I’m listening to Basilio’s podcast with this guy now, and will make random notes from what he says, if important or noteworthy.
Keyshawn Lawrence’s commitment: Terry Fair did a great job when he was here, but it was Ansley who closed the deal. He has a “little dog” in him, and kids like and look up to him. This DB class: This is the 9th or 10th DB that Pruitt has signed and the first class that we’re signing kids who look like Bama signs. Long, big, who will hit you and then talk about it.
Hanes King: He’s smaller, and looks like a gamer, not a college athlete. Recruiting services list him as 6’2” 195lbs...but X says that he’s not nearly that big. He doesn’t believe that he is that big, but is closer to 5’10 and 175lbs. This is an example why Pruitt requires people to camp, so that he can get accurate measurements. He is wildly athletic, can take snaps under center or the gun, and is a legitimate runner. X doesn’t think that JG will stay for his senior season, because his stock will never be higher, and 5 of his 6 top targets will be leaving after this season. He may go NFL, but he’ll be eligible to leave as a grad transfer after this season. He thinks JT Shrout will transfer, as he was a Helton guy, but isn’t what either Pruitt or Chaney wants. That would leave us with only Harrison Bailey in the QB room, making it imperative that we sign two QB’s in this class. He mentioned Malik ?, a kid from Texas who just de-committed from UNC, and who Tennessee really likes. He mentioned GA QB Tee Webb as someone who Tennessee may also look at. He’s currently committed to FSU, but X thinks that Willie Taggart is not long for Tallahassee, because it’s a “dumpster fire” right now, and Tennessee will have interest if he has a good senior season.
Both X and Basilio believe that Jimbo Fischer ends up in Baton Rouge, and sooner rather than later. They act like this is common knowledge. Coaches are pretty much on vacation right now, as are all college coaches. Receivers: FL WR Jones Bell told TN he was committing to us in the morning, but then later announced for Bama, later that day. That was a “body blow” to the staff. TN never stopped recruiting them, and X still thinks we lead for Rakhim Jarrett & Jones Bell. DL: Believes that TN is in “really, really good shape with 3-4 of its tops targets on the DL”. X loves Travon Ripka from the mid-state. LB: TN in it with Noah Suell out of Utah, and are in it for Noel Smalls out of Washington. Random stuff: Cooper Mays commitment was huge. Expects good news from Maryville’s Tee Hodge in the next few weeks. Couldn’t have asked for more in June, in X’s opinion.
Upcoming Season Key Performance Indicators: X believes that it’s important that we show that we can put 5 guys on the OL that can block somebody, because until we do, we aren’t going to be in it for any elite RB’s. They also have to show that they can give the QB time to throw it down the field. Believes we need to be 8-4 and get into a Florida bowl game, for next year’s recruiting.
The in state group of linemen is impressive. Omari Thomas, Rybka, Hardy and Tyler Baron are all legit SEC talents. Chris Morris, OG, is between TAMU and Tennessee Reggie Grimes is an odd recruitment. He's a Bama legacy that Alabama hasn't recruited, but he's a 4/5 star on recruiting services. Right now, it's a South Carolina/Tennessee battle, but it feels like Tennessee has him behind a few guys. Clemson told him no thanks earlier this summer.
i just watched a couple of highlights of the King kid and he's smoothe. A lot of snaps under center. A lot of playaction, rolling out and has various releases with ability to throw off either foot. Plus when he rolls he can tuck if he wants to. Didn't see many runs, but more capable of a qb draw or run than with JG or Shrout. Not as big of an arm as the kid we have committed.
