Don’t Let Tennessee’s Early Signing Day Fool You

 

Don’t look at the recruiting rankings right now.

No, I mean it. Don’t. Please.

A Tennessee recruiting class that once climbed as high as third nationally before coach Butch Jones’ fiefdom came crashing down, the lull in leadership broke down relationships and the administration botched the coaching search [though may have landed the hire] is currently in shambles.

If you’ve patronized the message boards lately or read Twitter, you’d think Tennessee’s class has collapsed around new head coach Jeremy Pruitt. That’s not so. At all. Local writer Mike Griffith even went as far today as to say Pruitt is “struggling.” That’s laughable.

It’s not a great look yet again for UT that it had favorite son and recruiting organizer extraordinaire Austin Thomas stole from LSU before a deal fell through. It was unfortunate for the Vols that Chris Weinke was set to leave Alabama with Pruitt to come to UT before his alma mater Florida State came calling.

But don’t look at this incomplete recruiting class and judge Pruitt’s body of work. It’s very much a work in progress. He couldn’t develop relationships before this early signing period where players can sign tomorrow, and he couldn’t help that some of the elite players who were once committed have a frontrunner mentality and dropped the Vols.

It’s been a perfect storm that’s caused the Vols to plummet out of the recruiting rankings.

When Tennessee was recruiting under Jones, the Vols enjoyed highly ranked classes yet failed to develop that talent. It’s not uncommon to look at UT players as seniors who didn’t progress much from their freshman seasons. We all know now Jones struggled to elevate players’ talent once they arrived on campus.

Did you ever think part of that was the type of player Jones recruited, though?

I’m not knocking any of the current kids on Tennessee’s roster, but it’s clear that Jones recruited to a certain system — a system he called “infallible” — and that system failed famously, especially once Joshua Dobbs left for Pittsburgh. When Pruitt came in [finally] to coach the Vols, he took one look at UT’s class and basically gave a metaphorical shrug and a “meh.”

Then, the culling ensued.

Yes, Tennessee absolutely would have loved to land 5-star offensive lineman Cade Mays, a Knoxville Catholic player whose father was a standout. But he decided to go in a different direction, no matter how much Pruitt and UT coach Phillip Fulmer tried to sway him otherwise. It’s going to hurt seeing him playing for Clemson or Georgia next year, but nothing Pruitt could have done would sway him.

Absolutely, the Vols were happy with 4-star quarterback and Cali prospect Adrian Martinez coming to Knoxville, even though he didn’t play at all last year and isn’t an ideal fit for the pro-style offense coordinator Tyson Helton wants to run. But when Scott Frost arrived at Nebraska and made Martinez a priority, he fell in love with that new system in Lincoln. Honestly, he’s a better fit for what they want to do, even though he would have been a heck of a quarterback at UT potentially.

The rest of the players were guys Pruitt just didn’t think fit the system. Florida quarterback Michael Penix will land at a quality program, but he is more of a dual-threat kid, and Tennessee didn’t prefer him. Better to be up front and honest with guys than have them take up a scholarship spot that can be used elsewhere, have them unhappy and quit. Who wants that?

Do I understand Pruitt cutting a guy loose like Jamarcus Chatman and then getting a commitment from Kingston Harris, a defensive lineman who struggled to find the field as a senior at prestigious IMG Academy? Nope. But I know he’s a big body with a bunch of potential, and if anybody knows the kind of players he needs to run the type of 3-4 defense Pruitt employed at Alabama, Florida State and Georgia that won championships, it’s the man who shaped those units.

Why are we grinding our teeth that Pruitt saw a Jones class and disassembled it? Last I checked, Pruitt is coaching in the College Football Playoffs; Jones is sitting at home after his team went 4-8. And Mays [as well as Jaycee Horn, who just committed to South Carolina] are guys who decommitted on Jones’ watch, long before Pruitt came into the picture.

The Vols already went after another quarterback — California commitment JT Shrout — who will choose between UT and the Golden Bears tomorrow. If you look at his senior season stats, you will cringe. He threw 27 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. Yikes. But he is 6’3″, a traditional dropback passer with pristine mechanics that have NFL scouts already excited, according to Yahoo.com’s Pete Thamel.

Tennessee will be watching instate offensive lineman Jerome Carvin, his teammate 4-star running back Jeremy Banks and Shrout, among others, tomorrow. If a couple of those guys pull the trigger, it could set the stage for a big finish for Pruitt and the Vols.

Pruitt had exactly one recruiting weekend to prepare for [remember, he was announced mere days before getting Alontae Taylor back on campus, and he recommitted]. With a week to prepare for that day, Pruitt went JUCO-heavy on the visits, and we’ll see if any of them pay off with pledges tomorrow. UT certainly needs immediate help, especially on both lines and in the secondary.

Pruitt’s staff believes it can get in on some big names after the early signing period. The nation’s second-ranked outside linebacker J.J. Petersen has had Alabama at the top of his list forever, but Pruitt is his lead recruiter with the Crimson Tide. He told SEC Country this week that UT now leads. If Pruitt can convince some of those guys he’s already built relationships with when he was with the Tide to follow him to Tennessee, the Vols could land a few.

Also, it remains to be seen who Pruitt will hire in his last three assistant spots. Will one of them be South Carolina wide receivers coach and elite recruiter Bryan McClendon, as rumored? Pruitt knows recruiting is the name of the game in the SEC, and he’ll get somebody who can be relentless on the trail. Whoever that is could bring with him targets, too.

