Posted by VolCane7979 on February 6, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey, thanks to the guys who are coming here. Those of you who want to rip on the class, why are you putting down the guys who chose to be here? Say screw you to the guys who went elsewhere. Go Vols.

Posted by rickj on February 6, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Again, here is my problem with Fulmer. He cannot recognize a problem when he has one. This is a disappointing class. The fact that he does not realize this is another indicator that the he no longer has what it takes to win big and recruit big at this level.

Posted by westernVol on February 6, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was hoping for a top 20 class, but with all the coaching changes this still a solid group of young men. Let's support them! Go Vols

Posted by VOLstuckINky on February 6, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fulmer can't say the class sucks ... he knows it does. He has to say the "insert robotic all is good comment". Next year is critical to the stem the downward spiral that is our program.

Posted by UTByrd on February 6, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well done, coach. I'm not much of a believer in the ratings of hundreds of recruits. It is used as a barometer of sorts but is not going to make your team better. Give me a 2 or 3 star that is a team player over a 5 star with an attitude that will go pro in 2 years. To our recruits: Welcome to Big Orange country and please take this opportunity to write your own UT history. It will be the best years of your young lives. GO VOLS!!!!!

Posted by Colliervol on February 6, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Rick, that's not an indicator of anything one way or the other. Name me one coach who has ever stood up on Signing Day and said, "Well we sure stunk it up today." You won't find one and never will. Privately, he'd probably say that they didn't do as well as normal but he darn sure isn't going to say it to the press.

Posted by ACG on February 6, 2008 at 5:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Congrats and thanks to all the new signees!
Go Vols

Posted by bshell12 on February 6, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I more interested in the character and motivation of these kids not what rivals or scouts.com rates them. I like this class, however i wish we had signed a few more DT

Posted by rickj on February 6, 2008 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Colliervol - If he doesn't mean it I'd rather he not say it. It makes him look like the imbecile that he is.

Posted by tigervol9802 on February 6, 2008 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome to the University of Tennessee!

Prove the idiots on these message boards wrong!

Posted by tngeoff on February 6, 2008 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vc0MJeZPeh4

Posted by KENVOL on February 6, 2008 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All we need are guys who are going to bleed orange. The stars don't tell it all. You have to have "Heart".GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by orvol on February 6, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Seriously guys- this is not a bad class at all. We got some stud linebackers, more athletes in the secondary, and a luxury receiver. Yes, we could have used another DT or two, as well as an another OL, but we didn't need a whole lot of numbers from this class. Once the new staff is in place and adjusted, recruiting will be fine. Despite all those out there whose lives aren't complete unless they're griping, Fulmer knows how to recruit. And lets face it, in terms of speaking honestly with a recruit, what other coach in the SEC would you believe more than Fulmer?

Posted by CoastGuardVol on February 6, 2008 at 5:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome guys. It great to be a Tennessee Volunteer!!!

Posted by cdldoc on February 6, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rickj and you in Kentucky, STFU! You bore us, you "imbeciles"

Posted by pjhaddix on February 6, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome signees, we are thrilled and honored that you want to be Vols!!

And rickj, since attitude is such an important factor, the last thing Fulmer would want to do is discourage or belittle the recruits like you just did. Make sense? pj

Posted by orangebass on February 6, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fulmers teams have underachieved with the best talent available coming out of high school. this has played out on the field over most of the last decade. second tier bowl games with the majority of them loses, and losing records against coaches at fla , ga, ala, auburn, lsu & s.c. (and improved coaching situations at ky, vandy, ark, ole miss & miss st) one can only expect this downward spiral to continue. and while fulmer's recruiting suffers conference rivals that vols play every year are top 5 or 10 with their classes. to expect better results with class is very foolish.

Posted by sjt18 on February 6, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

orangebass, The only problem with your statement is that the conclusion isn't true. 5-6 to 9-4 to 10-4 isn't a downward spiral... it is an upward trend.

Posted by utmdm on February 6, 2008 at 5:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sure he understands what he got in this class. And it may turn out to be production-wise 4 years later the best or the worst ever, who knows. Everyone wants the most and highest stars we can get, but no coach is ever going to come out and verbally clobber a recruiting class. Even if he did feel that this was a dud of a class, no coach would downgrade them and kill any confidence level or upside potential they had.

Posted by utmdm on February 6, 2008 at 5:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is a coach of a major school who must motivate young men and not tear into them like a lot on this board would do, before they even get to campus. We may not like the level of our ranking or our coach, but if I knew a commitment of a school, I would check that school's boards to share in his excitement and pride in making it to the next level. I cannot imagine what these young men, their families, and friends think when they read the comments on these board refering to them in some of the language I have seen. It is personal for them when we tear them down and we let the venom of the dislike of Fulmer's performance splash over the innocent bystanders.

Posted by tenndave on February 6, 2008 at 5:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This class has addressed several needs. Ranking is a joke anyway. It comes down to the heart, dedication to high standards, and want to.
With a new OC and staff that is unproven right now, I suspect many recruits were just not sure. Give us a great fall and look for things to roll.

Now all of that being said, if the new staff can develop these players, then they could be one of the best classes yet. That is the unknown. But things like a 6'5" reciever look good to me. Big linemen, look good, in fact I am excited about every signee. I hope they take the rankings like a challenge and in 4 years are able to give the bird to all the naysayers.

Go Vols
Welcome To Your New Home Signing Class of 08
Go Get E'm

Posted by sjt18 on February 6, 2008 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Again, here is my problem with Fulmer. He cannot recognize a problem when he has one. This is a disappointing class. The fact that he does not realize this is another indicator that the he no longer has what it takes to win big and recruit big at this level."

rickj, please be specific about which one of these signees you are disappointed with. Do stars really count when they put on pads? They don't get to wear them on the uniforms like military rank you know.

Foster, Foster, Parker, and Mayo were UT's Jr's with an opportunity to jump to the NFL. The first three I know were rated 3*. Mayo may have been also.

Rogan, Moore, Frazier... 3* Freshmen who jumped the line and played ahead of UT's much more celebrated signees.

Elix Wilson was a 2*.

Scout has Gerald Williams rated a 1*.

