It took a couple of tries, but Ahmad Paige finally made his way to Tennessee. And he’s glad he did.

Paige missed his first flight for his official visit to UT on Friday, but he said assistant coach Trooper Taylor helped him find a later flight. The wide receiver from Sterlington (La.) High School said the wait was worth it.

"It was an amazing trip," the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder said. "I’m glad I took it. Once I got there, the game was exciting. They had 109,000 fans and the checkerboard end zone.

"You really don’t appreciate it until you get to see it."

There was a time when Paige wasn’t sure he would ever visit UT. He was concerned about the Vols because of last year’s 5-6 season, but UT’s turnaround this season changed his mind.

"I started learning about Tennessee," he said. "They started throwing the ball around. They lost to Florida but beat other teams.

"With (Robert) Meachem and (Bret) Smith and (Jayson) Swain, they throw the ball all over the place. I was like, ‘I’ve got to get down there.’ "

Paige, who was hosted by Meachem, Swain and running back LaMarcus Coker, said he saw a family atmosphere among UT’s players.

"They were telling me (Saturday) night if one day you wake up and need $20, hands down they give it to you," he said. "If you need a car to go to Wal-Mart, you’ve got it. They take care of each other."

Paige said he will need teammates to lean on during tough times because family members won’t be nearby to help.

"I’m not going to be close to home," he said. "I’ll need to be where I’m comfortable."

Another important factor in Paige’s decision is early playing time. He said UT’s coaches promised he could play early if he earned his time.

"The coaches were telling me, ‘We won’t tell you you’ll start. You come in and learn the system and you’ll definitely have a spot here,’ " he said.

Paige said he was impressed by backup quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who replaced injured starter Erik Ainge in the second quarter in UT’s 28-24 loss to LSU. Paige said the future looks bright at quarterback for UT.

"I didn’t know Crompton was a redshirt freshman," he said. "He did a great job. He was throwing it all over the place. The quarterback situation is pretty good I think."

Paige said he remains committed to Florida State, but his recruitment is still open. He took an official visit to Georgia on Oct. 21, when UT beat the Bulldogs 51-33, and he plans to take three more official visits.

He said he will visit Florida next weekend, Southern Cal on Nov. 25 and Florida State sometime after his high school season.

The Seminoles’ struggles have left Paige concerned about the team he committed to in September.

"They’re really close on my radar," he told the News Sentinel last week. "I thought they were going to have a banging year this year when they beat Miami (on Sept. 4). It’s kind of like since Miami it’s been downhill from there. In a sense it’s kind of disappointing."

Paige said he plans to take an unofficial visit to UT before National Signing Day on Feb. 7 so his parents can see the campus.

Davis to Visit: Paige said good friend Luther Davis, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive end from West Monroe (La.) High School, plans to take an official visit to UT.

Paige said he wanted his friend to visit with him this weekend, but Davis’s high school coach preferred he wait until his high school season is over.