And [hold your nose, Vols fans] if Alabama looks good in the playoffs and Pruitt’s defense shines, it will be good publicity for UT, and some positive vibes could come the way of Tennessee’s recruiting class still. There’s still a month-plus for Pruitt to build relationships once he gets on campus for good. That’s not a ton of time, but it is enough with some preexisting relationships to get some guys on campus and signed.

This class isn’t going to wind up a high-riser in the least, but the Vols could fill some needs, and if it gets in the top 20 with all the turmoil that’s transpired, it’ll be OK. Pruitt is going to build things his way. We don’t know if that’s a winning way because he’s never led a program, but he has won a lot of championships as an assistant.

So, tomorrow, when all the excitement is happening and Mays makes his choice to go somewhere other than Knoxville and the Vols wind up with some guys who weren’t even on the radar a week ago, don’t get down. This is only the beginning of the Pruitt era, and with what Jones left UT, it isn’t an overnight fix.

Pruitt is going to do it his way. And as he said in his press conference, Vols fans shouldn’t worry about the guys they don’t get but the ones they do.

Aight?

 

What Did We Learn?

This loss hurts in the feels; in an environment like Sunday’s there is no other option in defeat. And that’s good:  the first ranked match-up in Thompson-Boling Arena since 2010 produced the close game we should expect from such an encounter, and the inevitable pain from losing it. In falling short (and especially falling short in the final minutes due to a pair of preventable turnovers), Tennessee missed the chance to make a memory for a younger generation of students and basketball fans.

But what hurts in the feels often finds its way to recovery in our heads. My head tells me the biggest takeaway from Sunday’s game isn’t the missed opportunity, but the way Tennessee gave themselves one. Yesterday’s performance against North Carolina proves earlier ones against Villanova and Purdue were no fluke. Tennessee has played three of the top eight teams in the nation (in KenPom). They led North Carolina for 37 minutes before falling by five. They beat Purdue while playing from behind throughout the first half and the first two minutes of overtime. And they led Villanova by 15 early and were still within three in the final minute of an eventual nine-point loss.

Don’t undervalue that Purdue win. Villanova is the number one team in the polls and the best team in the nation by a healthy margin in KenPom. But Purdue (sixth) is better than North Carolina (eighth) in the latter metric. And Tennessee made huge plays in the final minutes of regulation and overtime to win that game. “Tennessee can’t get it done against great teams,” isn’t the story. In three Top 10 match-ups the Vols are 1-2 with real opportunities to be 3-0.

This team is no fluke and no flash in the pan. In those three games Tennessee shot 36.3% against Purdue, 45.3% against Villanova, and 37.3% against North Carolina while going a combined 24-of-68 (35.2%) from the arc. These games haven’t been close because the Vols have been on fire. Tennessee hasn’t been lucky. The Vols are simply playing good enough basketball on both ends of the floor to give themselves a chance to win against the best teams in the country. That’s a real sentence in year three under Rick Barnes.

Tennessee hosts Furman (KenPom #134) on Wednesday, then has a pair of non-conference games remaining:  at Wake Forest (KenPom #65) on Saturday, and at Iowa State (KenPom #59) in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in January. Split those games and go .500 in the SEC, and you’re 18-12 with a Top 50 RPI headed to the SEC Tournament. But Tennessee has played well enough to expect more than a, “Can we make the tournament?” conversation.

The SEC will test Tennessee’s consistency. But I don’t believe their ceiling to be any lower today than it was before tip-off yesterday; if anything, the ceiling is reinforced. Tennessee isn’t just playing with the best teams in college basketball, it’s giving itself a chance to win. The Vols beat Purdue, were within one possession of Villanova in the final minute, and gave away an opportunity to beat North Carolina. But there is nothing but opportunity in front of this team.

Visit Weekend Preview: The Last Weekend Before the Early Signing Period

Although this coming weekend will be the second official visit weekend of Coach Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure, it will be the first one that features numerous uncommitted prospects.  And with a list incredibly long on both talent and, due to the number of JUCO players, experience, it’s an incredibly important one.  The new early signing period makes it that much more important, because for some players it’s their last visit before they make a final decision on where they’ll sign in just one week, while for others it’s Tennessee’s final on-campus chance to make a big impression with just under one more month (and likely trips to see other schools) until the second and final signing day.  In a welcome stroke of luck, Thompson-Boiling Arena will have 20,000 screaming Volunteers packed in as they root on the Basketball Vols vs. UNC.  Those kind of things are small, but showing kids, especially who aren’t from the South like many of the incoming prospects, how rabid this fanbase is, always helps.

Below is a quick look at this weekend’s visitors:

Confirmed commitments for the weekend

Jacob Warren/Ollie Lane – Warren and Lane are longstanding local commitments who plan on signing in December and enrolling in January.  Both are solid prospects who ideally would redshirt in 2018.  However, given the dearth of bodies and proven depth at their respective positions both could be in line for snaps in their freshmen season should they take advantage of being in for Spring Practice and summer workouts.  With the large number of uncommitted prospects on campus it will be good to have All Orange guys helping peer recruit

Important Unofficial Visitor

OL Jerome Carvin – Pending logistical details being worked out, Carvin is trying to get back to Knoxville for another visit after taking his OV back in late September for the UGA game.  While it will obviously be much better if he can make it, his desire to do so (especially in lieu of previous plans to try and get to UF) is a great sign.  If he can make it in I think he’s on Commitment Watch.  If not we might have to wait a few more days, but I still think this is trending towards the good guys

Confirmed Uncommitted Official Visitors

All of the remaining confirmed official visitors are prospects the new staff has either offered or reoffered – regardless, they are all players the prior staff was not involved with.  We discussed the status of their respective recruitments in this piece, and suffice it to say that the Vols would very likely take a commitment from almost any and all of them if they get the chance. The group is a good mix of high school players and JUCOs, and each of them play at a position of need.

