Tennessee recruiting update: so far so good

by Joel Hollingsworth on Jan 18, 2010 7:00 AM EST in Rocky Top Talking Points

Today's Talking Points:

Recruiting update

Jacques Smith: has reaffirmed his commitment to Tennessee. He's even called Alabama and LSU to tell them, and he's told UT coach Derek Dooley to "stop wasting his time with him and go get him some more teammates." Heh. Gotta love that.
Zach Fulton: reaffirmed his commitment to Tennessee after hearing that Jim Chaney is staying and will run the offense.
Michael Palardy: Still committed to Tennessee, saying "I made my commitment to Tennessee not to Lane Kiffin." He will, however, take a visit to Miami so he has a backup plan. Why the backup plan? Because he's not sure Tennessee wants him because he's not heard from anyone yet. MEMO TO COACH DOOLEY FROM JACKSON THE MULE: CALL PALARDY STAT.

John Brown: Still committed to Tennessee "for now." He wants to meet Dooley. Probably a good sign.

Markeith Ambles: "Right now Markeith is still committed to Tennessee," says Markeith's dad. They didn't want to visit until we had a coach hired, and they want to meet coach Dooley. They're "also hoping that the new coaching staff reaches out to them." MEMO TO COACH DOOLEY FROM JACKSON THE MULE: GO SEE MARKEITH. NOW.

J.C. Copeland: "I'm still coming to Tennessee." Copeland wasn't concerned about the fact that the NCAA prevented him from meeting with his prospective new coach (Sheesh, come on, NCAA. That's just ridiculous.) He also didn't trash Lane Kiffin, saying folks said good things about both Dooley and him, but adds that, "I didn't pick my school for the coach in the first place. Wherever I go, I'm going to shine. And I'm going to do what I do I best. That's attack people." Heh. Remember that guy's name.

Football

Former Georgia coach Vince Dooley, Derek's dad, is not opposed to "a very special occasion where I might subtly and very conservatively wear something that might resemble orange." With all those wiggle words, it's no wonder that that guy raised a kid who wanted to go to law school. But good for him. Also, he knows about divided loyalties, as he was an Auburn QB before becoming a Georgia coach. At that link above, there's a link to the audio of the conference call out of which all of this information came, too, if you're interested.
Austin Ward has a helpful coaching search time line for posterity's sake.
Bryce Brown has said that he wants to stay at Tennessee, which I didn't even know was a question. He also said, though, that he might use spring practice to evaluate his future. What's up with that? Shouldn't be much to worry about because he's pretty clearly the No. 1 tailback, but you have to wonder about his state of mind.
The reason David Cutcliffe backed out on the Tennessee offer? "Finish the job you start," he said. "That's one of the things my dad also said, 'If you're going to do something, do it right and finish the job.' " Good for him.
Dooley's added two guys to his staff: Terry Joseph and Eric Russell. That link has a bunch of information on each guy.

Basketball

Cameron Tatum and Melvin Goins were back at practice yesterday. Pearl says that their reinstatement to the team "won't affect our rotation at all right now, but it will certainly give us the depth that we need down the stretch."
Emmanuel Negedu has returned home to Nigeria (same link) to be with his family after his sister passed away. Prayers for the Negedu family.
Josh Bone is still getting props for his fantastic defensive performance against Ole Miss's Chris Warren, who was tearing up an understandably tired Bobby Maze until Bone entered the game in relief of Maze. Once Bone got Warren, Warren went scoreless, going 0-6 and giving up two turnovers.

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Due respect to Coach Cut, but that's a complete line of BS

Cut said:

The reason David Cutcliffe backed out on the Tennessee offer? “Finish the job you start,” he said. "That’s one of the things my dad also said, ‘If you’re going to do something, do it right and finish the job.’ "

Anyone want to bet that the real reason he told UT to pound sand is out of loyalty to Phil Fulmer and the way he was run out of town?

Your choice is: finish the job at Duke (um, ACC championship? Really?) or snubbing UT publicly because of what happened to your best friend (and to you – being sacrificed for the Clawfense).

by memphispete on Jan 18, 2010 7:30 AM EST reply actions

There's probably truth to your statement,

but history tells us that Cutcliffe is loyal to his staff. That’s why Ole Miss dumped him. He believes he can win with his guys. Besides, at his age and health history, the pressure is so much less at Duke in the ACC than with the Vols in the SEC. I’m sure he also knew he wouldn’t be a popular pick. But ultimately, I think he wanted to do it his way (Fulmer didn’t run the offense when Cut came back the second time) and he wasn’t going to concede.

