Tennessee hosted approximately 180 prospects from about a dozen states Monday, the first day of a three-day camp to be held this week.
Prospects came from as far as Florida, Louisiana and Illinois for the camp, which was geared towards linemen.
“I think it says a lot about what’s going on right now,” UT coach Lane Kiffin said. “Tennessee is a great place to play football and it’s a great staff to be coached by.
“This isn’t an overnight camp. That’s a long ways to come.”
Today’s camp will focus on skill-position players while Wednesday’s session will be a kicking camp. A handful of quarterback prospects are expected to be evaluated today.
Kiffin said the camp setting allows his staff to further evaluate prospects.
“You get to know who a kid is,” Kiffin said. “It’s very valuable to getting to know their football personality.”
The camp, however, wasn’t just for evaluation purposes. Several prospects and their families commented on how much instruction was involved.
“We told them first thing this morning that you’re here to get better,” Kiffin said. “We’re not just coaching the superstar guy. We’re coaching everybody.”
Like UT’s spring practice, the tempo and intensity was noteworthy.
“We want our guys (prospects) to feel the intensity and to feel that this place isn’t for everybody,” Kiffin said. “I thought our coaches did a great job today and a lot of players responded with a lot of hard work.”
The highlights:
n Jordan Black, who only has a scholarship offer from Florida International University, was one of the more impressive prospects.
The tight end/defensive tackle from Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Ga., worked on defense in the morning then received a full-fledged tryout during the afternoon at center.
“I’d just have to put on a lot of weight and get stronger,” said Black who is 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds. “I could at least say I touch the ball every play.”
Black said he’d prefer to play defense in college but is willing to play any position.
Black’s quick feet and hands have UT thinking he could be a perfect fit at center. To find out, Black was alone against a defender at midfield during one drill with UT defensive line coach Ed Orgeron barking instructions.
The drill was intense enough that Black suffered a bloody lip.
“I wasn’t worried about it,” Black said with a smile. “You’ve just got to let it go. A guy got a cheap blow on me is really what happened. You can’t let stuff get in your mind. You can’t let the blood scare you.”
Asked if he expected to receive more scholarship offers soon, Black said “A lot more.”
That likely will be the case. Black has camp visits scheduled to South Carolina and Louisville next week.
Black has received strong interest from Auburn, Georgia and Florida State, which has said it could soon offer.
n Likely the best defensive end combo in the nation attended. Teammates Brandon Willis (6-4, 250) and Corey Miller (6-4, 227) from Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C., were named defensive line MVP’s following their performances.
UT is firmly in Miller’s top five, according to his father, Charles Miller. That would seem to help UT land Willis. Both are rated among the top 100 prospects in the nation.
n T.J. Stripling was one of the most impressive defensive ends. At 6-6 and 215 pounds, the star prospect form Southwest Dekalb High in Decatur, Ga., was tough to handle during pass-blocking drills and won the fastest defensive lineman competition.
Stripling got the best of star prospect James Stone from Maplewood High on a pair of occasions. Both were named MVP’s of the camp.
n Zach Fulton (6-5, 306) also was named a camp MVP. The offensive guard from Flossmor High in Homewood, Ill., may have done enough to get a scholarship offer from UT.
Fulton reportedly has only two offers — Illinois and Indiana.
Awards: Two UT commitments won defensive line MVP awards: end Jacques Smith from Ooltewah and tackle J.C. Copeland from Troup High in LaGrange, Ga. They joined Willis, Miller and Stripling as the five winners.
Offensively, three linemen were presented with MVP awards: Stone, Fulton and Marques Pair (6-6, 255) of Sumter (S.C.) High.
Jafar Mann from Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, Ga. was awarded what was billed as the inaugural “Ed Orgeron Best Ninth Grader Award.”
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee 60, Connecticut 57 men's…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 55
carsontwin writes:
first
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
wonder which qb prospects will show.
sounds like a great camp this week.
polymer writes:
So wtf does "first" have to do with "lineman camp"?
dvhill100 writes:
You have to love the coaches not only evaluating, but actually coaching. The high level of intensity the coaches bring have to have a positive impact on these young men. All part of a package to be the best.
sidwalkvol writes:
I just LOVE what I am reading... not just this camp but the academics and the intensity and the attention we are getting. And the "Ogeron Best Ninth Grader"! That is WONDERFUL. It is a good time to be a Vol fan.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
How did OC Brown do? He is the youtube superfreak lineman who is really fast.
teampenny#658108 writes:
Sounds great Go Vols
UTandETSUfan writes:
well its not like its in some super secret bunker in oak ridge. Whats the worst that can happen, some rent a cop telling you to "move along"?
gnm53108 writes:
I could live with that.