We could go on and on. Rivals and Scout don't find all the talent. They can't account for which kids will grow more or mature later. They see kids that play in big football states and higher class conferences much more than others. They see the kids that go to combines and camps. There are alot of very good players that don't get caught in that screening process. Hughes looks like one of them for instance.

Posted by utmdm on February 6, 2008 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These are human beings who committed to the TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS this year when most snubbed us and they should be treated with our respect. This is a land of free speech, but with that privilege comes some responsibility and mutual respect. Kidding around is great and we do a lot of good natured ribbing with each other and especially other team's fans. Let's please get out of the comfort zone of hiding behind these keyboards and consider the manner in which we post and all the parties in whom it reflects on. Many times it could easily be taken by these recruits as a slap against them as opposed to the coaches. There are appropriate ways to deliver points.

Posted by txsvol on February 6, 2008 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rickj, you obviously have little or no experience in public relations, or in leadership. As the head of a multimillion dollar enterprise, CPF is savvy enough to put the best light on things, even if he is privately disappointed. I don't think he is as 'aclue-istic' as you do, but I agree, we expected better than it appears on the surface. If he and the staff can 'coach -em up,' maybe some of these studs can develop into the kick-butt DTs that we all were looking for. We may even have the people to beat all those SEC teams who 'scored' higher than we did today. Welcome to Big Orange Country, football recruits of 2008! Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nice post tenndave.... could not have said it any better! Go Vols!

Posted by agr_vol on February 6, 2008 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm no historian, but did Tennessee never lose more than 2 games during the 90s cause the way some people talk if we lose 3 or more games then we are in a big downward spiral. I'm not buying it.
As for all the wins and losses being blamed on Fulmer, well that's just stupidity. The Head coach usually doesn't coach the players. Bear Bryant once said (and he was an alright coach I guess), It's the head coach's responsibility to coach his assistants and it's their job to coach the players.
Granted it's the coaches job to accept the blame for losses but some of yall go way overboard. Case in point some of the comments above.

Posted by TommyJack on February 6, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry, I thought we needed D-linemen. Hats off to the staff.

Posted by jim_bell on February 6, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ORVOL, I agree. You've stated my opinion exactly and I'll stick with Fulmer all the way. People even complained with the way he went undefeated and won the NC.

Posted by marinevol on February 6, 2008 at 5:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rickj, after making a post where you slam a football coach for not trashing the young athletes who just signed to comit the next four years of their lives playing on his team, do you really want to discuss someone looking like an imbecile? You crybabies are pretty pathetic, orangebass. I just hope these kids realize that the average UT fan is not a whimpering little crybaby like some of the posters on this site. Welcome to UT, guys. Now beat bama.

Posted by tngeoff on February 6, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome to these guys. Congratulations to the eight other SEC Teams who finished ahead of us. Recruiting doesn't matter that much anyway. It's all about "feelings". Apparently we "feelings" good...so Go Vols!

Posted by VOLinDAWGland on February 6, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This year is a data point. If it is a class that is sandwidched between two outstanding classes and developes a good share of contributors than it is a good class. If it is a trend, then that will trigger an appropriate response from those in position of authority. Given how the year went with the fire Fulmer swirl, the wholesale departure of the O staff including our top recruiter, off-field issues at the worst possible time and the talent depth already in place, a class with fewer numbers is not a shocker. I too like potential of many of the young men in this class.

Thanks for choosing UT, best of success and represent the Volunteers with pride and respect.

Posted by Colliervol on February 6, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Again rick, it is customary for the coach to address the fans and press on signing day. What's he going to do, just stand there and look at them? He's got to say something reasonably positive. (Again, name me one coach who ever said "we sucked at recruiting today".) I'm sure Fulmer knows that they didn't get everybody they wanted but it's one year. As far as the speech goes, as SAVol says, it's all public relations. If you don't understand that, can't help you.

utmdm, no offense, but you're dreaming. Many of these posters only know one way of communicating. And most of it is straight out of a combination of Dr. Seuss and Beavis and Butthead.

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"It's not how many stars you have, it's how you mature" VERY NICE PHIL

Posted by GerryOP on February 6, 2008 at 5:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

tngeoff (5:26)-- HaHaHaHaHAHAHAHAHAHA! Actually, I thought that Good Ol' Phil was a bit less effusive than he normally is. How ya' doin' bro? A REALLY BIG day in Volland!

Posted by mparker on February 6, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Remember after the NC in 1998, the signing class had aabout 15 kids...I think the main one was Haynesworth.

Posted by cjraney on February 6, 2008 at 6 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sure Rick, Fulmer should have just responded "No comment" when asked about the group of young people he just convinced to attend UT. You're a smart one.

Congrats to all our recruits. I hope you will wear the orange and white with pride on the field and conduct yourselves with dignity off the field. Go Vols!

Posted by volboy81 on February 6, 2008 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

we've got a good class with a lot of great returning players. Lets get behind UT like REAL fans! GO VOLS!!

Posted by FatherVol on February 6, 2008 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Even Herbstreit said the prospect rating systems are over-rated. 70% of players signed don't pan out, according to him, for one reason or another, so it is best to fill your needs to the best of your ability. Now we wait for the development of the players that signed.

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 6:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Support Fulmer and the Vols. Evaluate this class in 3 years. I'm tired of hearing all of this negativity.

Posted by turningsummer on February 6, 2008 at 6:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

at least i know my 'insider info' was legit. I was told yesterday, and I posted it, that we had two 4st silent commits. I was thinking it was Mclain, and Davis, but I do like Walls and Ward.

Posted by GerryOP on February 6, 2008 at 6:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OTDTN, agreed. Just liking feeling proud in 1964 when we held on and lost to the #3-ranked and NC-bound Tide in Neyland by a score of "only" 19-8! Even though Joe Willy was playing on only one leg! (TJ, check my facts -- the old memory ya' know!)

Posted by drwfocus on February 6, 2008 at 6:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well - OK. All you "downward spiral" folks have finally convinced me. The Tennessee football program is second tier at best. With such a lousy coach and AD and such terrible recruiting the athletic department will probably request division 2 status in another year or two. Soooo, as all you "downward spiral" folks imply I guess I will have to switch my support to a top tier winning program from now on -- GO IRISH or Bama or Gators or Bulldogs or So. Cal, whatever (at least until they enter the dreaded downward spiral too). Now that I have joined you at least I don't have to listen to you any longer.