Uncommitted: December Signees Confirmed for this Weekend

OL Badara Traore – #1 JUCO OL and current LSU commit, this is a new development but one that makes some sense.  He’s not only teammates with Johncarlo Valentin (below) but as an LSU commit he’s also got ties to new UT staffer Austin Thomas, former GM for the Tigers.  Assuming he follows through with the visit, and you can be sure LSU will do everything they can to stop it, one has to think UT has a great shot here.  One other side note is that LSU has just hired a brand new (albeit well regarded) OL coach, which means Traore has no better relationship with his position coach there than he does with UT coach Will Friend

RB Jeremy Banks – Teammates with Jerome Carvin, Banks would be a big add at the RB position due to his size and production.  He’s on my Commitment Watch list

RB Greg Bell – One of FOUR teammates from Arizona Western C.C. coming in this weekend, two of which are December signees and early enrollees.  UT’s biggest competition appears to be Nebraska, where he has already OV’d along with Louisville (where has was committed), Boise, and Utah.  His is an interesting situation, as it is unclear how tied together these four teammates’ recruitments are.  At the same time, Tennessee’s only current RB commitment, Anthony Grant, is far from solid (he’s OV’ing Virginia Tech this weekend), so how many RBs the staff is going to take it up in the air.  All things equal my preference for one RB spot would be for Banks over Bell, but there are likely a lot of things happening in the background…

WR Jaron Woodyard – Another of the quartet from AWCC, Woodyard is actually committed to Nebraska but will be taking his trip to Knoxville this weekend anyway.  Numbers are WR are fluid – with Alontae Taylor back in the fold there is still room for at least 1-2 more, but the pecking order is unknown.  Copeland (below) is a clear take, but that recruitment is likely to go into late January.  Is Shocky Jacques-Louis (also an early enrollee) back in play after Pruitt and Helton were in his home last night?  Like Bell, how much does Woodyard play into the recruitment of his teammates?  As The Dude would say, lotta ins, lotta outs…

TE Dominick Wood-Anderson – A true national recruit, Wood-Anderson is regarded as an instant impact TE prospect and is highly coveted by the likes of Alabama, Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher, and other bluechip programs.  He’s the jewel of the AWCC Four, and landing him might be a stretch – just getting him on campus represents a pretty big coup, this one orchestrated by new staffer (brought by Pruitt from Alabama) Brian Niedermayer.  However, it’s 100% worth the effort, and he’s an instant starter if he signs with the Vols, a selling point Pruitt and Co. will be hammering home all weekend.

Uncommitted: February Signees Confirmed for this Weekend

Each of the players below are high value targets, not just because of their talent but also because each of them play positions where there is a big need on Tennessee’s roster.  The list below is a mix of high school and JUCO prospects, most of whom we’ve taken a look at in the linked piece above.  As noted, it’s imperative that the Vols make a very big impression on these prospects, as each of them will wait until February to sign.

WR Jacob Copeland

OL Jahmir Johnson

OL Johncarlo Valentin

TE Glenn Beal

DE Kingston Harris*

CB Olaijah Griffin*

*Two relatively new offers

Harris is a DL from IMG Academy in Florida with a decent offer list who Pruitt just offered and is immediately coming to Knoxville for an OV.  My guess is that he’s lower on the board, but we’ll see

Griffin is a borderline 5-star CB from California who received an immediate offer from the staff, has seen Nidermayer in his home, and is now going to be on campus this weekend.  Interestingly, Griffin has a lot of family in East TN and has spent quite a bit of time in the area, so he’s not the typical Cali kid for whom the likelihood of leaving the West Coast is ultraslim.  He’d be a bigtime get, and although he’s probably not going to commit on the spot if the Vols can make a big impression this weekend they could find themselves in the mix for the next month

Tennessee vs North Carolina Preview

It’s been six years since Tennessee played a game like this, seven since they played one in Knoxville. Let’s go.

Relax about the MiG.

RPI Forecast gives Tennessee an 88.9% chance to finish with 19 or more regular season wins. Their projections shouldn’t be taken as gospel today, but become more reliable every night. A 19-11 finish projects to an RPI of 36 headed to the SEC Tournament. That dances.

Tennessee can already check the boxes next to strength of schedule, quality wins, and road/neutral wins. The SEC is first in conference RPI, has eight teams in Ken Pomeroy’s Top 50 and the entire league in the Top 85. Plus seven SEC schools in the December 9 Bracket Matrix update, where the Vols are a five seed.

Relax. Almost every night of conference play will provide an opportunity. This one isn’t about March. Like Villanova, this is about Tennessee’s ceiling.

