Recruiting

[ReVOLver]

All numbers and rankings are according to Rivals.

The Vols are currently ranked 12th in the Rivals team rankings but that list is not quite up to date as it does not include Pig Howard. SEC schools that are above them right now are Alabama (3), LSU (5), Texas A&M (6), AU (7), UF (8). Below them are South Carolina (15), UGa (17), VU (19), Arkansas (25), MSU (42), Ole Miss (44). UK and Mizzou are not in the top 50.

The Vols currently have 20 commits, so room for five more... Nine four-stars, nine three-stars, and two two-stars. Link to commit list is at the bottom of this post. Blanc and the kicker from Knox are grayshirt candidates if we need space. The only commit that I have read to be wavering is four-star DB LaDarrell McNeil whose lead recruiter is Eric Russell. Dooley has a tie there with his HS coach though.

It is a good class with good numbers at need positions. One glaring thing is that there are no offensive linemen on it. Considering we bring everybody back, that isn't surprising, but one has to wonder if that creates a hole in 2 years when Stone, Fulton, Bullard leave. OL will be a need in the next class.

We need defensive linemen and a gamebreaking running back. The DL names on the board are JUCOs Darrington Sentimore and Denico Autry. Both are SEC caliber players who could come in and push for PT immediately. Right now the scuttle is that UT gets both. There is another longshot in JUCO Daniel McCullers.

At running back, former Clemson RB James Davis's younger brother Mike recently visited and opened up his recruitment by decommitting from UF. A lot of people think FSU but UT has a shot. Even if he goes to FSU, that might open things back up for Mario Pender, who visited here as well.

We will hold a spot for Cordarelle Patterson. He's that kind of player.

Assuming everybody stays committed, a perfect final five would be Sentimore, Autry, McCullers, Davis, and Patterson.

Commit list: http://rivals.yahoo.com/tennessee/football/recruiting/commitments/2012

[BigOrange Maniac]

Assuming everybody stays committed, a perfect final five would be Sentimore, Autry, McCullers, Davis, and Patterson.

If our staff is able to hit a grand slam and land all five of those guys, coming off 6-7 and 5-7 seasons, it's going to make me giddy about the possibility of what they can do if they can ever get the ball rolling on the field. It isn't going to change my mind about Dooley's ability to get the job done; he's gonna have to win me back on the field next fall. But it sure would paint things in a better light as we approach spring practice.

[ReVOLver]

If our staff is able to hit a grand slam and land all five of those guys, coming off 6-7 and 5-7 seasons, it's going to make me giddy about the possibility of what they can do if they can ever get the ball rolling on the field. It isn't going to change my mind about Dooley's ability to get the job done; he's gonna have to win me back on the field next fall. But it sure would paint things in a better light as we approach spring practice.

In a word... yep.

[Volznut]

That's a damn good synopsis of where we are, good job!

Two other guys to keep an eye on are Darius Hamilton (visiting in Jan) and Will Redmond (committed to MSU) but visiting and could be swayed

I think we could tell a couple of guys to look elsewhere if  certain things happe

[ReVOLver]

If our staff is able to hit a grand slam and land all five of those guys, coming off 6-7 and 5-7 seasons, it's going to make me giddy about the possibility of what they can do if they can ever get the ball rolling on the field. It isn't going to change my mind about Dooley's ability to get the job done; he's gonna have to win me back on the field next fall. But it sure would paint things in a better light as we approach spring practice.

That one word being said though, I think signing McCullers, Sentimore, and Autry to go with Jacobs who is already committed is a pipe dream. Put those guys together with Couch and what we have coming back and all of a sudden we have a DL that's just below Bammer and LSU. Walls, Hood, Bohannon, etc would be solid depth guys.

[ReVOLver]

That's a damn good synopsis of where we are, good job!

Two other guys to keep an eye on are Darius Hamilton (visiting in Jan) and Will Redmond (committed to MSU) but visiting and could be swayed

I think we could tell a couple of guys to look elsewhere if  certain things happe

Good call on Hamilton and Redmond. There is another RB from Indiana I think that might be a fallback if we don't get Davis (or less likely Pender) but I spent all my afternoon leisure time writing the OP and don't want to go look up who it is. 

[BigOrange Maniac]

That one word being said though, I think signing McCullers, Sentimore, and Autry to go with Jacobs who is already committed is a pipe dream. Put those guys together with Couch and what we have coming back and all of a sudden we have a DL that's just below Bammer and LSU. Walls, Hood, Bohannon, etc would be solid depth guys.

Frankly, my friend, pipe dreams are about all we have to cling to as VOLS fans these days.  /

[ReVOLver]

Frankly, my friend, pipe dreams are about all we have to cling to as VOLS fans these days.  /

 

[Volcreed]

Gut feeling and pure rumors I think:

Autry, Sentimore and Jacobs VFL

Ladarrell McNeil ends up somewhere else

Mccullers and Davis no clue.

good post!

[ReVOLver]

Mike Davis is going to visit UGa officially. This is not good news. They held off offering for the longest but he grew up a fan and said that they didn't have to make up any ground because they are Georgia.

Over at the VS the resident recruiting gurus seem to think that Mike's brother James is the problem between Mike and UF. FWIW James came down to UT and Clemson and almost came to UT. It was very close.

[Black Diamond Vol]

It should be easier to recruit quality OL.  Now that Tauren Poole is no longer here running up the back of their legs, they're no longer at risk for a major achilles  injury.

[Volznut]

Mike Davis is going to visit UGa officially. This is not good news. They held off offering for the longest but he grew up a fan and said that they didn't have to make up any ground because they are Georgia.

Over at the VS the resident recruiting gurus seem to think that Mike's brother James is the problem between Mike and UF. FWIW James came down to UT and Clemson and almost came to UT. It was very close.

That is interesting, and further makes me believe that Crowell is not going to be a dawg in 2012.

[droner]

That is interesting, and further makes me believe that Crowell is not going to be a dawg in 2012.

The scuttlebutt from UGA fans here is that with the signing of Marshall, Crowell is on thin ice. If they get another good RB the ice might be very thin.

[Volznut]

The scuttlebutt from UGA fans here is that with the signing of Marshall, Crowell is on thin ice. If they get another good RB the ice might be very thin.

From what I understand he is not really college material. He has had issues even before he got to campus