Tennessee lost two defensive end prospects to Auburn on Wednesday, as Jomarcus Savage of J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville, Ala., and Andre Wadley of Hernando (Miss.) High each committed to the Tigers.
“It was just the overall atmosphere (at Auburn),” the 6-foot-2, 260-pound Savage told the News Sentinel. “When I went down there I felt like I didn’t even step out of my own house.”
Savage said it was difficult turning down the Vols’ coaching staff.
“That was really tough knowing that all the hard work they put in recruiting me and the relationship I had built with the coaches,” Savage said. “That was the really hard part, turning them down.”
Wadley, 6-2 and 245, visited UT on Jan. 11. He also was being recruited by Mississippi State.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
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Comments » 139
ctownvol writes:
Aw shucks.
TommyJack writes:
Stay the course.
ckwhite writes:
that blows
GerryOP writes:
It's not over until it's over. 5 more days!
tonyfred#409061 writes:
It is obvious that recruits are not interested in playing for the Vols. I think it speaks volumes to losing Cut. Apparently, he is the recruiting genius, not Phil Fulmer. I hate to see our program going down the tubes, but it is happening.
TommyJack writes:
TonyFred: Savage plays D. Can't imagine he cares about Cut, one way or the other.
vol52 writes:
+It was my understanding that mikey gave that extension to Fulmer to improve this crop of recruits. Where is the BEEF.
ATLVOL1 writes:
not cool..... his dad knows chavis and we can't close the deal, pitiful.
TommyJack writes:
vol52: In GA, AL, & FL
rckymtngator writes:
I was looking at other sites this morning and it seems that other SEC schools are receiving commitments on a daily basis. While I am first and foremost a Gator, I support all SEC schools (except for possibly Alabama). I, like a lot of Gators are surprised by what is happening at UT. We talk to top recruits and they do not even have UT on their radar. In the competitive SEC East, you need a top class every year or you will be left behind. Hopefully you guys can pick up some commitments in the last week. If not, UT will soon be fighting Kentucky and Vanderbilt for 4th place.
AllVol writes:
Where's sphs_vol on this one?
ATLVOL1 writes:
And Coples says he is impressed with UNC's living arrangements, and is according to RIVALS leaning their way, how the he$$ are they better than ours? you walk across the street to practice (indoors) and to study.
straightshooter writes:
Wow, and in this instance, second place is nothing. The key cause of this subpar recruiting class in comparison to pervious ones is I suspect there was too little effort early by much of the coaching staff. (Georgia for example had almost 20 players committed by June.) Cutcliffe likely mentally had set himself to take a head coaching job elsewhere at season' end, Fulmer was occupied with trying to get the team prepared what with loosing so many key players to graduation or drop outs for various reasons. By Sept. most of the Rivals 4 and 5 star players had already committed. Most schools had 16-20 verbal commitments. Tenn. had about 8. So its a matter of trying to do an hours worth of shopping when the store closes in 10 minutes. It just doesn't work.
ATLVOL1 writes:
sphs? Whens Manuel decommitting from FSU?
AllVol writes:
This ain't good.
jweaver3#395614 writes:
rckymtngator, the last time I checked that was Florida last year fighting to stay above Vandy and UK, UT won the EAST in case you forgot. One year does not kill you anymore with early defections. We will still have our share of recruits. This is just not our year!!!!
GO VOLS
KEEP WINNING THE EAST!!!!
GerryOP writes:
You don't suppose losing Trooper is making a difference? Just a thought .....
ATLVOL1 writes:
yeah good pt jweave, we got smashed by FLA but the season isnt a sprint, its a marathon....
VolsorCat writes:
TonyFred: Cut had nothing to do with a d line commit. Come on! The former staff is the exact reason UT is in the situation they are in right now. The horses weren't committed, then decided to back out. They were never in the fold!
Straighshooter: Exactly. While most in the top tier have had guys committed for months, UT didn't. Can't blame the new guys.
I believe UT will close strong. Please pass the Kool Aid. I'm still drinking.....
VolsorCat writes:
Gerry OP: No, see post above. Trooper was here until a month ago.
