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Hooker: Fulmer's choices had a lot to do with recruiting

By Dave Hooker (Contact)
Originally published 08:00 p.m., January 12, 2008
Updated 08:00 p.m., January 12, 2008

It's been said that Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer thinks about recruiting with every decision he makes.

A slight exaggeration? Perhaps. But not by much.

A constant attentiveness to procuring the best talent in the nation has been the key to Fulmer's success.

That's why I'm sure recruiting crossed Fulmer's mind when he made his three most recent hires:

n Running backs coach Scott Drayton: The former Florida running backs coach has strong ties to Florida, especially central Florida, where former assistant Kurt Roper focused much of his time before leaving for Duke.

n Offensive coordinator Dave Clawson and wide receivers coach Latrell Scott: Clawson, the former Richmond coach, and Scott, who coached receivers for the Spiders, have obvious ties to Virginia especially the Hampton area, one of the most talent-rich areas in the country. Scott graduated from Hampton in 1999 following an All-American career as a tight end.

The three new assistants will certainly have to prove their recruiting meddle soon. The Vols have only 11 verbal commitments for the 2008 signing class. UT is expected to sign 20 to 24 prospects. And National Signing Day on Feb. 6 is looming large.

Chances are slim that UT will sign a nationally ranked top 10 class. A top five group seems well out of reach. The Vols rank 44th in the nation by scout.com and 42nd by rivals.com.

That doesn't mean fans should throw in the towel quite yet. First of all, Fulmer and company are known for closing strong. Secondly, rankings don't mean much. For proof, just look at the 2005 and 2006 class.

In 2005, UT seemed destined to win a championship after signing one of the top classes in the nation. Then a year later, the Vols seemed doomed after signing a class to little fanfare following a 5-6 season.

But in retrospect, those classes have had about the same impact on the field for the Vols (and the 2006 class still has another year to mature).

The key for UT in 2008 is to sign a solid class based on need, specifically on the offensive and defensive line, to compliment the 2007 class, which is well stocked with speed.

If that happens, Fulmer won't worry himself thinking about ratings.

Staying Home: Athlete Jeff Demps, who is regarded by many as the fastest high school prospect in the nation, committed to Florida on Wednesday. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Demps, who is from South Lake High School in Groveland, Fla., was considering UT before announcing his decision on ESPNU.

"Next season I will be playing for the University of Florida," Demps said on the broadcast. "I made the decision a couple of weeks ago. I just felt that Florida offered great atmosphere, great coaching and great<0x00A0>academics."

Demps visited UT twice before making his decision.

Some UT faithful held out hope that Demps would follow Drayton to Knoxville, but that wish was short lived.

Demps ran the 100 meters in 10.25 seconds at the Junior Olympics last year. He rushed for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 10.3 yards per carry last season. As a junior, he rushed for 1,761 yards and 21<0x00A0>touchdowns.

Dave Hooker can be reached at hookerd@knews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

       23 Comments

Posted by dburgVol on January 12, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These guys probably will have a big impact on recruiting but probably not this year with only 3 weeks left. Who knows, mayge so. Still say that they are great hires. Go VOLS!

Posted by texvol on January 12, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am glad that no incoming coach so far is bringing a recruit with him. Just ads to the credibility of these hires.

Posted by weisgarber2003 on January 12, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, it is obvious that Fulmer has a lot riding on these hires. Let Fulmer lose again next year to UF GA, and AL., and the criticism, just latent at the moment, will fire up again. Clawson and Scott really only buy a little time for Fulmer to produce.

Posted by texvol on January 12, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Recruiting will not even come up on these posts this fall if we win big.
This time nest year will be full of negative stuff if we don't.

Posted by agentorange on January 12, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

we beat ga weisgarber. retard.

Posted by volguy on January 12, 2008 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Prove his "meddle?" Try "mettle."

Posted by weisgarber2003 on January 12, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Posted by agentorange on January 12, 2008 at 9:51 p.m.

we beat ga weisgarber. retard."

Read the post DUMMY, I referred to next year. Or can you read?

Posted by Hunter on January 12, 2008 at 10:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, weisgarber, but you said "again," implying we had lost to all of them last year. How 'bout we don't call anybody a "DUMMY" until we master the English language and the connotation of words, hmmmmm?

Play nice, kids. Hate Bama, not your brother...

