Tag Archives: Cam Sutton

Gameday Today: Is Butch Jones immune to the legion of the miserable?

Butch Jones stiff arms the negative talk and keeps building an awesome class, a bunch of Tennessee baseball players get drafted, and VFLs just keep making us proud, all in today’s Vols link roundup.

Football

This headline from Gridiron Now makes a really interesting point: 

Tennessee recruiting booms despite Butch Jones speculation

You’d think that recruiting would be even more difficult when rumors begin to swirl about your imminent demise, but Jones is instead putting together one of his best classes. Chest bump to Jones for that. Maybe players just understand that relentless optimism better than fans do.

And yet Jones seems to be learning to season that optimism with a pinch of reality when talking to fans through the media. He’s “proud of [his] players, but not yet satisfied.” He says in one breath that Tennessee-Alabama is a “great, great rivalry,” but in the next that “we were very disappointed when we played them last year.” Basically, he’s still being himself but also learning to keep his foot out of his mouth.

There’s little danger in this statement, though, in which Jones says that he is pleased that his veterans are leading and his freshman are following.

Mike Griffith has an excellent feature on incoming running back Ty Chandler that you should go read now. Speaking of Mike, here he is saying interesting things on the SEC Network:

And again, GoVols247 entices you to bear the indignities of a 16-click slideshow by promising Vols football’s best moments against the Georgia Bulldogs. Yes, it’s a pain, but this one’s worth it. (You can also see the whole thing on one page if you are a subscriber.) 

Recruiting

Offensive line coach Walt Wells is up to No. 5 on 247Sports‘ recruiter rankings after landing the commitment of 4-star D’Andre Litaker. He’s third among SEC assistant coaches, and largely responsible for Tennessee’s 2018 class, which is currently ranked in the Top 10 and heading into Orange Carpet Day.

Speaking of which, GoVols247 has a list of five guys to watch this weekend ($$$).

New offers:

Baseball

The Atlanta Braves drafted Tennessee third baseman Jordan Rodgers in the sixth round on Tuesday. Pitchers Kyle Serrano (10th round, by the Houston Astros), Zach Warren (14th round, by the Philadelphia Phillies), and Hunter Martin (20th round, by Houston), and infielder Jeff Moberg (30th round, by the Colorado Rockies) were also drafted. Serrano, however, told Jimmy Hyams that he’s inclined to return to Tennessee rather than heading to the big leagues.

If you’re interested, SEC Sports has a list of all 75 players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft. Actually, they still have it even if you’re not interested, but you know what I mean.

The baseball Vols have also hired Frank Anderson as pitching coach.

Hoops

Five of the first six picks in the Pilot Rocky Top League draft were Vols. Guard Chris Darrington went No. 1 overall. Jordan Bowden went second, and Admiral Schofield went third. Grant Williams and Jordan Bone were fifth and sixth. Play begins Monday night at 6:00 at Knoxville Catholic High School. 

VFLs

Cam Sutton has signed his contract with the Steelers, and according to Spotrac, it’s worth $3,236,714. Love to see these guys so richly rewarded for their hard work.

Peyton Manning offered Lamar Jackson this advice after he won the Heisman Trophy:

“Peyton Manning told me that if you’re not having fun with it, always talk with your guys. Talk to the people around the program who can help you with stuff like that. You’ve got to always have a smile on your face. People are always watching.”

Eric Berry said that he has a very good reason to regularly give hungry people food:

“I don’t do it for the attention,” Berry said. “I don’t do none of this for the attention. I do it to better myself and give back. That’s what you should do it for.”

Other fun stuff

Another sports book has set the over/under for the Vols this fall at 7.5 games. So the money-where-your-mouth-is people are banking on 7-8 wins for Tennessee. 

The USTFCCCA, which wins the award for laziest acronym, named Vols junior Christian Coleman its National Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. Assistant coach Tim Hall earned National Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year.

Golfer Hunter Wolcott is tied for 13th after the first round of the Southeastern Amateur at the Country Club of Columbus.

Gameday Today: A new record, a new coach, and a new assignment for you

 

Christian Coleman sets a new record, Tennessee baseball hires a new coach, and the football program begins summer workouts and apparently expects you to help. This and more in Gameday Today.

Christian Coleman

Breaking news: Tennessee track and field star Christian Coleman is FAST. Coleman set a collegiate record in the 100 meter with a time of 9.82.

https://twitter.com/Vol_Track/status/872653353385205760

Baseball

Tennessee has hired Tony Vitello as its new head baseball coach. The job offer apparently came shortly after a 1:45 a.m. phone call from John Currie to Vitello, who was consoling himself by watching Tombstone after the Arkansas team of which he was an assistant coach had lost in the NCAA Tournament:

“I don’t know how good I am in a formal interview,” Vitello said, “but at 1:45 in the morning you throw everything out the window. It was just chatting about the job and … that turned into a teleconference the next morning and that turned into meeting some place (Tuesday) night.”