DennisVols writes:
MORE PROOF THAT STUPIDITY IS NOT JUST AT UT
JACKSON, Miss. -- A quarterback who was to sign with Mississippi on Feb. 6 has been kicked off the team because of an arrest for selling steroids.
Jared Foster, of Madison, who played last season for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, was enrolled in classes at Ole Miss and was informally working out with the team. He was scheduled to formally join the team on National Signing Day and would have been able to practice this spring.
TommyJack writes:
straightshooter: Good points.
GerryOP: No
In the future, I think Coach Clawson will take an active and positive role in recruiting (too late this yr.). We DO NEED some help recruiting defensive players. Apparently Chavis is about as effective as a Wal-Mart greeter.
Work like heck.
Singaporehillbilly writes:
No time to panic. A lot of people wished for coaching changes and it happened. We also lost our recruiting coordinator as well as our number one recruiter during a critical part of the recruiting season. Becare for what you wish for.
GerryOP writes:
VolsorCat: Hmmmmm. Your response to TonyFred seems to support my supposition ... I think. Trooper was known as a "closer" and "difference maker." Something it appears we need right now.
HotlantaVol writes:
Everybody has a bad year now and then. Besides, rating orgs aren't always right. We might be better off without this guy . . . oh, who am I kidding? This sucks!!!
99gator writes:
sjt18
florida lost 3 games in '05 not 4. they lost 4 games in '07, with a bunch of freshman and sophomores.
are you counting on florida losing 4 games in 2008?
spurrier lost 2 games in 1990, 2 in 1991, and 4 in 1992. eight losses in 3 years....same as meyer.
GerryOP writes:
Don't disagree that "in the future" and "in the long run" that the new guys will pick it up and perform admirably. I think they are positive additions. However, this is "now" and "in the short run." We sure do seem to be coming in 2nd a lot -- now!
FWBVol writes:
I have a new theory, and before I state it, I'm going to say I'm just joking up front so I want get the whackos after me.
I blame the poor football recruiting on Bruce Pearl and the basketball team's success. Come on, if you are a football player do you really want to go to a basketball school?
Just a thought. LOL
dfreeman writes:
Did the Big Orange bus lose a wheel?? Nah, just a speedbump!! Wow, I hear the economy is tanking! Housing Sucks! The country is falling apart!! I get on here to get away and start reading these comments and find out UT campus is going to implode!! How about everyone take a deep breath, unplug the computer, and go take a jog!! Come back kick something and reboot your computer!!! ahhh.... see that's nice!! LOL
HotlantaVol writes:
FWBVol - Maybe Savage thought Fulmer was going to take off his shirt and paint his chest orange at a b-ball game. No one wants to see that. Tuberville would look much better without a shirt.
VOLnATL writes:
Hotlanta: That is just gross. I now have permanent image in mind...PF having donuts as nipples! LOL
GreerVol22 writes:
mommas cookin' was closer. no Phil magic today...
more than likely this was a petty...."I'll show you Saban" move....which has its merits...
DennisVols writes:
The recruiting process is all about building a relationship with these kids. The new staff members have not had that opportunity. Some of the higher rated recruits have been recruited since their soph, or jr year.
This years recruiting class for UT is going to look average. Maybe a top 20 class but I have serious doubts in reaching the top 10.
Just remember it is not were you start it is were you finish. This years recruits could become the most successful in UT's history with the right coachin. Most believe Fulmer's picks to fill his staff were the right ones.
So lets wait before we pass judgement on this years recruiting class. History shows many a high ranked class failed to meet expectations.
The biggest help for our defense will be an offense that can maintain control of the clock and the ball in a football game. If you look at the two biggest losses last year, UF & Bama, UT's offense failed to answer the call all through the 2nd half leaving the defense alone in the fight.
99gator writes:
sjt18
you have to put it in context. the first season you take over....some of the players are not on board with the staff (see rich rodriguez at michigan). then, after year two, the whole team graduated or left school.
playing freshman and sophomores...his offense flourished, producing a first year starter at qb to be the first ever sophomore heisman trophy winner. the defense (which lost 9 starters was the weakness).
from now on, meyer will not have issues due to depth or attrition, because he has had three years to recruit his guys.
people look at things how they choose to. no one accused spurrier of winning with galen hall's players. zook lost more games in one season, then meyer did with zook's players in two seasons.
and if you can't tell that he is building a force to be reckoned with at florida on a year in year out basis, i don't know what to tell you.
i think the four loss seasons are over.
stroker writes:
Many more of these briefs and the naysayers will be in full swagger.
volunteers4life writes:
May God be with our recruiters!! We need some divine intervention for this year's class I think. Our recruiting list looks almost as bad as Memphis's this year for goodness sake!!! It'll take time for Clawson to ramp up his recruiting efforts, he is used to recruiting AA league, SEC recruiting competition is another ball game altogether.
As far as Fulmer, the main reason UT loves him so much is due to his stellar record recruiting, looks like he is slipping this year though. I think we'll be fine next year....
HotlantaVol writes:
Dennis - agreed. Let's not slam the kids we have, but it's human nature to see greener grass in Florida and Georgia.
GerryOP writes:
Interesting VolNation column:
http://www.volnation.com/blog/2008-01...
CoverOrange writes:
Sjt, can't see how Michael was hired to recruit. His only recruiting plus that I could gather from articles here was that he could say he coached in the NFL and knows what it takes to get there. Otherwise, agree Drayton is our Florida rep and Scott is the eastern seaboard rep. Who's got Texas? Adkins?
Even if we were getting a few more 4 and 5 stars, unlikely that any of them, unless they are a Berry type, would have an impact in 2008. Fulmer, Clawson and Chavis will have to work with what they got to succeed and have an impact on the 2009 class.
bullfrog07 writes:
I was hoping to get this one but honestly who could blame him - Auburn as of late has a much better "D" and program overall than UT. Over the last 3-4 years they have won more games than us. These high school recruits can't remember what Phil did in the 90's (they were in the 3rd grade). They've only got to see the boring pitiful stuff that we all have been watching the last three seasons.
4-loss Phil "Stay The Course"
ATLVOL1 writes:
99 GATOR
It is possible to lose 4 games when you play Tenn,FSu,MIa,UGA,LSU,AUb,SEc Champ,BOwl Game
I would predict 1 slipup to us if your Healthy and more if not healthy.
This is UF's year and I would deem you the East fav if there is a year tho- unless Tebow comes back Senior Year.
UGA and TENN will be redic. in 2 years.
99gator writes:
atlvol1
well, you are basically making the argument that losing four games is not an embarrassment due to the strength of schedule. i would tend to agree. i did not mean to imply that another 4 loss season could not happen. what i meant was, i don't expect it to be a habit.
GreerVol22 writes:
DennisVols, I would agree with you if you were speaking of offenive recruits only, but this guy was a defensive player and to my knowledge our defensive coaching staff has not changed...the only way to blame the coaching staff for losing this recruit is if we have the wrong folks coaching and recruiting D....butt, you may be right in the end as more and more, it seems as if Cutt and Trooper were doing 90% of the recruiting for the entire team.
RoyaltyVol#280778 writes:
Wow, I wonder if coach Fulmer is as optimistic now as he was during that last interview. Talk about spin. Lets just hope UT can have a great year next year so we can get back to the top 10 in recruiting.
ATLVOL1 writes:
LET ME GO ON RECORD SAYING WALTER FISHER WILL BE ALL SEC FROM HERE ON OUT AT DT.
orangebloodgmc writes:
At least he didn't go to Bama.
RoyaltyVol#280778 writes:
Is it possible that the reason a lot of coaches jumped ship this year is because the ship is sinking?
AllVol writes:
Where's sphs?
auttat writes:
All I can say is, I wish I were a Gator fan. (Writing that actually made me spit up a little) I don't think anyone can deny their future looks bright. (Gag, watching FL win is almost as bad as watching a Boston team win)
Seriously, why talk smack about Florida? Would any UT fan not laugh in the face of a GA fan talking smack about us?
59-20, get it! Nuff said!
HotlantaVol writes:
Knoxsingle - Here's a coach I would like to see without a shirt. http://www.soonersports.com/school-bi...
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