Last year just left us upset.
txvolsfan writes:
I'm ready for some football!!!!
GO VOLS
TXVOLSFAN
the10sevol writes:
By Dave Hooker (Contact)
Originally published 09:07 p.m., June 1, 2009
Updated 09:49 p.m., June 1, 2009
"Today’s camp will focus on skill-position players while Wednesday’s session will be a kicking camp. A handful of quarterback prospects are expected to be evaluated today."
Gettin' a head-start on Tuesday's column, Dave?
Slystone writes:
Wondering about O.C. Brown also, anyone know how he faired?
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
this site is so much better without the tweetering twits
thanks kns
Whiskey_Wizard writes:
I'll be happy with a winning season. After that, it's all Gravy. Year two, we better beat some fools....Yr 3, I want a SEC title.
Let the bourbon flow......
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Here is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeui9Y...
He does not really have any technique to speak of, but he is big and fast so I don't know how the coaches will feel about him.
Voluvr writes:
You have to be first off the ball.
Lineman get first downs.
They are first in the buffet line.
Voluvr writes:
Okay...who do we want?........and the mvp winner is........
Go get 'em corch!
gnm53108 writes:
They are probably last too.
tennezz writes:
Hope we get some commits out of this!
Adamkg12 writes:
what about the big offensive lineman from minnesota Henderson. I thought he might come to camp??? And just for a little laugh...Another Florida player arrested.
Janorius Jenkins' arrest is the third in 2009 following offensive lineman Carl Johnson and walk-on Marquis Hannah. Charges against Johnson were dropped. Jenkins is the 24th Florida player to be arrested in the last four years.
belayvol writes:
Blurbs from the camp:Parent of a prospect.
"I took my rising jujnior over to the lineman camp today. There were at least 90 OL and probably a few less than that DL. In the AM session, my son said that all the kids went through drills and were grouped by grade level. After lunch, the kids WERE grouped by ability level. I came back and watched after lunch and clearly saw an elite group of OL being watched and followed closely. My son was not in that group as he is a rising junior and although he is 6-5, he only weighs 220 lbs.
My son said it was perhaps the most intense practice he has ever been through and at the same time said it was the best day of his life. The coaches were all participating and encourageing to all.
Around 3, the players were taken over to the stadium and the parents were asked to stay behind due to construction. I stayed at the indoor facility while ny kid was absolutely floored by the coaches locker room talks, followed by a running onto the field, kneeling down at the 50 on a power T, and listening to Coach Lane Kiffin deliver a charge that made my kid talk for 3 hours all the way back to Nashville.
Now, about what I observed while the OL DLs were at Neyland.
Coaches Reeves, Gran, Wilson, and one more were working out some QBs, DBs, WRs that arrived early for camp tomorrow. I do not know their names but I will tell you that I have NEVER seen that much skill at on a field togther at one time in my entire LIFE. Two of the 6 or so QBs really stood out. A tall, slender balck QB with dreds and a not quite as tall, white QB with a stockier build. DBs covered like aglove all over the field and WRs had to fight them off to get open. The two QBs I mentioned routhinely hit the receivers in a very small window 15-30 yards down the field."
belayvol writes:
From John Brice.
"The top 5 d-linemen went against the top 5 o-linemen w/ Monte Kiffin judging the winners on a 3-second clock. Defense cleaned house. Won the first 5 w/ ease, got challenged for a rematch and promptly swept again. The kid from Byrnes, name escapes me at the moment, just was at another level. Not just unblockable but almost untouchable. "
belayvol writes:
Camp MVP's for the day:
Dl MVPs
tj stripling
Jc copeland
Brandon willis
Corey miller
Jacques smith
Ed orgeron best 9th grader award
JaFar Mann
Fastest man: Stripling
Ol mvps
James stone
Marquise Fair
Zach fulton
belayvol writes:
Oh and on a side note, Pahokee High assistant football coach arrested on drug charges. Loss of control Ariel.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/con...
gnm53108 writes:
Thanks belayvol.
Whats the chance we get one of them qb's to commit?
And all of them dl's!
MrKnoxville writes:
Sounds like a headline out here in L.A. after the Trojans camp.....I TOLD ALL OF YOU AFTER THE FLORIDA GAME LAST YEAR....we need Lane Kiffin....the staff he could get & his recruiting ability nation wide....lots of you laughed and said the TxTech dork & the Cincy coach....but reading this article just confirms yet another Kiffin promise this off season:
1. Assemble a powerhouse recruiting staff with NFL experience and that knows the SEC---done it.
2. With VERY limited time assemble a TOP 10 recruiting class---done it.
3. Put TENNESSEE FOOTBALL back on the map and get young kids excited about the VOLS---after reading this artice & the one on Jacques Smith woooweeee Coach Kiffin has done it!