Posted by GreerVol22 on February 6, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, its over now and Saban can crow for a while...at least until they lose to Auburn again.

All schools have off recruiting years. If Coach follows this year up with a similar class next year, then we have a legitimate gripe.

What bothers me is the showboating by Terell Pryor wanting his own personal signing day. Every defensive end and LB in the Big Ten has him on their hit list now.

Posted by volfan8 on February 6, 2008 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I personally see nothing to get excited about with this class.

If we want to stay in contention in the SEC we need to have great players coming to UT, not 12-13 3-star players.

Look at SEC schools in front of us in recruiting classes according to rivals:
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
LSU
Auburn
South Carolina
Ole Miss

Followed by UT in #36. Arkansas is #37

outlook not so good...

Posted by dburgVol on February 6, 2008 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All Ive got to say is that SPHS has to be banned from ever posting again. You don't tell someone with a terminal disease that a cure has been found and that they will give it to, and then find out that you were being lied to. I'm not disappointed with the recruits, but I wish there had been more OL and DL recruits. Wish we hadve gotten McClain, Davis, and Coples.

Posted by mtnsvol44 on February 6, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, we know the character of the recruits who signed with the biggest liar in college football (Sabin) don't we?

Posted by thesavageorange on February 6, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Man this class sucks!I mean how many college games have they played now?What?None.Ummm, uhhh, nevermind.

Posted by sjt18 on February 6, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My remaining complaint is only that they were unable to sign another DT or two. I know they tried and am happy they didn't just settle with a 2* fallback like many schools (including Auburn and Clemson) typically do.

Does anyone know what Andre Mathis weighs now?

Posted by sjt18 on February 6, 2008 at 6:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

GreerVol22. Saaaaaaaaaaaaalute!

Posted by KingsportVol on February 6, 2008 at 6:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ah Damn

Posted by sjt18 on February 6, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah volfan8... you are probably right since we know that no 3* players ever outperform higher rated players... and no 4* or 5* players ever bust.

If Rivals and Scout never missed then there is no way that Rutgers, USF, Mizzou, Kansas, Illinois, Arizona State, or any of a number of other schools should be competitive.

These recruiting battles are fun to watch. It is nice to have the confidence that knowledgable people have looked at your new players and approved. But CPF has found alot of 2-3* players that outperformed higher rated players.

Josh Briscoe is an interesting one. Who wanted him? He was a 3* from NC. Slick Shelley was a guy that everyone wanted. Who looks the best now?

Posted by cphil on February 6, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Look at the bright side....at least this class is ranked higher than Arkansas.

Posted by digitaldelano on February 6, 2008 at 6:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

For those not pleased with the Vols success this year, go pull for another team. The real VOL fans don't need your negativity.

Posted by GerryOP on February 6, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OTDTN, I heard from a really deep, inside source that Dupree WAS offered a scholly but turned it down. He did not want to give up his seniority as greeter at the Hall's Crossroads Wal-Mart.

Posted by ThurmondEppy on February 6, 2008 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Coach Fulmer, rickj can be reached at rjones@forestpark.org. Send him some emails and heckle him at his job!

Posted by ThurmondEppy on February 6, 2008 at 6:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sorry, that's rickj@forestpark.org

Posted by TommyJack on February 6, 2008 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

oleTDTN: And they said we couldn't recruit. We snatched that DL right from under T-Tech & Carson-Newman's nose. Chief probably had to get involved in this one.

GerryOP: I saw that game..think it was '64. Even a hobbled Joe Willie rolled out on one 25-30yd run.

Posted by HilltopperVolPhi608 on February 6, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm disappointed and happy at the same time about this class. We have a few studs and few questionable ones. All I care about is winning and these guys to wear the orange and white proud and carry on our illustrious tradition. I believe one of the main reasons our class wasn't as good as years past is because of all the coaching uncertainty. Not many recruits want to go to a school where there could be as many as 4 coaches possibly going somewhere else. To change the subject a little bit, a few college buddies and I are trying to the UCLA game in the fall. Anybody have an idea on how much tickets would cost?

Posted by lamigravol on February 6, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The rankings are based on something! The fact of the matter is all SEC schools are after the same players for the most part, and UT was out recruited by everyone except UK and Vandy. That speaks volumes as to what kids are looking for in a U. It seem UT has lost its way on and off the field.

Posted by vol52 on February 6, 2008 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank Heaven for that extension. What would we have without it. I hope I am wrong but there is a serious problem with the football program and there is no immediate fix in sight.

Posted by copan07 on February 6, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I just decided to take a look at the Tennessean and Chatanooga sites for their signing day coverage. Amazingly, I learned so much more about our class and about the situations with Morley and Brandon Warren. Why do you guys at Knoxville News not give us more info?

Posted by jandjhome on February 6, 2008 at 6:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This will not have an impact next year but it will down the road. When Florida, Georgia, and Alabama wipe us out for two consecutive seasons, Fulmer will be gone but he still will not recognize he has a problem.

Posted by justisiscumin on February 6, 2008 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Amen, Volcan7979, if they don't want to wear the orange with pride screw em. We need kids with character. We need some talent but talent wihtout character ends up in the headlines, plays a few games and causes more harm than good. Phillip is doing the right thing recruiting character, you can teach blocking and tackling. Hope a few are fast, everything else is learnable. Go Vols! Welcome class of 2012!

Posted by KingsportVol on February 6, 2008 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TD Dupree turned us down.He had 3*.Overall we had a good day.Agree 6:15 post Greer.He is a mark.

Posted by HilltopperVolPhi608 on February 6, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

One more thing that I forgot to mention is that I read an article on rivals.com, and the senior class that graduated after the NC season was rated as one of the worst classes we ever had and look what they did. Many of them are in the NFL right now.

Posted by thesavageorange on February 6, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lamigravol ,Is that why we had the #3 class last yr?Really , I'm curious.

Posted by GerryOP on February 6, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yup, TJ, I was there too! Namath's last trip to Neyland, Dickey's first year as coach. And these "kids" think they have something to complain about. It was tough being a fan in the '60s!

