my goal just as much as anybody in this building.”

While those on-field results must wait, the work in the living rooms is paying off for Wells and Tennessee already.

Currently, Wells ranks eighth out of all assistants in 247Sports’ recruiter rankings, credited with five commitments. Five-star Knoxville Catholic commit Cade Mays, instate stud safety Brendan Harris and defensive tackle D’Andre Litaker lead the pack with Farragut tight end Jacob Warren and 3-star Knoxville (Gibbs) offensive lineman Ollie Lane credited to him, as well.

Wells already has landed 2019 commitments from Chattanooga athlete Cameron Wynn and midstate prospect Adonis Otey.

He’s also the lead recruiter on stud defensive lineman Greg Emerson of Jackson, Tennessee, who UT is right in the thick of, as well as Memphis top offensive tackle target Jerome Carvin, elite JUCO defensive lineman Dorian Gerald (who has UT and South Carolina at the top of his list), IMG Academy offensive lineman Reuben Unije, Virginia tight end James Mitchell and others. Tackle prospects Tanner Antonetti and massive IMG Academy standout Daniel Faalele are also being targeted by Wells.

The Vols are throwing him at some of their top targets, and he’s helping build an exceptional recruiting class. While Brady Hoke gets credit for Nashville defensive tackle Brant Lawless, Wells at least provided an assist there, too.

With all the talent instate this year and next, it was vital for the Vols to win their share of battles in the Volunteer State. Any time you can keep home 8-12 players who are being recruited by the rest of the SEC, it gives you the opportunity to build a firm foundation for a top-10 class that can compete to win the SEC East, if not the league. That was a major failure a season ago as top talent like receiver Tee Higgins, linebacker Jacob Phillips and defensive back JaCoby Stevens went elsewhere.

While linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen has won a lot of recruiting battles for UT, his star was fading in the state, especially in the I-24 corridor between Mufreesboro and Nashville that has become fertile recruiting ground the past few years.

Enter Wells.

The Belmont graduate and Tennessee native has long-time ties in the Midstate. He’s a proud Tennessean, and he plays up the state pride angle very well. His Twitter profile even has a #MidStateMade hash tag right there for the world to see. He has firm roots in relationships with coaches and camps within Nashville and beyond. People know Wells, and Wells knows people. More importantly, people like Wells.

Coaches like Wells. Parents like Wells. And, most important, kids like Wells.

It’s easy to see why. He’s also one of the most fun follows on all of Tennessee Twitter, quickly becoming known for his Pro Wrasslin’-themed tweets that either herald a coming commitment or celebrating one once it’s official. No, coaches can’t comment specifically on players, but there’s nothing cryptic about the references Wells flings out every time the Vols add one to their “Dom1n8” class.

Like this tweet in response to last weekend’s duo of running back commitments Lyn-J Dixon and Anthony Grant where he references the great Sting during his NWO days.

https://twitter.com/UTWWells/status/878713411357507584

And this one in reference to the same duo, throwing a little former UGA player Bill Goldberg out there with a Georgia reference.

https://twitter.com/UTWWells/status/879090506785054720

You gotta love that, right?

For a coaching staff (and head coach) who embraces social media and getting a positive message out there, Wells is a perfect fit. Now, about that coaching, he’s got to do a much better job than his predecessor.

Mahoney was an assistant UT’s offensive linemen loved, but the on-field results were always underachieving. He inherited a talented bunch in his first season with Ja’Wuan James, Zach Fulton, Tiny Richardson and James Stone, but UT’s line didn’t live up to the expectations, struggling in a scheme fit as the Vols relied on zone-blocking concepts when they were built primarily for man blocking.

The next year in 2014 was an absolute disaster as graduation and early departures of all those aforementioned players and Derek Dooley’s recruiting gaffes led to an awful season up front. The failure of JUCO offensive tackle Dontavius Blair didn’t help matters, either. Then in ’15, UT made a big leap up front in what was Mahoney’s best coaching job. The unit plummeted a year ago, however, and it became evident Tennessee needed to go in a different direction.

