Add another name to the list of prospects re-considering their commitment to Tennessee.
Offensive lineman JerQuari Schofield said as much in a report following Shrine Bowl practice.
"My eyes are still open," the offensive tackle from South Aiken (S.C.) High School told Rivals.com. "I've been talking to Clemson and it's between Clemson and Tennessee right now. I've got visits set up to Clemson and Tennessee."
The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Schofield committed to UT in June following an impressive performance in UT's junior camp that warranted a surprise scholarship offer. At the time, Schofield only had offers from Gardner Webb and Charleston Southern. As has been the case with many of UT's early commitments, Schofield's stock has risen since he was offered a scholarship from UT.
In June, Scholfield expressed his fondness for former UT coach Phillip Fulmer and offensive line coach Greg Adkins as reasons for his decision to commit to UT. Fulmer was dismissed in November and has since been replaced by Lane Kiffin. Adkins has been retained by Kiffin temporarily but his future with UT looks bleak following a report on Monday that James Cregg has left the Oakland Raiders to join Kiffin's staff. Cregg is expected to be UT's offensive line coach, although no official announcement has been made.
Schofield was part of a memorable recruiting weekend that has been all but blown apart by the events this fall.
Schofield was one of four UT commitments in three days. Defensive back Nyshier Oliver from St. Peter's prep in New Jersey City, N.J., committed to UT that weekend then changed his mind and committed to Notre Dame. Running back Jarvis Giles of Gaither High in Tampa, Fla., committed early that weekend but withdrew his commitment to UT following the coaching change and committed to South Carolina last week. Offensive lineman Kevin Revis of Rhea County committed during the camp and said last week he is sticking with the Vols.
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Comments » 77
utkedu writes:
What??? Well I guess we had to expect a rocky recruiting period with the coaching change, but I am starting to get sea sick.
volnbig11land writes:
Maybe I'm biased but to me it's a no brainer between Clemson and The Vols.
Hopefully he wear our orange but if not, oh well good luck to you.
I don't like seeing the recruiting group dwindle but the coaching change was still necessary.
Hang in there Coach Kiffin, it will be worth it!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Kudoes to the lad and I wish him well wherever he lands.
But I long for the days when we get back to competing with Fla-Bama-Ga-LSU instead of Gardner-Webb, Charleston Southern, etc, even with rising stock.
There is a reason that Tenn cleaned house.
volnbig11land writes:
sorry, hopefully he WILL wear...
SemperVol writes:
His higlights on rivals.com are really, really impressive. I hope we can secure his commitment.
For the meantime, I'll pretend I didn't read this article. Oh... and utkedu... you should do the same... for health reasons.
alwaysorange81 writes:
"Add another name to the list of prospects re-considering their commitment to Tennessee."
An insulate, needling, tone. Followed by small amount of new news. Followed by rehashing past events over 3 quarters of the article. It could be better.
Lets hire whoever the recruits want every year so we dont have to read about decommits. No way we can win without schoefield and Giles next year. No way at all. (facetious)
yeavols#228407 writes:
Um..it's what recruits do..this kid is another example of how he made an early committment and now wants to visit other colleges. Obviously, they change their minds at a drop of a hat. I doubt Fulmer or Adkins have anything to do with it. ALso, the article has suggested in its opening statement that Tennessee is losing recruits. HELLO, they are prospects and can change their mind. Just because you give a verbal committment its NOT a binding contract. Nothing matters until signing day. Secondly, Hooker reported in another article that 8 other recruits have left. Who are they? I would be glad to listen if Hooker or anyone else wants to list them. Were they really committed, or did they just say "YA" until something else better came along?
volnbig11land writes:
Agree.
Cedrick Williams and Chris Simms come to mind.
utkedu writes:
Thanks for the advise SemperVol. I will go ahead and put down the pills and pretend I didn't read this as well. After all, a lot of things are going to happen between now and signing day and I believe in the end we will end up with a top 15 class, I just don't know if it will look anything like the current group we have verbal commitments on right now.
yeavols#228407 writes:
^5 Alwaysorange...these articles sometimes are exactly what you mentioned. Also, these kids are under pressure to follow their buddies, play where their parents want to play, and where coaches make promises and blow smoke (Kiffin apparently is straight up). These kids are only trying to find the best fit. They have to try to find what's best for them. Not a Blog or meeting the needs of a poster on an internet chat board.
volnbig11land writes:
17 posts since Nov 28 and their all negative.
Someone's not in the holiday spirit....
JBruce writes:
I am not surprised at all that he is now considering Clemson.
What surprises me is the fact that he has not received more interest than he has. He is been underrated up to this point.
Hopefully Tennessee can close the deal with this guy. We need him.
alwaysorange81 writes:
all to true. But it gives us poor souls something to talk about while BB gets going.
