Vols get Shaw to commit

The lineman from Northside High School in Lafayette, La., will announce today he is committed to play football for UT.

"The coaches were talking about me as a player, a person and as a man," Shaw said in an exclusive interview with the News Sentinel. "My parents enjoyed the visit."

The 6-foot-5, 330-pounder said once his mother saw UT's campus; the decision was all but made.

"She liked it a lot," Shaw said. "She was pretty confident that I'd do good up there. I know I'd have to leave home sometime. I'm not just choosing a school, I'm choosing a place to live."

Shaw said UT junior defensive tackle Tony McDaniel's decision to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft factored into his decision.

"That situation helps me to play," Shaw said, "if not my freshman year, then my sophomore year."

Shaw was in limbo with UT after former UT coach Pat Washington was fired in November. Washington had been heading up the charge for Shaw. Evidently, coach Trooper Taylor more than picked up the slack.

"Ah, man, he's a people person," Shaw said of Taylor, "a dude you can really sit down with and have a conversation. He's a nice coach."

Shaw's commitment is even more impressive considering UT beat out Florida for his services. The Gators already have one of the nation's top recruiting classes and represented Shaw's other finalist.

Shaw said Florida and LSU -- the early leader for his services -- recruited him to play on the offensive line, whereas UT recruited him as a defender.

Was that the difference?

"Not really," Shaw said, "because I probably can do good at either position. I'd rather play defense because that's what I've been playing my whole life."

Shaw said UT's family-first approach gave them an edge. As for Florida, such a bond was never established.

"I didn't really get along with the coaching staff like I thought would," he said.

Shaw is UT's 19th commitment of the 2006 class. National Signing Day is Feb. 1. The Vols are expected to sign approximately 25 prospects.

Last Call: UT coach Phillip Fulmer and Taylor are trying to woo receiver Tim Hawthorne after the Homewood (Ala.) High School star publicly eliminated UT from his list of potential schools earlier this month. The two UT coaches visited Hawthorne on Sunday night.

It might be worth the effort. Hawthorne grew up following the Vols and said he was very interested in UT early in the recruiting process. The 6-2, 200-pounder also is considering Auburn and South Carolina.