If you’re interested in a 12-click slideshow (or have a subscription), GoVols247 has a list of the MLB players Vitello has coached.

Tennessee Football commences summer workouts

Do you remember that old public service announcement about forest fires? We’re introduced to Smokey the Bear, who somberly says that, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Okay, hold that in your mind a second.

Now, do you remember comedian Steven Wright and his joke about seeing that Smokey the Bear PSA as a kid? You know, this one:

Yeah, that’s the feeling I had at the tail end of UT Football’s latest video showing the players starting the summer strength and conditioning program:

https://twitter.com/vol_football/status/872585221891268609

It’s my turn? Oh, no. Where does one buy a medicine ball?

Other Football

The SEC Network has a video of Cole Cubelic opining on the SEC’s Top 5 offensive lines. His list is Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, and then a bunch of others grouped together, including Tennessee. I still think the Vols’ o-line is being underrated and undervalued.

Great quote from offensive coordinator Larry Scott:

“I would never sacrifice recruiting. Never,” he said at the Big Orange Caravan stop in Chattanooga on Saturday. “You can be as good a coach as you want to be, but if you ain’t coaching good players and good people, good luck.”

VFLs

This is a great story about how Cam Sutton blew the Pittsburgh Steelers away with his knowledge of the game:

“We hold a dinner for all the NFL head coaches and general managers the night before our NFL Pro Day, when they come to our campus and they test our players,” Jones said. “Mike Tomlin, who’s a great friend of mine, and Kevin Colbert, the GM of the Pittsburgh Steelers, come in and take Cameron Sutton into our defensive back meeting room. Mike Tomlin says to Cam Sutton, ‘OK, pick a game, and I want you to talk about it. You’re gonna tell me your assignment.’ Cam says, ‘I want to watch the App State game, so they put the App State game in, and Cam is telling ‘em the front, the coverage, the defensive line’s responsibilities, the linebackers, the entire secondary.

“Then Kevin Colbert steps in and says, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re playing us. We don’t go for that game. You’ve rehearsed this. Take that game out. I want the second quarter of the Nebraska game.’ So they put the second quarter of the Nebraska game in, and Cam Sutton does the same thing, saying everyone’s assignment.

“Mike Tomlin comes out and says, ‘Butch, I need to see you.’ I said, ‘What’s up?’ He goes, ‘In all my years of coaching, I’ve never been through an interview like that. He could tell us everything.’

Woo for Cam.

Peyton Manning is becoming a strategic advisor to helmet-maker Riddell.

Recruiting

There were a whole bunch of new offers extended by the Vols’ coaching staff over the past couple of days:

 

Tennessee’s 2017 NFL Draft Presence a Return to Normalcy

In every season but two between 1939 and 2014, the Tennessee Volunteers had at least one football player taken in the NFL Draft.

The Vols dubiously doubled that number in the past two years, as zero players were taken by NFL teams. Again, we should take this opportunity to thank Derek Dooley for the 47,457th time.

So, when six Vols were plucked in the 2017 NFL Draft that just ended this afternoon, it felt like everything was right with the world. Led by living legend Derek Barnett—who was taken 14th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles—and highlighted by a fourth round that saw three Vols taken Saturday, it was a glorious showing for head coach Butch Jones and a testament to the turnaround in Knoxville.

You may (rightfully) be bristling at how things turned out on the field during a frustrating 9-4 2016 season, but there’s no question Jones’ recruiting is putting Tennessee in position to be successful once again.

Jones told GoVols247’s Wes Rucker in part on Saturday afternoon:

I know today is all about their players and their families, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment and just kind of reflect and talk about this being a great weekend for Tennessee football. It’s a great weekend for all of our players. They’ve done such a great job of not only representing their personal brands, but also the great brand of Tennessee. Obviously we’re very proud and excited for them—and not only them, but their families, as well.

There are plenty of reasons for Tennessee to be concerned after moving on from such a vaunted group of guys, but given that this is really Jones’ first class of NFL recruits, it’s also a reason to be excited about the future. Obviously, Jones and his staff is doing a good job evaluating players, and though the past couple of classes haven’t been as highly rated as the first two, there are plenty of prospects brewing in Knoxville.

Guys such as receiver Jauan Jennings, running back John Kelly, linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. and defensive end Jonathan Kongbo look like quality NFL prospects. The quarterback duo of Jarrett Guarantano and Quinten Dormady could evolve, too, and though the Vols don’t look to have a class as highly regarded as this year’s on the horizon any time soon, they have a smattering of talented players who could turn into elite pro players.

The most worrisome thing for Tennessee is next year doesn’t look like a big one on the prospects horizon. FOXSports.com’s way-too-early look at a 2018 mock draft features no Vols [unless you count Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson]… The Vols need players to develop and emerge who can keep this momentum going and keep having this pro angle selling point for prospects.

If Tennessee can just tread water in what should be a transition year in 2017—think eight or nine wins—the ’18 and ’19 classes are already off to exceptional starts, and this newly refurbished coaching staff looks like it can do some damage on the trail.

