Toney Williams hasn’t allowed stress to affect his commitment to Tennessee.
The 6-foot-1, 229-pound running back from Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga., said he’s still committed to Tennessee despite Phillip Fulmer’s resignation as head coach on Monday.
“When it first happened I was like, ‘What am I going to do now?’ ” Williams said. “Now that I’ve calmed down I’m still happy to go to Tennessee.”
UT athletic director Mike Hamilton would be happy to have him.
Hamilton called Milton head coach Scott Walker on Tuesday to let Williams know he’s still wanted at UT.
“I was happy to hear that,” Williams said. “It made me feel good.”
Williams felt better about the Vols after talking to a few UT commitments this week.
Williams said he spoke to quarterback Tajh Boyd from Hampton, Va., linebacker Nigel Mitchell-Thornton from Stone Mountain, Ga., and offensive lineman Kevin Revis from Evensville.
“They still want to go to Tennessee,” Williams said. “That kind of helped me out knowing the other commitments still want to go to Tennessee.”
Williams heard from a few schools this week hoping he would change his mind.
Williams said he’s received calls from Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech and Rutgers.
Williams said each school let him know a spot is available if he wants it.
“That’s if I change my mind,” Williams said. “It’s not anything like they’re trying to pressure me to change my mind.”
Williams likely won’t change his mind as long as UT hires a coach by January.
Williams plans to enroll in college after graduating in December.
“I really hope Tennessee can find a coach before I leave that way I can have an idea what I’m getting myself into,” he said. “If they don’t have a coach it would be hard for me to go without knowing who it will be and what they’re going to run.”
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Tennessee 73, Georgia 62 men's…
Tennessee 60, Connecticut 57 men's…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 30
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
I guy was telling me all of the facts about Coach Fulmer and how he would be a great recruiting assistant for the university , etc. Sounded good to me. How does a guy win 150 games, lasts 17 years, have two bad seasons, win a National Championship and is asked to leave? Does somebody know something I don't? I mean with a little luck, we could have won 10 more somewhere, but if we did that wouldn't we have a coach with a higher winning percentage of any active coach? Gosh, just how high were our expectations? And how high were they before we won the National Championship? Truthfully and honestly, I think that if Coach Fulmer hadn't won th e National Championship that he still would be here.
bobbarnes writes:
Exactly -- Fulmer's own highly exceptional success (when he could steal more players out of Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina & California, due to a decline in major programs in those states at the time; something that was completely beyond his control when it changed) led a generation of fans and a self-absorbed AD to think Tennessee should be in the SEC and national elite, when that simply isn't the case in the modern era of recruiting, 85 scholarship limitations, and solid recruiters at the talent-rich schools in Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Miami, Florida, Texas, Ohio State & USC. Tennessee is at an extreme disadvantage in recruiting. For example, let's say you gave every SEC team the same coach with the same recruiting skill. Tennessee would finish 8th on average in the SEC and 40th on average nationally. Tennessee averages fewer than 3 NFL-draft capable players each year in state; Florida, Georgia & LSU have far more in-state talent; even Mississippi & South Carolina have more in-state talent. Ask Nebraska how all that "tradition" and glory" works in recruiting out of state kids to come in -- they don't come without a special recruiter. Nebraska is still in no-man's land. Without an exceptional recruiter, we can't compete & Fulmer has recruited more out-of-state elite talent than any coach in the country over the last five years. How do you best that? You don't.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
You guys are exactly right. He is a victim of his own success.
Thanks for sticking with the Orange big man!!
Urbiewerecomingtogetyou writes:
Bob: Very good post. Our lack of success in some crucial games the past few years some lopsided has made a big difference in our ability to recruit the top players. By top players I mean the Eric Berry type. With the right hire to replace Coach Fulmer these type players will again want to be part of the excitement that will be Tennessee football! I truly believe that the people making the decisions in the coaching search will not settle for anything less than a coach and staff that can make this happen!
volunteer_cowboy writes:
i heard tim brewster! what is the thought on him?
mpm80#1357758 writes:
yes fulmer was an exceptional recruiter-nobody can argue that point its what hes done with that talent hes wasted more top classes and is in the process of wasting another
txvolsfan writes:
Because his players get free tortillas when the fans throw them on the field!!!
Who wouldn't want to play for free tortillas???
dvols writes:
regular season b-ball championships don't count!
got to win the tourney
ksteelescvol writes:
We dont have a WR on our team that could fit into Tech's system. Maybe Gerald Jones as a 4th option. Who ever we get will have to be a coach that can make his system fit the players already here. Ask Rich Rod how easy that is to do.
CoverOrange writes:
With all do respect, WeLove, at what point, as Captain of the Titanic, would you have noticed that the ship was sinking?
