Marlon Brown has broken some recruiters’ hearts.
The News Sentinel’s top prospect in the state has cut his list of college suitors to six schools: Tennessee, Southern Cal, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida and LSU.
That means UCLA, Stanford, Notre Dame and Oklahoma are out of the mix.
Only one official visit is already planned — a trip to Knoxville to check out the Vols (probably on Sept. 20 for the Florida game). The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Brown has long said he’s very fond of UT. The feeling is mutual.
The Vols have put on the full court press for the star receiver from Harding Academy in Memphis. Brown said he certainly feels like a big priority for the Vols, having heard from them at every opportunity the NCAA allows.
UT coach Phillip Fulmer, wide receivers coach Latrell Scott and running backs coach Stan Drayton have all played a part in recruiting Brown.
Brown said he’s especially pleased to have Scott as one of his primary recruiters since Scott would be Brown’s position coach if he selects UT.
“He’s a cool guy to talk to on the phone, real cool,” Brown said.
UT basketball coach Bruce Pearl has also gotten into the mix for Brown, who wants to play football and basketball in college. Pearl has often been courtside during Brown’s summer league games.
“I was real impressed by that,” Brown said.
Many have pointed to USC as the Vols’ chief competition, especially since Brown took a whirlwind trip to the West Coast to check out the Trojans, Bruins and Cardinal.
Brown, however, said he’s not even sure if he’ll take an official visit to Los Angeles for another peek at USC.
Brown caught 41 passes for 870 yards and six touchdowns and rushed 56 times for 640 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. In a limited role as a defensive back, Brown also had a touchdown on an interception and a fumble return.
On the basketball court, Brown averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game last season.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 35
marinevol writes:
We really need this guy. Turn up the heat.
4114 writes:
Come on home to the Big Orange. Surely we can let him play both sports. Let's keep the momentum going with the '09 signing class. GO VOLS!!
Michael1204 writes:
We need to keep workin' like heck to land this darn good football player !
IPOrange writes:
Come to UT, Marlon, and you'll have Josh Nunes, one of the premier QBs in the nation, throwing the ball to you. That will be an awesome combo!
ncvol writes:
Hope he decides on the UT Volunteers. Go Vols !!
bobbarbilly writes:
Be a Vol Marlon.There is something special happening with the Orange.
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
If he doesn't come to TN I hope he goes to USC. It would reeeeaaaaallllyy suck if he went to FL, UGA, or even LSU.
Having said that I think we land him. CPF, Scott, and Drayton should be enough but Pearl will seal the deal.
invisiblekid writes:
Hard not to feel good about our chances of getting Brown. I think he could be a centerpiece to a fine recruiting class.
On a side note, pretty fair write up in the AJC from Barnhardt IMO:
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shar...
TopTenn writes:
Two good coaches to play for.....Fulmer and Pearl.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Ikid 8:26, I ck'd out Barnhardt almost every day. Usually pretty sensible and he's on with Doug Mathews on 104.5 the Zone here. Good read, except for the chilling "Can the defense be that bad again"? Many on here have forgotten.
Lord, let the journey begin. To the bunkers......
orangebloodgmc writes:
Thanks, i'kid, that was an interesting read.
FWBVol writes:
Kosmo, since when has Phillip Fulmer not been able to recruit Mempnis and all of West Tennessee? Elix Wilson and Dan Williams, two projected starters on defense as well as Chris Walker, who could start at defensive end are all from Memphis.
Jeff Cottam will see plenty of time at tight end if he's healthy and he's from Germantown.
No, Phillip Fulmer doesn't get every player he wants from the Memphis area, but so far his batting average in Memphis is better than Bruce Pearl's. That said, I'm confident it won't be long before BP starts getting the guys he wants out of Memphs.
AlWilson writes:
If the Clawfense lives up to the hype then he comes to the hill. If not, he'll be surfin in SoCal.
Colliervol writes:
Kosmo, you do recall Dan Williams was a part of a class where we signed 5 of the top 6 kids in Memphis, don't you? (Mike Oher being the only one we missed and we know how that happened.) Now, mind you, one didn't make it and one transferred but Fulmer signed them. Then there's guys like Patrick Lenoir, Cedric and Ellix Wilson, the Cottam brothers, Marlon Walls and Chris Walker (some of the best players in Memphis when they came out). All pretty fair players the last I checked. Nah, Fulmer can't recruit Memphis.
Some folks' dislike for Fulmer also affects the memory evidently.