TNfaninMS writes:
He hasnt even been offered by any other D1 schools. How can you consider a team if they havent even offered? Just a thought.
asleep#212036 writes:
This article just proves what I have been saying for months. The recruiting services are over-rated. To wit: many of our recruits' "stars" have gotten brighter since we started recruiting them and all of a sudden, lots of other bigger name schools start picking up the phone. Happens all the time. And remember, several of these kids were offered early scholarships out of UT camps. One, nobody else knew who they were, and two, they all signed before the lousy season and subsequent coaching change. Who knows? Once we offered them a ride, then had the sorry season, in any instance they likely would have been looking. Fulmer stays? Other coaches point to a program in disarray and headed south. Kiffin hired? Who knows what that will bring and obviously the program had problems deeper than you know to fire a 17-year HC with a NC in his pocket. What has hurt recruiting is that we have lost the culture of an elite program. It has little to do right now with the man at the top - Fulmer failed and Kiffin is unproven. We'll see. Go Vols!!!
alwaysorange81 writes:
very intelligent post my friend. And I totally agree.
ect1983 writes:
I finally agree with you......everything you stated is perfect, with one exception....Your tone is sarcastic, mine isn't. Why dont you follow Phil somewhere and watch his exciting ,losing brand of football grind some other program in the ground. Fulmer is permanently gone (Thanks, Hammy, and mean it).....go with him (he'll coach another big name school about the time OJ catches the killers). Why dont you Fulmerites get a grip on reality ??
maholt49#632667 writes:
I tell you what, if recruiting wouldn't drive a coach completely nuts I don't know what would!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WarriorVol writes:
After the last 3 seasons at TN we are lucky to even have top recruits considering us that have other SEC options.
ect1983 writes:
Excellent !!! There are some who think signing stars and "winning" the Rivals championship is more important than anything else.
I have a friend who played QB at school in the south who thinks recruiting services are laughable when it comes to rating classes.....but knows they make a helluva lot of money from it.
Dont get me wrong...recruiting is important.....but I always love JA's columns that look back at "Where are they Now"....half the signees leave, get kicked off, flunk out, get arrested, fail drug tests, etc,etc.
Melting down over "losing" these guys means you need to get a life.
Waldorf writes:
Let's see......
Liked Adkins and Fulmer......
Yup, probably a lazy kid based on the quality of linemen these two have put out in recent years. Probably no big loss.
stinky_pinky writes:
i miss the chicken parm from the roman room
Waldorf writes:
On a related note -
I do expect several players to transfer by next fall. Most of them are about to be in for a rude awakening for the culture change that is going to be over there. It looks as if we're going to have some hard-nosed coaches in place who are actually going to push the kids and expect performance.
I doubt Kiffin is going to put up with the same phooey Fulmer did as he was "mentoring" them. I'll go ahead and guess 8 kids jump ship by fall.
givehim6 writes:
May have to wait till 2010 to get that big recruiting year. But I'v noticed most of the recruits that talk to coach Kiffin like him.
Basketball_Jones writes:
This committment had more to do with where the previous offers had come from. I mean Charleston Southern or UT? Of course he was ready to committ. I see why this kid has explored other options, as CLK said "Time to roll up the sleeves and go to work"
smokyredbone writes:
2 star OL, GOOD LUCK AT GARNER WEBB!
yeavols#228407 writes:
LawCoVol..I agree with you because I am biased..but then again, I have to look at the last time Tennessee played Clemson under Fulmer's tenure in the Peach Bowl..remember that one? uh ya! Oh wait, it's Kiffin's fault! I forgot..
smokyredbone writes:
Whats your point, at least he is just working with them and not marrying like your clan!!!! GO VOLS!
TheFuj writes:
I live in SC. He is not that good. May have potential, but definitely not dominating right now. Also, most big schools not considering him for scholarship.
asleep#212036 writes:
Exactly. That is especially true for many of Fulmer's "big-time" recruits. Either they had academic issues and were shuffled off to JC or they got to campus and immediately made acquaintance with the Knoxville PD. The only people who live and die by the "stars" are bloggers. The coaches and scouts know that those stars are merely a tool. The reason Fulmer offered those kids early is because they had no other offers and he saw their potential - of course they readily signed. Unfortunately for us, the naive loyalty those kids had for Fulmer and his early offer faded once he left. And in light of Fulmer's reputation as a good judge of talent, once our offer was public, the "stars" went up and the other SEC schools made them a target - a game we will have trouble winning until Kiffin proves himself as a coach, not just a recruiter. I think he will but 2010 will be the first great class in his tenure. One final thought: Saban's first class was nothing to write home about either. Go Vols!!!
yeavols#228407 writes:
LOL! I miss the burger and fries, the manicotti too! I live in Georgia now, so I imagine it's not there any more? I wonder how the Copper Cellar is doing?
