Quarterback Mike Rozier has left Tennessee’s football team, according to a source close to the situation.
It is unclear what prompted the former minor league baseball player to leave. Rozier came to UT this summer after struggling in the Boston Red Sox farm system.
The former standout at Henry County High School in McDonough, Ga., signed with North Carolina in February of 2004. However, Rozier was drafted in the 12th round of the 2004 draft by the Red Sox in June and agent Scott Boras negotiated a $1.5 million signing bonus to sway him from football.
Rozier, 23, chose UT over South Carolina. He was considered a walk-on since the Red Sox are contractually obligated to pay for his scholarship.
Rozier provided a strong tie to one of UT’s 2010 commitments: receiver Markeith Ambles from Henry County. Rozier’s father, Mike Rozier, is the coach of Henry County.
Ambles is one of the highest rated receivers in the country. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder committed to UT in July.
More details later online and in Saturday's News Sentinel.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
National Signing Day 2010
Tennessee Lady Vols 82, Auburn Tigers 64
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 71
ut_vols13 writes:
Crazy
Hickmc writes:
Maybe that's why we didn't hear much about him. Oh well Good Luck Mike......
Phowell23 writes:
Noticed the competition for a spot was greater then he expected probably and will only get tougher after each signing class.
chargervol writes:
I guess he'll end up in S. Car.. It sounds like Lamaison was the straw that broke the camel's back, huh? GO VOLS!!!
NoMoreWooAfterGoodOleRockyTop writes:
He didn’t just quit. He didn’t just walk out...right BJ?
UrbanCryer writes:
these coaches dont care. if you dont or cant perform you will not see the field. so far 10 or 11 players have either left or been asked to leave. some from the new HARD WORK ethic or just not being able to cut it. weed out the weak coach k & co. however, i will say goodluck to anyone who leaves. just because they arent at ut anymore they can still succeed.
gnm53108 writes:
Not suprising.
Barring a rash of qb injuries or an inability to sign a top notch qb for the 2010 class(for 2011,were good until then) I dont think he would have ever seen any substantial playing time.
DennisVols writes:
Too much competition. He left the Bo Sox because of a failure to compete and now he knew that UT was going to sign their future QB soon and he wasn't even making gaines against what we already have. Even Lamaison was catching on quicker.
Probably should look at a Play-off D-1AA school. Too many years away from the game at this point.
Keeping it Real
Go Vols!!!
matrosscbc writes:
You sound like a McCallie teacher with a chip on your shoulder. Let's let him actually look special before we anoint him NFL material. I live in chattanooga and i realize there are hard feelings there...but he's just not that special...he's just decent.
DennisVols writes:
DaMan is daboy living in a fantasy football world.
Fact is Lamaison is behind JC & NS for several reason the most notible is time with the team. Coaches have been Impressed with his work ethic and learning the play book and during practice last week when he got the opportunity he was fairly successful for his first run with this team.
Probably not going to see Lamaison much because he has not had a whole summer to learn everything or practice/workout with the team.
Keeping it Real
Go Vols!!!
bspurlingcac#225603 writes:
or maybe it is just starting to get good.
cloudodust writes:
I believe you've touched upon the QBing possibility which can happen, er, anywhere...
Vol_FAN_atic writes:
This brings to light again the rumor that we have a high level QB coming soon. (reason for so many high rated WR's committing)
Also rumor has it that Rozier was fat and slow. Guess thats what a couple million and no real reason to suceed will do for you.
Ironcity writes:
If I had 1.5 million in the bank and I realized after 4 months in the program, I had no chance of seeing the field, I would move to another program or dominate in flag football. I will bet Rozier saw the writing. No reason beating yourself up on scout team for that. I doubt he left scorned. I find it hilarious that all lopers charge out of the weeds when a walk on quits.
I hear the water boy may have left the program, should we be concerned lopers?
davethevol writes:
Haha, that is pretty funny.
87UTVOL writes:
It has to be hard for a 23 year old, former minor league baseball player, who likely has no future in any sport beyond college, to come in and be hungry enough to put in the enormous amount of effort, physically and mentally, that is required for this football team. Killing yourself to be a 4th string, scout QB, might make some want to just move on. I hope he has nothing bad to say about Tennessee and the parting is amicable.
Maverick1921 writes:
I don't know what you guys think, but it really seems to me like something is brewing behind the scenes on The Hill with a QB... Maybe Askew already knows something with the guarantee he is making...
GerryOP writes:
Hey, he tried. After baseball, Camp Kiffin probably seemed like Delta training. Wish him well ... he tried.
22 -- Fear The Kiffin...