Posted by budd on January 12, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hooker when a grown man is so involved in the lives of 17 yr olds it worries me.

The name of the game is coaching. Half the five stars that your heros at scout and rival identify cannot even get in school. CPF hired these guys because they know how to coach and are winners. College athletics is about coaching. That's why he hired them

Posted by ReallyAVolFan on January 12, 2008 at 11:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not sure how many top 10 recruiting classes we have supposedly had since '98, but having not come close to finishing the season in the Top 10, maybe it's time we tried winning with some guys that the high school talent raters don't think that much of!

Posted by AFVolunteer on January 12, 2008 at 11:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ReallyAVolFan,
I dont necessarily think its about stars at all. I see where you are comming from concerning supposed talent at Tennessee. I think i know what your talking about. I played 3 sports in highscool and considered myself to be pretty good cause i thought i put alot of effort into everything i did. I could name players on my squad's with twice the talent than me, but i just tried harder. I want Tennessee players that bleed Tennessee..... I want them to dream, eat, and poop orange. I want our teams to put their heart and soul into our University!!!! Lets go big orange!!! I want heart!

Posted by dburgVol on January 12, 2008 at 11:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

AFVolunteer, you hit the nail on the head, and Ryan Karl is a great example. He gave his all for Tennessee and played his last game with an injured elbow. He said he wasnt going to miss his last time to put on the orange. That's what Tennessee Football is all about. If all of the players gave the heart that Karl gave we would be in great shape. Jerod Mayo was a 3 star recruit that put in alot and turned himself into a potential first rounder. All that these coaches want is 100% effort and the kids will have results. We need to recruit Rocky Balboa next year.

Posted by lempga on January 13, 2008 at 12:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

AFVolunteer, U R the man! Go Big Orange! Bleed Orange.

Posted by vols76 on January 13, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

weisgarber2003.....when stating facts, get them correct. "Let Fulmer lose to UF GA and AL".....should read "lose to UF and AL again"..We have beat GA two years in a row.....And I don't think we will lose to Ga next year......Ga last 6 teams they played had lost a combine total of 31 games and then they played Hawaii....Just who have they played now to be ranked so high???????

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on January 13, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

has anyone heard anything about any of the recruits that visited on the 11th? did any commit?

Posted by dfreeman on January 13, 2008 at 3:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

vols76, I agree about GA!! Not only did we beat them two years straight we beat them by 18 and 21 points respectively!! We may have figured Richt out by now!!

About the recruits, not even a sniff of a hint out of what happened this weekend? Did one of those kids not go home and comment about what they liked/disliked??

Posted by paulvol on January 13, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Does anybody know specifically who these new coaches recruited when they were coaching elsewhere? I'm not talking about good players they had the opportunity to coach elsewhere. I am talking about good big named players that they specifically recruited to their universities themselves. If they were hired partly for their ability to recruit I would just like to know some examples of big names that we would all know.

Posted by asleep on January 13, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Agree with several posters and the article. Recruit to needs and coach them up. Also, those Rivals and Scout stars are assigned after a player's junior year and are rarely, if ever, updated. There are plenty of kids out there who, for whatever reason, don't mature as quickly or get the playing time/stats/recruiting attention during their junior years. They get fewer stars even if they outshine the other guys during their senior year. I would personally go to Knoxville and kick Fulmer's tail if I thought he didn't have his own evaluation process for his recruits. Of course he does. And where, historically, do at least half of our 5 star recruits end up? Junior college or Hargrave. Some of the 3 stars (and less), like Mayo, turned out pretty good. I say let the master recruiter get who he thinks he needs and then see how it turns out. Getting too hung up on "stars" hurts you both ways. You seem to expect too much out of the 5 stars and too little if all you get is 4 stars or less. Let it go. It's all about coaching anyway. Go Vols!!!

Posted by glockjockey on January 13, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

A lot of big name recruits don't pan out anyway.

Posted by DekanGator on January 14, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lets talk the truth guys... Most talanted Recruits Pick schools that are on TV alot and go to big bowl games. They all think they are good enough for the NFL. Very few are going for the good education.

Posted by paulvol on January 14, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Asleep, I like what you had to say and your point was well taken. Thanks! I know that I shouldn't be too hung up on wanting 4 and 5 star recruits but I was just trying to find out a little history behind the recruiting success of our new coaches. That's all.

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