McHaney
Thad McHaney is one of those prospects who college coaches covet.
Size. Speed. Potential. McHaney’s got it.
Yet that combination can be as perplexing as enticing. As each recruiter surveys McHaney’s abilities, he has to to ask himself: Is the News Sentinel’s seventh-best prospect in Tennessee an up-and-coming tight end or a prototypical pass rusher?
“He’s exactly what people want as a tight end or defensive end,” Brentwood Academy coach Ralph Potter said.
As for the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder McHaney, he’s open to either side of the debate.
“Most schools are not sure yet,” said McHaney, who runs the 200-meter dash. “I just want to play, whatever helps the team.”
That team could be Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma or South Carolina — schools that McHaney is strongly considering. Louisville and Kentucky are trying to work themselves in the mix after McHaney recently visited them.
Notre Dame is also worth watching. The Fighting Irish have a commitment from McHaney’s best friend/teammate: offensive lineman Alex Bullard.
If Notre Dame offers a scholarship, McHaney said he would listen. And don’t forget the success Notre Dame has had in the mid-state area, especially among private school prospects.
“I’d love for him to go to Notre Dame,” Bullard said. “I think it would be a good situation for him. He’d really like it and we’d get to continue to play ball together.”
For now, McHaney has enough schools to consider, including the in-state Vols.
“Great tradition,” McHaney said of UT. “It seems like they have a family tradition up there. Seems like a great place to live. Very passionate fans and committed to winning.”
Ole Miss is also making a strong push under first-year head coach Houston Nutt.
“Their recruiting is a little different,” McHaney said. “They really want to get to know their recruits and make sure they can trust them, which I respect.”
Vanderbilt has proximity and a first-rate education on its side. Oklahoma has a recent run of success.
“It seems like they’re always in a BCS bowl,” McHaney said.
The Sooners should get to make their impression this fall, as McHaney plans to take official visits to Oklahoma and South Carolina — if he hasn’t announced his decision yet.
McHaney said he’ll make his decision when the mood strikes him. That could be in the coming months or not until National Signing Day in February.
McHaney is familiar with Knoxville, having played AAU basketball in the city on several occasions. Playing for the state school also seems to be of some importance.
“I wouldn’t say it is a big factor but it’s a factor I think about that’s important to me, to play in state,” he said.
Along with UT, that pulls the Commodores into the equation.
“If I had to make my decision today, it would be between Vandy and UT,” McHaney said.
McHaney registered 12½ sacks and over 40 tackles last season from his defensive end position. At tight end, he caught six passes, one for a touchdown.
However, it was the improvement that McHaney showed as a pass catcher that has some recruiters thinking tight end.
Thanks to visual integration therapy that many colleges use to improve eyesight and focus, McHaney’s pass catching improved dramatically.
“I still wouldn’t call him Fred Biletnikoff,” Potter said, referring to the former Oakland Raider Hall of Fame receiver, “but he’s a pretty consistent receiver because of that (therapy).”
Still, Potter is taking the sure thing when it comes to McHaney’s college future.
“Probably his best asset right now is a speed pass rusher,” Potter said. “Coming off the edge, I think he’s something that’s really special.
“He’s so special coming off the edge that I would bet that will be where he ends up.”
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Comments » 27
BillVol writes:
BA players seem to look down their noses at Tennessee. I don't think he'll go to Vandy, either. Guessing he'll wind up at Ole Miss or South Carolina.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
Wonder why he didn't mention anything about BCS bowls and Tennessee? Hey Foolmore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Ole Miss...
ThaiVolFan writes:
I think he sounds like a real good player with a lot of upward potential. It would be nice to have a real dominating presence coming off the edge again. Our d line needs to be strengthened now and in the future. You guys stop being so narrow minded and pessimistic. If it is a recruit who is a skilled position player you all whine that he doesn't play the d line, now this article is about a good player who plays the d line and says right now his decision is between Vandy and UT. Yet, you're still complaining. Get a grip and get a life and go find another team to constantly malign.
Go Vols!
TigerVol writes:
I think this could be awesome to have his speed on one end and Ben Martin on the other. If we could find a few nasty cogs in the middle it could help the D-line return to greatness. Watch out for Ole Miss and the Irish....maybe Wiess tells the players either sign here or I am going to sit on you with my front butt...Go Vols!
TommyJack writes:
BillVol 12:13: How do you suppose the kid could look down on TN, then consider S.C.?
hcjournals#206623 writes:
The Vols could help make him a great player.....Could the others?
Brama writes:
Most of the Time Brentwood players dont pan out in college
TommyJack writes:
Daddy: Fully understandable to me why a kid would strongly consider ND if offered.
8's enough.
TommyJack writes:
Daddy: Agree. Not really a big ND fan, but I'm sure their academics and tradtion appeal to many recruits. Also bet they don't stay down long.
GoIrish writes:
Here come the Irish!! Charlie will sweep him up just like he did with Harrison Smith, Golden Tate, and Alex Bullard. The Irish will win 9-10 games again this year and be BCS bound and this kid will be swept away to the land of the Golden Dome!