The Defending Champs

North Carolina was 27-7 heading to March, fought off a stiff challenge from Arkansas in the second round, then beat Kentucky by two in the Elite Eight and Oregon by one in the Final Four. It wasn’t easy, but the Tar Heels cut down the nets by beating Gonzaga in the title game. Justin Jackson and Tony Bradley became first round draft picks, but plenty of talent returns; several Tar Heels have made the most of expanded minutes.

That’s especially true for Luke Maye. He averages a double-double at 19.9 points and 10.5 rebounds. Joel Berry, who did not play against the Vols last season, is second on the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game. Kenny Williams adds 13.4 points and 55% shooting from the arc, and Theo Pinson averages 9.4 points and 4.4 assists per game. Those four do the majority of the heavy lifting for Carolina, all averaging between 28-32 minutes per game.

They’ll come to Knoxville 9-1 and no fan of close games. The lone blemish came via #4 Michigan State: the Tar Heels shot 24.6% from the floor and 1-of-18 from the arc in a 63-45 loss in the Phil Knight tournament. In every other game, North Carolina has shot better than 47% and scored at least 85 points.

That includes a 19-point win over Arkansas (#30 KenPom) and a 15-point win over Michigan (#36 KenPom). In their only true road game before this weekend, Carolina beat Stanford (#110 KenPom) by 24.

Like us, with more talent

Last year Tennessee led by 15 in the first half before an avalanche of offensive rebounds buried them in the second. Tony Bradley had seven of those in 20 minutes; this time around the match-up should be more even.

It’s remarkable how similar the Vols and Tar Heels have been in the early going, having both faced enough competition to feel good about the sample size:

  • North Carolina is 34th in field goal percentage (49.5%) and 59th in field goal percentage defense (40.1%). Tennessee shoots 45.2% from the floor, leads the nation in assist percentage, and is 30th in field goal percentage defense (38.3%).
  • North Carolina is 42nd in three-point percentage (39.9%). Tennessee is 21st (41.2%). But neither team lives by the three:  UNC is 258th nationally in three-pointers attempted, UT 305th.
  • North Carolina plays through Luke Maye (6’8″, 240 lbs). Tennessee plays through Grant Williams (6’7″, 241 lbs).
  • These are two of the very best teams in the nation at defending inside the arc. North Carolina is 16th in two-point field goal percentage defense (41.6%), 32nd in blocked shots, and (like Villanova) does a great job defending without fouling: the Tar Heels are 21st nationally in opponent free throw attempts. The Vols are 7th in two-point field goal percentage defense (40.4%), and tied with Carolina for 32nd in blocked shots.
  • North Carolina is 27th in offensive rebounding percentage (36.6%). Tennessee is 45th (35.9%).
  • North Carolina’s only loss is to the number two team in KenPom. Tennessee’s only loss is to number one.

The biggest difference between us is tempo:  Carolina plays the 15th-fastest pace in college basketball. Tennessee isn’t slow at 117th, but has played a diverse set of opponents without being overly interested in dictating a faster pace. The Vols beat Lipscomb (12th in tempo) and Georgia Tech (343rd in tempo) in their last two games. Tennessee plays a much more balanced rotation, with seven players getting between 20-27 minutes. In their history of Roy Williams vs Rick Barnes, SB Nation’s Tar Heel Blog points out when Barnes’ teams have won, they usually beat Carolina at their own game:  crash the boards and score a bunch of points.

I expect the Vols to have an opportunity to get this thing done; Villanova looks like the best team in the country by a healthy margin right now, and Tennessee certainly had their moments then. North Carolina is certainly more talented, but Thompson-Boling will present an environment this version of the Tar Heels hasn’t seen just yet. It may simply happen that we get beat by a more talented team. But it may simply happen that the environment is enough to push a good Tennessee team to victory over a great opponent. The Vols also can’t let the atmosphere and the opportunity get them out of their own element; most of this roster knows it should have won this game last year, which should help in that department.

Sagarin’s predictor at RPI Forecast gives the Vols a 42% chance to win; ESPN’s BPI gives the Vols a 48% chance. We’ve come a long way in a short time. If Tennessee continues to share the basketball well on offense and defend at a high level on the other end, the Vols can get this done.

Sunday, 3:00 PM ET, ESPN. Go Vols.

 

Tennessee Leads the Nation in Assist Percentage

There will be plenty of words to come about Sunday’s match-up between #20 Tennessee and #7 North Carolina, only the Vols’ third ranked non-conference match-up in Knoxville since Thompson-Boling Arena opened 30 years ago. But first, a note about something the Vols are doing so well it should impact their performance this season far beyond this weekend.

Last year, assists were Tennessee’s best predictor of success. The Vols were 13-1 when they had 16+ assists, 3-15 when they had 15 or less. The point guards were new, Grant Williams was a freshman, and Robert Hubbs was sometimes left to simply do it himself. In Tennessee’s season opener last year, the Vols had only four assists in a loss to Chattanooga.

Fast forward one year, and the Vols are already 3-0 with 15 assists or less, all three victories coming against major conference opponents. Tennessee is defending well enough to beat above average and even good teams, even when shots aren’t falling. This, in turns, makes Tennessee an above average and maybe even a good team.

What might make Tennessee a great team:  the Vols are first in the nation in assist percentage (stats via Sports Reference).