99gator writes:
read something that florida has cooled off on him. maybe, brown has started to slide florida down his list.
don't know, but that's what i hear from my peeps.
AlWilson writes:
99, From what I hear it will either be TN or USC. However, if he visits for the Fla game and it looks anything like last year that may change.
Colliervol writes:
What? He rejected Nick Saban? I am stunned. Where's Logan Young when you need him?
ThurmondEppy writes:
Marlon, I'm from Memphis and went to UT. Nothing like playing for your home state. Come on over to Knoxville and lead us to a national championship!
murrayvol writes:
invisible: Good link to ajc article. Did you read some of the comments? Makes GVX look like a mensa site.
murrayvol writes:
tngeoff: There you go thinking again. Let it go man.
Jamey1210 writes:
invisiblekid
Good link, thanks. I hope more people find some good articles and share the wealth. Guy I know you all can post some links. I for one like to read as much as I can Post everything that is no on GVX and we might start making this site realize that they need to work a little more.
utchris writes:
Clawson's role should not be downplayed in recruiting this kid as he has done this part. He has been around Brown as much as he has been allowed as well.
From everything that I have heard in the past 6 months or so, these have been the 6 schools in the running. That info also points to this coming down to a three horse race between UT, UF, and UGA, with UT being the leader mostly due to the dual recruiting heat put on both football and basketball.
I have been told that his official visits will most likely coincide with some of the years biggest games... OSU vs. USC (as a osu recruit), UT vs. UGA (as a uga recruit), FL vs.UGA (as a florida recruit), UT vs. UF (as a UT recruit), and LSU vs. AU or FL (as a LSU recruit).
wyomingvol writes:
For all things Big Orange... Please, Please....
txsvol#372416 writes:
CV, I think Logan Young died. Did you attend his funeral? Go Vols! SAVol
pdhuff#552644 writes:
tngeoff 9:22 - "If we're half as good as it appears we are going to be" - sending you a release to sign. That may be the new lead for the Grey Goose Koolade blurb.
Stuff has proven to be dynamite. We're working with Jaegermeister for a little forgetting potion if the "D" echoes last years.
How does white mailk gravy and Jaeger sound? Might need a little work.
miamiVOL writes:
imo M.Brown will not live up to the hype, he wont be a Patrick Turner-esq bust, but he isnt as sure fire of a prospect as say, Robert Meachem
jasonn1970 writes:
I can't imagine USC would even be in the mix if basketball is important to him. Seems like only UT and UF would be in the running if that were the case.
uahvol75 writes:
Mr. Marlon Brown,
Playa u a stud and everyone knows it..Sure you could go to LA, enjoy the bright lights and be a STAR for USC. Heck, you will be a STAR wherever you go no doubt about it. But only at the University of Tennessee can you be a LEGEND. Your name will forever be remembered as the man who stayed home and represented the great state of Tennessee the way it should be represented; by a LEGEND. And you are just the man to do it. Remember Legends never die. Sincerely, 100,00+ UT Fans
orangebloodgmc writes:
Marlon, before you waste too much time and energy on USC ...
"The NCAA is making progress in its investigation, according to a statement provided by spokeswoman Stacey Osburn. If the NCAA determines that USC violated rules, the football program may have to forfeit victories from the 2004 and 2005 seasons and face additional penalties. The Trojans won the national championship in 2004 and lost in the BCS title game against Texas the following season. If Bush is found retroactively ineligible, he could lose his Heisman."
Note the "and face additional penalties" part.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colleg...
invisiblekid writes:
No problem on the link fellas...when I see something I think is worthwhile I post it.
Answering your question Murray, yeah I did scan through the comments and all I can say about GoVols in comparison is: things aren't always as bad as they seem.
FWBVol writes:
LazhilUT, you're no fan, just another poor mouther. The football team has had one bad season in the last 20 years...I'd hardly called that failures.
adamsck#591720 writes:
do want
do want
do want
RockyTop31174 writes:
I don't see this panning out, we are notorious for not letting athletes (good ones) play 2 sports, Fulmer is against it. "We Urge You To Pay These Prices.....And Please Pay No Moooore"!!!
pammyvol1000 writes:
Marlon Brown.. we would love to see you wear the orange and run thru the "T"!!! This team is the real deal!!
orangebloodgmc writes:
RockyTop, sometimes we do let them try it ... and then let them decide for themselves how tough that is to do 2 sports and keep up their studies. But it can happen.
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