VOLinDAWGland writes:
I'll bet Schofield was one of those that Kiffin didn't pay much attention to or sent suggestions that he'd honor the commitment, but that the kid might never see the field. Kiffin is going after the Peter Whites of the world, not the Schofields.
jobrando#216494 writes:
Peter White and Morgan Moses would be a nice xmas present.
The_Mayor writes:
Is it me, or does it seem as though every time we lose a commitment, immediately and subsequently 1.) Kiffin dismisses another assistant from the past regime who happens to coach the same position as the lost recruit, and 2.) Kiffin hires another family member to fill the vacancy of that assistant? Timing and dumb luck, I reckon.
jobrando#216494 writes:
I'm not sure Schofield is a big loss. He's a 3 star nobody was recruiting and recently got a boost from an all star game and now his stock is up. Let him go.
orngbluded writes:
Lets see we were the first major college to offer and this is the thanks we get,who cares if he goes to Clemson hes a 2 star ol,and the teague kid is a 3 star db,i bet you if we can just get through this years class with a few good players,next years recruiting class will be a great class and we will get alot of top recruits,even a top 5 or top 10 QB,so dont worry about the two star players or even a 3 star DB,because they will wish they came to Tennessee in a couple of years,thats just the way i look at it.
HtownVol writes:
Hes not great, but look at our line and we dont have other commitments. We have to recruit some linemen. The Tenn kid dont count. He looks like hes 12. I do not see that kid ever playing center in the SEC. Prey for Marlon Brown and please keep Stokes. Those are the most important recruits. Then Moses...
jobrando#216494 writes:
I dont care if he suits up his family dogs and cats as long as Bama is dispatched down the road.
skinalive#242458 writes:
Is there really anyone with a brain that believes if the coaching staff had stayed intact that the 5-7 debacle wouldn't have affected these kids anyway?
We were horrible and it is stupid to think that Fulmer getting canned (deservedly so) made a real difference. What player wnats to block for a QB that can't throw, run behind a line that can't block or play defense for an offense that can't score from the 1 yard line?
The results of the season hurt early commitments more than anything else.
Coach Kiffin knew when he took the job that turning this thing around was a 2-3 year project unless he gets lucky.
We need a couple of quality QB's, offensive linemen, defensive linemen (that can get to the QB), running backs that can hold onto the ball and a kicker.
It ain't all coming in one class.
HtownVol writes:
Marlon Brown, Stokes, Moses. Those 3 and what we have right now. And Im very Happy. Thats top 10 for me!
mtnsvol44 writes:
Hey, if they are too dumb to realize how much they will learn, pro wise, under papa Kiffin, then they are too dumb to play at UT!
Ironcity writes:
Why are you posting here? You add nothing to this thread. Coach hasn't fired anyone nor has he hired anyone since the press conference. We know his dad is coming and we all agree (except for you) that's a good thing. We haven't fired any coaches however there is speculation among us only that not all the four coaches will be retained. IF you have anything at all to add please do but don't just say off the wall dumb things that are false. It just makes you seem dumber then you already appear. and have no basis
miamiVOL writes:
Moses and Morgan are a long shot, Atkins was recruiting them and now he is about to get the boot
Ironcity writes:
Sorry about the negative post it was suppose to be in response to the Mayor
smokyredbone writes:
It's Morgan Moses not Morgan and Moses you big Dummy!! HA HA GO VOLS!!! And he is a near lock Einstein!
The_Mayor writes:
"dumber then" or "dumber than"?
alwaysorange81 writes:
I think the attribute you describe is known as leadership. And has been conspicuously missing lately. Coaches, players, whoever you wanna blame the lack of discipline was obvious and the lack of leadership negligent on the behalf of someone.
ckeller18 writes:
You are kidding about SEC and BCS??????? Maybe in 5-6 years. UT is MAYBE 4th or 5th best program in the SEC at the present time. This is not "days gone by" this is a new era with a lot of schools on the rise, not the old days when UT was the only one recruiting nation wide.
Hopson2008 writes:
Me too Stinky.....Me too
orangevolz writes:
It is downright sad how quick folks turn on Schofield just because he said he wants to give Clemson a look. All of a sudden, he is a loser, good riddance, we did not want you anyway, etc. What is wrong with you people? He is making one of the most important decisions in his life, and he needs to be 100% sure on that decision. It is like...if we get him, he is a great player, but if he goes elsewhere, he is a no-talent bum. It is not just Schofield I am talking about either...you react the same way on all other recruits (Teague, Allen, etc.). The folks on this list need to grow up and quit acting like a bunch of spoiled kids who throw a tantrum when you don't get your way.
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