Tennessee gets an assist on 70.8% of its made baskets. Last year that number finished at 54.9%, 123rd nationally. In their first seasons, Jordan Bone (2.9) and Lamonte Turner (2.7) were the only players to average more than two assists per game. So far this year Bone (3.6) and Turner’s (2.4) numbers are solid, while Grant Williams has gotten involved as an inside-out passer with 2.6 assists per game. And James Daniel, who everyone assumed would provide a scoring punch, currently leads the team in assists with 4.0 per game.

We’ve been making this point since the preseason: last year the Vols weren’t a good shooting team at 42.2% from the floor, 289th nationally. They didn’t add a bunch of pure shooters to the roster this year and lost Hubbs’ ability to get his own shot. If Tennessee was going to shoot the ball better, it would have to come through getting better shots.

And through eight games against the nation’s 15th toughest schedule in RPI, the Vols are doing just that. Grant Williams averages 16.1 points in 27.1 minutes per game. And when defenses collapse on him, the Vols are sharing the ball exceptionally well, getting open shots, and knocking them down. Tennessee is shooting 41.2% from the arc, 21st nationally, while ranking only 291st in three pointers attempted. There is such discipline and intent behind what the Vols are doing on offense, paired with a defense holding opponents to 38.3% from the field.

This is a well-coached, well-executing team. And that should carry Tennessee a long way toward March, no matter happens on Sunday.

 

Gameday on Rocky Top Bowl Pick ‘Em

Our Gameday on Rocky Top Bowl Pick ‘Em via Fun Office Pools is now open! Games start this Saturday, so join the pool and get your picks in now. If you’ve played in any of our contests before, you should have received an email inviting you to join.

The pool uses confidence points for all 39 bowls plus the national championship: pick the winners straight up, then assign a confidence value (1-39) for each pick. It’s a great way to keep up with all the bowls over the next three-and-a-half weeks.

The winner gets a Gameday on Rocky Top hoodie. Any questions, leave them in the comments.

Good luck!

The Board Gets Bigger: A Look at New Offers

Here’s where it gets really fun.  As new Coach Jeremy Pruitt builds an all-star recruiting staff that brings prior relationships with bigtime players from across the South (and indeed the whole country), the existing boards on Offense and Defense are quickly being bolstered with new offers and renewed interest from players who has previously moved on from the Vols.  Below is a look at newly offered players as well as a few others for whom the new staff will likely get a new look – the good news is that it’s an extensive list, the bad news is that there isn’t a ton of time for some of them…

RB

Jeremy Banks – High school teammates with major OL target Jerome Carvin, Banks is a bigger back who had a huge senior season that has generated a ton of new offers from major schools.  He got a Vol offer last week and is very interested – he will be OV’ing this weekend.  Whether he signs in December remains to be seen, but this is his 5th OV so there might not be much more for him to see.  He seems like a potential commitment this weekend depending on how it goes, and him being good friends with top OL target Jerome Carvin makes him that much more valuable

Greg Bell – Bell is from the same Arizona Western CC as high priority OL target Jahmir Johnson and TE Dominick Wood-Anderson (see below).  Bell has Nebraska as a top choice along with Louisville, both of whom he has already OV’d.  Tennessee is hoping to get him to accompany Johnson to campus this weekend for an OV to Knoxville and is fighting Auburn and ASU for that visit.  If he does make it in one has to think the Vols have a good chance, as he’s signing in December.  If it comes down to Bell or Banks the Vols for the second RB spot (assuming Anthony Grant is solid, which isn’t 100% sure) Tennessee will have an interesting choice to make as Bell is an early enrollee and could represent a package deal with either/both of Johnson/Wood-Anderson

Jerome Ford – A Florida native who’s had a big senior year, Ford has an interesting offer/college list: while he has a standing Alabama offer (and an OV scheduled this weekend) and his other top choice is USF.  He got a UT offer this week so it will be interesting to see how much mutual interest there is.  He’s a likely December signee so the odds here are long, especially since there is a good chance he commits to Bama soon

WR

Jacob Copeland – So, Copeland is a stud.  Period.  And the Vols were not even in the picture before the new hire – he had decommitted from UF and was considered a Bama lean.  But he’s got a great relationship with Pruitt and after an in-home by some assistants last week he’s OV’ing to Knoxville this weekend.  Here’s the (pardon the pun) catch though: this will be his first OV and he’s very likely to wait until February to sign.  Obviously the best case scenario is he’s blown away by UT and the new staff, commits and signs on 12/22.  I’m an optimist, and stranger things have happened, but that seems unlikely.  More likely is Tennessee becomes a major player in this recruitment but UT has to fight through multiple other OVs (Bama, maybe UF, etc) until February.  Copeland is a major talent though, so swinging big here is worth every effort.