Now, Wells gets the opportunity to see if his infectious personality and recruiting chops can materialize with some strong Xs and Os. If he winds up being a great coach, the Vols’ offensive worries for the upcoming season with a possible dropback passer in Quinten Dormady under center and some new weapons for a new coordinator Larry Scott may not be such a big deal after all.

A lot is riding on Wells and UT’s offensive line, which returns a slew of players who have a great blend of youth, talent and experience. It’s far from a barren cupboard, so Wells doesn’t have any excuses. Tennessee fans have to hope he coaches as well as he convinces kids to commit.

If he does, Tennessee’s trenches will be in good hands for years to come.

Tennessee Recruiting: Vols Complete Weekend Peach State Trifecta With Jamarcus Chatman Commitment

Last year, “Orange Carpet Day” produced eight commitments on that Saturday. This year, the annual event waited a week before yielding pledges for the Vols.

Rome (Ga.) defensive tackle Jamarcus Chatman made it three commitments for UT from the state of Georgia in two days on Sunday night, officially pulling the trigger with a Twitter pledge after a week-long social media love affair with Tennessee following last weekend’s visit.

https://twitter.com/ChatmanJamarcus/status/879119722637348864

Shortly after he left Knoxville, he decommitted from LSU, where he’d been bound to coach Ed Orgeron. Basically everything on his Twitter account since then has been regarding UT. On Sunday night, he gave Tennessee some big-time news with his decision. The 3-star defensive lineman doesn’t have the offer sheet of a normal 3-star player.

He chose Tennessee over LSU, Clemson, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Southern Cal and others. Maybe if Georgia (where his high school teammate and buddy Adam Anderson is entertaining along with LSU where he’s currently committed) were to offer Chatman, things could get interesting.

But he is definitely sold on the Vols, where he has family ties. His family wants him in orange, and his sister-in-law actually went to UT and is a huge Tennessee fan, and his brother is a Tennessee fan, too. According to 247Sports, he’s the nation’s No. 30 defensive tackle, but a lot of teams love the explosion and size of the 6’3″, 267-pound lineman.

Plus, it never hurts to have a kid say something like this that Chatman said in an interview with GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan:

“When I decommitted from LSU, that’s where I knew I wanted to go,” said Chatman, who’s ranked the No. 397 overall prospect and No. 30 defensive tackle in the 247Sports Composite for the 2018 class.

“After visiting, that place is just amazing. … I was going to wait (to decide). But I was thinking, ‘Why wait when I know where I’m going to go?’”

The Vols would probably love to get in on Anderson, but they don’t appear to be a serious option there right now. As for Chatman, he’s a big-time get for Tennessee, considering his athleticism on the interior and the frame to hold a lot more weight. He also plays for a North Georgia powerhouse that is used to winning big. It’s yet another major win for new defensive line coach Brady Hoke, who is proving to be a great hire. Also, Chatman’s primary recruiter was linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen, who finally landed another big fish in the Peach State.

He fills a major need for the Vols, who didn’t exactly hit a home run in defensive line recruiting in the 2017 class. Though the Vols are excited about the futures of Matthew Butler and Eric Crosby on the interior, they also took some developmental players such as Kivon Bennett, Ryan Thaxton, Marquez Bembry and Deandre Johnson. 

This year’s class looks — at least on paper — like it has a much higher “boom” ratio. Chatman will team with Tennessee in-state defensive tackles D’Andre Litaker and Brant Lawless to form a stellar trio. Elite in-state lineman Greg Emerson and defensive end Jordan Davis, who is committed to Alabama, are still on the board. But the Vols have three strong defensive tackles in the fold, and that’s a major deal at this point of the recruiting cycle.