CoverOrange writes:
I disagree, Ksteele, all a WR has to do at Tech is run...alot. It's the OL that might have trouble. Brandon Warren would flourish. Chavis might have to go with PDHuff's 2-9 defense.
SemperVol writes:
You need to call everyone Hamilton!
jasonn1970 writes:
The recruiting class seems to be holding up pretty well so far. Hopefully they can get a new coach hired sooner, rather than later and keep it mostly intact.
NeylandWest writes:
Great point, TurboFan. I nearly choked on my coffee as I read that. Nice.
Singaporehillbilly writes:
What big games has Pearl won? Once UT Basketball hits the tournaments (SEC &NCAA) he chokes. Had Ohio St twice, with big leads, and was out coached in the second half. In past posts, you have downplayed football wins during the season to point at the losses in the SEC championship game or bowl losses. You need to be more consistent.
Pearl must have better performances in the first round of the NCAA and get past the Sweet 16 or his head will be on the chopping block by band-wagon Vol fans like you.
MrKnoxville writes:
God love Fulmer...I know I do as well as you obviously do...but even with the talent he recruits he gets out coached against the elite coaches...looking at the talent in the NFL from the Manning years versus Florida for example...we had better talent...but got out coached.
I trully respect the man and love what he had accomplished but the good times were when Cutcliffe was primarily here...we simply had 2 head coaches on this team...it just seems the real brains of the operation may have been David though.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Didn't that particular Captain go down with his ship?
Maybe not, but I bet he got wet.
invisiblekid writes:
A more pertinent question than the one about Leach would be: how has AL beaten the Vols by 20+ points the past two years with recruiting classes which average lower than UT's from 2005-2007?
And before anyone brings up their top ranked class from last year, they have 3 starters that come from the 2008 class. The majority of their 2 deep comes from 2005-2007.
invisiblekid writes:
Truthfully and honestly, if the Vols hadn't gone 0-4 against their two main rivals in embarassing fashion the past two years, Fulmer might still be here.
I don't know about your expectations, but mine are simple. Be competitive against FL and AL, the rest will usually take care of itself.
invisiblekid writes:
Probably around the time that Leonardo DiCaprio(sp) started bobbing up and down like an ice cube.
invisiblekid writes:
You do realize that you're preaching to the Jonestown choir right?
missrvrvol writes:
Not competing to NC's are ok. But we should more times than not be in the hunt for SEC championships and this year we are looking at an 11th place overall. Yea we were in the championship game last year, but we had to have help getting there. Expectations should be no worse than 2nd in the east year.
Colliervol writes:
Or is it the Hee-Haw Four?
"Gloom, despair, and agony on me.....Deep dark depression, excessive misery...."
invisiblekid writes:
And to think that some of those same folks were calling everyone negative a few weeks ago for wanting a coaching change. Now they're making out like it's the end of TN football.
It's doubtful that a new coach will match the career that Fulmer had but something had to be done. Being completely noncompetitive in the SEC should be unacceptable by any standard.
Titan writes:
Singapore - maybe you don't get TV over that and I certainly don't want to turn this into a BB thread, but I believe #2 TN beating #1 Memphis last year on the Tigers home court to end all of their streaks would classify in most people's mind as a big win. Granted we didn't hold on to #1 for long as we lost a couple nights later at Vandy - BUT that wasn't your question. Also beat #1 Florida, etc. but when someone wants to make a negative point, the obvious answers never seem to be enough.
jsmithnga#207674 writes:
He has scored so many tds that I have lost count; he even threw a td pass last week. Glad he is still committed.
threehundredbowler writes:
Where is the guy that has a friend whose dad works in the Control tower at TriCity Regional Airport?I am still wondering how long it takes Hamilton to get from the airport to Dobyns Bennett to ask my good friend Graham Clark to be our head coach?Speak up good buddy.You reported that Hamilton was on the UT jet that landed at the airport 2days ago.Could Hamilton not get a cab to KIngsport?
andy112382#209793 writes:
Leach and Fulmer have both average 8 wins a season since 2000......so we want to pay a $6million buyout to take a sideways step, at best? And please, compare the opponents, too.
Ironcity writes:
The number 10 rated player in Tennessee would be number 50 in Texas and number 100 in Florida. Its a fact that the state of Tennessee high school football is horrible. If you remove Memphis of which most of the top talent resides and of which is closer to 5 other SEC schools then UT, we would rank up there with the state of Utah when it comes to talent. What Fulmer did recruiting wise was unbelievable. I think the magic wore off and the talent he has recruited recently is down.
I am one who felt a change was needed, but make no mistake, its going to take a special recruiter to turn this ship around.
HighlanderVol writes:
.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.