Posted by justisiscumin on February 6, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You mean the early 60's! From 65 -70 we kicked ass! In 65 we tied Bama and they won the NC, 67-70 teams were as good as we have ever had over 4 years.

Posted by copan07 on February 6, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Guys-- go check out the Tennessean and their break down on our recruits. The analysis on Abrams-Ward has him possibly playing running back at UT. A six foot-five running back?????? Is that a typo?

Posted by TommyJack on February 6, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BossVol: Question. Would you rather be speculating about our recruits, or Bama's?

Posted by ATLVOL1 on February 6, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We have a ridiculous amount of talent coming back, that are RS freshmen, sophomores. We had top 2 class last year. I think Poole, Abrams Ward, Walls, and Williams will be instant playmakers.

This class will be bad press tho...

Go Vols (( biting fingernails )).

Posted by agr_vol on February 6, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i guess people just don't get it, FULMER WILL NOT BE FIRED!!!! Get over it.

Posted by jcherrie on February 6, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

About 1/2 the teams that had signed good classes had disappointing or mediocre seasons: Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, Florida State, Michigan (despite the bowl win), UCLA, Clemson, Washington. Things are cyclical in college football.

While this class doesn't have the gamebreaking skill players that the rankings reflect, maybe it will fill needs. Time will tell.

During it's glory days, Nebraska did not consistently pull in great recruiting classes. The rankings are based on something but they hardly tell the whole story. I know they're less accurate than NFL draft rankings and the NFL scouts screw up all the time.

The only disturbing thing to me is that this is the 2nd sub-par class in 3 years. If he have a good class next year, I'm sure things will be fine. If not, we might be out the bottom of our cycle.

Posted by waterskier3 on February 6, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

please no say anything negative because we're all doom and gloom and our life is so sorry because we're so negative.... well maybe we're just more open minded and can see that we do have an average program at tn and its out football program and most of us are tired of hearing the chant.... wait til next year!!!!!!!!

didn't we have 20 places open???? that's says it all if that's true......

Posted by TommyJack on February 6, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

waterskier: Well said. Now, in addition to being a naysayer, doom & gloomer, loser/hater, etc., you are also a "downward spiraler". lol

Posted by VolsorCat on February 6, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We can talk about Bama signing 32, but they only lost 19 and all those were not scholarship guys. They can't bring in 32 new recruits and offer them all scholarships unless Saban cuts ties with some that are already there, which would burn bridges with high school coaches. My guess is that some will not qualify. Let's see who is around 2 years from now and the progress our group has made vs theirs. We had even fewer open scholarships available, so there was no way we were going to sign 25 guys. Look at how young the team was last year and the areas where we lost people. I would have loved to have 2 big DT's, but we only lost one and we got one. Maybe the coaches know who can contribute next year on the line. Maybe we run a 3-4 some next year. The LB and end positions are well stocked. I trust that the coaches are better equiped to judge talent and understand what is needed than the critics online.

Posted by volfan8 on February 6, 2008 at 7:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sjt18,

im glad you mentioned USF, Kansas, Mizzou, and arizona state as being good temas with little talent.

the only problem with that is they have in my opinion, and many others, whats called an innovative head coach. With Fulmer, name the last time you saw him go to something outside the box?? Hell, he was so desperate, he brought back his old coordinator. If we had an offensive guru like Kansas and Mizzou, then my mouth would be shut. But until we score mid 40's per game like those teams mentioned, the debate will continue.

Posted by jsm67vol on February 6, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with many of you who say the rank of our recruits doesn't matter. I think FL had the top rated class in the nation in 07. A lot of them played early too. but that top class didn't make it to a top tier bowl game did they? so with all that talent they should have dominated their bowl opponent right? I've said it before and I repeat, no team is good enough dominate the SEC year in, year out. This conference is too competative to have a dominant team like the big 10 or pac 10.The new staff will recruit a higher ranked class next year, for those of you who care about rankings. TN will compete for the east again in 08. They may not get there, oh well they are my team and I love my team. If they won it all every year some of you would start bitching about how they won it all. GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!

Posted by beartn on February 6, 2008 at 7:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rickj (an earlier post insuated that he shouldn't say to the press that we signed a good class) <<Colliervol - If he doesn't mean it I'd rather he not say it. It makes him look like the imbecile that he is.>>

Imbecile? Seriously, why would any coach in their right mind insult the players that he just signed? Of course he has to say that this is a good class. He has to motivate them and make them glad they signed with Tennessee. Every coach has to say positive things about the kids they just signed.

My disappointment is that we needed 1 or 2 more OL guys, and more DT's. That said, they hype surrounding a class has to be taken with a grain of salt. I remember our first so called #1 rated class. Their Senior year was 1988, when we started 0-6. I could be wrong, but I think the Seniors of 1998 that helped deliver the title were considered solid but not spectacular. I think we did sign some DE's that will be able to get to the QB, something we have sorely lacked the last 2 years. The reality is that no one here knows how this class will pan out, or for that matter, how last year's heralded class will ultimately do.

Posted by surfing_vol on February 6, 2008 at 7:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey! Our recruiting class looks like SC's! I guess Fulmer is still trying to compete with Spurrier.

Posted by ps4610 on February 6, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Perhaps this is Fulmer trying the opposite recruiting tactic. He's top 10 every year and we get disappoint so this year he tried bottom 100 and we'll win big next year. Here's hoping but I'd rather have the top class anyday! Hope we make up for it next year.

Posted by VolsorCat on February 6, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Also, Rivals only has two 5* and 24 4* defensive tackles listed. Out of 120 or so D1 schools, that isn't very many 4* or 5* guys available to many schools outside of the tradtional top 10 schools. Take into account playing time also. How many of those 26 guys can step right in and play? I don't even think UT needs someone to step right in and play next year. We only lost Mapu....

Posted by Neyland50 on February 6, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, I seem to remember that Ray Goff turned in a top five recruiting class every year, and we all know what that did for Georgia. And the senior class of 1998 was not that highly rated when they came on board at UT. Oh, and who's doing the ratings? Same guys that picked Ohio State as the number one team in the country? We will know next year, and the year after if the coaching changes, and the athletes that come in to the program will deliver what we all want, a solid BCS winning program. Go New Vols!

Posted by Hunter on February 6, 2008 at 7:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Want to know what I'm tired of? Of course you do!