Also, it’s possible Chatman could be a “swing” player who could play on the interior or exterior, depending on where the Vols need him the most, much like guys such as Jonathan Kongbo, Kyle Phillips and others. It’s nice to have a few players with that kind of versatility, and Chatman has the type of athleticism and explosive that can allow for that, though his highest ceiling is probably as a 280-290-pound interior lineman. Regardless, he can play either the 3- or 5-technique, and that’s big news for a Vols team needing linemen.

This is a big commitment for the Vols.

 

Tennessee Recruiting: Vols Land Grant, Second RB in As Many Days

After they visited Knoxville for “Orange Carpet Day” last weekend, it became clear that Lyn-J Dixon and Anthony Grant could decide they wanted to team up in Tennessee’s offensive backfield for the next few years.

On Sunday, that possibility came one step closer to a reality when Grant, a 3-star runner from Buford High School in the Atlanta suburb verbally committed to the Vols. His pledge came a day after 4-star running back Dixon announced he wanted to spend his college career on Rocky Top. Grant announced the news via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/anthonygrant204/status/879089347928174592

Now, if the duo follows through and signs with UT, the Vols will have their two running backs in this class.

It became clear over the past couple of weeks how Tennessee’s running backs board was formulating following the decommitment of Jashaun Corbin and his pledge to Florida State. Though the Vols were a finalist for Murfreesboro runner Master Teague, the interest between the school and the prospect never really heated up. Once Ohio State offered Teague, he decided Columbus is where he wanted to be.

Dixon was always at or near the top of Tennessee’s list, and he was a no-brainer take for the Vols, so when he wanted to pull the trigger yesterday, it was huge news. Grant’s flirtation grew over the past few weeks, and when Gurley (Ala.) running back Tae Provens committed to LSU this weekend after saying UT led for the longest time, it was obvious that the two parties were going in different directions. Grant wound up being higher on the Vols’ board, and he committed Sunday.

That gives the Vols a strong pair of running backs a year after UT signed three in Nashville stud Ty Chandler, late-rising athlete Timothy Jordan and Louisiana bruiser Trey Coleman.

For the second year in a row, the Vols beat out North Carolina for one of their runners. Grant chose UT over other finalists North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Florida and N.C. State. He came from Buford, where Tennessee head coach Butch Jones has enjoyed recruiting success recently, landing linebacker Austin Smith and defensive lineman Quay Picou three classes ago.

Grant plays for a powerhouse program and splits carries with a couple of other kids who’ll play college ball. Once Dixon committed to UT on Saturday, Grant sat down and evaluated his options and told VolQuest.com’s Jesse Simonton that Tennessee was still where he wanted to be, calling it “home.” The 5’11”, 195-pound athlete can slash, but he’s also a power back who can add weight and still be a quality three-down runner.

Plus, Dixon’s pledge was a plus.

“I feel like I can do it all. I’m an every down ‘back,” he told Simonton. “I can also catch the ball in the backfield. I can do a lot of things. … It’s going to be great playing (with Dixon). We’ve built a great relationship. We get along really good. I feel like it’s going to be fun and exciting to be in the same backfield as him.”

Tennessee now has 14 commitments in this year’s class, and the Vols continue to surge up the rankings. They’re second in the SEC according to 247Sports, and Jones’ re-assembled coaching staff is proving it can bring in plenty of quality players.

The Vols now have a pair of running backs and a pair of quarterbacks, addressing two huge needs on offense. With all the success the program has experienced recently in recruiting offensive linemen, if the young receivers pan out, this could be an exciting offense for new coordinator Larry Scott in the future.

It looks like UT will have plenty of options behind whoever wins the signal-caller battle. This year, every-down runners John Kelly and Chandler should lead the way with slashers Carlin Fils-aime and Jordan behind them with Coleman filling the role of short-yardage back if he doesn’t redshirt (which he should). Now, the Vols have a couple of talented runners to join them in 2018.

