Projecting the Future: Justin Meredith

by Brad Shepard on Jan 9, 2012 11:00 AM EST in Tennessee Volunteers Recruiting

JUSTIN MEREDITH, 6-5, 220 TE ANDERSON, S.C. [T.L. HANNA HS]

Ratings: Rivals 3* No. 13 tight end, Scout 3* No. 17 tight end, ESPN 4* No. 6 tight end, 247 3* No. 57 tight end. Chose UT over North Carolina, Clemson, Auburn, Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Mississippi State, NC State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.

STRENGTHS: First off, Meredith is an early enrollee, which helped Brendan Downs last year for UT. Meredith is likely more ready than Downs coming into school, despite not playing much tight end for his high school last year and focusing mostly on defense which is where they needed him. He has incredible speed [4.58] for his size, and he is also blessed with incredibly soft hands. He appears to run crisp routes on film, and he is a big target for quarterbacks. He was highly coveted for the Vols and appears to possess the potential to come in and help immediately, though he may be able to redshirt.

NEEDS WORK: I can't find much on film that I dislike, though it is a bit troublesome that he'll be rusty at the position after playing mostly defense as a high school senior. He isn't the strongest player, and several services say he needs a lot of work blocking. The Vols desperately need him to improve at blocking before he is sent onto the field.

CREDENTIALS: After a long commitment to North Carolina, he looked around and ultimately chose the Vols after Butch Davis and Everett Withers weren't retained. He was a participant in the Under Armour All-American Game, where he briefly played though he was injured. He also played in the Shrine Bowl. As a junior, he had 24 catches for 600 yards and three touchdowns. He played mostly defensive end for Hanna this past season. He finished with 42 tackles and eight tackles for a loss and made All-District.

OPTIMISTIC CEILING: Tennessee really targeted two tight ends from the outset -- Meredith and Alabama commitment Kurt Frietag. The Vols believe both will be all-conference type talents, and Meredith certainly has the frame to weigh 240-250, which UT wants. He is a terrific target, and once he has a year or two in UT's weight program, he is going to be a great player for the Vols. He has ideal height and hands, and he will be a nice get for UT. The extra time in the weight room prior to his freshman season with help greatly, too.

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Is there an off topic thread I'm missing?

Anyway, does this Ron Zook thing have legs? If so that’s not too cool imo.

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 9, 2012 12:37 PM EST reply actions

there have been so many conflicting DC rumors that I don't even know what to believe anymore

but if Phil Bennett is turning us down, we’re in trouble. We shouldn’t even need to offer a guy like him

If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
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by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 9, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions

Phil Bennett, Kevin Steele?

Did anyone from UT even watch these guys’ defense in their bowl games. If these are the type of DC’s that are being targeted, then they MUST be shooting for no more than mediocrity. I can’t believe than no one with better credentials is interested in SEC football and UT.

by Displaced_Vol_Fan on Jan 9, 2012 1:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

either this is all misinformation and we'll be pumped with the actual hire

or this is a sign that people see Tennessee as a sinking ship that nobody wants to board.

I’m afraid of the latter

If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
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by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 9, 2012 1:04 PM EST up reply actions

The longer this goes....

Has to make you think it’s the latter. All the employed DC’s have been done long enough to make a hire; and if Shannon is the target, he was unemployed so it could have been done a long time ago. The only other desirable candidate left still playing has already said no based on an article I read earlier. And to that article, I think Chavis’ comment about “they want you when you’re hot” was a direct stab at fans that were yelling for that staff to be fired for so long.

by Displaced_Vol_Fan on Jan 9, 2012 1:22 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

if it's the latter

we need to make a change at the top sooner rather than later. Like, unless we’re in the SECCG this year. Because I don’t know if anything less than that is going to make people believe in Dooley to the degree that they’ll jump onboard and work with him

If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk

by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 9, 2012 1:28 PM EST up reply actions

I hope that's not the case.

I really like Dooley and hoped that he would be successful. But I have to say I am losing faith with each passing day. Hopefully we’re just all being alarmists and he will make a splash hire and we go on to win 9+ games next season.

by Displaced_Vol_Fan on Jan 9, 2012 1:37 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

completely agree with this.

TN looks worse and worse with every swing and miss in the coaching searches. It sends out red flags much like when they were forced to settle on dooley. They should just sign a young solid DC and get some stability back. At that point, theyll be able to go for a big name later and have a better shot at landing them. They might get Randy Shannon and then all this will be null but anybody other than Shannon at this point will once again look like UT was forced to settle. thoughts?

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 9, 2012 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

I'm pretty much completely off the bandwagon...

but I’m still going to wait and see what happens.

There are plenty of good hires besides Shannon, and I’m not so much worried about being forced to settle so much as Dooley actually choosing a guy like Zook/Steele as a top choice. That would be a terrifying sign of his talent evaluation skills.

I keep hearing that he’s looking at NFL position coaches, which also terrifies me when there are plenty of good college DCs out there.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

I think we should just let this play out before hitting the panic button

Plenty of time to do that if necessary after the announcement. Remember there’s been absolutely zero credible info from the parties involved. Everything else is board chatter and ‘info’ from ‘insider connected’ people. I wouldn’t doubt that there’s even been some false flags planted by the AD.

by phil g on Jan 9, 2012 2:32 PM EST up reply actions

If they dont make a DC announcement today, theyre having trouble

with their search imo. By having trouble, I mean having to shift gears to options b. c. d. etc as option a. declined.

