Dominique Allen let it slip last week when he told the News Sentinel that teammate Marsalis Teague had committed to Florida.
He was right all along.
Teague, a standout at Henry County High School in Paris, Tenn., made it official late Thursday night that he will play for the Gators.
"You know I've seen them play three times this season in person. I went on my official for the LSU game I fell in love with the atmosphere and the people. I went and saw them play Tennessee and Vanderbilt and I could see myself playing for them," Teague told gatorbait.net.
Teague told the Web site that he spoke with Florida coach Urban Meyer on the phone Thursday.
"I've been talking to him over the past several weeks and the main thing he said is that he didn't want me to feel pressured," Teague told gatorbait.net. "He thought it would be better if I took my time and thought about it. I told him, and I told my parents too, the more I thought about it, the more I knew that's where I wanted to go."
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Teague played quarterback in high school but is projected to play wide receiver or defensive back in college.
Tennessee sent four assistant coaches, including Jason Michael, Stan Drayton and Latrell Scott, to visit Teague last Sunday.
Alabama coach Nick Saban visited Teague the next day.
New UT coach Lane Kiffin visited Teague during the first week of December when coaches could first be on the road recruiting.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 148
jobrando#216494 writes:
Another bench warmer for the Gators
musicjl#606296 writes:
Could someone please tell KNS that Nick Saban is no longer at LSU?????
suPEARLman writes:
Hate it for you.
bluetickhoundguy writes:
Wow... When did Saban go back to LSU?? I bet the Bama fans are really upset about that...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Good luck, young man.
"Saw them play Tenn".
Splains it.
JMP_Vols writes:
Hope he's patient.
4EST writes:
So we sent Latrell Scott to recruit this guy..wow, that is the same guy that is going to Virginia this week. Was Scott recruiting him for UT or Virginia?? Why did we waste a visit on this guy?
bluetickhoundguy writes:
Sure hope Kiffin doesn't take the Bama job!!
MikeTheVol writes:
Y'all didn't hear? Saban transferred.
dvols writes:
anybody remember when henry county's fieldhouse burnt down and tennessee replaced all the equipment?
bluetickhoundguy writes:
Ha!! KNS fixed the typo...AFTER they got laughed at for a while by blog nation...
rockytopman writes:
Good luck. I guess playing time must not be that important. Oh well, if you do get on the field just always keep one thing in mind....Where's #14....where is he???
illinoisvolfan writes:
Yeah, I do. It was in 1985, two years after I graduated from HCHS. The team really pulled together and went to either the state quarters or semis. It was one of Henry County's best teams, up until the last two years.
Allen and Teague sure would have looked good in Orange and White...
sameolvolalum writes:
Front row seats for every game for four years...........on the bench. Enjoy the splinters.
RoyaltyVol#280778 writes:
This isn't a big deal. He never wanted to come to UT anyway
jobrando#216494 writes:
Could someone explain why all the 4-5 star recruits rush to USC, Florida, LSU, Bama and Texas without regards to playing time. It's obvious some with great potential will just be watching from the sidelines.
JMP_Vols writes:
Maybe he's hoping Haden, Wright, and a few others leave after next year.
Lets be honest, right now we're not going to win many recruiting battles with Florida. Hurts that he's a Tennessee kid though.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Wonder who the coaches will be?
pdowned writes:
hate to tell you bluetickhoundguy, what you guys do commenting on boards doesn't quite qualify as "blogging". It barely passes for elementary school level thought.
WVVOLFAN writes:
why would we want him then?
VolsRoadRash98 writes:
My expectations for recruiting aren't very high this year anyway.
With some time I'm sure Lane, Monte, Reaves, and Orgeron (hopefully) will produce a great recruiting class next year.
I just hope the TN fans manage their expectations and give our new coach a fair shake.
@4EST: Is Luttrell Scott going to Virginia?
bluetickhoundguy writes:
Whatever... What KNS puts out on a daily basis barely qualifies as journalism either, so at least us elementary schoolers are in good company...
volover writes:
bas turd. Really hate to the this guy leave the state. Don't care how many stars he has (3 I think), he was one of the best runners I have ever seen. He can move with the ball!!
Good luck getting some PT down there.
Vol_in_Mich writes:
"Alabama coach Nick Saban visited Teague the next day."
What's with the LSU comments? Did I miss something?
As someone else pointed out, going to the UT - Fla game was all the recruiting the Gators needed for this guy to choose them over us.
Mark my words, the Kiffin clan will change this soon!
Go VOLS!!!
jobrando#216494 writes:
Because we dont have the long list of 4-5 star recruits in front of him competing for playing time.
Vols1998 writes:
It is his choice.......we'll see.
Go Vols!!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
Hopefully we'll turn this into a Chris Simms like situation, where after four years, he's saying "I wish I had went to Tennessee"
cgbtn#206676 writes:
Boy, the Gators must be way out of our class. People seem to think guys who would be great players for us won't even get on the field down there. I guess we should understand why young players would be attracted to a team that is that good, instead of coming to a school where they would be guaranteed playing time because they will have no competition. The only problem with that is the fact that Meyer plays everybody, while we have let talent sit on the bench for 3 or 4 years. The bench population has been a lot higher at UT than at UF.
IBleedOrange444 writes:
See ya later Benadict Arnold. Can't wait to see you get de-cleated coming over the middle in Neyland Stadium.