Plus, a showing like the past three days can play extremely well in living rooms. This is how Tennessee football is supposed to represent on draft day. And this isn’t just frilly window dressing, either. These are ideal situations for all players who were taken.

  • When you’re taken in the first round, 14th overall, you aren’t expected to ride the bench. Barnett won’t, and he is primed to have a great career in a city that fits his personality. We all remember the Nashville native abusing tackles, getting in extra pushes and slings on quarterbacks after the whistle and playing with a chip on his shoulder. For a gritty, abrasive fan base in Philly, Eagles fans will absolutely adore him. Barnett is big, mean and [most importantly] a really, really good football player. He’s an ideal fit in the NFC East and especially in the blue-collar city of Philadelphia.
  • Though the New Orleans Saints signed Adrian Peterson to go along with All-Pro running back Mark Ingram, who is just now coming into his own in the Big Easy, Alvin Kamara is the future at the position. It isn’t an ideal depth chart situation, but from a situational standpoint, there are fewer great fits than Kamara’s game and head coach Sean Payton’s scheme. This is, after all, the coach who helped turn Darren Sproles into a star, and Kamara’s game fits here. He’ll catch passes out of the backfield, probably play some special teams and gradually ease into some touches for the Saints. Eventually, it’ll be his backfield.
  • When it comes to NFL franchises, few [if any] are better-run than the Pittsburgh Steelers, and so for Cameron Sutton to land there is terrific. He could win that starting nickelback role as a rookie, and that’s a really good spot for the former UT shutdown cornerback. He may not have the speed to play boundary corner in the NFL, but going to a Steelers franchise that always puts a quality product on the field will be a great deal for Sutton. He will play a lot as a first-year player and could wind up a star in the Steel City.
  • The Detroit Lions desperately needed linebackers entering the draft and went a long way toward addressing those needs with the second-round pick of Florida’s Jarrad Davis then coming right back with Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the fourth round. JRM dealt with significant injuries in Knoxville, as we all know, but he was wildly productive when he was healthy. He isn’t the same kind of linebacker as Davis, but the duo are complimentary of each other. He’ll contribute right away, and his ability to help on special teams will be a big deal on the next level, too. JRM has an ideal opportunity to step right into the rotation as a rookie.
  • Josh Malone was taken in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Bengals, and he will provide some much-needed speed and playmaking ability to a team needing difference-makers on offense. Cincy plucked Washington speedster John Ross in the first round and added controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, whose pick prompted a Cincy television station to call for a Bengals boycott. Those two picks proved the Bengals need speed on that side of the ball, and so does the Malone pick. Along with A.J. Green and Brandon LaFell, Ross and Malone should slide in and get immediate reps. There’s, again, opportunity to play.
  • The most ideal situation for perhaps any Vol not named Barnett in the draft came when quarterback Joshua Dobbs was taken by the Steelers with the 135th overall selection, the same spot where the Cowboys took Dak Prescott last year, a player to which Dobbs has been often compared. With Ben Roethlisberger getting up in age and with backup signal-caller Landry Jones’ inefficiencies, Dobbs has a golden opportunity to step right in and slide into the No. 2 quarterback role. If that happens, he’ll almost certainly get some game reps, because Big Ben gets hurt every year due to his reckless play. If Dobbs progresses the way he could, that could be his job in two or three years, and the Steelers are always set up to win big right now. It’s just that type of franchise. Also, having a familiar face like Sutton around won’t hurt, and Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin has been around UT’s program a few times in the past couple of years.

So, not only was this weekend big for the Vols, it has the opportunity to keep paying dividends over the next few years as Jones begins his next round of pitches to prospects saying, “You could be the next Dobbs” or “We plan to use you like Alvin Kamara.” He’s already made that pitch this year to running back commitment Jashaun Corbin, and it will only continue.

Jones is right. The past few days were great to be a Tennessee Vol, and it will breed new Vols in the future. Now, if UT can only break through with some more prominent steps on the football field in the wake of Jones’ first strong NFL Draft class, the program can keep this momentum going.

That may be a big “if,” but this first group certainly did their part on the field, and they were rewarded handsomely in the draft.

Vols cornerback Cameron Sutton goes 94th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 NFL Draft (with highlights)

Add Cam Sutton to the list of Vols taken in the first three rounds of this year’s NFL Draft. Sutton was the third Tennessee player taken when he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 94th overall pick. 

It became obvious with this pick that as the draft progresses, the information that the analysts have on the guys gets increasingly suspect. It’s not that they had Sutton wrong, it’s just that one of the first things out of their mouths was a question about durability because he played in only seven games last year. Missing half of the most recent season sounds like a big deal until you dig a little deeper and discover that Sutton started every single game in his entire Tennessee career up until his first injury last season.

Sutton leaves Tennessee as the school’s all-time leader in passes defended with 30, and he had seven interceptions over the course of his career despite teams generally trying to avoid his side of the field. He also returned 45 punts, three of them for touchdowns. The guy will be missed.