Leading role could land Cosby at UT

Quan Cosby, who signed with Texas in 2001 but never enrolled, is taking his official visit to UT as he ponders a possible switch from baseball to football.

"I haven't totally decided yet," the 23-year-old Cosby said when asked why he was giving up baseball. "My contract is up in June. That's when I would be done with it. My window of opportunity for being in the big leagues is still open. At the same time, my window for football is closing a lot faster."

That window, which seems to showcase a baseball future, may include Tennessee. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Cosby, who has been an outfielder for four years in the minor leagues with Anaheim, was drafted in 2001 in the sixth round by the Angels with the 179th overall pick.

Cosby played last season for Class A Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League. He hit .249 (113-for-454) with 12 triples, five home runs and 34 RBI and 24 stolen bases.

In 2000, Cosby was named USA Today second-team all-USA quarterback at Mart (Texas) High School.

"I've always had a passion for football," Cosby said. "That came from living in the state of Texas. I like contact instead of sitting in center field and hoping somebody hits you a fly ball," Cosby said. "That's the type of player I am."

The Cosby connection to Tennessee comes from UT running backs coach Trooper Taylor, a Texas native who played at Baylor then coached at Tulane.

"It's strange," Cosby said. "The last time Coach Trooper was at Tulane. Now, he's at Tennessee. We first met at Baylor. I went to a lot of games. He recruited me at Tulane. We kept in touch throughout."

Cosby said he is equally considering UT, Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor. He insists that UT fans shouldn't be concerned that Knoxville is the only site on his list outside of the Big 12. His baseball career has shown him most of the United States.

"I lived in Utah, Iowa, Arizona, and all over the country. It's (Knoxville's) a little further but that's not a big deal. I think highly of the university," Cosby said. "I always have. That's the main reason I'm coming on the visit and checking it out."

The soft-spoken Cosby isn't familiar with former UT wide receiver Kelley Washington but said he wouldn't mind following the former receiver's career path. Washington spent two years at UT after a minor-league baseball career. Washington left UT early and was chosen in the third round of the NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

"That would be the route I would take if possible but the education is important, too," Cosby said. "I would like to come in and make an impact as soon as possible."

"The opportunity is there (at UT) to play as soon as possible. That has some significance. That is a big aspect to it."

Equal Footing: Miami and Knoxville are 900 miles apart. But they both feel like home to Kenny Phillips.

The 6-2, 195-pound defensive back from Carol City High School in Miami, Fla., has many of the same things to say about East Tennessee and South Florida.

"I felt comfortable there. It's like home," Phillips said of his Jan. 22 visit to Miami. "Tennessee is the same thing. They're real big on family."

Phillips said he plans to make a decision on National Signing Day on Feb. 2.

Tiger Time: LSU is the latest school to jump in the Ricky Jean-Francois sweepstakes. The 6-3, 240-pound defensive lineman and teammate of Phillips, will take an official visit to Baton Rouge this weekend.

"I thought (LSU assistant) coach Jimbo (Fisher) was going to leave and go to N.C. State but he's going to stay," said Jean-Francois. "We've built a relationship."