Rashod Bateman – Kid flat dominated GA 7A competition in Tifton Co (South GA) and is a stud basketball player too, yet is a Minnesota commitment who until last week’s tender from Tennessee had very little SEC interest.  He’s loved by local recruiting industry writers and feared by local high school coaches, and it could be too late for anyone else to get into this one as he currently plans to sign with the Gophers in December.  However, one has to think the UT offer opened his eyes, and the hope he is he gives the Vols a shot.  South Carolina just offered as well, and UGA is sniffing around too and could likely end things with an offer, so this one could get interesting.  We’ll see…

Geordon Porter – The latest offer as of Tuesday afternoon, Porter is a very recent Notre Dame decommitment.  He’s from CA with a great offer list that strangely does not include USC (Helton) that brings speed and athleticism to the table.  In fact, he is considered to be one of it not the fastest WRs on the West Coast.  It remains to be seems how interested he is in Tennessee, but he’s got two OVs left, having already seen ASU, Utah, and ND.  Clearly the new staff is trying to leverage Helton’s connections in California and we’ll see soon if they bear any fruit

TE

Dominick Wood-Anderson – The nation’s #1 JUCO TE has certainly enjoyed the process, giving multiple staffs indications that he was going to commit.  Alabama has been one of those, and no doubt Pruitt has a prior relationship here (Helton might too).  There is talk he might OV to Knoxville this weekend – if he does the Vols have as good a shot as any, and he’s a plug and play starter both due to his own immense talent as well as the dearth of quality and quantity at the position

Glenn Beal – A large body with experience both being an inline blocking TE and getting out in the passing game, Beal comes from a strong John Curtis HS program in New Orleans.  He is a high level SEC recruit coveted by LSU and Alabama among others.  Upon being re-offered by Pruitt he has immediately set up an OV for this weekend.  While that certainly shows legitimate interest, Beal is likely (though not 100%) a February signee, so the Vols are likely trying to make a giant impression and hope he’s ready to jump in; otherwise they’ll be fighting major powers who will have OV’s left in their arsenal

Michael Ezeike – Former Oregon commit whose body type is in the style of Jason Croom and current WR turned TE Princeton Fant.  Got an offer last week, but has already taken all five of is OVs so this one seems like a longshot for now – if he makes his way to Knoxville on his own dime I’ll happily change my tune.

OL

Dwayne Wallace – Grad transfer from Cal who sat out last year due to an injury, Wallace is a massive man who started nine games for the Bears in 2016.  He appears to have quite a bit of talent, and with the dire state of Tennessee’s projected 2018 OL he’d be an important add.  He’s set to enroll somewhere in January, and as a grad transfer he’s the perfect fit – ready to play but a one-year rental who won’t hold the new staff back as they try to load up with a large 2019 class.  He’s scheduled to OV to Tennessee this weekend (starting Thursday) and there is a good chance he ends his recruitment while in Knoxville.  He’s previously OV’d to Miami and FAU.

Jahmir Johnson – Teammate of the aforementioned Bell, Johnson was recruited by the previous staff and has had interest in the Vols for a while.  He got a quick reaffirmation of his UT offer from the new staff and is now set to OV to Knoxville this weekend.  When he signs is unclear and he’s definitely not an early enrollee, but he’s a real talent and like Wallace would likely be in line for a lot of immediate playing time.  Ideally both of these guys commit this weekend and fortify not only the 2018 class but also the OL for the upcoming 2018 season.

Johncarlo Valentin – Valentin is a center/guard prospect who has been thought to be leaning to Baylor, and has other offers from the likes of Missouri (OV’d last weekend), Temple and Kansas.  Notably though, he signed with OU out of high school so he’s got some pedigree.  He’s teammates with a new top CB target Jeremy Webb (below) both of whom the Vols are pushing to get to campus this weekend as they are both December signees.  He’s a big body with some athleticism and is a good addition to the OL board.

Chase Brown – Yet another JUCO OL, Brown is a Pittsburgh commit who received an offer over the weekend.  Interest is unclear, and he’s an early enrollee – which gives him more value but means Tennessee either gets him to campus this weekend or misses out – but what is clear is that Pruitt and OL Coach Will Friend see the need for immediate help at the position and are acting accordingly.

DL

Coynis Williams – Massive Auburn DT commit, Miller got an instant offer to UT from Pruitt will to OV to Tennessee this weekend.  However, he’s not signing until February so the Vols will have to make a huge impression to be legit contenders.  Likely a longshot, but he’s very talented and a perfect NG fit in Pruitt’s 3-4.

Jalen Cunningham – Another very large NG prospect offered by the new staff, Cunningham is thought to be an Ole Miss lean with Alabama also in the mix.  Pruitt’s got a relationship here and the new staff just offered today – if they can convince him to either not sign in December (likely with the Black Bears) or OV this weekend after the Alabama-Mississippi All Star Game Tennessee will have a real shot here.

Andres Fox – Currently an AU/Alabama battle, Fox is another Alabama native who didn’t have much interest in the Vols until the new staff arrived.  How much he has now is undetermined, but the long pass rusher isn’t signing until February so UT will take a swing.

Javeon Becton – UGA commit from current Vol Eric Crosby’s HS, Becton is a pass rusher who knows Sherrer well.  He just got a Tennessee offer and seems interested – in fact, he was in Knoxville for the UGA game in late September so he’s been to campus once already.  Another February signee, the Vols have time here to make a push.

Michael Williams – A QB/DE (you read that right) from Louisiana, Williams has offers from the likes of Bama, LSU, and others.  He’s not particularly tall at around 6’1, but he’s over 260 pounds yet moves like a 225 pounder.  Likely a 3-4 OLB/Rush DE, Williams got a Vol offer this weekend.  We’ll see if he reciprocates the interest, but he has the look of a typical Bama/LSU defender who is both big and fast and makes plays.

Jordan Davis – Bama commitment from Memphis (Southwind), Davis nearly flipped to the Vols over the summer at Orange Carpet Day only to be told no by his mother.  Pruitt obviously has a longstanding relationship here, and Davis is also very close with Carvin.  Some rumblings he might be open to giving the Vols one more look, but that seems to have been shot down (again, by his mother).  If he signs in two weeks it will be with Alabama – if not, all bets are off.

