Category Archives: Football

After looking at players on Offense who’ve been linked to UT through the 2018 cycle, below is a look at the board on Defense as Coach Pruitt gets started.  With only 6 commits on that side of the ball, there’s a lot of work to be done here:

DL

There is always a need for more defensive linemen, and with Pruitt being a defensive guy and having two DL coaches (by trade at least) on staff in Tracy Rocker and Chris Rumph, you can be sure this will be an area of focus both in terms of the current board and also for new prospects.  Tennessee’s current DL corps has some talent but needs to be upgraded to compete for championships.

Malik Langham  – Another DL for whom the Vols have been involved with throughout the process, Langham, an Alabama native, has recently seen the home-state Tide put the pressure on after a great senior season.  He was in Knoxville a few times over the summer and also took an UV for the South Carolina game, so clearly he has a lot of interest in the program.  He’s a really nice looking prospect with the kind of grades to put Vandy and Notre Dame (where he’s OV’ing this weekend) in the mix as well.  One would think that the new staff, and especially Pruitt, have a strong tie here.  He’s a late signee so there’s time for the Vols to reestablish themselves, but he’s only got 2 OVs left taken/unscheduled.  I expect Tennessee to get one and be a real player until National Signing Day

Caleb Tannor – After decommitting from UGA, Tannor’s is an interesting case.  On the one hand he likely has a preexisting relationship with new DC Kevin Sherrer who’s coming over from Athens, but on the other hand, of course, he decommitted from there.  Tannor liked the Vols a lot back in the summer before committing to the Dawgs and has been on campus a few times including recently for the LSU game.  There’s some grade concerns, but Tannor is a really good prospect who I think deserves attention from the new staff given the need for pass rushers

Azur Kamara – I wrote about Kamara back in the preseason, and he’s done nothing during his season to make me think any less of him, posting 2.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss.  He’s part of the Arizona Western JUCO crew that the former staff visited a week or so ago, but it’s unclear how much interest he still has.  He’s only got two OVs open and Ole Miss and Oklahoma State appear to be the favorites to land those.  We’ll see if the Vols can get (back) in the mix

Javonte Jean-Baptiste – The Vols have an in here because Jean-Baptiste comes from the same high school as Jarrett Guarantano.  He’s a long and lean (6-5, 215) edge rusher with a great frame and had a senior season that saw him upgraded to a 4-star by 247.  He had the Vols in his Top 4 with BC, Virgina Tech and UCF and was actually scheduled to OV for the Vandy game, so if Pruitt and Co. want to get involved I think they can.  He’s OV’ing to BC this weekend and VT the next, and the new Nebraska staff (form UCF) has also reached out with an offer.  This will be one to watch moving forward.

LB

If Coach Pruitt is going to play more 3-4 in the future, he’s going to need more, and more talented, and perhaps different style LBs than what’s on the roster.  The one LB on the commitment list, Matthew Flint, is very talented but this class likely needs more.  The lack of numbers here reflects the fact that the Vols signed quite a few in 2017 and the fact that the old staff played much more 4-2-5 Base defense and just needed fewer bodies on the roster.

Caleb Johnson – A longtime Vol target who has seen his SEC interest increase throughout his season season, Johnson took his UT OV for the UGA game.  Under a 4-3 he might be considered more of a 4-3 DE prospect, but I’m putting him here for now.  Despite the coaching turnover and an uptick in interest from the likes of Auburn and UGA, Johnson has maintained high interest in the Vols.  One has to imagine that new Defensive Coordinator Kevin Sherrer and his staff (which is still being added to) not only are well aware of Johnson but have a strong relationship with him. He’s a late signee who’s taken no OVs yet, so there is plenty of time here.

Cam Jones – We discussed his recruitment viz. Flint back in the summer.  A Tennessee legacy who many thought was a fait accompli to the Vols, Jones never could get comfortable enough to pull the trigger and eventually recommitted to Indiana.  He’s an outstanding athlete who projects to a number of positions – will the new staff try and get (re) involved?  Would he have any interest?  Remains to be seen…

DB

Unfortunately, yet another position that needs both talent and depth.  The new staff has work to do here.