I'm tired of all the whiny Fulmer apologists who would defend him if he went out and kicked puppies all day long while calling old women dirty names! Look, let's admit that this class does not APPEAR to be very good at all. Let's also admit that Phil has had more great classes than bad ones.

What worries me is that we historically tend to lose games with more talent on the field than our opponent. What happens when we are less talented than the opposition? I think we saw it this year with FL and Cal. Once again, I hope I am WAY wrong here, but let's not be blind to reality.

Posted by DennisVols on February 6, 2008 at 7:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

To judge this class at any point before the finish would be premature. It does not have the glamor of past recruiting classes by any stretch of the imagination. This class is however still a solid class.
In 2004 GA had a top 3 recruiting class on signing day only to have 7 of the 21 players not qualify to enter the university.
So unless you have the power to see into the future do not judge these young men prior to them having the opportunity to prove themselves on and off the field.
There is a new coaching staff at many positions now and there will be many changes none of us can predict the out come of. As we have witnessed over the last few years having a top 10 recruitng class did not guarantee us a bowl win, a conference title or a BCS title.
There is also no guarantees any of the higher rated players will perform any better coming into the college level. Clausen was the highest rated QB last year and his 1,200 yd.s, 7 TD/6 INTs were not exactly lights outs. Staford at GA has performed good at times but has yet to fulfill the "Top QB" rating he had coming out of HS either. His record against UT 0-2.
So give these kids the same opportunity you would expect someone to give you if you had just been promoted to the next level in your career.

Posted by UTBEATEMALL on February 6, 2008 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry if I offended anyone with my previous username UTKICKA??!

Posted by pdhuff on February 6, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TommyJack, I went and checked. The oil slick is gone. Not even bubbles.

Beat LSU.

Posted by VolsorCat on February 6, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hunter: That works both ways. I am tired of the 10 or so people who post nothing but negative every single day on every KNS article. I am not insinuating you, so don't think that.

Posted by TommyJack on February 6, 2008 at 7:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: I know. I looked. It went down stern first in a downward spiral.

Dennis. Welcome back.

Posted by bigtimevol on February 6, 2008 at 7:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dude(s), simmer down. Everyone knew we weren't going to sign that many players...but have some key guys like Morley/Williams coming in that were JUCO no-qual's or 2nd chancers, which will help immediately. We need linemen. Got some, but missed on some. Look at Auburn. They are rarely in the top 10 recruting, but know who they are and play within a scheme and do quite well. Also, look at teams that started winning w/o big classes (KY/Miss St/even Vandy). It's all about buying into a scheme and playing as a team, just as Pearl did his first year here as b'ball coach...and has done since. I think we have a solid D coming back, and have talent on Offense...along w/ a new OC, which will be harder for FL/GA/AL to gameplan against. If we utilize talent recruited over the past few years on both sides of the ball, and win in 2008, then the highly rated classes will come back as we need more skilled positions next year.

Ofcourse, if we tank it this year, then I retain all rights to retract the above statement.

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 7:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Everyone that is disappointed in our class is incredible. Everyone gets so wrapped up in Rivals and Scouts ranking that they forget that nobody but Fulmer and the staff knows what kind of people these guys are. You can look back on this class in 3 years and criticize it. Until then.. keep your mouths shut.

Posted by JT on February 6, 2008 at 7:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not the type to bash our recruting class,I'm ok with the guys that actually want to come to our school. The only thing I would like to ask of phil is not to change thier positions. I can't stand when we change positions. I think Adam Meyers-White could have been a headhunting saftey, same thing with Nevin Mckenzie but we moved them. Vladimir Richard could have been an extraordinary DE. but we moved him to OL a postion in which we are stacked. So please Play everyone as what they came into. I would like to see Abrams-ward at WR instead of Linebacker like we put him. He played WR in high school and whens the last time we have that 6'5 or 6'6 WR.

But anyways Can someone tell me how Notre Dame wins 2 games (I think 2?) and gets their recruting class? Same thing with Miami. Seems like theres some honest coaches like phil who has a decent class and them some other coaches.

Posted by scvols on February 6, 2008 at 7:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We lost our best recruiter, plus 3 assistance coaches which one was our recruiting coordinator. I wish we had done better, but it was a bad year to change coaches. Let me be the first to say, as long as we win 8 to 10 games this coaching team will kick some butt next year. We will have a TOP 5 next year.

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 7:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Whats this about a downward spiral?
2003: 10-3
2004: 10-3(not to mention 2 losses to undefeated Auburn and also won East)
2005: 5-6
2006: 9-4
2007: 10-4(won East)

That's one heck of a downward spiral.

Posted by pdhuff on February 6, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anyone seen the braying UConn fans who were so vocal? Wouldn't have anything to do with Rutgers ladies knocking off # 1, would it?

Welcome lads to Knoxville. Wear that T proudly. Beat LSU. Mar 2, Ky at UT, book it.

Posted by weisgarber2003 on February 6, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Stay the course!

Posted by TommyJack on February 6, 2008 at 7:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

givehim6: Blame drwfocus @ 6:13 for the downward spiral term. Way to negative for me.

Posted by txvolsfan on February 6, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SAVOL it's good to have you back posting.
Our Spurs clinic is not a clinic this year.
Glad we got Stoudamire, I think we had to have help at the point.
RICKJ, as always I have to agree with SAVOL, would we ever and I mean EVER get another recruit if Phil said these guys are terrible but its all we got!!!!
Come on man let's think before we post!!!!
in the words of the great one
HAVE A TAKE AND DON'T SUCK!!!!
TXVOLSFAN
GO VOLS

Posted by tngeoff on February 6, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wfSz9An4ThY

Posted by VolsorCat on February 6, 2008 at 8:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SCVols: Those coaches we lost sure hadn't gotten many commits before they left. You can't blame the new guys.

Posted by weisgarber2003 on February 6, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Whats this about a downward spiral?
2003: 10-3
2004: 10-3(not to mention 2 losses to undefeated Auburn and also won East)
2005: 5-6
2006: 9-4
2007: 10-4(won East)

That's one heck of a downward spiral."

Right, and which of those teams finished in the top ten?

