Griffith: Pearl lauds hard work : govolsxtra.com

Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl obviously isn't afraid of expectations.

If the second-year coach were, he wouldn't be heaping praise on his team after a week of individual workouts.

"I think we're ahead of schedule,'' Pearl said Friday, uttering a phrase few coaches in any sport dare throw out. "We had most of the guys in this summer (for voluntary open gym work), and I think they have an understanding of how we want to play and the conditioning we require.''

Ramar Smith, the point guard prospect from Detroit who arrived in the wee hours of Thursday morning after his NCAA Clearinghouse issue was resolved, already appears to be in step with Pearl's work ethic.

Smith reported at 6:30 a.m. Friday to "run the hill'' with his new teammates only to be sent back to his room by Pearl.

"I feel like, with the exception of going to the football game on Saturday, he needs to get caught up academically and get some rest,'' Pearl said. "We held him out of workouts Thursday and Friday because I want him to realize academics are the first priority.''

The rest of the incoming freshman who reported in the summer already know that, as there were no academic complications from summer classes.

On the court, some of the best surprises were Marques Johnson's 3-point shooting touch and ability to finish drives to the basket, and Josh Tabb's toughness and quickness despite having operated with a cast on his hand.

Everybody already knew Duke Crews and Wayne Chism were premium big men and that Steven Pearl is a hustler.

So the heck with the expectations: As far as Bruce Pearl is concerned, he's just telling it like it is.

Promising Future: Maybe another reason for Pearl's enthusiasm is the group of Class of 2008 recruits that are reportedly coming on unofficial visits this weekend.

the top three ranked players from Kentucky will be in Knoxville today in addition to two of Tennessee's finest.

Scotty Hopson, Darius Miller and Bud Mackey are coming from the Bluegrass State, and Phillip Jurick from East Ridge High School in Chattanooga and Drazen Zlovaric from Cleveland are expected in Neyland Stadium today.

Hopson is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from University Heights rated No. 10 in the nation by Rivals.com, Miller is a 6-7 small forward from Chris Lofton's old high school in Maysville who's rated No 37 and Mackey is a 6-2 point guard from Scott County in Georgetown, Ky.

Jurick is 6-9 and Zlovaric is a 6-9 foreign exchange student from Serbia who's playing for former UT guard Aaron Green.