Daniel Carson – Newly offered big-bodied DE from Missouri, Carson has OV’d to both Texas and Miami and has one scheduled this weekend for Nebraska.  His interest in UT is undetermined at this point – he’s another who if he signs in December it likely won’t be with Tennessee but if he’s a February signee the Vols will have a shot.

LB

JJ Peterson – Arguably the top prospect who Pruitt and the new staff gave Tennessee the best chance for as soon as they put on the Vol gear.  Peterson now not only has ties to the staff (he loves Pruitt, plays for Pruitt mentor Rush Propst, and is from GA so knows Sherrer) but also to the UT program – Colquitt Co. has produced Vols in back to back classes in Jaquan Blakely and now Shawn Shamburger.  Long considered a Bama-AU battle, Peterson has said he will OV to the Vols before signing in February.  He’s instantly one of if not the most talented LB on the roster if he signs with the Vols – this will be a knock down drag out fight and one that could yield a crown jewel of the class should Tennessee win out.

Quay Walker – I’m projecting a bit here because there’s been no smoke about Walker (a Bama commit) really looking at UT.  But he’s not only close with Pruitt but also is being heavily recruited by UGA (Sherrer).  He’s a February signee, and I wonder if he’s a guy who Pruitt leaves alone until after he’s officially finished with his tenure as Bama DC and then tries to get heavily involved with.  He’s a high caliber prospect and like Peterson would represent a bigtime injection of talent to the UT LB corps.

DB

Marcus Murphy – An “athlete” who played a lot of QB for his high school team but is projected as a CB, Murphy not only got an early offer from the new staff but also received a quick in-home visit from fellow Mississippi native Robert Gillespie and new DB Coach Terry Fair.  Murphy is a Mississippi State commitment and plans to sign in December; however, despite a good OV in Starkville this past weekend he is planning to OV to Knoxville this coming weekend immediately after the Alabama-Mississippi game.  Could be one to watch…

Jeremy Webb – Teammates with Valentin at ASA in Brooklyn, Webb has one OV left before signing on 12/22 and enrolling in January.  Webb is one of those JUCO CB prospects who blow up late, and the 6’3″ CB is deciding between UT and UF for his final visit.  Should he decide to visit Knoxville things will be pointing up here for the Vols, who currently have zero DB commitments and need talent and depth at the position.

Rayshad Williams – After visiting Knoxville at least once over the spring/summer, Williams, a Memphis Whitehaven native, committed to Vanderbilt when UT didn’t come through with a firm offer.  Obviously an excellent student, Williams is a very large CB (6’3″) and fits what Pruitt looks for in a high level prospect at the position.  Though he hasn’t been mentioned with UT for months, Tennessee high school relations staffer Patrick Abernathy (who has relationships throughout the state and is a possibility to remain on in some capacity) is on the road while Pruitt fills out his staff and is set to visit Williams today.  We’ll see if anything comes of it, but Williams has long liked the Vols and is not signing with Vanderbilt in December due to not being 100% sure of his decision, so there might be an opening here.

Isaac Taylor-Stuart – Big-timer from CA who’s been considering Alabama for a longtime, Stuart got an immediate offer from the new staff and instantly inserted the Vols into his Top 6 alongside the Tide, UGA, USC and Texas A&M (where he’s already OV’d).  He’s clearly not afraid to leave the West Coast, and as a February signee he’s got time to sort through things and build a relationship with the Tennessee staff.  Hyper-talented and would be an instant contributor in Knoxville.

Eddie Smith – Longtime TCU commit who also got a quick offer from Pruitt, the Louisiana native fits the Pruitt mold of long CBs.  Smith hasn’t been very vocal about either the new offer or the strength of his TCU commitment, but it sounds like there might be a shot for the Vols to get more heavily involved.

Nikko Hall – California native who plays both sides of the ball (WR and DB), in my opinion this one is a long shot unless and until Tennessee can get him to campus.  He’s incredibly talented though and likely has a prior relationship with Helton, so it’s worth trying.

A History of Ranked Match-ups in Knoxville

How special is Sunday’s showdown with North Carolina? Here are the ranked non-conference match-ups in the history of Thompson-Boling Arena:

  • #9 Tennessee 66 #18 Wisconsin 56 on November 21, 2000
  • #16 Tennessee 76 #1 Kansas 68 on January 10, 2010
  • #20 Tennessee vs #7 North Carolina, Sunday

That’s it.

This has been our fault more often than not:  since TBA opened 30 years ago, the Vols have only been ranked in 11 different seasons (shout out, as always, to Tennessee’s media guide for such helpful information). Don DeVoe’s last team was there in 1989, as were Jerry Green’s SEC Champions for all of 2000 and parts of 1999 and 2001. Each of Bruce Pearl’s six squads spent time in the Top 25, including the entire season in 2008 and 2010. And now Rick Barnes has Tennessee back in the Top 25.

