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"I'm really feelin orange and white lately. Knoxville might need to make some room for me"

The #7 overall recruit Demarcus Walker said this on his Twitter. He is a beast of a DT!

KNOXVILLE — A new recruiting problem has surfaced for the University of Tennessee football program, Athletic Director Mike Hamilton told the New York Times on Friday.

. . . .

Rubio flew to South Florida with Coach Lane Kiffin recently and visited the high school football power St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale.

Under NCAA. rules, Rubio, a graduate of Aquinas and who volunteered at the high school, is not allowed to recruit off the Knoxville campus, the Times said. Hamilton said the NCAA's concern is whether Rubio did recruiting work and contacted players while he was at the high school.

"If I like it, I might commit there (in Knoxville)," said Bray, who committed to San Diego State in July. "Who knows? It depends on how I feel."

"I have been on a short leash and at Tennessee I am on even a shorter leash," Hood said. "If I jaywalk, I will make the front page. I think that is one of the prices that you have to pay. I honestly don't think it's that big of a price, to be disciplined and do the right thing."

"Your quarterback is the face of your franchise," said Kiffin. "This is a big deal to get this one right, to get these one or two guys right. We're doing everything we can. Our coaches have been all around the country. Last week was the first time we could go out. We sent them out. We've seen a bunch of workouts. They've mailed tapes back to me already where I've started to watch quarterbacks work out. That's what I really miss right. As fun as this is, I wish I was out recruiting and I wish I was out evaluating. The evaluation process is so critical.

Bryce Brown finally ended the extra-long soap opera that his signing had turned into on March 16. After committing to Miami, his recruitment was still wide open.

Among his suitors were Oregon, Kansas State, LSU, Miami, who may or may not have retracted the offer, and Tennessee, who he decided to sign with.

One of the reasons he decided to go with Tennessee over the others was that he felt they would get him to the NFL. He stated, "I thought they were the best school to prepare me for the next level."

I had to laugh at that a little bit.

When asked what [Markeith Ambles'] top highlight was from his one day spent in Knoxville, he quickly responded.

"We were in a dark theater and all of a sudden they turned on the lights and the coaches ripped off their shirts," Ambles said with a laugh."It was like in the army and it got crunk up in there. Some of the players that were in there did some chants. It got crunk."

Marcus Halll has committed to Ohio State.

Lane Kiffin will become Tennessee's 21st head coach later today and Midwest City, Okla., tailback David Oku couldn't be happier. Tennessee hired the man that Oku was hoping for since Phillip Fulmer was fired almost a month ago.

"That's who I was pulling for," Oku said. "I feel real good about it. I'm just ready to get the show on the road."

10. (NR) Tennessee
11 verbal commitments
Wide receiver Je'Ron Stokes (Philadelphia/North East) is a much needed vertical threat and Damien Thigpen (Manassas, Va./Stonewall Jackson) is lightning in a bottle and would be great for David Clawson's offense, but he might be tailored for the corner position.