Jarred Haggins has a lot of questions to answer:
- When will he visit Tennessee again?
- What position will he play in college?
- And most importantly, where will he play college ball?
With all the queries, Haggins’ answers aren’t coming easily, especially after a visit to Tennessee’s campus this past weekend.
“It went real good,” the 6-foot, 175-pound athlete from Lakeland (Fla.) High School said. “I had a good time during the camp. I enjoyed the little tour of the stadium — beautiful locker room. I loved the facilities. Nice place, real nice place.”
Haggins was thought to be close to announcing his decision earlier this month. Now that is on hold, thanks to some advice he received in Knoxville.
“While I was up there, I was talking to some of the players, and the players said the best way to make your decision is when you’re ready to make your decision,” Haggins said. “Even after signing day, if you have to, then do so.
“So I don’t really have a time limit on when I’ll make my decision. I’m just kind of wide open. I’m not sure.”
UT had three prospects sign to be Vols after National Signing Day 2008: defensive back Janzen Jackson and tailbacks Bryce Brown and David Oku.
Haggins could take that long to make his decision, even though he’s already cut down his long list of schools to four finalists.
“I do know that Tennessee is one of my choices,” said Haggins, who is also considering South Florida, Ohio State and Florida State.
Haggins is planning a return trip to UT to further evaluate the Vols. An early open date on his high school football schedule could be the perfect opportunity.
“I’m trying to debate if I want to take it then or take it during the season and see a game and get a feel of the stadium atmosphere and stuff like that,” Haggins said.
As a junior quarterback, Haggins passed for 3,003 yards and 15 touchdowns last season while running for another score. He said the colleges on his list are recruiting him to play defensive back or receiver.
He said he has no preference between the two. UT’s coaches seem as open.
“They said they’ll leave it up to me,” he said.
Haggins appears to have no interest in nearby Florida despite having a scholarship in hand from the Gators.
“It’s like everyone from Lakeland is supposed to go to Florida,” Haggins said. “I don’t have anything against Florida, I just want to do my thing and just be me.
“I don’t want go to Florida just because everybody else went there. I just want to be me and set my own trend somewhere else and make a name for myself somewhere else.”
USF would seem to have an advantage because its campus is little more than an hour’s drive away. Florida State is five hours away.
“I’m just looking for a place to play football,” Haggins said. “Being close to home is always a plus but if that (leaving Florida) is what it takes for me to go off, so be it.”
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 25
panties4tebow writes:
Let me be the first to say........gators -UCK!!!!!!
GO VOLS
bspurlingcac#225603 writes:
Come to Tennessee and make a difference. Go Vols!!!
Volunatic writes:
I think the more-immediate need for the Vols would be WR, but a really good DB can get playing time early at UT, too.
1stPoliceJustSayNoToPosting1st writes:
awesome!
CharlotteVol writes:
If I were him, coming out of high school as an "Athlete" instead of a defined position, I would wait until the schools who are offering scholarships can show me the position they want me to play. For most schools, that probably can't happen until they see how the rest of their signing class plays out. That is, unless he is clearly better at one position than others.
That said, let's hope the young man still finds his way to becoming a Volunteer when the process plays out!
GaytorsSuckAndBamaBlows writes:
Hop on the Lane Train and come to Knoxville my friend.
NoMoreWooAfterGoodOleRockyTop writes:
Reel 'em in...
CharlotteVol writes:
The Charlotte Observer lists him as the #2 LB prospect in this area. Last month they listed this writeup, which also made no mention of UT being in the running:
2/PRINCE SHEMBO, Ardrey Kell: Shembo is the reverse of McCain, spending time at DE in high school but, at 6-2 and 225 pounds with 4.65 speed, probably better suited for LB at the next level. As a junior, he made 90 tackles, including eight sacks, and intercepted two passes. Among those recruiting him are Clemson, Duke, UNC, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Stanford and Virginia Tech.
chad_t31 writes:
Hey KNS, is Southern Florida the same as South Florida?
kabzs writes:
Trip to Notre Dame this week.
Tennessee is on his very short list and wants to bring his parents back here on an official visit. Decision possibly by beginning of his senior year. Very much impressed by Monte's background with Derrick Brooks.
Read the article at Volquest.com.
DaVols writes:
woohoo! so he's maybe kinda sorta gonna consider UT when the time is right...maybe? Please, the doldrums are upon us.
Mr_Brownstone writes:
i wouldn't want to go to U Felon either.
Mr_Brownstone writes:
no U Felon wants him, (offered scholarship), but U Felon can't get him. sorry u lose. please try again.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
marc, should we be getting concerned about the lack of committments from this past week?
kabzs writes:
OFF TOPIC:
Scroggins to announce late July. Its down to UT, UF, USC
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/i...
appalachianvol writes:
IMO, the more recruits from Fa, the better!
Go Big Orange
voltan writes:
I didn't think it was within the rules for a recruit to participate with players of a school. See quote from QB. "I loved the campus life and the stadium. The coaching staff is great and I'm very comfortable with Coach Meyer. The receivers there were great, even when I made a bad throw, they were able to go up and get it. There's so much speed and athleticism out there and I'm comfortable in that offense as well."
kiffownsfla writes:
This is great . GO VOLS!
WestTennVol writes:
Something about this kid....I like him, ok we all know what it is, we hate FLORIDUHH
lt4vols writes:
Let us see here, my fellow Tennessee Vol fans............. What we have here is a native of Florida who has the Florida Correctional, uh my bad, that's the Florida Gators, no better than THIRD on their list of state schools. So an athlete from the state that has the defending National Champions, only puts them towards the bottom of his list. He must not want to wear the thongs. I know, I know, I know, the Gators don't want him to begin with, YEAH RIGHT!!!!!! Oh yeah, now that Gainesville harbors the NCAA Florida "Penal" Institute, Tammy Teblow now holds a special "fondness" for the Gators.
CLEMSONVOL716WASBANNED writes:
Must be close to the same weather as we have in SC..on my way to work today, I saw a fire hydrant chasing a dog.
belayvol writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
txsvol#372416 writes:
Monday afternoon, away from the Coastal Bend, the thermometer on my mirror got as high as 104. Well, I'll be back in SAT tomorrow morning, and in Tennessee for a long weekend the day after. It was 110 a week ago Saturday at the (between) Sanderson-Del Rio Border Patrol Station, according to the agent working there. Bird picking up worm with a potholder and jalepenos jumping back into the jar are better than any clean imagery I can give, but it was so hot that the buzzards didn't have to heat their roadkill--it was already cooked! SAVol
CLEMSONVOL716WASBANNED writes:
We have a big farm about 20 miles from town that had a heat related disaster last week.
Got so hot here, the corn in the fields started popping, the hogs saw it and they thought is was snowing and they froze to death.
Volomatic writes:
I know this is way off subject but when did our vol alum Jay Graham Join USC cockbirds as the running backs coach. If he teaches them to run like he could they could have a very good ground game
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