In those 11 seasons the Vols have played just 13 total ranked vs. ranked games in Knoxville. Four of them came in a span of seven weeks in 2010. The other nine include three other seasons in the last 17 years. A walk down memory lane:

  • 2000: #11 Tennessee 105 #7 Auburn 76 (January 25) – This was my freshman year at UT, and this was an absolute beat down. Auburn was Sports Illustrated’s preseason pick to win it all, but they were buzz-sawed by Tennessee. Tiger star Chris Porter was in foul trouble early and often, thanks in large part to the play of true freshman Ron Slay.
  • 2000: #8 Tennessee 76 #12 Florida 73 (OT) (February 12) – Having already won a double overtime game in Gainesville, the Vols got the season sweep by beating the Gators in another overtime in Knoxville. This Florida team was led by Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem; Miller played 17 years in the NBA, and Haslem is unbelievably still on Miami’s roster. But C.J. Black got the best of his match-up with Haslem as the Vols won both meetings. The Gators finished third in the SEC East but played their way to the title game of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Michigan State.
  • 2000: #7 Tennessee 74 #18 Kentucky 67 (February 23) – Having finally broken through against Kentucky the year before, Tennessee made it two in a row in Knoxville and helped win a share of the SEC Championship in the regular season. The Vols would earn a four seed in the NCAA Tournament and make the Sweet 16 for the first time since expansion to 64 teams.
  • 2001: #9 Tennessee 66 #18 Wisconsin 56 (November 21, 2000) – Part of a 15-1 start to the season that saw the Vols climb to #4 in the polls, a run which also included…
  • 2001: #4 Tennessee 86 #16 Alabama 69 (January 9) – The Vols started 3-0 in SEC play, lost at Rupp Arena, then beat Mississippi State to get to 4-1. They lost in double overtime at Georiga, lost at #13 Florida, then pounded Vanderbilt by 22 points to stay in the Top 10. Then they lost five games in a row, including:
  • 2001: #22 Kentucky 103 #15 Tennessee 95 (February 14) – …and they lost most of their interest in playing defense. There was a chance to rebound four days later, but…
  • 2001: #11 Florida 88 #15 Tennessee 82 (February 18) – …they did not. Tennessee still made the NCAA Tournament, lost to Charlotte in an 8/9 game in the first round, and Jerry Green was out.
  • 2008: #8 Tennessee 85 #16 Ole Miss 83 (January 9) – Bruce Pearl’s first two teams never got to play in a ranked match-up in Knoxville, but the 2008 squad was tested on the opening night of SEC play. The Rebels were undefeated coming into this one, and erased a 12-point Tennessee lead to take a four point advantage with two minutes to play. With the game on the line, the Vols went to Tyler Smith and he cashed in.
  • 2008: #6 Tennessee 80 #16 Vanderbilt 60 (January 17) – Sure, Vanderbilt beat the Vols when they were #1 a little later this season. But this one in Knoxville remains one of the best games I’ve ever seen Tennessee play against a good team. Wayne Chism had 18 points and 18 rebounds and the Vols held Vanderbilt to 3-of-21 from the arc while forcing 22 turnovers.
  • 2010: #16 Tennessee 76 #1 Kansas 68 (January 10) – On another Sunday afternoon eight seasons ago….here’s a strange thought:  freshmen in the student section this Sunday night were in elementary school when the Vols pulled this one off. Nine days after three players were suspended and Tyler Smith was dismissed for having guns and drugs in a vehicle (and two days before Lane Kiffin left in the middle of the night), a ragtag group of Volunteers played the game of their lives against the #1 Jayhawks. Renaldo Woolridge hit three threes in the first half, and Skyler McBee provided a shot for the ages in the final minute as the shot clock expired. One of the biggest wins in the history of Tennessee basketball. Video highlights – Postgame Story from RTT
  • 2010: #6 Tennessee 71 #21 Ole Miss 69 (OT) (January 16) – Still short-handed six days later, the Vols got 26 points and 12 rebounds from Wayne Chism to continue a remarkable run.
  • 2010: #21 Vanderbilt 85 #14 Tennessee 76 (January 27) – For all their accomplishments, the 2010 Vols could not handle Vanderbilt. The Dores – en route to a four seed in the NCAA Tournament – won in Knoxville by nine and in Nashville by 19.
  • 2010: #19 Tennessee 74 #2 Kentucky 65 (February 27) – The Kansas win was special, but on this day the Vols not only beat one of the most talented teams to ever play in TBA, but put the brand of basketball on display that would carry them to the doorstep of the Final Four one month later. The John Wall/DeMarcus Cousins Wildcats in John Calipari’s first season were 27-1 coming into Knoxville, but left 27-2 thanks to 2-of-22 shooting from the three-point line. The Vols got 20 from J.P. Prince and 15 from Scotty Hopson, who hit a three with the shot clock winding down in the final minute to put the Vols up five. I don’t know of another team the Vols have faced at TBA that started two future NBA All-Stars. Tennessee finished the game on a 9-0 run to break a 65-65 tie.

It’s unfortunate that we’ve only played 13 of these games in 30 years. But the good news:  Tennessee is 10-3 in those games.

Sunday will be special, echoing beyond just what it could mean for this year’s team. Simply getting to this point means Rick Barnes has done what Wade Houston, Kevin O’Neill, Buzz Peterson, Cuonzo Martin, and Donnie Tyndall could not in the regular season. Getting the Vols to stay in college basketball’s national conversation is the next step. No better way to do that than by beating North Carolina on what should be an electric Sunday in Thompson-Boling.

Remaining Board as Pruitt and Co Jump In – Defense

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

Remaining Board as Pruitt and Co Jump In – Offense

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