Jaycee Horn/Trey Dean* – Two high level prospects who have decommitted since Butch Jones was fired, it’s pretty obvious the Vols have a better chance with Horn than Dean.  Pruitt has prior relationships with both, and Horn was enamored with Bama throughout the process while Dean has basically closed the door on Tennessee (though I think there’s a crack there).  Horn likes South Carolina a lot and the Cocks are and were always going to be in this one until the ink dries.  With Pruitt in Knoxville one would think that strengthens Tennessee’s position, but we’ll see.  He’s a February signee so there’s plenty of time, while Dean is signing in two weeks so there really isn’t

Tanner Ingle* – Beating a dead horse here, but I really like Ingle’s game.  Right now NCSU appears to be his other option.  Can the new staff get back in here?  Do they want to?  Open questions, but I hope the answer to both is in the affirmative

Dashon Bussell – Local product who’s a great athlete, Bussell is currently committed to Western Michigan.  If the new staff wants to get involved it surely can, and with the numbers as they are it could be a necessity.

Myles Mason – Alabama native who didn’t have a Tide offer from Pruitt, nevertheless Mason is a really nice looking prospect who projects as a physical Safety.  He visited Knoxville during the season for an UV, but then committed to Dan Mullen and Mississippi State soon after.  He currently still plans to sign early with the Bulldogs, so the window is pretty narrow if the Vols want to get involved

*Formerly committed

Although Butch Jones ultimately wasn’t the answer for Tennessee and left the program in the midst of its worst season ever, he did leave a relatively robust recruiting board in terms of talented players who have strong relationships with the school or at least took visits.  Before we get into prospects who a new staff will add to the board, below is a look at players who’ve been linked to UT in some capacity and where Tennessee might stand right now, starting with offense:

OL

One could make the argument that this class needs three more OL in addition to Lane and Antonutti.  Unfortunately the current board doesn’t have a ton of names on it, but what it lacks in quantity it certainly makes up for in quality.  It all starts, of course, with the local legend Cade Mays:

Cade Mays* – We all know about him.  OL Coach Will Friend and OC Tyson Helton were in to see him yesterday, Pruitt will be in home next week.  And Fulmer is all over it.  Color me not shocked if we reel him back in, although it won’t be easy

Jerome Carvin – Likely down to us and UF, with the Gators having the Mullen tie, which is meaningful.  I wouldn’t be surpised to see him take another visit to Knoxville before he makes a final decision, which of course would be a great sign.  Carvin may not be a plug and play guy like Mays, but he’s an early enrollee who would likely be able to give some snaps on a pretty thin OL next season

Jahmir Johnson – Very good JUCO prospect who the previous staff offered and had a relationship with (he was scheduled to OV for the Vandy game but that was cancelled), and the new staff immediately offered as well.  Importantly, he’s one of 4 bigtime prospects at Arizona Western (former home of Jonathan Kongbo) who have offers from and interest in.  Good news is that Defensive GA Jon Shalala went out to visit the school, where he was the OL coach before coming to Tennessee, ten days ago, so there has been recent contact. On an OL bereft of both talent and numbers, he would be a big add.  Hopefully the new staff can secure an OV and get firmly in the mix

Jalen Goss – A former Florida commitment, Goss is a talented player from a strong program in Valdosta, GA.  A long and lean OT prospect, he’s taken an AU visit and is expected to OV to Michigan this weekend.  His has been a relatively quiet recruitment, but one has to think Pruitt and Friend have good relationships in that area of GA, so we’ll see how much UT tries to get involved

RB

The immediate need at running back is dependent to a large extent on John Kelly’s NFL decision.  Should he return for 2018 he’ll team with Ty Chandler to form a very strong 1-2 punch, and behind them Carlin Fils-aime and Tim Jordan along with Anthony Grant give the Vols a strong stable of backs.  If Kelly were to leave, however, things look very different.  I think it’s imperative that Tennessee add another RB in this class, and depending on how things go with the two below (specifically Dixon) I wouldn’t be surprised to see the new staff throw out some more offers at the position.

LJ Dixon* – A summertime commit to the Vols, Dixon decommitted during the season after Clemson kept putting pressure on him.  However, he’d defied expectations by not (yet) committing to the Tigers, and there has been talk of him wanting to take a Vols OV.  With Gillespie staying on staff and a new direction for the program if Tennessee can indeed get him back to Knoxville there’s a real chance they can land his signature

Michael Barrett – Goss’s teammate, UT has been keeping Barrett warm throughout the season as it sat on two RB commits it liked.  However, with the decommitment of LJ Dixon the class currently has only one RB in it and definitely needs another.  Barrett played QB for Lowndes and looks to my eyes a lot like Cam Akers in that role.  Michigan has made a big push (he’s already OV’d there) but he’s a talented player that likes the Vols a lot. If Pruitt is interested I think the Vols could get heavily involved.

