Talking points: Total number of commitments after big weekend? Um . . .

by Joel Hollingsworth on Feb 2, 2009 7:36 AM EST in Rocky Top Talking Points

Tennessee

Huge, HUGE recruiting weekend for the Vols. The news? Not really huge. Or even large or medium- or regular-sized. In fact, few things changed and those that have are not really good news. Marlon Brown? Still undecided and will choose at a National Signing Day press conference between Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State, and Ole Miss. Sam Montgomery? Quiet, with Tennessee, LSU, Michigan, North Carolina, Clemson, and South Carolina all factors. D.T. Shackelford? De-committed. David Oku? Leaning toward Auburn. Aubrey Phillips? "I'm still committed to Tennessee, but on Signing Day there will be a change." Heh. Nice. He's leaning toward Auburn. Eddie Lacy? Undecided between Tennessee and Alabama. Tana Patrick? Set to announce on NSD at 9:00 his choice between Tennessee, Alabama, and Auburn. Orson Charles? Won't decide until after NSD and taking a visit to Southern Cal. Playing it close to the vest and nobody knows nothing. Kendall Kelly? Will commit to Tennessee, Alabama, Clemson, or LSU on NSD at 1:00 p.m. Brandon Moore? Won't sign with Tennessee. Probably going to Alabama. Jonathan Evans? Still committed to Auburn, is everybody's guess at this point. Marcus Hall? Considering Tennessee, but will likely end up at Ohio State. Terrance Coleman. No longer 100% sure of his commitment to Auburn. Nu'Keese Richardson? Still committed to the Gators, but "perfect" visit presented him with a dilemma. Robert Nelson? Did not commit despite saying that he would if an offer was waiting. DeQuinta Jones? Tennessee "a real factor" despite his commitment to Michigan. Also considering Auburn. Artice Kellam? Still committed to Ole Miss, but quiet after Tennessee visit.
So, um, yeah. That's 12 prospects, no commitments, one de-commit, and two hints that they are leaning toward Auburn and their primary recruiting contact Trooper Taylor.
On a related note, Track 'Em Tigers wonders whether Auburn fans could have been wrong about the Gene Chizik hire. I know he's done at least one thing right by hiring Trooper Taylor.
Pat Summitt's going for that 1,000th win tonight at Oklahoma. Game thread here at RTT tonight.
One of the things I didn't realize about Tennessee's win over Florida Saturday is that Wayne Chism not only avoided foul trouble for himself but that he's the one who got Nick Calathes into foul trouble early in the game.
Clay Travis fisks Stewart Mandel on his criticism of Kiffin's Coaching Chimera. Dr. Saturday takes down Paul Finebaum on his criticism of the same subject.

SEC

South Carolina experienced a season-defining moment by beating Kentucky in Rupp Arena and helping to make things interesting in the SEC East again. Kentucky fans are respectfully blaming their coach.
Florida fans do not like Bruce Pearl and are being a bit snarky about the latest loss to Tennessee: "Watching Bruce Pearl makes me sick and not even knowing that the Vols will lose to a mid-major during the first weekend of the NCAAs can stop that."

Nation

After the second player in two games was ejected for an errant elbow, Maize n Brew wonders who's going to get ejected next for what.

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Comments

I think it is a little unrealistic to think that any of those recruits would have already committed

They are top ranked recruits who have a lot of schools chasing them, so why would they suddenly decide to commit now when they can do so on NSD?

by rblakeh on Feb 2, 2009 9:23 AM EST reply actions

I hope you're right

Go Vols!

by Joel Hollingsworth on Feb 2, 2009 9:33 AM EST up reply actions

I never thought they would either. The Nelson guy is a little more curious because of his statement of intent to commit over the weekend. But what the heck does “intent to commit” mean? After all, the “commit” itself is a completely nonbinding verbal statement – technically not a commitment at all. So he intended to say that he’d someday sign a piece of paper though nobody could hold him to his word?

(I’m not bashing the guy at all. That’s the fault of the system in place, not him. But it’s easy to let the situation get overblown when “intent” is referred to as “commit”, and “forecast” is referred to as “intent”.)

by David Hooper on Feb 2, 2009 9:36 AM EST up reply actions

Adding to this:

Remember that the recruiting process is usually well over a year long between a player and a school. When a new coach comes in, the immediate class is almost always negatively affected – especially when the old coach was a national championship winner at a perennial powerhouse program. A top 10 class might be great to have, but it might be unreasonable to expect of any new coach in this circumstance.