Down_The_Field writes:
Well, you told us. Good for you!
Now go ahead and leave. Go blog with the best and leave us low lifes alone. As for me??? I've got to study for my 4th grade midterms...
WVVOLFAN writes:
my point is, UT doesn't need a u of f sub. we've got good backs here as well. with more on the way. isn't there a chance he would sit here also. if so, why waste a scholarship on him. we need DT,DE or a QB more.
WVVOLFAN writes:
jobrando, my response was to you. got distracted as i responded and did respond directly to your post. sorry.
WVVOLFAN writes:
to be honest, i was distracted by the Mouses Ear ad...
orangevolz writes:
The inconsistency on this list is downright funny. Make up your mind...is he really good or not. It is funny that when we are recruiting him, he is great, but once he commits to the Gators, he is not any good. Comments such as "good riddance" and "he is nothing but a bench warmer" reflect nothing but emotion and a lack of intelligence by our fans. Face it, we lost a very good player to the Gators. I wish we had him, and for those of you who take cheap shots at him now, you need to grow up! Ya'll are acting like 10-year olds who don't know the first thing about football. Grow up and act like a man.
BIGEJ writes:
Hope Kiffin completes staff soon....UNC..Buitch Davis is bragging he have the horses to beat UT in a couple of years. I just want Kiffin to win to shut up these ACC mouths, UF, UA,UGA, etc. and make this site a UT site...GO VOLs
cgbtn#206676 writes:
ORANGEVOLZ, Well said.
abnermc writes:
Sounds like Meyer had regrets abt the offer. He was quoted as encouraging Teague to take his time,think abt it,etc
utkedu writes:
Ironically, if he plays wide receiver, his coach may be here. With Billy Gonzales as a potential candidate to joing the staff, he may find he is working under a new position coach at Florida. Though I know this recruiting year may be rough and we are losing a lot of great players to Florida, IF we get Orgeron, Monte Kiffin, and Gonzales on the same recruiting staff, we will be raiding Florida over the coming years. I hope next year we see that recruits are choosing UT over Florida, Fla St, Bama, and LSU.
volover writes:
Yes, he is good. I've seen him play a few times, and he is one of the best runners I have seen.
I think we all hope he rides the pine at UF. I would hate to think we let an explosive player leave the state again.
Down_The_Field writes:
Teague's decision was as surprising to me as the rain I got this morning.
orangevolz...point taken. I'm not gunna slam the guy..I will say this...I don't want any player that doesn't want us. Period! Only true Volunteers wanted for this team. I'll take a lesser player that bleeds UT orange anyday over the best HS player in the country.
Remember Carl Pickens??? Carl wanted USC and momma wanted UT and UT paid for it with Carl's attitude.
Whether Teague's good or not or whether he sits or plays is meaningless to me. I'll bet a doughnut against a dollar that he's good or Flar-duh wouldn't want him....
jobrando#216494 writes:
Wonder who's fault that has been..
jimr07 writes:
and yours are so sophisticated
DukeDeLuca writes:
I remember the good ole days when we recruited Florida, not vice versa. Of course, the general feeling is that no one in Tennessee is good enough to play at Tennessee. I haven't done the count, but I'd guess there are more Tennessee high schoolers on scholarship at other SEC teams combined than on our roster. - Duke DeLuca
Colliervol writes:
They aren't coming here and I'm no longer interested in reading about them. Hopefully, this is the last one.
knoxlawvol writes:
Good luck at Tennessee State after sitting on the bench for three years! P.S. Make sure you get a degree because the future of the arena league looks tenuous at the moment.
Basketball_Jones writes:
Dude Carl Pickens was one of the most talented players ever to wear Orange. He had a little tude but knowone cared when he was playing in Knoxville, just as long as he put the ball in the endzone.
Some of the fans here need to et a grip. Right now LK has had about 3 weeks to recruit and get a staff together. Many of you expect all these big name recruits to drop their schools and sign at Tennessee. This isn't 1997, this is a mediocre program that is rebuilding. If you continue to have out of this world expectations you'll live a disappoining life. I wish CLK the best and will give him a few years before I lose my mind because were not winning.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
I guess so, another bench warmer also probably, but a chance to play for the Gators, just hard to turn that down. It's just the prestige and the bragging rights. They can sign just so many, and we will have our turn also. Just a shame some more of these guys don't owe it to their state to succeed, and to put Tennessee on the map. The Saban's and the Urban Meyer's and the Spurrier's just don't want to have to compete with us, but the parity rule still exists.
GreerVol22 writes:
DC, you have a very vaild point.
utkedu writes:
DC Florida,
In answer to your first question, he might leave because of money or if he has a better shot at a promotion to OC at UTK than at Florida. Coaches leave for many reasons and coaches have ticked off Urban Meyer in the past by leaving Fla to go to UT (ex. Drayton).
For your second question, Kiffin is trying to hire the best coaching staff possible and just as you said, Gonzales is a great coach and recruiter, which seems to be the two strengths Kiffin is focusing on.
I don't know anything more than anyone else on these boards, but his name seems to be coming up quite a lot. Does that mean he will come to UT, who knows? But, it is not outside the realm of possibility as you seem to believe.
FlaVol2 writes:
Any young man that is asked to play for his main state university and goes elsewhere is not a player you would want anyway. He will probably sit on the bench with a bunch of others at Florida, as someone said earlier. He just left a recruiting space for a more worth player.
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