Posted by TNPilgrim on February 6, 2008 at 8:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Everyone complains that the reason we haven't had a year like that of the 1998 National Championship is because of the lack of talent. Look at the number of people on that team that went on to play in the NFL. Fast forward to recruiting years like this one - no one knows how this class will develop, but their potential for championships is considerably less when you look at the other SEC schools like AL,FL,GA and even SC signing better classes. Fulmer didn't even use all his scholarships - he should have done better considering he won the eastern division. Maintaining the status quo isn't good enough - these guys may turn out to be OK, but he should have done better.

Posted by jaxvol75 on February 6, 2008 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Have you ever seen a woman who registered a 10 on the looks scale yet only a 1 for personality? How can you possibly determine the success or failure of these young men when they have not even suited up yet? I've forgotten more about Tennessee football than a lot of these cats who post on here know. We want men who want to be TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS....PERIOD! Let these coaches do their damn jobs or will elect one of you mo mo's to head the orange and watch you fold under pressure like one of the cheap suites you'd wear if you went on a recruiting visit with Coach Fulmer. Get a life.......

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Who cares about finishing in the top 10 unless you finish #1?! The #1 priority for this team is to win the East and then win the SEC. I'm sorry that we have been there 2 out of the last 4 years and both times we played the best team in the nation.

A top 10 ranking.. wow thats all media. We want hardware.

Posted by invisiblekid on February 6, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am sure Fulmer has been grinding his teeth for weeks now as prospects crossed the Vols off their lists but, as others have said, it's not like he can sit up there and admit it. There looks to be some solid prospects and a couple of guys with serious upside but I don't believe the overall goals of this class were met with the dearth of linemen signed. All it does is put more pressure on them to perform next year.

Posted by rkastens on February 6, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How many times have "the experts" picked correctly in August the exact order of the top 25 that will be present at the end of the year? Why is that? Because so much can happen during a season. If that is true for four months, it is even more true for 4 years. No one can see how many of the super star recruits will flunk out of school, get thrown out for drugs/alcohol or other run-ins with the police, leave early for the NFL, stop growing, never develop, not have the brains to play big time college football, etc. The conference champion is crowned in December and the national champion in January. They do not give out hardware for winning the National Recruiting Championship. How many big time programs were chasing Chris Lofton?

Posted by JT on February 6, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well we have to look at Alabama. 12 of thier 4 stars and 5 stars were from Alabama. Thats better than our class if you just took thier in state prospects.

Florida 8 of their 4 or 5 stars came from In state.

Georgia 13 of the 5 and 5 stars all came from In state.

What it comes down to is the state of Tennessee has no talent really. Lets face it. Do you really think that Aaron Douglas is better than a 4 star that comes out of Florida or GA or AL. No way. So tennessee is at a big disadvantage when it comes to recruiting. But lets look on the bright side We can play some basketball in tennessee :)

Posted by jboyle5555 on February 6, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

To our new signees.. you picked a class place with great tradition. YOU can make it better ! Welcome to the checkerboard, Orange and all the great fans. We are glad you are here.

Posted by IPOrange on February 6, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I've said it before, fellers. Things are rarely as bad as some posters believe, nor are they as rosy as others believe. Fact: We didn't sign a top 10 class. Unknown: How will that affect the program?

My take: We filled a few holes and signed a couple of guys that may turn out to be rare gems before it's all said and done. Coaching changes and off-the-field issues cost us some recruits, but the new coaching staff is solid and will have a positive impact on recruiting next year (I know, I know - "wait til next year" gets old...).

Anyway, I'll cheer them on and support them all the way. GO BIG ORANGE!

Posted by Slacker on February 6, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just wanted to take a moment and thank all the recruits and wish them success while at UT. Also,don't pay any attention to the few people on here who dwell on being negative. Because everytime that you step onto the field at Neyland Stadium, your going to have 105,000 supporters behind you. Go Big Orange!!!

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

JT: Do you agree that if we had in state prospects like some of these other schools that we would have a top 10 class year in and year out?

Posted by utwick on February 6, 2008 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This class is at least 2 recruits better than yesterday at this time since we didn't expect Abrams-Ward or Dallas Thomas. We have a good team this year since we didn't lose much. If the new QB can pull the trigger, then we will be okay. The recruiting for next year has already started. Win on the field and it will yield results in February. You can't lose to border states and/or your arch rivals and expect to successfully recruit their turf. I also would like to have gotten a couple of fire-breathing DTs, but I guess the LBs will have to work harder. I am disappointed that we only have 5 recruits from Tennessee. Surely the state has more talent than this and UT has to be able to win the recruiting war in its backyard. Go to class, stay out of trouble and kick some butt on the field this coming season. Go Vols!

Posted by khelton657 on February 6, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome, Guys...now go kick some Florida Butt !!!

Posted by tngeoff on February 6, 2008 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Advanced recruiting technique # 647:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u47XM3KmORk

Posted by philfan on February 6, 2008 at 8:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have almost always been a positive Vol, but this situation is strangely similar to last year's deal at Alabama. Saban was hired very late in the year, and Saban was very late in the hiring of his assistant coaches. His recruiting last year was mediocre. This year Fulmer took his time to hire his coaches, possibly confusing a lot of excellent recruits. This was not a banner year for Fulmer, inasmuch as he has had quite a few top ten recruiting classes. Saban finished 7-6 last year. Will we see a similar decline in our program?

Posted by SFOrange on February 6, 2008 at 8:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What do you want Fulmer to say? That he's disappointed in this class?
He has to lead and its not the time or place to down play the recruits
that chose to come to UT.

He did make a point to say these guys have "character" and are solid academically---who do you think he's talking to?

Posted by jobrando on February 6, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is pitiful..Could u wait until the next season starts and if they loose to FL, Alabama, and Georgia then start Fulmer bashing. Hey, they might even win those games.

Posted by hglover40 on February 6, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Stop whinning about not finishing in the top 10.
It's just a poll anyway. How many years do teams finish in the top 10 ahead of UT who play in some lesser conference, but would have had 4 losses had they played in the SEC. I think a couple of those 10 win seasons we were ready to finish in the top 10 but poor Bowl game performances cost us. Our performance in the SEC has been great considering we play 2 or 3 teams each year with more talent than us.