No matter how the class turns out, let’s avoid the mistake many of us made with Clawson (that includes me) of overhyping the possibilities in our mind. It’s too easy to build imaginary standards when there’s nothing to keep us in check.

by David Hooper on Feb 2, 2009 9:39 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Love Dr. Saturday

I have to think anyone able to cause rival scribes to spill this much ink and drive a usuallly sensible Alabaman into the arms of Al Davis before his first spring game at a school that just went 5-7 with a loss to Wyoming must be doing something right.

Brilliant

by Getoffmyvols on Feb 2, 2009 11:39 AM EST reply actions

That was

the best line I’ve read in a while, and furthers my optomism of Kiffin. Based on last seasons results, Tennessee should not be a factor for the elite SEC schools or their press, yet here we are, in the crosshairs. He must be doing something right.

Scotty Hopson...found!

by Volorado on Feb 2, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions

The statement from Aubrey Phillips

Cracks me up.

by kidbourbon on Feb 2, 2009 2:26 PM EST reply actions

Good Luck to Pat Summit Tonight!!

I hope she gets that 1000 win! She is an outstanding coach and is very deserving! (As much as I HATE to agree with ANYTHING ANY Florida fan says or thinks, I have to admit Bruce Pearl DOES make me sick – sorry.)

by kentuckygirl0724 on Feb 2, 2009 3:34 PM EST reply actions

To each their own opinion,

but we’ll have a game thread open for the Lady Vols tonight, if you’re interested. It usually doesn’t get much of a showing, but it’s there if you’d like!

by David Hooper on Feb 2, 2009 4:37 PM EST up reply actions

Team Recruiting Rankings

Is it frustrating for fans to sit back and wait on all of these recruits? Of course, but I have learned a lot from watching class after class. The stars don’t really mean much people. Check out scout.coms top 50 five stars from 2005 (seniors this year). Remember, Morley, Crompton, and Coker were all 5 stars according to scout.com. Its unbelievable how much the lower rated players make such huge impacts compared to those “blue-chips”. Don’t get me wrong, I want some of these kids, and I would like to see Tennessee have a top ten class as much as anyone else, but a top ten RECRUITING class doesn’t always result in at top ten finish in 3 or 4 years. It won’t win the SEC for us either. It will help, but its not the end all be all. My biggest complaint with the Fulmer era was their lack in developing some of this talent. Look at Jerod Mayo. Look at how good he has been at New England, and he wasn’t even an All-American in college. Weird right? Either way, I expect a few surprises come Wednesday, and a few more “disappointment”, but lets see em coach. Lets see what Kiffin & Co. can do on the grass. We already have some great players on the roster. I expect us to come out and play well next year, then the kids will see how the program is going to be run and its success. Remember, don’t confuse effort with results.

by USMarineVol on Feb 2, 2009 5:10 PM EST reply actions

how recruiting affects wins

There is a correlation between recruiting rankings and on-the-field performance. It isn’t a 1 to 1 correlation of course, and coaching up the talent you get is how you get the most out of what you have. And, yes, there are busts and there are guys that outperform their recruiting rankings, but as a whole, recruiting is a good starting point as a predictor. This article explains it better than I can: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Hug-your-friendly-neighborhood-recruiting-rankin?urn=ncaaf,137146

by kidbourbon on Feb 2, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Hug-your-friendly-neighborhood-recruiting-rankin?urn=ncaaf,137146

Go Vols!

by Joel Hollingsworth on Feb 2, 2009 9:38 PM EST up reply actions

Hmm

Third time’s the charm.

Go Vols!

by Joel Hollingsworth on Feb 2, 2009 9:39 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, the hyperlink thing hates commas.

Hmm. Commas? Commae?

by David Hooper on Feb 2, 2009 10:45 PM EST up reply actions

Great Article

That was a great site. I haven’t ever seen anyone break recruiting down like that. Thanks for the link. I still think that the fans have to take a deep breath and go into tomorrow (NSD) ready for anything. And we must realize that Kiffin still has a lot to prove to the rest of the nation. We shall see!! Go Vols..

by USMarineVol on Feb 3, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions