You won’t find a bigger fan of the inaugural Toyota East-West Tennessee All-Star Classic than Montori Hughes.
Had it not been for the event last December, Hughes would be mulling over schools like Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech or Carson-Newman.
Now, with a scholarship offer from the University of Tennessee firmly in hand, he’s committed to be a Vol.
“I always wanted to play for Tennessee,” the 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive lineman from Siegel High School in Murfreesboro said on Sunday evening following his official visit to UT.
The Vols started pursuing Hughes after seeing him in the East-West all-star game, which replaced the Tennessee-Kentucky all-star game last year.
“I think that helped me out a lot,” Hughes said of his performance in the game and practices leading up to the event. “I did pretty good in the all-star game.”
Hughes couldn’t remember his statistics from the game, but remembers the reaction from fans and coaches.
“People were telling me I was interrupting a lot of plays … so my teammates could make the tackle or the play wasn’t ran right,” Hughes said.
Playing defensive end, Hughes registered more than 25 tackles for a loss during his senior season at Siegel. Hughes has the frame to grow into a defensive tackle, a move he said he wouldn’t resist.
“I want to play end but it doesn’t really matter,” Hughes said. “It’s just going to feel good putting on the orange.”
Hughes may have to wait awhile to don a UT jersey. He’s expected to enroll in prep school or junior college to improve his academic standing.
Hughes is UT’s 14th commitment of the 2008 class. National signing day is Feb. 6.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
UT's new $45 million football…
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Comments » 100
gohawks1 writes:
Finally, a commitment in a needed area.....
utmdm writes:
Sphs, are the dominos starting to fall?
Vols1998 writes:
What is his background?
Richmondvol writes:
I think we just landed a zero star recruit....here is a link in the Tennesseean with a little bit on him...
http://preps.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...
vol1994 writes:
richmond vol is correct.
this is the guy I was talking about earlier today
on a different thread.
We brought him for a visit because we need numbers
to fill all the rejections.
According to doug matthews, vanderbilt didnt even recruit this guy.
gohawks1 writes:
Rivals.com doesn't award him any stars, but lists him as a surprise commitment as we near signing day, whatever that means.
GerryOP writes:
News is ... well ... news. Anybody know this kid?
waterskier3#226480 writes:
stay the course and he has talent.. oh reality is setting in......... our dl is going to be ???? next season I'll let you fill in the blank.....
another extension and raise coming up.... oh we'll just out score everyone... except for fla, ala and ucla... maybe auburn...... anyone smell an outback steak???
thank god for basketball
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Sign anybody. Times awasting! Keep lowering the bar. Welcome son, wear the orange, proudly.
99gator writes:
could not find this guy in a scout.com search. why give a scholarship to this guy? why not just save it for next year?
vol1994 writes:
99 gator- because we have so many avl. scholarships to offer and they felt this kid was a sleeper even though they did not recruit him until the weekend. I have stated numerous times that
fulmer really thought he would have landed more recruits and surprised of all the rejections.
No I don't know fulmer but my source has been correct about everything else thus far so..
ATLVOL1 writes:
Hughes was Defensive MVP of middle tennessee according to Tennessean.... cant be bad, maybe he had academic issues or said he didnt want to play fball in college?
creepykev#228270 writes:
I'm pretty good at flag football with my kids, sign me up Phil.
ATLVOL1 writes:
Maybe he didnt have a text plan on his cellphone? So no one could get in touch with him?....or remember when Coach Nick Nolte found SHAQ on the streets of New Orleans in BLue Chips?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Juco, I missed that. Oh well, welcome in 2009 or whenever.
GerryOP writes:
OMG, you gotta' read to the end to find that he is a non-qualifier? Don't mean to "dis" the kid, but, ... Sheesh. How the mighty have fallen! Welcome aboard #14.
GreerVol22 writes:
There is a reason Vandy did not recruit him, he's a bone head. Most likely headed to Hargrave or Coffeyville until his grades improve. See you in a couple years Mr. Duh-Hughes.
ATLVOL1 writes:
Go to JUCO and gain 30 more lbs then come back and plug the middle.
volinSmyrna writes:
If you ask anyone that has seen this kid play, they will tell you he is a monster. Nobody was recruiting him because of the grade issue and the team he played on was horrible. I don't think his coaches publicized him that much.
After seeing him play several times over the last two years, if he would have had the grades he would have been a no-brainer 4* in my opinion. He proved that at the All Star game. He was even a man amongst boys in that game.
VOLnATL writes:
Can someone tell me why we wasted a scholarship on such a knucklehead that will not even be here next fall? What does this tell other recruits considering UT...we are bottom dwelling now? Man, we look desperate!
VOLnATL writes:
Thanks volinSmyrna. You must have been reading my mind while I was typing.
AlpharettaVol writes:
If we already know that he can't even qualify to be admitted, what makes us think that he's not a flunk-out waiting to happen if he ever gets here? Sounds like he is a future prospect to be among the six we lost this year before the bowl game.
VOLnATL writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
nivatne writes:
My uncle's kids go to Seigel and he told me that this guy was unstoppable, but Seigel's footbll team as a whole is terrible. He was defensive MVP for 5A in Middle Tennessee, and from what I heard, was the only positive on an otherwise terrible team. He was constantly getting double and triple-teamed, and still managed 25 tackles for loss. Let's not give up on a kid till we see him action. Everybody in Vol Nation needs to take a Xanax and just relax. That's two commits in 2 days. Let's see if more dominoes fall...GO VOLS!!!
GerryOP writes:
Yah, but, we couldn't beat out Hargrove, Coffeyville, and Pellissippi!
Hey TD, just like the BIG SURPRISES we were told about during the coach recruiting week? Yup, really big surprises. Just like the big surprises some coeds promised .... Well, you know!
andy112382#209793 writes:
Forget the freakin' rankings....saying stuff like 'well he will mess our ranking ups if anything'......all I care about is having the right guys on the team and winning football games, if we need DEs and we land a DE, than that is called getting the job done, our coaches don't offer just anyone a scholarship, they do indeed scout out players before offering them, I think they know quite a bit more about what is going on than any of us do.
nivatne writes:
By the way, for everyone up in arms about recruiting his year, and yearning for the days of yesteryear, remember, this is the first time that we have had to replace 4, count them, 4 coaches less than 60 days to Signing Day. Alot of these coaches were recruiting the very players that are commiting elsewhere. If we can pull out a Top 30 class, I don't think anyone here can complain. Some of you have unreal expectations about recruiting. We had a Top 3 class last year. We have talent. Take a deep breath. We will be alight. Let's not crucify Fulmer just yet. As I recall, we did just win the East with one of the least talented UT teams in recent memory.
nivatne writes:
Hey TouchdownTN, what is your deal??? So everytime we don't go 12-0, go to a BCS game, or land a Top 5 recruiting class, are you just go to completely flake out? Or did you flake out w/ this year's East championship and Top 3 recruiting class last year? Let's try and keep in all in perspective. He lost 4 coaches. You are expecting the impossible. Chill out, man.
mallardbayvol writes:
What a pathetic excuse for fans you guys are. Ripping a kid who bleeds orange, actually WANTS to be here, has size and ability and just got overlooked for several reasons. The kid is excited and had his dream come true and you morons rip him like he was your worst enemy. I hope people treat you guys the same way some day.
nivatne writes:
VolCR, for one thing, none of those teams had a Top 3 class last year. Also, higher rankings go to the "glamour" positions, positions we don't needs right now. Our recruiting class isn't going to look sexy, but it is going to fill needs. And geeze, can't we wait a couple years before we crucify a guy for commiting to UT? Some you on this board are an embarassment to other UT fans who bleed orange. If some you have so much of a problem, go root for Saban or Urban, or other coach who has sold his soul to the devil.
bgreybass#247717 writes:
Good move by the Vols. This guy has size and showed well at the easst-west game. He will not be part of the 08 class. He is off to prep or JC. He will not be tied to TN or TN tied to him. Can re evaluate in a year or two both academically and talent wise. Remember Jujuan Smith was a walk-on for the BB team---one never knows.
jawjavol writes:
Hey guys, I realize we are having a sorry recruiting year but lighten up on this kid. UT has had quite a few surprise players over the years who were not exactly the best students to grace the hill. Over half the guys on this site never made it to college!
MOST IMPORTANTLY>>>>> THIS IS A TENNESSEE KID WHO WANTS TO WEAR ORANGE. I bet some of you who are dogging this kid out were the same ones who said last October that we needed some TENN kids who would play with heart... Well here ya go!