Now hopefully Monte K. & Ed O. can close the deal on Brandon Willis and Corey Davis because they are FLAT OUT BEASTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MidTennVol writes:
Congrats, you get the SECOND Ed Orgeron Best Ninth Grader Award.
10volunteers98 writes:
Don`t know for sure,but I think Jesse Scroggins is going to be one of the QB,s there this week.
dvhill100 writes:
Nothing like a great review from a person and player who was there. It should be a fun time.
Basketball_Jones writes:
Does anyone know about how long the staff will wait to announce a kid has commited at camp? The reason I ask is because these big nasties have rolled out of town and it seems we didn't get a committ from any of them
TSNSD4UT writes:
Thank you belay top notch info as usual glad to have the inside info keep up the good work dude.
appalachianvol writes:
When do we expect to hear of any scholarship ofers?
richvol writes:
Thanks for relaying this info about the camp...this is what GVX should be. The details of how the camp was run and the performers is better than the report from the beat writer.
Thanks again...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
What a great readable thread!
So far.
UTVolAlum writes:
John Brice says that Zach Fulton was offered a scholarship yesterday after the Summer Camp had ended.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
^5, Denmark.
TD_4_UT writes:
I hope someone from KNS will get up off there keester and do some real reporting. This post here has more info. than the article. VOL fans deserve real news & info. GO VOLS!!!
hotrodvol writes:
Here is the top 13 high school teams in the country, some of these teams have players attending CLK's camp.
http://www.maxpreps.com/news/article....
carsontwin writes:
how bout you tackle yourself.
hotrodvol writes:
Here is a QB at the camp.
http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2009/...
hotrodvol writes:
Some pictures at the camp.
http://tennessee.scout.com/2/869115.html
givehim6 writes:
I'm liking how Black put that, "Can't let a little blood scare you.
govols980 writes:
My son will be a junior next year and was at the camp. He was blown away by the coaches and is still talking about it today. He said even though he was not on of the prospects the coaches treated them all the same and actually worked with them. He was ready to take on the world after the speech in the locker room. He was also talking about the intensity that the prospects were going at each other with. He said you could hear the collisions like they had pads on.
kingsportvolfan writes:
I two was one pulling to hire Lane Kiffin. Not on this board wasnt a member at the time, but i kept tellin everyone I talked to. My uncle doesnt like it still,but thats because he is a raiders fan too lol!
Doubles writes:
That's my cousin. I went by to watch a couple hours of the camp this morning. I will admit that I mostly watched the group that my cousin was with, but there were some great looking receivers he was working with. There were a couple of huge Tight Ends with very soft hands. The DB's were quick & all over the field in the 1 on 1 & 5 on 5 drills. The groups I saw had 1 on 1 instruction from every, & I do mean e-v-e-r-y, member of the coaching staff. The drills were exciting & always in a game format, ie. the tight ends going 1 on 1 against the linebackers winner got to 5 first, losing group had to do pushups. The coaches were highly motivated and trash talking, ie. Coach Cheney telling a DB, "No wonder the DB's are winning, this cat is holding my man everytime off the line. I hope you fella's are ready to get your butts beat again." One time going so far as to ask one of the staff members for instant replay from the booth on whether one play was a catch or an incompletion.
Coach Kiffin was constantly moving from group to group watching a few plays giving some instruction & then heading to the next group to do the same. Overall, an awesome camp that I'm sure we'll get some quality commits out of.
MrKnoxville writes:
When he was at USC the influence he had over all these kids out here was just amazing....they loved him and how he related to them...and the kids he would be recruiting would talk about how great he was too.
I just figured if he can recruit for Tennessee the way he did at USC then we would at least be as good as we were in the 90's...with a far superior coaching staff with the recruiting then we would be even better than the Fulmer era in its prime.
Just my opinion.
MrKnoxville writes:
Again it sounds like a pro-style USC Trojan camp....and America wonders why USC is always in the mix for a National Championship...now you know.
It has been a long time since I've been this hyped to be a VOL!!!!!!!!
NoChildLeftaDime writes:
Now that's funny right there!
coxo921 (Inactive) writes:
******FREE VIDEO********
All these comments are nice some typical So why not be the judge yourself...
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/recruit...
Jaques Looks Like a monster!
crimsonviper writes:
thanks for all your post in this thread belayvol.
..Best reading i have saw in a couple of days
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