Bolivar's Willie Kemp draws a foul while driving past Martin Luther King's Johnny Lee in the Class AA state semifinal game in Murfreesboro last March.It's Football Time in Tennessee.

But it's also basketball recruiting time.

This weekend could prove to be the most pivotal in recent men's basketball recruiting history. Some of the top players in the country will be a part of the Big Orange Nation.

UT commitments Marques Johnson and Wayne Chism are expected to visit campus, as are two other top national prospects, point guard Willie Kemp and junior college standout Sonny Weems.

Kemp, a Bolivar Central High School teammate of Chism, is the country's No. 6-rated point guard and the No. 46 player in the nation, according to rivals.com.

Weems, a 6-foot-6 wing from Arkansas Fort-Smith, has great athleticism and can shoot the 3-pointer. Weems is the No. 3-rated junior college prospect in the nation according to rivals.com.

Obviously, with four seniors, there's plenty of early playing time available at UT in 2006-07.

Chism and Johnson are a great start to this recruiting class. Should the Vols also land Kemp and/or Weems, the Class of '06 would be a certifiable slam dunk.

Then there's Duke Crews, a 6-7, 235-pound standout from Hampton-Bethel (Va.), who's considering the Vols along with North Carolina, Wake Forest and Georgetown.

Pearl, while not allowed to comment on recruits, said he's hoping any player who comes in for a visit this season gets an eyeful.

"We have the pageantry of an SEC football game and the Vol Walk,'' Pearl said. "Having recruits on the field and sitting in the end zone seats, it doesn't get any bigger or better than Neyland Stadium.''

It's quite a change from the recruiting weekends Pearl hosted at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where a soccer or volleyball game was the order of the day.

It's also one of the reasons Pearl jumped at the chance to coach what many others saw as a downtrodden program.

Pearl's enthusiasm is legitimate. It's also infectious.

Suddenly, what fans viewed as a half-empty Thompson Boling Arena appears half-full.

"It's the largest on-campus facility in the country, and we're proud of it,'' Pearl said. "We really have great facilities, and we're working on making them even better. We'll get a new basketball practice facility.''

Pearl said he's anxious to show prospects the locker rooms, training rooms and Thornton Center.

But it's most often the people who make a difference in recruiting. UT basketball players, Pearl said, are his best recruiters.

In addition to Pearl and his squad, UT men's basketball will be making a statement to all with its lettermen's reunion.

Fan favorites Dale Ellis, Reggie Johnson and Ron Slay are expected to be among the more than 100 former players on campus, along with former coaches Don DeVoe and Ray Mears. They, along with Pearl, will be honored at halftime of Saturday's game against Alabama-Birmingham.

"Then there's coach (Pat) Summitt and (Phillip) Fulmer,'' Pearl said. "They've been terrific about going way out of their way to meet recruits.

"They're the faces of UT athletics.''

While that's the case on a national level, Pearl has seen to it that he's gotten out and about and established an identity in the community.

Tonight Pearl will be at the West High School football game to watch his son, Steven, who plays defensive end for the Rebels. Chances are, Pearl will be walking and talking with anyone who mentions UT basketball.

Come Saturday, it will be back to work for Pearl.

You'd think the incoming prospects will attend the 9 a.m. open basketball scrimmage at Thompson Boling Arena before heading to the game against UAB.

Then, it will be time for sightseeing and campus viewing, with Pearl leading the tour.

"They'll fly in and see those lakes, mountains, housing developments and the boats on the river,'' Pearl said, sounding more like a mayor than a basketball coach. "Knoxville is attractive to the eye; you have the hills at day, the lakes at night.''

And this weekend, Pearl has his shot at the recruits and a promising future.