Posted by txsvol on February 16, 2008 at 7:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Before everybody starts in with the usual stuff about how bad this class is, remember that we had only 20-21 scholarships, compared with 32 last year. And, CPF saved one for Brandon Warren, and obviously, another for Demetrice Morley. So, aside from the obvious gaping holes right up our defensive middle, we should be OK. If we had signed five more prospects at the 2.94 average we have on scout, that would bring our raw score to 3790, and eke us in to the 11th spot, above Clemson. But, I'd rather have Warren, Morley, and Gerald Williams, with no stars in the ratings, than to have five more *** players. Honestly, now, have you 'nabobs of nattering negativism' thought of what the real story is behind the numbers? Go Vols! Can't wait until Spring Practice! SAVol

Posted by txvolsfan on February 16, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SAVOL as always a great post, couldn't have said it better!!! D. Mor and E. Berry will hurt some people, this is a wicked safety combo. I think Crompton is going to be a better QB than Ainge. The line will be solid, the whole offense should be solid!!!
It should be a good Spring!!!
TXVOLSFAN

Posted by txsvol on February 16, 2008 at 7:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

For a good story on Gerald Williams, a ****LB prospect who originally signed with us in 2005, go to htp://jcfootball.scout.com/2/711400.html. I'll take all loyal *JUCO prospects like Gerald, who obviously wants to play for us, over a whole classfull of primadonnas like Alabama and Notre Dame signed. Somebody on the KNS sports staff please do some human interest stories on the guys we've signed this year! Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by eb502us on February 16, 2008 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Biggest disapointment was at DT. When was the last time we signed a decent prospect at this position? Haynesworth is the last one I can recall.

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

txsvol - interesting post. Wish you hadn't mentioned "gaping holes right up our defensive middle". Not pleasant to think about, but a healthy dose of reality. Dbs should be great and LB will be improved.

Think Crompton will be better than Ainge overall by season's end. "Gaping holes", man.....

Off grading subject, Kaplan, thanks for my receiving all of my "I Beat Adams" shirts. What a caricature. Man. Also, was I supposed to receive the professionally done color slide -UT Center for Video of Reggie Cobb? Hand written on back "Reggie Cobb- Tennessee". Its very nice, but if you need it back, advise. Tks.

Posted by TommyJack on February 16, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

McBrim: You should be familiar with both items.
Or were you just pushing that pig out of the mud?

Posted by kdt0725 on February 16, 2008 at 8:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't know how 3-stars constitutes an A at QB and B's at other positions.

Posted by zjcvols on February 16, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wasn't too worried too about skill positions, but they needed a 4/5 star DT or OL that could play right away. Guess what, didn't happen. They should have focus more on those positions. BTW, how can you grade the QB an A when he might not ever come to UT. I also don't see Tauren Poole being a factor at RB, maybe Wr or DB, but not RB

Posted by raynochonspeed on February 16, 2008 at 9:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hooker, this is easily the worst recruiting job by Fulmer ever. Did you factor into your grades the fact these players might never make it to the UT campus: Marlon Walls, Rod Wilks, Montori Hughes, Dallas Thomas (all b/c of grades), and Casey Kelly (baseball)?

Posted by BigVolinCarolina on February 16, 2008 at 9:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Defensive Line: D. This group is soft in the middle."

Soft in the middle, eh? Regardless of all other positions, we needed DT's. Looks like we won't be stopping the run anytime soon.

Posted by ncvol17 on February 16, 2008 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey, I was told that I won 3 'I beat Adams' t shirts and never received even 1. POHUFF did you actually receive one?

What a gyp that promo was.

Posted by pdhuff on February 16, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ncvol - wonders abound. They got here only after a modicum of 100 days or so. Ms Amanda emailed me the good news and then ...nothing. I sent off a blurb or two and finally they're here.

I was serious about receiving a great Reggie Cobb color slide (actual professional game shot) hard-mounted in the bottom of the manila envelope with the shirt!! Strange. Guess I'll have to go to the barn and dig out the old slide projector so I can show the beagle ol' Regg in action. You'll have to caterwaul to get a shirt.

Posted by andy112382 on February 16, 2008 at 11:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anyone ever wonder why Vladimir Richard was changed from DT to OL when we picked him up in 2005?