WR

Another spot where the decision about the return of an existing player (this time, Jauan Jennings) makes a large difference in how one feels about the position and what the class of 2018 needs.  But it needs WRs for sure, and right now it has zero.  I expect Pruitt to add Alontae Taylor back to the commitment list soon, but he’ll need to expand the board and get a few more in this class.

Alontae Taylor* – Taylor is taking his OV in Knoxville this weekend and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him recommit to the Vols and lock it down.  He’s a really good player at a position of need, not to mention an instate stud who UGA is fighting hard for, so getting him back into the fold would be a big win for Pruitt and Co.

Shocky Jacques-Louis* – Another former WR commit, Jacques-Louis is a very good prospect who I’d love to see end up signing with the Vols.  He’s completed his OVs, having taken his to Knoxville for the UGA game. He plans to sign 12/20 and expressed interest in hearing from Coach Pruitt, so if Tennessee wants to get back in this recruitment it has a narrow window.

Jaron Woodyard – Another of the Arizona Western prospects on the board, Woodyard also received an offer from the previous staff and has been quoted as saying he is saving an OV for Tennessee.  That said, he appears to be a big target for Scott Frost and Nebraska, so that will be a battle – in fact, Nebraska insiders think he could pop this weekend while in Lincoln.  He’s talented and an early enrollee, so at yet another position that could use both talent and raw numbers, he’s an interesting prospect

Jeshaun Jones – A good friend of Jacques-Louis and a fellow early-enrollee, Jones also took his UT OV for the UGA game.  He recently got an offer from Frost and Nebraska and will be taking an OV there this weekend.  He’s very talented and smooth – route running and hands are his best traits.  Hopefully the Vols can get back in this one

*Former commitment

As the disaster of a 2017 season wore on and things looked bleaker and bleaker for Butch Jones, everyone knew that a class once ranked as high as #4 in the country was going to take a hit.  And that’s certainly happened, as the class has lost multiple commitments, including many of its top-rated players.

With the early signing period just two weeks away, let’s take a look at where the current class stands, and which, if any, of the decommitted players Pruitt and Co. can woo back into the fold.

The Solid Core of the Class

The ten guys below are longtime commitments who have been solid throughout, never wavering despite a season that went downhill quickly and a subsequent coaching change.  On defense especially, and particularly on the defensive line, it’s a good group of players and a strong foundation upon which Pruitt can build the kind of initial class needed to get his tenure off on the right foot.

• DL Greg Emerson – OV this weekend
• LB Matthew Flint – OV this weekend
• DB Brandon Cross – OV this weekend
• OL Tanner Antonutti – OV this weekend
• P Paxton Brooks – OV this weekend
• DL D’Andre Litaker
• DL Brant Lawless
• DL Jamarcus Chatman
• OL Ollie Lane
• TE Jacob Warren

“Soft” commitments who will have to be re-recruited

• QB Adrian Martinez
• QB Michael Penix
• RB Anthony Grant

Martinez has taken OVs to both OSU and Missouri and recently received a very quick offer form Scott Frost at Nebraska, where he’ll be taking an official visit this weekend.  He has also already used his official visit to UT, so a relationship with the new staff will have to be formed via coaches’ visits to his home in California.  While he’s expressed a strong desire to stick with the Vols, Nebraska is clearly a threat.  It also remains to be seen how hard Pruitt and new OC/QB coach Tyson Helton will work to retain Martinez’s commitment.  I’m of the opinion that this class needs two talented QBs, so this will be very interesting to watch.  An offer to another QB would be very telling.

After a great senior season, Penix has seen increased recruiting interest, the biggest threat coming from Dan Mullen and the new staff at Florida.  Penix is scheduled to take an official visit to Gainesville this weekend, and although he does not yet have a Gators offer, one would have to think that’s likely coming.  USF has also stayed in contact throughout the season, and they can’t be written off with the strong season Charlie Strong had in Penix’s hometown of Tampa.  That said, Pruitt has already reached out to Penix (in contrast, apparently, to Martinez), and with an OV to Knoxville still available plus one of his recruiters Robert Gillespie remaining on staff, I like the Vols’ chances of keeping this commitment.

Grant has also had an outstanding season and was recently recognized for that effort with a 4^th star from Rivals.  He’s been pretty solid, but is scheduled to take an OV to Virginia Tech on 12/15 so he’s not shut it down.  With the decommitment of LJ Dixon (more on him below) Grant is currently the lone RB in the class, so it’s important that the new staff solidify his standing.  Grant also has his OV to Knoxville still available.

