When Lane Kiffin arrived as the University of Tennessee's football coach, he had a list of priorities.
Among other things, he wanted to energize the Vols fan base, get under the collective skin of rival coaches and recruit UT's next great quarterback — not necessarily in that order.
So far, he's swung and missed at only one of those top priorities. He has yet to land a top-tier quarterback for the recruiting Class of 2010.
And if Kiffin is going to keep the fan base energized and continue to rankle rival coaches, he needs to upgrade the quarterback position.
Continue reading at the Tennessean.
Neyland Renovation nearly complete
NCAA selection process for th…
Derek Dooley talks to Bi…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 55
Orange_Rush writes:
I am tired of reading articles about how badly we need a quarterback for the class of 2010. That is not a secret.
volfan2002 writes:
All we need is one and that is Jesse Scroggins. Hopefully he does not want to get in that USC tangle and he likes us better than Florida. He can start and play here quicker than anywhere else. The perfect offense for him and also the perfect school is Tennessee. Are you listening JS?
bigtangerine writes:
Big concerns for any quarterback recruit have to be the dismal depth in the offensive line and lack of a couple of proven receivers.
The defenise line situation is being addressed quite well with some help coming soon. But why no push for JUCO OLs? Are there just not any good ones out there?
Scroggins is anything but a lock.
Digger writes:
Jesse, you have three choices:
1) You can get lost at USC where they already have their quarterback - and play in front of 50,000 fans who arrive late and leave early for the games.
2) You can go to Florida and try to fill the shoes of Tim Tebow, a job not even the best QB in the past 25 years could probably do.
3) Come to your home state and play in front of 105,000 screaming Tennessee fans and become the jewel in Coach Kiffin's signing class - not to mention a celebrity in Tennessee.
Best of luck to you whatever you decide.
GerryOP writes:
Coach Kiffin has only been the head coach for 7 months and it's still 7 months until NSD. So, why are people stating he has failed to find our next great QB -- yet? He is only 1/2 way to Feb 3, 2010! No one else has signed a stud QB for '10 either!
If he did have a "rock-solid-verbal-commit" from some 16-17 year old hot-shot-blue-chip-5*-can't-miss-QB, I guess then our faithful scribes would be complaining that he hasn't won any games yet -- when he has yet to coach his 1st game?
Sheesh -- doldrums.
68 -- Fear The Kiffin...
GerryOP writes:
Amen.
golfballs03 writes:
We need a quarterback? I thought Nick Stephens will be here? I bet if we hold a campus tryout we could get some good quarterbacks.
govols082859#1369959 writes:
Hey Dummy, he has not "swung and missed" as the recruiting season runs all the way up to National Signing Day, and it might surprise you that many things can happen up to that date, or even after that date.
Climer, it must really suck that your life has been reduced to spending all week-end laying out on a blanket with John Adams, over at Fulmer's house, thinking of ways to knock the VOLS?
I guess you know for sure Philip Sims is solid in his ALA commitment, not!
Don't forget Gerald Jones was a plus 50% passer for 21 TD's as a senior in high school.
Oh, I forgot to reming Vol fans you took time to slam all QB's since Peyton later on in the article. Peyton was special, but it was TEE MARTIN who has the ring, and we were an upset by LSU in 2002, or who knows what woud happen.
Try rooting FOR us for a while! Now more than ever "it's great to be a Tennessee vol!"
RJ_Vol writes:
UT will have to show this season that its offense will improve. Last year's offense was horrible. That stigma will take time to overcome. The rising O-line is suspect. However, UT landed a great group of skilled recruits in '09. Additionally, no QB in their right mind will make an early committment to an unproven college coach such as Coach Kiffin. While CLK has potential and experience as a position coach in college, he has no proven track record as a college head coach. I think we have a shot at Scroggins - but a limited one at best due to location. If UT shows some promise on offense early on, I look for a big name QB to come UT's way. If UT shows more of the same on 'O, we are at the edge of an abyss. Meaning, next year we are one injury away from having nobody(I repeat...), nobody of proven caliber to fill the most important position in football. It's time for CLK to earn his money by hanging some points on the board, i.e. a win over UCLA is quickly becoming a must. On the bright side, the recruiting of B. Brown and D. Oku is looking more huge everyday.
VolBall writes:
Finding a competent sports writer at the tennessean proves impossible
govols082859#1369959 writes:
AMEN!!!!
GerryOP writes:
Do you ever post the truth? Must take after your hero lyin' lil' Urbie.
1) Not exactly NCAA violations, they are self-report secondary violations. But I know, don't confuse you with facts.
2) Since several of the SEC schoools have refused to release statistics on their secondary violations, we do not know whether Coach Kiffin is leading. I know, don't confuse you with details.