Tennessee Recruiting: Vols Get Top Target in Running Back Lyn-J Dixon

Before Tennessee got a commitment (and subsequent decommitment) from Florida running back Jashaun Corbin, before Master Teague was ever truly pursued, the Vols were hot and heavy after Georgia tailback Lyn-J Dixon.

It’s definitely not a stretch to say he was one of the biggest priorities in UT’s class.

On Saturday, the pursuit paid off with a pledge from the 5’11”, 178-pound Butler, Georgia, runner. He announced his decision with a Twitter video in which he said, in part, “I’m ready to carry the rock on Rocky Top.”

https://twitter.com/im_Next23/status/878708348274847744

He’s a 4-star prospect and the nation’s sixth-rated all-purpose back and the No. 307-ranked overall player in the country according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The Vols have been after him for months and months, and he chose UT over offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Louisville, Michigan, Notre Dame and many others.

Dixon told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan that Clemson has shown a lot of interest in him lately, but even if the Tigers offered, he’d feel comfortable with his decision. Still, head coach Dabo Swinney may pose the biggest threat.

The long-term relationship with Butch Jones and running backs coach Robert Gillespie led Dixon to Tennessee.

“They’ve been with me since I was, like, a freshman,” he told Callahan. “They’ve been with me ever since, and now I’m in 12th grade, so I have a lot of respect for that.”

He’s an elite athlete who can add weight and still be a dynamo with the ball in his hands. It’s exciting to think of him teaming with incoming freshman Ty Chandler for the next few years, and since Corbin elected to commit to Florida State, UT is still looking for another running back.

Perhaps Anthony Grant will be the other runner in this class. That wouldn’t be terribly surprising considering he preps at Buford High School outside of Atlanta where the Vols have experienced plenty of recruiting luck in recent years. Grant is a 5’10”, 190-pound runner who projects to be more of a between-the-tackles guy than Dixon.

They’d complement each other well.

The Vols are restocking their stable at running back for the future. Chandler, Timothy Jordan and Trey Coleman are all incoming freshmen, and they’ll team with junior John Kelly and sophomore Carlin Fils-aime this year. With Kelly only having two years left, Dixon will walk in at an opportune time to get plenty of carries throughout his career in Knoxville.

Tennessee tells Dixon it wants to use him like Alvin Kamara, which was the pitch to Corbin, too. It appears the New Orleans Saints rookie is going to be paying dividends for the Vols on the recruiting trail for years to come.

The commitment puts Tennessee back into the top 10 of the 247Sports rankings, and the Vols are second in the SEC behind LSU currently.

 

Tennessee Recruiting: The Vols Secure Second of Instate “Big Four” DLs in Litaker

Two down, two to go.

The Tennessee Volunteers received one of their biggest commitments yet in the 2018 recruiting class on Tuesday when Murfreesboro (Riverdale) defensive tackle D’Andre Litaker tweeted his intentions to officially become a Vols pledge. UT has led for his signature for months, but the 6’3″, 300-pound defensive lineman elected to stay near home and play for Tennessee for the next four or so years.

https://twitter.com/dandrelitaker/status/874673687777210369

Though he had things planned out for breaking the news at this weekend’s “Orange Carpet Day,” Litaker decided to pull the trigger early.

“I was going to wait ’til Saturday and do it on ‘Orange Carpet Day,’ but I couldn’t wait no longer,” he told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan.

Litaker — a 4-star prospect who is one of the nation’s top 250 players — joins Nashville 4-star defensive tackle Brant Lawless as Tennessee commitments. The duo gives first-year D-line coach Brady Hoke a pair of potential studs around which to build the defense. While Hoke had a hand in the pledge of Litaker for sure, ace Midstate recruiter Walt Wells was the one who led the recruiting efforts for Litaker. He continues to be a home-run hire for UT on the recruiting trail, and the Vols hope he can provide the same impact for the offensive line.

