Georgia-Tennessee weekend takes on added importance

The UT-Georgia weekend is growing into a monumental recruiting event.

Quarterback Jesse Scroggins is expected to take his official visit to Knoxville that weekend. If he makes the trip, it won't likely be to evaluate the Vols; it will be to help UT recruit.

Scroggins has said he will make a decision soon and seems to be leaning heavily toward UT, even though he has declined to name a leader. If Scroggins does select another school, it seems unlikely he'd take an official visit to UT.

UT defensive end commitment Jacques Smith from Ooltewah High School said he also will take his official visit for the Georgia game on Oct. 10. Smith is doing all he can to make the weekend a big one for UT.

"That will just bring the bond of the group together," Smith said after the Vols' camp concluded on Saturday. "If more commitments come, when they see that, they'll want to join in too. That's the whole thing, being one. Tennessee is a family.

"Coach Orgeron really talks about that a lot, how the D-line does everything together. If you bring that to recruiting, more people will come."

Of UT's nine commitments, seven are projected to play defense. Smith believes a quarterback - namely Scroggins - could provide some momentum for offensive prospects.

"That's all we need is a quarterback," Smith said. "That will spark the offensive recruiting."