I’m glad he turned us down because that chapter in Vols’ football history has been written and put on the shelf. Let’s move on and see how the next chapter reads.

by ChattVol on Jan 18, 2010 7:58 AM EST up reply actions

I think

It was because Hamilton wouldn’t let Cut bring his coaches with him, not a platitude about finishing the job or whatever.

You're full of crap.

by rustytanton on Jan 18, 2010 7:59 AM EST up reply actions

Why would you ridicule a coach for doing what you wanted your coach to do?

by pLANEolG8RB8 on Jan 18, 2010 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

hey

first time actually posting on here. I honestly think we got the right man for the job this time around. Go get em CDD!

by jborovol on Jan 18, 2010 9:58 AM EST reply actions

Welcome!

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on Jan 18, 2010 10:26 AM EST up reply actions

"I'm J.C. Copeland, and I attack people."

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on Jan 18, 2010 10:26 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Quit making things about yourself, Bryce.

Jeez……we’ve had our quota of drama from you, sir. Man up.

Cannons... fire them.

Buc'Em - SBNation's home for discussion of all things regarding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

by Craig T on Jan 18, 2010 10:56 AM EST reply actions

With the way that Kiffin set Bryce on a pedestal, it's easy to see why he'd be all about himself.

At 18, that would have swelled my head pretty good too. It’ll be interesting to see how a Southern influence like Dooley impacts him.

by David Hooper on Jan 18, 2010 11:12 AM EST up reply actions

I listned to an interview with Vince Dooley

He was asked who he would cheer for against Georgia, and he said that family has always come first, even before he was a coach, so he will be quietly pulling for his son against Georgia.

by golfballs03 on Jan 18, 2010 11:25 AM EST reply actions

Yeah and Dawg Sports had a field day about that

Breaking News: Dawg Sports sucks.

RIP Steve McNair (1973 - 2009) Retire #9!

by Pride of the Southland on Jan 18, 2010 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

how have these guys not been contacted yet??

by golfballs03 on Jan 18, 2010 11:35 AM EST reply actions

That's what I'm wondering

I have heard that Dooley neglected to meet with the guys on this recruiting visit so that he could petition the NCAA for more visits. Hope that works out.

by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 18, 2010 11:42 AM EST up reply actions

If we end up losing Palardy because he isnt being contacted by the new coaches, that will not be a good sign of things to come. Anyone who knows ANYTHING about the current state of UT football knows that Palardy may end up being the most valuable player next season.

by vol95 on Jan 18, 2010 11:47 AM EST up reply actions

I don't think we'll lose Palardy over this.

The NCAA has a rule that, once you’ve used 75% of your allotment of official visits, you can no longer petition for more due to extenuating circumstances. If Dooley had met with recruits this weekend, UT would have gone over 75%. By not meeting with them, UT will now petition for more (14 I believe) based on the change of coaches. The self-sacrificial gesture should help get this through as well. And everybody who was here this weekend can come back on an official later, since this weekend didn’t count; they’ll get their chance to meet Dooley.

Also, with the open period, he may make home visits with some of these kids.

The NCAA rule really ought to make more of an exception for coaching changes so that this weekend’s awkwardness wouldn’t have to happen, but the rules are the rules.

by David Hooper on Jan 18, 2010 12:03 PM EST up reply actions

I hope this move works out for us

Another 14 visits would be huge for this staff. Kind of refreshing seeing a coach pettition the NCAA instead of breaking rules and then ask for forgiveness, or just not caring all together.

Is there any news out there on who might fill the last spots on the staff and in case I missed it is Coach T going to be the Defenseive coordinator?

by bullrider73 on Jan 18, 2010 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

Taylor to Florida

http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2010/01/18/after-tennessee-debacle-michael-taylor-blessed-to-be-a-gator/?cxntfid=blogs_recruiting

I may have misse dya’ll covering this but just in case

"Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football." John Heisman

by Joseph Stanley on Jan 18, 2010 12:22 PM EST reply actions

This guy sounds like a really good kid and I'm glad we got him.

It was really strange to me that UF had not even recruited him before C Strong left. I read in another story that when Florida called his mama was over joyed and cried and he knew then that UF was the place that he wanted to be. I think it was good of him that he was going to tell the UT staff that he was changing his commitment before he put it on the street. That by itself told me that he was a man and we can expect great things out of him at UF.

by pLANEolG8RB8 on Jan 18, 2010 9:13 PM EST reply actions