Here is hoping one of those 'only 3 star guys' step up at DT and make a name for themselves, there are a handful to pick from:

William Brimfield - 6'6" 300lbs

Wes Brown - 6'4" 275lbs....I know he is a DE, but with all the possible guys at DE, couldn't he beef up and play DT possibly?

Donald Langley - 6'2" 290lbs

Chase Nelson - 6'4.5" 250lbs....seemed fine until he dislocated his wrist.

Jarrod Shaw - 6'4" 330lbs

Dan Williams - 6'3" 305lbs...I like how he plays

Victor Thomas - 6'3" 265lbs

Of course losing guys like Raymond Henderson, Rolando Melacon, and Blake Garretson due to various problems don't help the whole situtation.

Any word on guys like Rae Sykes and Cory Hall? What about Bradon Warren on that note?

Posted by txsvol on February 16, 2008 at 11:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Andy, thanks for the run-down on DT possibilities for 2008. If three of them + Demonte Bolden can hold off blocks, our LBs and DBs should be able to make the tackles. We still will need blitz packages to pressure QBs in passing situations, unless I have 'misunderestimated' our DTs. I wonder if Chief will use one of the new guys, (Chris Donald or Chris White, or Gerald Williams) or Ellix Wilson at MLB, or if he will move Rico McCoy there, and have one of the others at SLB. BTW, Vlad Richard obviously wasn't quick enough for D1 football at DT, so he was switched to OL, and he can play the guard position adequately. He may, with a good 2008 season, be an NFL prospect. His leadership in student government and other 'intangibles' will cause him to be rated higher than some equally talented pro OL prospects. Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by murrayvol on February 17, 2008 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Hope springs eternal." Thanks Dave! I needed that(article). But hold the T-shirts. I've got a chest of drawers full of em.

Posted by nicksjuzunk on February 17, 2008 at 12:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

mcbrim,

I've never even met you! How can you claim I am putting lipstick on you??!!

Please, a little common sense.

Posted by tngeoff on February 17, 2008 at 4:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Dang.

Posted by IMAVOL2 on February 17, 2008 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

this class will be good if not great , and we already have very good athletes in the program . signing a "good" class this year is not a problem .......unless we follow this class next year with another "good" class . a "great" class next year is what this new staff will have to achieve !

Posted by jdcdjc on February 17, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Let's wait until they get on the field before we start second guessing. This might be the best group in the SEC. Go Vols

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

this was in the chatt free press 1-4-08 about Hall: Since arriving at Northwest, the 6-foot-5 Hall has bulked up to 275 pounds, while maintaining a 4.65 time in the 40-yard dash. He has had contact with coaches from Florida, LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss and Mississippi State but said if he were able to sign this year, he would still honor his commitment to UT.

“A lot of people are going to know Cory’s name once he gets to Tennessee,” said Frazier, who has had 20 Division I signees and two other players go straight to the NFL in the last four years. “He’s got a nonstop motor and with his ability to rush off the edge, Tennessee fans and opponents will know when he’s on the field. This is a kid with a possible NFL future if he continues to work.”

After setting program records in the weight room — he bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times and from a standing position pressed 135 pounds 60 times — Hall earned the team’s “Sledgehammer” award for the hardest hit twice last season. With his team trailing late against East Mississippi CC, Hall stripped the quarterback on a sack and recovered the fumble to set up the winning touchdown.

“I was to blame for being here instead of Tennessee,” said Hall, who has a 2.8 grade point average now and intends to enroll at UT next January. “I’ve seen the effect of not doing your work first-hand, but I wasn’t going to dwell on it and let it keep me from reaching my goal. In fact, I’ve decided to major in education administration so I can work as a guidance counselor and make sure the same thing that happened to me doesn’t happen to somebody else.

“This could have affected my future in a negative way, but instead of a wall, I’m making it a stepping stone to get where I want to be.”

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

this is whats SAD:

Barrett Jones (OL) 4 Star – Memphis , TN ( Alabama )

Chris Jordaon (ATH) 4 Star – Brentwood , TN ( Alabama )

David Spurlock (OL) 3 Star – Murfreesboro , TN ( Florida State )

Don’ta Hightower (LB) 4 Star – Lewisburg , TN ( Alabama )

Curt Phillips (QB) 4 Star – Kingsport , TN ( Wisconsin )

Tenarius Wright (LB) 3 Star – Memphis , TN ( Arkansas )

LOOK AT ALL OF THE TENNESSEE KIDS GOING TO OTHER SCHOOLS

Posted by tngeoff on February 17, 2008 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

volunteer_cowboy.