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 9, 2012 2:40 PM EST up reply actions

The longer the Shannon thing drags the more it seems like

Shannon turned down 1 million a year to be a DC. That just doesnt look good imo but then again he could still sign on. I agree with you though that there are plenty of talented DC’s out there and as Ive said before I wouldnt have gone after Shannon anyway. The only one I’m not fond of at all is Zook. Zook??? I was shocked his name even came up.

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 9, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions

even if he didn't suck...

I wouldn’t want Zook just because of faxgate. The guy literally betrayed the trust of the entire UT administration and his old boss.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 2:40 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not familiar with that. I'll have to look it up unless you can fit it in a comment?

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 9, 2012 2:48 PM EST up reply actions

Ron Zook...

had worked on UT’s staff alongside a coach named Jack Sells in the mid 1980s. Well, when UT fired Sells before the 1991 season Ron Zook asked him to get a copy of the UT offensive playbook.

Sells faxes the entire playbook to Zook, media gets wind of it. Zook denies knowing anything of it for quite a while but eventually the evidence became overwhelming when an employee at the Knoxville Kinkos produced the documents faxed by Sells.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions

Zook being the DC of Florida at the time

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions

Dang it guys!

You’re really scaring me with all of this Zook talk!

by Ben Miller on Jan 9, 2012 3:55 PM EST up reply actions

In the "where are they now" file...

There is an amusing NSFW thread about Jack’s current job, as an employee recruiter for a company called Stryker.

Also, I wish SBNation links defaulted to open in a new page.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Wow, just wow.

That makes me think the Zook thing has to be unfounded rumors. You cant let that slide. That’s “walk the plank” type stuff.

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 10, 2012 10:22 AM EST up reply actions

We're really stocking up on huge TEs.

I like it.

"Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson. 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"

by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 9, 2012 12:41 PM EST reply actions

So Meredith is a prime redshirt candidate, then?

Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.

by Chris Pendley on Jan 9, 2012 12:48 PM EST reply actions

looks like

If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk

by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 9, 2012 12:51 PM EST up reply actions

yay redshirts

Finally getting to the point where we can actually spend a year to grow and develop these prospects.

by phil g on Jan 9, 2012 2:29 PM EST up reply actions

Now we just need a year...

to grow and develop what’s left of our coaching staff.

GBO!!!

by PEEK-A-BOO on Jan 9, 2012 8:24 PM EST up reply actions

I would hope so.

We have Clear and Downs, and he needs to put on some weight. Perfection situation for a redshirt.

by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 9, 2012 12:55 PM EST up reply actions

Which means he should see his first action in the Bama game in October.

Too soon?

Lou Brock loves Lamp.

by birdjam on Jan 9, 2012 1:59 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah.

South Carolina is when we burn redhisrts.

Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.

by Chris Pendley on Jan 9, 2012 2:15 PM EST up reply actions

Are we talking about the same redshirt?

Lou Brock loves Lamp.

by birdjam on Jan 9, 2012 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

6-5, 220?

If he has a legitimate 40 time of 4.56, then put that guy in the slot.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 2:17 PM EST reply actions

Croom was timed that fast or faster at 227lbs.

Croom really is a freak.

"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski

by cerebralfish on Jan 9, 2012 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

I get on here thinking "wow, lot of interest in Meredith"

I see I was wrong.

Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.

Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!

by Brad Shepard on Jan 9, 2012 4:23 PM EST reply actions

Trying to keep the OT stuff in one place...

But Meredith is definitely intriguing. I am wondering at what point we have enough TEs though.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 4:31 PM EST up reply actions

Welcome to Rocky (Off-)Top(ic) Talk!

by David Hooper on Jan 9, 2012 6:26 PM EST up reply actions

speaking of which:

IMPROMPTU REMATCH LIVETHREAD GO

Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.

by Chris Pendley on Jan 9, 2012 7:58 PM EST up reply actions

Gotta be honest,

I just don’t have a lot of interest in this one. I might actually be ready for a break from football for a bit.

by David Hooper on Jan 9, 2012 8:26 PM EST up reply actions

My one thought on Zook:

Nobody, but nobody would be happier to seem him as UT’s DC than Spencer Hall.

by David Hooper on Jan 9, 2012 6:27 PM EST reply actions

James Franklin would probably enjoy it...

I feel the need to reiterate, he was DEMOTED from DC at Florida.

It’s actually a HUGE mystery how he ever got a job as a HC, that may have been the worst hire in the SEC in the last several decades given the resources of the program hiring(it’s between him and Mike Shula, but Florida was a much wealthier program at the time of the hire). I’ll give a pass on Dooley just because of the absurd time of year the hire was made.

by Caban on Jan 9, 2012 6:34 PM EST up reply actions

but he did then get a DC job in the pros

Ron Zook is Kevin Steele+. He’ll recruit like crazy and be pretty questionable as an actual DC. But less questionable than Kevin Steele.

If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk

by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 9, 2012 7:12 PM EST up reply actions