MikeTheVol writes:
As bad as I hate to say it, I believe he will end up a Notre Dame. As someone said above, BA players tend to thumb their noses at UT.
GoIrish writes:
DaddyVol, Smith will be a great one, he really flourished this past spring. If you have seen our schedule, it is set up for 9 or 10 wins this year. We were VERY young last year and add a top 5 recruiting class to the mix. Michigan, Purdue, BC are all down this year. The three toughest games on our schedule are @ Michigan St, PITT, and @ USC. Most are predicting 9-3 (which will put us in a New Years Day bowl) or 10-2 (which will put us in a BCS game)
dfreeman writes:
hiresanders - who is it that you pull for? What college football team is it that you pull for when fall rolls around?
GoIrish - you pulled that talent last year and won 2 games? 3? Nice!! Maybe with another top 5 recruiting class you can win four games!! LOL Charlie W is making Ty Willingham look like Bear Bryant!!
givehim6 writes:
I just hape he ends up in orang.
Colliervol writes:
dfreeman, hiresanderswife will never answer that question but it has always been suspected that he's a Kentucky fan. But it's pretty obvious he ain't a fan of the Vols. He feel into the Land of Ignore a long time ago.
And besides, how could anybody pay attention to anything a KY football fan says? They haven't seen enough good football up there to comment on anything. (Well, maybe they have from the visiting teams.)
Colliervol writes:
"Fell into the Land of Ignore". Sorry for any spelling errors I might make over the next few days. Had a little minor surgery yesterday and the Lortabs aren't helping my typing skills.
64vol writes:
How many top players will want to go to a school that has not finished in top 10 for six straight years? CPF strikes again!!
GoIrish writes:
Good points fellas. UNC will be improved, but like us last year they are very young and I think they are a year away from Butch Davis working any magic in Chapel Hill. 13 of 22 ND starters last year were freshman. I don't care how good you are, when you line up a bunch of 18 year olds against 21-22 year olds, you are going to take your lumps. Jimmy was never healthy last year either after his arm surgery last summer. He has gained 20 pounds and is fully healthy this year, our OL is a year older and our skill players like Golden Tate are too. I still think 9-10 wins is logical given an easier schedule this year. I hope we get this guy from BA too. Good luck to you and the Vols this year, too bad we don't play anymore, we had some nice games together.
TommyJack writes:
GoIrish: Wish ND/TN was a semi-regular series..always fun. I see no reason ND won't get it together. If the large fellow can't get it done, there's enough dough in the ND pipeline to buy him out.
GoIrish writes:
Well, SJ, JC is definately the starter and we are going to sink or swim with him since Dayne Christ isn't quite ready yet. We will be running ball more this year since Charlie isn't calling the plays anymore. Weis was playing the best he had last year because he only had 14 juniors and seniors on the entire team! Ty's last year and Charlies first year, the recruiting was horrible and we are paying for it now. We are about to go on a run a la the Holtz's halcyon years of the late 80's-early 90's...if not, God help Charlie.
hueypilot writes:
BA players don't pan out? Don't know about all of them but Scott Wells and Bubba Miller were pretty good four year anchors in the O line.
Does anyone know the story on the kid from Maryville, who transferred from Florida State? Status? Likely to contribute? Wasn't he freshman all conference?
gainesville_vol writes:
To me, the ND fans are in the same category as the Florida fans expecting their defense to be better because they are a year older. To me, that just doesn't make much sense. While I would expect some improvement from freshman to sophomores, that improvement is usually in understanding the system, not physical.
The Florida defense last year was porous to say the least. They lost their best player in Harvey. Yet, UF fans expect to see Florida in the MNC because the defense will be better this year. I expect that Florida will continue to have problems putting pressure on the QB, stopping the running game, and covering in man-to-man defense.
I expect that ND will continue to struggle with the OL, as someone mentioned above. In the college game, you just don't see 6, 7, or 8 game improvements in one season. If GoIrish expects to beat Michigan, Michigan St, Purdue, USC, etc., and finish 10-2, I think he is drinking the green koolaid. If I were in his shoes, I would be estatic with a 7-5, 8-4 record and WIN a bowl game.
ThurmondEppy writes:
"The Land of Ignore." LOL. It occurs to me that if we do this with all the unwelcome folks who phooey on this site, and they stop getting angry reactions (which is what they want) they will simply go away.
murrayvol writes:
hcjournals @ 8:58 a.m.: Coaching can make players better, even good but you can't "make" players great. Great players are born not made.
BillVol writes:
TJ, I don't know. I don't understand it. But Tennessee private school kids look at us as another Walters State or Motlow State or Chattanooga State. Nothing more than a community college. But they look favorably at schools with less academic credentials than us, such as Auburn, Ole Miss, Alabama, South Carolina... Auburn, especially, with its country club feel, is a big draw for the Tennessee privates. I do not get it.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
murrayvol 9:55 am - "Poor" players are also born.
And recruited......
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