What's even sadder were the taunting deriding remarkes about those players when they chose to go elsewhere...as though we had "no need" for them. Yeah right. Brilliant. For all those who laughed and made crude comments to those guys...who is laughing now? Taunt that.

Posted by tngeoff on February 17, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Go into the recruiting thread and look back at the older stories and read the comments.

Posted by dford9 on February 17, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If our '08 signing class can keep their butts
out of trouble, and their hands too themselves
we ought to be in good shape. I'm worried a bit
more 'bout losing Coach Cut (David Cutcliffe)
and Trooper, than I am about our prospects. If
Daniel Lincoln continues too improve, and kick
like he did against Miss. State we should win
a few close ball games. Jon Crompton needs to
adjust to new OC Dave Clawson's scheme very
quickly; or else it could be a very long and
disappointing year.

Posted by mikes70gto on February 17, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey cowboy, if you notice most of those kids are no better than those we picked up. I would venture to say that some of ours are better.

Posted by VOLstuckINky on February 17, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

While I don't agree with any of this article, I don't think the signing class is complete doom and gloom. Nobody can agrue we missed out on the vast majority of the top players we were after, which is a firts for big phil.

The Kelly kid never puts a helmet on, going pro in the baseball draft. So that grde will be an I.

Somebody said Crompton will be better than Ainge. I haven't seen him do anything but turn the ball over. But then again, he hasn't had too many oppurtunities. He sure has hell will throw a better deep ball.

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

mikes70gto, they might not be better but they sure made alabama's class better and would of done the same for ours. You trying to tell me fulmer wouldnt of like to have had 4* barrett jones or 4* LB don'ta hightower, also they probably wont have trouble getting into alabama where as ours are already looking for a juco

Posted by pdhuff on February 17, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

vol cowboy 8:48 - that's what happens when you get blown out on Natl TV and depend on missed or blocked FGs to win games. Real.

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i agree pdhuff but look at dford9 post, he wants lincoln to continue to improve and kick like he did against miss st.....WHAT A JOKE!!!! so we're at the point where we want our kicker to improve so UT can beat the likes of lowly MISS. ST HA WHAT A JOKE

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

maybe dford9 also hopes lincoln saves our butts again this year against also the likes of vandy, kentucky and south carolina seeing that we had a 20 or 21 point lead against 2 of them at half

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

listen we got beat at cal and fla, georgia didnt show up because brown got hurt the first play of the game, jones gets hurt on the kick-off when we played ark, thus no wild hog, vandy had us beat outright, the infamous #22 put it in our face at alabama, field goals to beat miss st, up by 20 at kentucky had to go to OT and block a kick and kick 1 of our own to win, up by 21 at half against south carolina and had a prayer answered when thier kicker missed and lincoln won it. our record should of been 4-8 with no sec championship game or bowl game

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

wonder why we had a bad recruiting year?????

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on February 17, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i didnt figure i had to mention DJ HALL'S name i thought #22 would be good enough. Every UT fan should know who 22 was

Posted by vol1994 on February 17, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Someone help me here, seriously.
Ward at linebacker?

From what I heard this kid is a stud at wide receiver and is the deep threat we are missing.

Why would we move him to linebacker?
Unless I am thinking of someone else this kid is 6 foot 3 or so and a beast with blazing speed.

Posted by va_vol16 on February 17, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

my problem with this class is they will never get better as long as they are at ut we are awful when it comes to developing talent it is ok to take 3* prospects if you can make them better but we wont most players at ut are as good when they come in as they are when they leave that is why we always need to recruit top talant because our coaches will not make a 3* player any better than he was when he got here

Posted by thesavageorange on February 17, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not going to argue *'s anymore b/c not one of these kids have taken a college snap.I did have a interesting thought after reading 2 very good stories on Montori Hughes, and Cory Hall.The Smyrna coach(who turned UT onto Hughes)said that during the east/west all-star week, and in the game,Hughes was totally unblockable and dominated o-lineman that were also d-1 signees.In seven games last season (due to an injury),Hall,had 63tkls,11.5 sacks and 17tfl.His coach said some of his best games were against other SEC signees.A-lot of people have said they would like more Tennessee kids that cared about UT.Well,in a couple of yrs 5 of our front seven on D may be Sykes and Warren at DE,Hall and Hughes at DT and Donald at MLB.I'm not saying we shouldn't have signed some DT's(maybe this is wishfull thinking),but this group may end up a tight nit group and anchor a surprisingly strong front.Everyone knows however, that depth wins championships, so CPF has to sign some solid DT's and O-lineman in 09.