One thing we do know, UF has had more players arrested since 12/1/08 than UT has.
Why don't you take your pathetic, slanted drivel elsewhere?
68 -- Fear The Kiffin...
gbeejr#1354500 writes:
You hit it on the head. Last year's offense was embarassingly bad. All of these QB's we are recruiting are fully aware of this and probably prefer not to be part of a rebuilding project. It is paramount that this staff show great improvement on offense because we may not get a top-tier qb until the season gets going.
GerryOP writes:
You are absolutely right. These kids want to see something before they make a final decision. And they have 7 months to watch and wait. Wins over WKy and UCLA and a good showing against Florida would be a good start.
As I have posted elsewhere, isn't it ironic that the immediate future of UT football could rest on Jon Crompton's shoulders? If he comes out and shows major improvement over last year, that would be a good thing for recruiting. If he looks at all like last year, that would be a bad thing for recruiting.
kiffownsfla writes:
Now thats how you write an article! see that kns climer is the man lol we will be ok but I do wished one would give a verbal! GO VOLS!
kiffownsfla writes:
Here again utwinsalot you love us vols dont yov troy lmao.GO VOLS!
jackdup4vols writes:
Indeed, how JC plays this year will have a huge impact all the way around. Who would have thought he would end up being such a huge factor w/re to future recruits? I, myself, like to be optimistic; watched a re-play of the LSU game where JC was playing for the injured Ainge, although he did miss some reads, he also showed a lot of promise, and his long pass to put us in the lead got me yelling at the T.V. even though I knew the outcome of the game!! Our defense lost that game in the last 45 seconds -- definitely should have been a win!! What a game!! I myself cannot wait to watch JC manage the clock, hand off the ball, and WIN, WIN, WIN!!!!
mjohnsonvols writes:
Scroggins will commit to USC on July 25th.
Done deal!
We will offer Chase Rettig and maybe get Lamison.
givehim6 writes:
No matter how many times KNS findsto beat this dead dog story fact of the matter is JS knows we want him but unfourtaly drama is now part of the proses, so we play the waiting game.
RollTideJoe writes:
Alabama has commitment from the #1 pro-style QB in the nation for '10, Notre Dame has one of the top, Montana is going to Washington, same for W Virginia, so some of the best are committed already.
RollTideJoe writes:
Don't worry about Sims' commitment to Alabama. Saban will take care of his recruits. You've got plenty to worry about your situation!
RichRollinz2 writes:
Tenn/Bama 06' is on. Mayo just CRUSHED Jimmy Johns,LOL.
10volunteers98 writes:
Go back to Flu-ri-dah and crawl back under your slimy rock in the slimy swamp.
GerryOP writes:
Committed today is a bit different than signing on Feb 3, 2010. Us Vols learned that lesson from watching Fulmer the last few years!
RichRollinz2 writes:
http://www.3sib.com/2009/06/28/e-berr...
Eric Berry's lil' bro commited. Coach done pulled a Billy G,LOL. His twin bro will probably follow.
TennVolAlum writes:
THIS JUST IN!!!!--Tennessee and Coack Lane Kiffin are still in need of signing a top QB prospect.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
We just got Fulton from Ill. Big OL. This helps!
TD_4_UT writes:
Source?
wallandhiker writes:
The idea of John Adams at the Fulmer house is pretty funny. I am pretty sure if he got past the dog he would never make it past Ms. Vickie.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Scout.com
2001_Volunteer writes:
You're going to hang your hat on Phillip Sims? Haha, you will be in big trouble with that guy. Is he even 5'11"? Better look elsewhere bro.
BolivarBob writes:
Kiffin has had the opportunity to get some "big name" QB's but did not take them for reasons we don't know and that he doesn't share, probalby because of NCAA rules and maybe not wanting to damage the young men's appeal to others (I would hope anyway). I am very pleased with Kiffin's recruiting in the 7 months he's been coach. I have QB concerns but am not all that worried about what he is doing. He's made a believer out of me so far. He can't really comment right now on who he is recruiting, but I would be very surprised if Rettig is not in the picture. And I, for one, still think Scroggins is in the picture. If we did not get either one, it would not be the end of the world. By the way, Crompton was higher rated than Scroggins out of high school. I hope we get Scroggins but do not believe he is the end all end all.
GerryOP writes:
Good post Bob. This could be Crompton's year.
wallandhiker writes:
Coaching helps. Crompton was a top-rated QB and four years and four offensive systems later he may finally show us something this year. Or he may wind up as just another example that high school stars often don't mean a dam thing.
RichRollinz2 writes:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/recruit...