Now, the Vols need to focus on uncommitted stud 4-star strong-side defensive end/defensive tackle Greg Emerson of Jackson and Alabama commitment Jordan Davis of Memphis to round out their recruiting class. Both of those guys will be tough pulls, but Emerson may actually be leaning to UT right now, though the Crimson Tide, Ohio State and others are deep in that battle, too. As for Davis, he’ll be tough to get away from the Crimson Tide, but the Vols are making every effort to convince him to stay in the Volunteer State.

In a great development for the Vols, both Emerson and Davis will be in Knoxville this weekend for the “Orange Carpet Day” recruiting get-together that has been so successful in recent years for UT head coach Butch Jones. Maybe the Vols can convince those two guys they need to join Hoke, Lawless and Litaker in turning around UT’s fortunes on the defensive line. Considering Shy Tuttle and Kahlil McKenzie are rising juniors and Kendal Vickers is a senior, the Vols need some interior linemen, and this year’s instate haul comes at exactly the right time.

As far as Litaker goes, this is a major pledge. Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Florida State and many others wanted Litaker, but he never could get Tennessee off his mind. The Vols did a great job recruiting him, Wells in particular. Teams are sold on Litaker’s combination of size and athleticism despite injuries keeping him off the field for the Warriors.

“I think there’s a lot unknown about him,” 247Sports director of scouting Barton Simmons told Ryan Callahan regarding Litaker, who’s ranked the nation’s No. 240 overall prospect and No. 23 defensive tackle in the 247Sports Composite for the 2018 class. “We just haven’t seen him play a lot of football because he’s been injured.

“But, from what we’ve seen, he’s very talented. He’s got an SEC body, and he’s just going to be somebody that has to be diligent in his rehab and needs to get healthy because, when healthy, I think he’s got a lot of upside.”

A couple of days after receiving a major recruiting blow from Murfreesboro when top running back target Master Teague chose Ohio State, the Vols were happy to get the news on Litaker, who was essentially a silent pledge to Tennessee for months. He was just waiting for the right time to let everybody in on the news.

With his pledge, Litaker helps the Vols continue a massive instate recruiting class. Despite missing out on top targets like Teague and offensive lineman Max Wray to OSU, at least for now, the Vols have commitments from Litaker, Lawless, safety Brendan Harris, elite receiver Alontae Taylor, stud offensive lineman Cade Mays, O-lineman Ollie Lane, tight end Jacob Warren and defensive back Shatar McClay. The Vols won’t stop recruiting guys like Davis, Teague and others, though it appears they’ve moved on from Wray as of now. Jerome Carvin is a top offensive line target who is still being heavily recruiting from the Volunteer State, too.

Tennessee has missed on a couple of guys in this cycle, yet still sits seventh nationally in the 2018 rankings according to 247Sports, and that’s good enough for second in the SEC.

Litaker is a great get for the Vols, who now have 13 commitments.

Vols Secure Another 2019 Pledge

The next few days could be another recruiting whirlwind for the Vols with this weekend’s recruiting celebration upcoming, but Tuesday was big in its own rights.

Before Litaker came and stole all the thunder, it was already a great day on Rocky Top.

That’s because 2019 cornerback Te’Cory Couch committed to Tennessee just a few days after receiving an offer. The 6’1″, 165-pound defensive back from Hollywood, Florida, had offers from Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Kentucky and others. He was receiving interest from some of the nation’s top programs.

“When I visit school I try to learn about the history of the school and what the classes are like and the type of coaches I’d be playing for and I liked everything I saw from that at Tennessee,” Couch told VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs.

The Chaminade-Madonna Prep standout earned an offer after camping at UT this past weekend. He committed just three days later via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/TecoryC_16/status/874618922334605312

No matter how much you want to nitpick early commits, Couch is potentially a good one. He was a first-team All-Broward County selection by the Sun Sentinel as a sophomore a year ago. That’s exceptional football down there, and he’s standing out as a sophomore.

Reporter David Furones wrote that he had six picks a season ago.