Posted by jimr07 on February 17, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes, va_vol16, we are so bad at developing players that tennssee has the 3rd most players in the NFL.

Posted by UT_Fan on February 17, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought this was an interesting article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?sl...

4 of the top 10 teams last year have not had a recruiting class in the top 20 in the past 5 years.

Posted by pdhuff on February 18, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

murrayvol 12:02 a.m. - you may have a drawer full of t-shirts, but you don't have any uglier? My old Key West tie-died sunburst looks presentable next to these. These must have been picked up roadside.

Posted by hueypilot on February 18, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh UT-Fan. So you mean recruiting ratings might not be an exact science? Gee, I thought it was positive proof. Like Notre Dame always has a great recruiting class and they , well, never mind, like Texas always has a top five class and they, well never mind. Gosh, what can you count on if you can't depend on Mel Kiper?

Posted by sjt18 on February 18, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

nafslov, Go back and look at the production of the RB's that ran behind Bartholomew... then maybe send them a letter and ask them whether he was a wasted jersey or not.

That act is way old... you have absolutely nothing to back it up with. BTW, he DID play briefly in the NFL before an injury ended his career.

Posted by marc_ash on February 18, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

txvol,

'nabobs of nattering negativism'

HAHAHAHA, now thats funny!

Posted by va_vol16 on February 18, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

yea jimr07 wait until all of those guys from the 90's move on and that number will drop because we are not putting players in the nfl like we used to and thats a fact

Posted by sjt18 on February 18, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

va_vol16... Players in the NFL after 2000 include:

Wade, Hefney, Washington, Stallworth, Harrell, Colquitt, Allen, Burnett, Gaither, Greer, Haralson, Haynesworth, Henderson, Herrera, Houston, Henry, Mahelona, Meachem, Mitchell, McBride, T Martin, D Martin, Parker, Sears, Weary, Wells, C Wilson, G Wilson, M Jones, and Witten.

These are guys from UT who have played in the NFL after leaving UT since 2000. There may be more that I missed but the well isn't dry yet.

Posted by txsvol on February 18, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

marc_ash: Just remember Spiro Agnew by those words and that he got in trouble as Nixon's veep. Can't really remember what, and I don't care enough to research it. Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by txsvol on February 18, 2008 at 4:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Actually, I remember the Smothers Brothers Comedy Show of that era, where Dick and Tom hurled phrases originally spoken by Agnew at each other. Those words would be good for our bickering posters to use against other posters whose opinions they disagree with: You 'pusillanamious pussyfooter!' You (member of) an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.' etc. Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by va_vol16 on February 19, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

whatever you have got to keep telling your selfs i love TENNESSEE more than anything but something is wrong and i think it starts at the top

Posted by General_Watermelon on February 19, 2008 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Coach Fulmer is the best coach in the country. He will lead our young men to the schools 2nd national championship since 1998 next season. I do not believe that the off field issues will have an impact.

Posted by posivol on February 20, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

this rag is nothing more than a piece of crap---hope you knoxville fellows can get a grip on this and boycot or just run out of buisness,,,this paper has an agenda to destroy our vols.

Posted by dgarland1 on February 27, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Seems to be a very widely read piece crap though doesn't it? That is all a newspaper can hope for from it writers, not agreement but controversy is what get papers read.

Posted by kantanuuv on February 27, 2008 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

General Fruity, I want some of what you're smoking.

Some quick research at Rivals.com shows that in the 5 years between 2002-2006 UT had a top 5 recruiting class. Last year, 18th. This year, 35th. Alabama, Florida and Georgia all have top 5 classes this year. It illustrates 2 things: 1) Fulmer is losing his touch at the one thing that was his greatest strength - recruiting; and 2) UT's recruiting class cannot be evaluated in a vacuum. It must be compared to the competition, and the competition will have substantially greater talent for several years to come.

If you don't think that translates into losses on the field, put down the orange kool aid.