Brent Vinson didn’t know it when he arrived at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., but his time in prep school would be exactly what he needed.

Vinson, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound wide receiver, signed with Tennessee on National Signing Day on Feb. 1, but he was ruled ineligible because he didn’t receive a qualifying entrance exam score.

Vinson instead enrolled at Hargrave and decided he needed to make some changes.

"I knew it starts with looking in the mirror at myself," he said. "I didn’t really put forth as much effort as I was supposed to to get to UT. I was real immature."

Vinson admitted he wasn’t ready for college when he graduated from Phoebus High School in Hampton, Va., in the spring. Becoming a college athlete was probably the last thing he needed.

"I think if I didn’t go to Hargrave that I probably would’ve messed myself up if I would’ve gone straight to Tennessee," he said. "So I’m thankful for going here."

Vinson, who plans to return to UT once he’s ruled eligible, has seen himself grow up during his time at Hargrave. He wakes up each morning at 5:30. He got rid of his braids and shaved his head.

"It’s basically becoming a man and knowing there’s a time to do certain things and there’s a time not to," he said. "When it’s time to work hard, it’s time to work hard."

The work Vinson has put in has been a relief to his mother. Vinson said he used to stay out of the house and hangout with the wrong crowd in Hampton, leaving his mother at home to worry.

"I wouldn’t come home for some nights and my mom couldn’t even sleep," he said. "She knew what’s out there and how easy it is for something to happen to somebody. She was on me all along, but now she’s been very happy."

Vinson said he’s ready to take the work he’s put in at Hargrave and use it at UT. He took an official visit to UT last weekend and said he expects to make an immediate impact at receiver.

"I like stepping up to challenges and getting in and doing what I’ve got to, playing and feeling comfortable," he said. "I already feel comfortable at Tennessee just walking around."

Vinson was joined on his visit by eight other UT commitments, and two other players, linebacker Chris Walker and cornerback DeAngelo Willingham, committed to the Vols during their visit.

Vinson said the group is already starting to feel like a family.

"We just talked about how hard we’re going to work and build that chemistry when we get there as a team," he said. "I feel big things are going to happen. A lot of guys seem down to earth and hungry and ready to do the dirty work to get it done."

Vinson said he hopes to be cleared in time to enroll at UT before the spring semester begins in January. If not, he said he plans to be in Knoxville in time for summer school in June.

"I’m just ready to get focused," he said. "Some part of that is to leave other people behind in my hometown and kind of do my own thing and not follow the crowd."