Posted by Ironcity on February 6, 2008 at 8:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Its not the negitive chat boards that may have caused the problem. There was an aire this year that hasn't been present in the recent past. Maybe it was deserved after the awful showings at Cal, Fl and Bama. Maybe it was the unreachable demands of a lot of UT fans. Its easy to hammer UT fans for the way we treat coaches. What we did to coach Battle was terrible. Coach Majors (arguelable the greatest Vol before Manning)was dumped after a couple of bad games. It's actually quite easy for other coaches to speak poorly about UT without actually bad mouthing us.

As for some of your arguements about winning the SEC, if one wins the SEC, they should be in the NC game. The fact that UT has not won the SEC since we were in the NC game is understandable. One can be a top 5 team and still be the third or forth best team in the SEC.

The other important point here is that UT represents a state that produces the least amount of D1 talent in the south. It forces our coaches to work twice as hard as our friends to the south. When you depend on out of state talent like we do, there are going to be years like this where a lot of guys say no thanks. Whats probably more amazing is it hasn't happened more often.

Posted by vol1994 on February 6, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just a few points I want to make:

1. SPHS- I told everyone he was full of s...!!
He was a poster just trying to get a rise out of everyone who never had any source.
2. I was asked who my sources were when I mentioned who would and would not come to UT, the Murfreesboro kid coming to UT a week before it was announced, etc..
*I stated I would state who afer recruiting as It is not a huge deal
a. A friend of mine who knows Former UT coach Matthews
b. A friend of mine who is neighbors with Coach Chavis
*Fulmer will be the first to admit one on one he has been surprised of the lack of top recruits committing to UT but.... Lets give these kids a chance!!

3. I was always told Heart is more important than talent and we have a lot of talent already in the skilled positions for the next 3 yrs.

4. We have just as good as chance of winning the SEC as anyone next year with the talent we have- as long as the guys are coached and qb play is okay
*if we win the SEC then we could be in the mix for the NC possibly

5. next year= we should land a top 10 recruiting class with the coaching staff we have

**I am not drinking the Kool Aid but hopeful of great things to come for our men at UT!!

GO Vols!!

Posted by GiveHimSix1387 on February 6, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

totally agree hglover

Basing our performance each year on our final ranking is just stupid. We care about how we perform in the SEC. Winning the East is a good season. Winning the SEC is a great season. Consecutive seasons not contending for the East is inexcusable. Fulmer has done a great job not to let that happen.

Posted by philfan on February 6, 2008 at 9:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As bigtimevol stated, Clawson and the new coaches will probably have very different schemes for our biggest rivals Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Fulmer took a long time hiring them and apparently took a lot of thought into it. I hope to see some very confused defenses on the field this year, and I hope the offense is not so predictable. I hope every game is a contest to see just how many points we can put on the scoreboard.

Posted by Pullingguard on February 6, 2008 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's all over, the fat lady has sung and the fat coach is happy... Let it be.... Three years from now we can properly evaulate this class and the contributions they have made as a group and individually to the Tennessee football team.. Wish them the best.

Posted by rabidvol1998 on February 6, 2008 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Obviously we needed a couple more DT's, but other than that I like this class. It fits our needs and listening to the interviews, it sounds like we have some guys who bleed orange. I'll bet we get an Al Wilson, Spencer Riley, Dale Jones type leader or two out of this class.

Posted by cjraney on February 6, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

waterskier-If UT is only an average program and we finished 2d in the SEC, wouldn't that mean the SEC is a below average conference? That don't hold water.

Volfan8-You said you'd shut your mouth if the Vols scored in the mid-40s just like Kansas, Mizzou, USF, and Arizona. If we played in those conferences we would be scoring in the 40s every week. Is your mouth shut?

Posted by cjraney on February 6, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ironcity-
Excellent points. However, I'm sure you realize such a rational view will not be well-received on this board.

Posted by FlaVol2 on February 6, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I know that there has been a lot of heartburn by some with Coach Fulmer, but I think he and his staff have done a very good job this past season, and further on with recruiting a decent 2008 Class. Things could have been a lot worse - Coach Cutt left and so did Trooper. It is hard to replace those guys with good people right in the middle of the recruiting cycle. Let's wait and see how these new guys fit in with the rest of our good athletes that are already at UT. The main thing I believe that would help Coach Fulmer and the team is to have the school mandate that all athletes must attend a special accredited university course called "Basic Ethics". Some of the things that have happened most recently have been an embarrasment to the university and should not be duplicated by others. I do think that most of the young players are mindful of what is correct - but a few sometimes spoil it for the rest of the team and the university.

Posted by ukvol on February 6, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Obviously, the coach is gonna give a PC statement, unless the class is very,very good. Clearly this is not that good of class. If we have underachieved with classes ranked in the top 10 (sometimes in the top 5, why does anyone think that we will be successful with a class rated in the mid 30's? Further, it is clear that the ranking of our recruits has been going steadily downward. As usual, you Sergeant Schultz type people ("I see nothing...") see no problems. I guess that's because we have Colonel Klink as our coach.

Posted by rabidvol1998 on February 6, 2008 at 9:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UKvol - funny but .... "it is clear that the ranking of our recruits has been going steadily downward". We were 3rd last year.

If you are going to be funny, fine, but if you are trying to make a point, try "just the facts", - Dragnet.

Posted by vol1994 on February 6, 2008 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nothing we can do about it. WE can complain which will not solve anything or support the guys we have on the roster and have faith in the coaches.

I was surprised that Pryor admitted on ESPN that he does indeed read posts in chat rooms..

Fulmer is here to stay guys so we just need to support the team and get read for the upcoming season which should be exciting!!

Posted by VOLinDAWGland on February 6, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well I guess we are now officially in the doldrums. Nothing much more to say about recruiting or about Fulmer or about the state of the team that hasn't been said at least 10 times already. Looking forward to the O/W game and seeing how Crompton responds and how the new O looks. Until then...go Vols BB!!!!

Posted by wr23 on February 6, 2008 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

VOLinDAWGlnd -- you summed it up very well, my friend. Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile...