Rocker & Sherrer Suck at Recruiting Tracy Rocker has been “a zero” on the recruiting trail thus far, and X was surprised that he survived the off-season to signing day. He’s a good tactician, but failing on recruiting won’t last with Pruitt. Sherrer was straight up demoted, as Pruitt was calling the defense as early as midway through the first game last season, and has been a flop at recruiting. When hired, Sherrer told Pruitt that he could deliver ILB Travarius Marshall, and who ended up signing with UGA. While he got the kid on campus several times, the kid never wavered in his commitment to UGA, and Sherrer could never close the deal. Sherrer and Fair were the lead recruiters on Chris Russell from west TN, and who we not only lost hut never really challenged for. Sherrer and Rocker never landed a big fish. JJ Peterson was Pruitt’s guy. Roman Harrison was Coach Stiff’s guy. Couch and To’oto’to were Niedermeyer’s guys. Pruitt Calling Plays Pruitt was calling the defense in the spring game, instead of his new DC, Ansley. If he tries to call plays on offense, Chaney will squash him and will send him back to defensive side of the ball.
Pruitt, Other Coaches & Negative Recruiting Smart & Muschamp don’t like Pruitt, and he likes them even less. USC is historically a middling team in the SEC, and they are known to be prolific negative recruiters. Muschamp, as a coach, is also known to be a negative recruiter back from his days at Auburn, and continues to be, today. It’s basically haters stacked on haters in Columbia. People are negatively recruiting TN because they are afraid that Pruitt is going to rebuild the talent at TN and upset the current status of the SECE.
if I was at another school, i'd say to a recruit, "do you really want to go play for a program that can't beat Vanderbilt".
Defensive Line Recruits Bama didn’t take Cornelius Bennett’s kid and that’s why he’s at TN. Jay Hardy (sp?) Has family connections to TN. He’s out of Chattanooga, and is right a fringe of being Top 100 player. UGA & Stanford are heavily involved. Believes it comes down to TN & UGA. Sees his recruitment going longer, but TN is in good shape with him, Reggie Grimes He’s a “get off the bus first” kind of guy (no idea what that means). He’s 6’5” 240lbs. TN wasn’t recruiting him hard because he was going to Bama, and Pruitt respects the father and his decision. They’re wondering if he’s going to put on 20lbs and play LB or stay at DE. He may not be a take for Bama, depending on how their board falls, because he’s a little raw. USC is trying very hard to get involved with him. TN has really ramped it up with him. Lawrence? It’s critical to get the “Lawrence kid” from the mid-state, because he’s the kind of kid to pick up the phone and get other kids on board with whomever he commits to. Rocker & Sherrer X doubts that either can close the deal with any, and thinks you should watch who they get paired up with as co-recruiters. Rocker needs Tee or Neiedermeyer’s help. Final Haul / Best Case TN needs to come out on top with 3-4 of the following top targeted DL recruits (remember, I’m listening to this, so I’m probably screwing up the spelling of names): Hardy Grimes Lawrence Omari Thomas from Memphis Trayvon Ripka Jacoby Cowen Oxendine kid from KY ILB TN has pretty much moved on from the ILB from Athens, GA, as he is really looking only at Stanford and UGA. Bryson Eason The problem with Bryson Eason is he wants to play together with buddy from HS, and buddy is not an SEC player. He might have started coming off of this stance, and it’d be good if he did, because he’s great - but Pruitt won’t take a non-contributing friend in order to get him. Corbett Mims Kid from Memphis, and who TN is a lot more in play with than many realize.
WR Dorian Turner (Memphis) Will he play WR, TE or be an OLB in college? Camped at TN, and they like him, but he likely lacks the elite speed they’re looking for. Pruitt has told him that he wants him at TE or OLB, but not WR. Arkansas recruiting him by promising WR.
Real Areas of Need We really needs two RB’s in this class, and one needs to be a game-breaker type. Our ability to land an elite RB will coincide with the quality of our OL newcomers and recruits. Eric Gray has been “blowing people’s minds” in 7-on-7 and since he’s been on campus. TN / Pruitt loves this kid. Neither Gray nor Chandler are every down backs, and which TN desperately needs. Being Recruited Over Many current players - including the entirety of our current OL guys - know that they are being actively recruited over, and that their time to play is short. These new guys may not play significant minutes in Game 1-3, but after Florida, they’re going to be playing a lot of significant minutes. Pruitt sees them as the future and wants to start breaking them in right now.
I believe get off the bus guy means you basically send him off the bus early because he looks like a beast. I could also be very wrong. We did land Lawrence after a trip to Miami began with them misspelling his name.