GainesvilleVol1 writes:
Your right, there's a lot of difference in baseball shape, and football shape, then there's camp Kiffin shape. I love the smell of competition in the morning, smells like victory.
GO VOLS!
chad_t31 writes:
Thanks for ambles! Good luck mike.
StroVol writes:
It's hard to go through two a days when you've already gotten you're payday. I'm thinking happy hour was more appealing than sprints.
StroVol writes:
sorry..your payday
chargervol writes:
Malcolm X is back!
chargervol writes:
DaWoeMan is back, too! How wonderful these two are. Always full of joy and compliments! I can't wait until football season actually starts, so we don't have to be bothered with these idiots! GO VOLS!!!
joshvols writes:
who?
elainesguyisanidiot writes:
Good luck young man and thanks for your effort to become a Volunteer.
Sorry it did not work out for you.
TnScooby writes:
I wish him luck...had hoped he might regain the form he showed coming out of high school...he seemed to be a longshot but I had hoped he might be a factor with his maturity..
stinky_pinky writes:
Buh-bye
volfan2002 writes:
Well guess he didn't like it here. Looks like Crompton, Stevens, and Nukeese are our top three. Don't know much a bout Lamaison yet don't know exactly how he is doing.
ItIsMeToo writes:
I can't imagine Ingle Martin is still in the Sunday league. I know he was a Packer for a half a cup a coffee, but certainly no more than that...
kman29 writes:
Martin was on the Titans last year until cut and then picked up by Kansas City.
GatorHater326 writes:
sorry to burst your bubble but from what they say here in Chattanooga he is struggling to win the JOB at UTC maybe there was less to him than we thought
QB_10 (Inactive) writes:
BJ probably a nice kid, but his release is too slow and he was not a team player...I guess Huessman has more ties to the NFL then Monte and the boys
kman29 writes:
loved Ingle Martin on the NCAA football game back when he was with UF. Use to place him at punter (had a 60 rating punting) and would always be good for a fake punt against someone on xbox live.
kiffownsfla writes:
Get a job !
Joevolsxtra writes:
Didn't expect BRAzier to amount to much anyway.
TommyJack writes:
Re Lamaison. If you know anything about the game, you realize a JUCO guy isn't going to come in and know the system better than guys that have been here 2-3-4 years. He may be heard from down the road.
TheFuj writes:
Ingle Martin got cut the first week of NFL camp this year. He may go to another team, but last word was that he was cut.
footballtime writes:
it is not like he made any contribution..so what will be missed?..
kabzs writes:
Too bad when a professional's career is over long before his life is. Thanks for coming to UT to try Mike. Best of luck.
To An Athlete Dying Young by A. E. Housman
The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.
kiffownsfla writes:
LMAO hes been posting c r a p here 6mos it gets old
kiffownsfla writes:
but he can play circles around you !
pdhuff#552644 writes:
He is known as a walkeroner-walkerouter.
Never could master the one-hopper shoe top spiral.
Txvol57 writes:
This is dude was a headcase to begin with according to the Red Sox. He had composure issues and had problems keeping his weight down and staying in shape. This is not a big surprise nor does it hurt us.
HallowedHill writes:
Baseball ain't Football, maybe it had been too long since he played and he'd lost the competitive edge.
BillsBrother writes:
In baseball...Baseball has been very, very good to me.
In football...I don't know
SLOBBER_knocker_U writes:
HAHAHA thats funny!
DennisVols writes:
Placing judgement on how our QB's are doing at this point is equal to making a decision on any topic without all the information.
The news media is not going to give you the full story because they do not know the full story.
Everyday there are more elements to the offensive scheme being added. These elements have only existed on paper to these players before that days practice.
There are going to be mistakes made no matter who you are the first time you go through it.
Kiffin is running practice in a way none of these players have ever experienced. Full speed and Full contact. Fulmer always protected the QB's with the green jerseys. We all saw the results of that last season once the games began.
Take what you hear on this or any news site with a grain of salt. The coaches here now have more expereince judging players than any of us or any reporter that will write about it.
Face the facts JC or NS will start as our QB. We have to believe the coaches are doing everything possible to get them game ready, which is far more than the last staff ever did.
Taking cheep shots on this site at any player is childish at best. You don't know them, you could not compete with them so quit whinng and be a true fan.
Keeping it Real
Go Vols!!!
warriorman86#667191 writes:
4* ATH (TE/DE) Delvin Jones from Miami commits to Tennessee
bluetick writes:
We all know if it was YOU that everybody would be an All American and a starter. Now go bury your head back in the sand.
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