Posted by vol98 on February 6, 2008 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I still say if you look at the avg ranking of players we are just outside the top 25. Like .01 on Rivals from Aubbie at 25. On Scout, it doesn't let me rank by avg, but it looks pretty similar. Is that ideal? No. Would I rather be top 5 and have ESPNU talk about us for 8 hrs today? Yes, but I don't think our class is that far off, and we simply don't have a lot of numbers. Some guy named Bruce does pretty well without McD's all americans. But that is called coaching. I for one would like to hear more from
the Claw, about talent in hand, talent coming in and what he envisions for our system. Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

Posted by nivatne on February 6, 2008 at 10:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All right guys. I have listened to all of the Fulmer-haters mash and bash of Fulmer and how the prgram is headed nowhere and the end of the world and blahblahblahblah. Some of you (and you shall remain nameless, but you know who you are)need to take your head out butt and look at the facts. You all claim the GA, FL, and AL are the supreme teams of the SEC. Hmmm. That's odd. Take a look at these numbers.

Records since 2002 (including 2002)
FLA => 54-23
AL => 43-23
UGA => 63-15
UT => 52-25

Granted UGA has had some good years this decade, but are we really going to act like the world is coming to an end over 11 game in 7 years? That's basically 1 game per year. And would you look at FL??? Basically the same record...hmm...interesting.

And for the ones that say Fulmer has had all this talent, and did nothing with it, let's take a look at the average Rival's ranking in the same time frame.

FL => 7.8
GA => 6.3
UT => 10
AL (just for fun) => 21.2

It would seem to may Fulmer is doing as good or better than GA or FL, considering what he has had to work with. Also, East division champsionships are pretty evenly distributed (I think GA has 3, UT 2, FL 1 but I could be wrong on this. Can't find hard data). So for all of you complaining, just shut up!!! There is no credibility to your claims. WE just won the East, not UGA or FL. So just get excited about what the future holds for UT, and quit acting like the sky has fallen.

Posted by pupvol on February 6, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

fulmer signed guys who bleed orange. trouble is they"re bleeding already!

Posted by nivatne on February 6, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I apologize for some of the spelling and grammer mistakes I made in my above post. Didn't F7 prior to posting :)

Posted by FlaVol2 on February 6, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes, BB is going good and is something we can cheer about. keep it going men!

Posted by rabidvol1998 on February 6, 2008 at 10:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nivatne - great analysis. Amazing what happens when you use facts.

Pupvol - what do you mean they're bleeding already? I really don't get it. But in case you are degrading this guys, remember they are 17-18 year old kids who will compete at a level of competition higher than most of us ever experience except with our butts in the stands.

have you given your all for TN? lets us know how?

Posted by UT4ME on February 6, 2008 at 10:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

For just a minute, forget about Rivals and Ratings and all the B.S. spewed out by talk-show hosts, journalists, & recruiting websites. The following list shows all the players who we will have joining/rejoining our football team for 2008. Correct if needed.

1. Austin Johnson – 6’2” 240 lbs: LB, FB, TE, DE
2. Ben Bartholomew – 6’3” 225 lbs: DE, TE, FB
3. Montario Hughes – 6’5” 265 lbs: D-line
4. Willie Bohannon – 6’3” 235 lbs: DE, D-line
5. Gerald Williams – 6’4” 225 lbs: LB, DE
6. EJ Abrams-Ward – 6’5” 210 lbs: LB, WR, DE
7. Brandon Warren – 6’3” 240 lbs: TE, DE
8. Steven Fowlkes – 6’5” 215: DE, WR
9. Marlon Walls – 6’4” 225 lbs: OLB
10. Prentiss Wagner – 6’2” 190 lbs: DB, WR
11. Stephen Raines – 6’0” 180 lbs: DB, WR
12. Vince Faison – 6’0” 185 lbs: DB
13. Demetrius Morley – 6’1” 185 lbs: S, DB
14. Herman Lathers – 6’0” 190 lbs: LB, S
15. Rod Wilks – 6’1” 210 lbs: WR
16. Tauren Poole – 5’10” 200 lbs: RB
17. Casey Kelly – 6’2” 190 lbs: QB and baseball
18. Aaron Douglas – 6’7” 250 lbs: TE
19. Preston Bailey – 6’5” 310 lbs; O-line
20. Carson Anderson – 6’3” 270 lbs: O-line
21. Dallas Thomas – 6’6” 260 lbs: O-line

Now, NONE of these guys have proved themselves on the college level, let alone the SEC. EVERY school is in that same position, despite all the hype. And isn't UT at the scholarship limit?

Last season, our secondary was GREEN. Experience, and a few players in this class, should help in '08. Also, lack of pressure on QB's was frustrating this past season. The lack of pressure and inexperienced secondary resulted in big play after big play against us. This class adds size and speed at the DE position. DL another story, but most of these kids are 17-18, & some of them will bulk up & make that transition. The most obvious concern, for me anyway, coming into last season was at the receiver position. We lost some studs after '06. The guys we did have got better...and like Eric Ainge...had stretches of efficient play. No fear of the big play from opposing defenses, though, and since we could not stretch the field, every phase of the offense was pressured hard. This class has the potential to produce some Alvin Harper/Monk/Meachem type SEC receivers.

So, it is what it is, and to the 21 players coming aboard, WELCOME! We have a new offensive coaching staff, & I personally want to give them a chance. I'm tired of all the negativity. I want to see UT return to the "elite" group of football programs in the country. That's what I'll be cheering for through next fall.

Posted by Hunter on February 6, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Spelling mistakes like "grammer," nivatne? Sorry, I couldn't resist. No hard feelings?

Posted by pupvol on February 6, 2008 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rabidvol 1998-I bleed orange too but i couldn"t get out there and compete with the class other sec teams are signing and neither can these guys. it"s just sad but true.

Posted by jeffersongavol on February 6, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

orangebass: We don't have a loosing record to SC or AL. Fulmer has done quite well against these two teams regardless of who the coach has been.

Posted by rabidvol1998 on February 6, 2008 at 10:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pupvol - tell us how how you know what 17 year olds can or can't do 2-3 years from now?

We had a worse class (ratings wise) in 2005, but two years later we won 10 games and played in the SEC championship game. So feel free to be doom and gloom, but you have no facts to support your claim.

Posted by nivatne on February 6, 2008 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ha! Sorry guys, I was (and am) watching US-Mexico. Apparently my "grammer" needs some extra work ;)

Posted by tennesseeduke on February 6, 2008 at 10:53 p.m. (