A good video of Scroggins at the USC camp.
teampenny#658108 writes:
Can he play QB? Go vols
tennguyinengland writes:
This ought to help bring in Scroggins, knowing he will have a stud protecting him. Here is the link. Go Vols
http://tennessee.scout.com/2/875880.html
RichRollinz2 writes:
Read the article. The one that commited will play QB and Saftey in HS just as Berry did. The other will play RB and LB in HS. Their father James Berry said that they are BOTH further advanced than Eric was at that age. Eric sadi the same thing a while back. I also know one of them was ranked #1 in the nation in the 200 meter AAU track rankings. He is looking at us and LSU, he likes LSU's track program. Thing is, I don't know what there is not to like about our track program. We will get both of them.
RichRollinz2 writes:
That's good stuff right there! This dude is probably under-rated as well. He outshined all the 4 and 5* guys at UT's camp. We will get a QB, may not be who we all want but we will get one. But you have to give it to the staff, they are doing their best trying to sure up our O-Line and D-line. I'm loving it!
tennguyinengland writes:
I totally agree. You can't say enough about how hard this staff has worked to bring in impact players. If we could go 7-5 or 8-4 this year I think it only boosts the next recruiting class. Pete Carroll went 6-6 his first year. Man I'm excited about football season. September can't get here soon enough.
RichRollinz2 writes:
As I posted on another thread, can't sleep on Aaron Douglas and JerQuari Shofield. Two young guys with UNLIMITED potential and 4 yrs. left. Coaches evaluated TONS of O-Tackles in the 09' class and felt Shofield was the best in the nation. Douglas was just made to follow his dad's steps into the NFL. That dude if healthy could REALLY turn into something special. Also, what about Daniel Hood, is he gonna play O-line?
tennguyinengland writes:
I haven't heard much about Hood, but I think he good be one of the biggest shockers to come out of the 09 class.He seems to have great atheltic ability, if they get him in the weight room and bulk him up another twenty pounds, I think he could really fit the scheme of big-athletic tackles that can get up field. Plus he probably feels he has something to prove after the media turned his signing into a media field-day question his carachter and Coack Kiff's for signing. I have nothing but good hopes and aspirations for this young man, hope he turns into the player he could be.
OrangePride writes:
I think we would all feel better if Scroggins decided on Big Orange. Certainly, if playing time and the ability to come in as an impact player from almost day 1 is a priority for him, then the Vols would certainly have the advantage. We know that LK and staff are working every day to promote that agenda. BUT, if Scroggins goes elsewhere, I am still confident this staff will find a high quality QB to lead this team. And, when we do well next year (and we will), the eyes of a lot of QB's will open!.....GO VOLS!!
DRAGtheWATERS writes:
nice post kiffins offense isnt going to be a all out passing affair we are going to run the ball and play nasty defense personally i think they are doing a great job so far i have a question about sims i thought he worked out as a receiver at the camp not qb?
BasketVols writes:
POTD. Lane has already proved you right he can recruit, why the heck all the negativity? These young guns haven't even played their senior years yet. I was a lot better athlete my senior year than my junior year. Nobody offered me squat until I proved that I could run with the big boys, and that didn't happen until my senior year...
tweetdriver63#346474 writes:
I think you're missing something big here. Recruiting for the defense is easy. Every prospect out there knows Monty Kiffin and Ed O can coach them up and prepare them better for the NFL than pretty much any other team of coaches. The problem on the offensive side is we don't have a household-name, proven QB preparer on the staff. I think, unles JS commits now, we won't get a good one until after the season, and then we need for Crompton to perform to show those prospects these coaches can do it.
If that happens, we'll land the QB we need, and it may be a guy who backs out of his commitment somewhere else, to come to Knoxville.
behuman13 writes:
Off topic... But did you guys hear about Eric Berry's younger brother verbally comitting to Tennessee? Too bad he's only 13...
tweetdriver63#346474 writes:
I just saw that. All the posters are ripping on him/the story over at thesportingnews.com.
Personally, I think it's great. Maybe the beginnings of another family dynasty (a la Colquitts), huh? I wonder what position he'll end up playing in high school, and if he'll be as good as Eric.
Still, 2 years from now, when they are actually recruiting for the 2013 class, he's a kid that will already be leaning WAY toward UT. That can't be a bad thing.
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor believe Climer write story with angst(Witch Doctor say not read fans comments if gonna hurt feelings). Bones never lie
atomicvet62 writes:
Finding the next great sports writer for the Tennessean has proved to be difficult!
Maybe that is why they have kept this tu#d!
Get a life Climer, you are not welcome on this site,and we don't care what you think.
You are a negative nitwit.
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.