Decommitments who Pruitt could possibly get back in the fold

Unfortunately, this list is not only relatively long but also includes many of the best players that committed to Butch Jones in this class.  However, for a variety of reasons, Coach Pruitt and his new staff have a real chance to get many of these players back in the fold.

OL Cade Mays

The crown jewel of most any class, we all know the story on Mays.  He’s a plug and play OL, especially at UT and especially next year at UT.  He’s a legacy who was committed to the Vols for two years and was the class’s biggest peer recruiter.  And now he’s not only decommitted but thought to be a lean to Clemson with UGA hot on the trail as well.  Mays is currently planning on making a final decision relatively soon, which won’t leave a new staff a lot of time to build a relationship.  However, new AD and former Big Fisherman Phillip Fulmer has made Cade his personal project, and longtime Vols fans know that this usually means a player ends up in Orange.  Fulmer is certainly leaning on his decades-long relationship with Cade’s father and VFL Kevin Mays, and it’s imperative that he, Coach Pruitt, and new OL Coach Will Friend win this battle.  They will be selling not only the legacy angle but also a fresh start to the program along with being paired up with fellow phenom Trey Smith.

WR Alontae Taylor

Taylor is another player who could likely make an instant impact in 2018.  He’s been on campus a ton over the last 18 months and is no doubt very familiar with Knoxville and the current players on the roster.  Taylor clearly wants to be a Vol – after initially putting out a Top 5 without UT, he’s now narrowed his choices to Tennessee, UGA (where he’s already OV’d), and Louisville.  He’ll be taking his OV to Knoxville this weekend and I expect Coach Pruitt to lock him down.

DE Dorian Gerald

Gerald was one of the commitments most tied to Butch and therefore was always going to be someone who would be less than solid if Jones were let go.  That said, he’s never formally decommitted, and he tweeted yesterday that he’s already had “good talks with Coach Pruitt.”  Gerald is an instant contributor at a DE position in need of talent and depth, so he’s likely to be a high priority for the new staff.  They’ll have to fight off Louisville (where he’ll OV this weekend), Texas Tech (OV’d 11/28), and South Carolina (his other finalist before he committed in the summer and his homestate school) among others.

DB Tanner Ingle

Ingle has “opened it up” and will OV to NCSU but made it clear he’s hoping to stick with UT depending on the new staff’s interest.  I’m a big fan of Ingle’s game – he’s an undersized sparkplug who makes plays all over the field and has been described as a “program player” by FSU’s 247 reporters.  As of this writing, I’m unaware of any contact between Ingle and the new staff, but I’m hopeful they make an effort here.

DB Jaycee Horn

Horn was always going to be one of the toughest commits to hold onto, and he decommitted shortly after Jones was let go.  However, he has been to campus quite a few times and likely feels at home in Knoxville.  The new staff will likely, IMO, be given a shot here, and he certainly knows Pruitt from his visits to Alabama, who recruited him throughout the summer.  UT still has tons of immediate playing time to sell, and with Horn not planning to sign until February they’ll have time.

WR Shocky Jacques-Louis

After a tremendous senior season, Jacques-Louis has seen increased interest from the likes of Ohio State and Michigan.  And though he decommitted in mid-November, he was quoted yesterday as saying he’d like to hear from the new staff.  He’s already OV’d to UT (side note awful move by the old staff), so a new staff would have to form a relationship via home visits.  We’ll see how hard they push here, but Shocky is an electric athlete at a position where the Vols could use an injection of speed and talent.

DB Trey Dean

I’m going against conventional wisdom here, as most people think Dean is very unlikely to give the Vols another shot after decommitting yesterday.  That said, he still has the opportunity to OV to Knoxville if he wants to, with two OV weekends between now and when he is scheduled to sign.  He’s currently supposed to visit UK this weekend (I mean, come on) and then UF on 12/15.  Bama is also in the mix after he OV’d there last weekend – and there’s the tie with Pruitt.  This also might depend on how hard Pruitt pushes, but I’m of the opinion there’s still a chance.

With plenty of other players on the board (coming in the next segment) and multiple new offers going out from the new staff as they capitalize on former relationships (also upcoming), the existing commitments give new coach Jeremy Pruitt a solid base on which he can build out this class.  It will be fascinating to see how many of the former commitments he can (or wants to) bring back and from there how he finishes out the class.  With the staff he’s building I have a lot of confidence Vols fans will be very happy.