Vols' JV to host Hargrave Military next week

Robert Prunty already sounds excited.

The Hargrave Military Academy football coach is counting down the days until he brings his team to the University of Tennessee for a junior varsity football game on Sept. 27.

"Oh, man, this is the biggest game on our schedule," Prunty said. "This is great.

"Our kids haven't ever been someplace that seats 100,000 people. Tennessee's a big-time program and we're excited."

Hargrave (3-1) is coming to UT for a 7 p.m. game during the Vols' first off week of the season. It will be UT's first junior varsity contest in more than a decade.

Coming along with the Tigers will be some of the best prep school players in the country.

UT freshman WR/DB Brent Vinson was generally regarded as one of the top prep school athletes of the year after he spent last season at Hargrave.

Other current Vols with Hargrave ties are senior safety Jonathan Hefney, senior defensive end Antonio Reynolds, junior defensive tackle Demonte Bolden and freshman offensive lineman Darius Myers.

Prunty made it clear he thinks it's only a matter of time until Vinson begins to make an impact with the Vols.

UT has experimented with Vinson at receiver, but defensive coordinator John Chavis (Prunty's former coach at Alabama A&M) mentioned Tuesday he hopes to get more looks at Vinson in the secondary.

"I think he'll be an All-American defensive back before he leaves Tennessee," Prunty said. "I would love to see an athlete of his caliber out on the field, whether it's offense or defense.

"But I've always said from day one, just like I did with Jonathan Hefney, Brent Vinson is a defensive back."

As usual, Hargrave has another wave of players college football fans will be watching at major Division I schools next fall.

DeAngelo Benton is a 6-foot-5, 210-pound receiver headed to LSU. He had four catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in Hargrave's 13-9 victory against Marshall's JV on Sunday.

Enrique Davis, a 5-11, 220-pound running back committed to Auburn, had 75 yards on 12 carries against Marshall. Quillie Odom (6-2, 220, Virginia Tech commitment) leads the Tigers' defense at linebacker.

As you would expect, Tennessee will use the game for a couple of purposes. It offers some young Vols a chance to see playing time in a true game situation and it gives UT's coaching staff a chance to analyze Hargrave's talent.

Prunty said the Vols already have shown interest in Hargrave defensive ends Leon Mackey (6-5, 275) and Quinton Coples (6-7, 235).

"They've already offered Leon Mackey and we've got some other kids they're probably going to offer," Prunty said. "You talk about a first-class organization.

"I don't care what their record is right now, Tennessee's a big-time program. We're ecstatic to even have a chance to come there."

UT's roster for the game hasn't been announced.

There will be free parking in the G-10 garage and admission is expected to be free, although no official announcement has been made.

Gates 14, 15, 20 and 21 will be open to the public.

"(UT) Coach (Phillip) Fulmer has been wanting to make this happen for awhile and all the credit goes to him for getting it done," Prunty said. "He knows we have great players and he's a great recruiter."