I am not sure I would want my kid to play at UT right now. You guys have ripped Casey Clausen and you have ripped Eric Ainge. Seems a lot of y'all get a little too personal about these kids. Pick on the coaches and their weight.. they get paid to be abused. I promise you this message board is used against us in recruiting!
Think positive vibes!
GerryOP writes:
mallardbayvol, what the hell is this, the Make A Wish Foundation? (No disparagement meant toward MAWF.)
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TDTN- we're definitely seeing the surprises. I guess the "big" ones are right around the corner.
Stay tuned.
vol4jesus writes:
Rankings schmankings....boy do some people need to get a life!!! The player does not need to be called moron....Will be arrested soon. Greervaul22 grow up on comments like that!! He wants to wear Orange will see if he can cut grades at Juco and come play like Sykes and others are trying to do. I will not die if we can fill needs and get staff solidified for 2009 recruiting class attack. We had a solid class last year and have some depth at most places(yes dl/de thin.) Try to learn not to have such a sad outlook on life.I just buried a co-worker Friday leaving wife and 27 yr old daughter so perspective again is being retooled to reflect what is really important in life. Guess what? Football recruiting isn't it! Plus what the player brings to the field is what really counts...not how many stars he has in the sky. So focus on family and friends and see where next weeks signings end up and move on. Life is more than a ' box of chocolates' sir Gump. GO VOLS!!!
jimr07 writes:
it is so nice to see all the positive comment. however, i have come to expect that from some of you. you are pathetic.
Ironcity writes:
When a player has no rating it means the recruiting service has nothing on him. It usually means that he never showed up at their combines. Rogan was a one star recruit. I would trust the coaches that they know what they are doing. I will say this, it sounds like a nonevent if has to go to prep school because UT can decide not to offer next year or he could decide not to attend.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Hey guys, I will paraprase Tommy Tuberville, a pretty damn good coach:
'I figured out that my recruiting was going badly because I was letting the recruiting services dictate my efforts, instead of my gut feel for whether a guy can play ball.' He was really saying he almost lost his jobe until be went back to recruiting 'the old way'.
ATLVOL1 writes:
This kid is a good "prospect" on the field from the local tenn. papers and some people that have posted...a 6'5" DT could be a monster, besides, last time I checked Henderson couldnt spell his name, and Haynesworth was stomping on people in the pile...all you need is size, a wingspan, and an attitude.
navyvolinva writes:
We talk about these kids going to JC or Prep School...like its a bad thing. Look at our roster now..How many starters or sub guys are from these schools? So what he's gone for a year or two.
ATLVOL1 writes:
We are all excited about Quinton Coples, Gerald Williams, Enrique Davis...all prep/juco.
Morley JUCO
ATLVOL1 writes:
Mahelona was JUCO
navyvolinva writes:
BTW...Look at all the other Tenn recruits that didnt want to play with UT. Some have done well and then there are some I wont mention any names that are on garbage teams.
gohawks1 writes:
TDTN, Rivals.com has UT listed as #39 at the moment, and not #53 as stated in your 8:30 p.m. post. That's still not all that great, but things are looking a bit better for us.
Also, I agree with vol4jesus and andy112382 on this one - let's give the guy a chance before we blast him out of the water.
DennisVols writes:
What a bunch of clueless CLASSLESS morons. Knocking some kid you know little to nothing about.
Why in the world would anyone want to come and play at UT with a fan base that simply looks for something stupid to say about someone.
This kid wants to wear the Orange and White. How many of you so called professional critics ever put on the Orange and White and played in a game.
This kid has a greater chance of helping this team than any of us on here do.
Putting him down ranks as high on the decision chart as public drunkness or smoking the wacky weed while driving a recruit around.
ATLVOL1 writes:
Antonio Bell uncommited from his "soft verbal" and chose Nebraska
If he is stupid enuf to think Nebraska will throw the football with Osbourne as AD then let him go....
navyvolinva writes:
Bolden-prep, Vinson-prep
pdhuff#552644 writes:
IPOorange- The rankings just changed apparently as we now show 8 3* players. We were at #53 yesterday. I too, welcome this kid and hope for the very best. But overall, things are a turmoil. Somehow, Go Vols. Beat Bama.
GerryOP writes:
Ahhh, ATLVOL1, Mahelona was JUCO? You might want to check your sources on that.
ATLVOL1 writes:
http://tennessee.scout.com/a.z?s=7&am...
hit that link up Gerry...Orange Coast JUCO
Question me once, its OK, question me twice its not Okay =).
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