When Marques Pair received his first scholarship offer, he didn’t need a second.
The 6-foot-6, 270-pound offensive lineman from Sumter (S.C.) High School committed to Tennessee on Monday — just days after the Vols extended Pair his first scholarship offer.
“I’m ready to go ahead and get it over with,” Pair said Tuesday. “UT is the school for me. When they offered me, I went ahead and took it.”
Pair was also interested in Auburn. He was being recruited by the Tigers, South Carolina, North Carolina State, North Carolina and Clemson.
Pair visited UT on June 1 for the first round of summer camps. As he impressed UT’s coaches, Pair found himself impressed as well.
“The coaching staff was real good,” Pair said. “The stadium looked real nice. It stood out. The fan support that they had there, all that stuck in my head. I wanted to be a Vol. It all just came true.”
Pair seems to fit the athletic mold that UT’s first-year coaching staff is seeking to fill.
“You have to stay in shape and be able to move,” Pair said.
Soon after committing to UT, Pair was off to take part in a basketball camp where he plays center.
Pair said he hopes to improve his upper body strength before enrolling at UT. His footwork and agility, however, shouldn’t be a problem, according to UT’s coaches.
“That I’m a raw talent,” Pair said, recalling what he was told by UT’s coaches. “That I’m very coachable and my footwork is just amazing for my size.”
Pair said he’s also comfortable with UT’s offensive system, which is very similar to what his high school runs.
Pair plays left tackle at Sumter but expects UT to play him at right tackle, which is the position he worked at in UT’s camp.
Pair said he’s also looking forward to the discipline that UT’s coaches seem dedicated to.
“They’ll tell you exactly how it is, what you need to improve on,” Pair said. “They’ll help you improve. They’ll make sure you’re on time to practice and on time to class.”
Offering first won’t guarantee that UT will receive Pair’s signature on National Signing Day in February.
He said he’ll still consider the other schools that are recruiting him.
“I’m still going to look at them but for right now I’m going to be a Vol,” Pair said.
When asked what today was like knowing he had college paid for, Pair said: “It’s a whole lot better than the day before.”
Pair is UT’s 11th commitment and the third offensive lineman for the 2010 signing class.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 48
HollySpringsVOL writes:
Way to snag some more!
pammyvol1000 writes:
Welcome to Tennessee Marques!! It's great to be a Tennessee Vol!
TD_4_UT writes:
Yet!!
JackDaniels writes:
Doesn't sound like a commitment to me.
kiffownsfla writes:
Dont be backing out. hay 99 theres that word I was talking about (disipline)lol! GO VOLS!
GaytorsSuckAndBamaBlows writes:
Dave Hooker Strikes Again! What a glass half empty kinda guy. A regular Negative Nancy.
logansdad writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
GreenDevilVol writes:
To bad the Gators didnt offer huuh !! Thats right he isnt good enough unless the Gators offer !!
Wait until he he plows over your defensive front four,then come crying to mama; oh, wait thats CREYER-LIAR-MEYER's job !!!
ShaversChoice writes:
Anybody notice he gained fifteen pounds overnight? When this was announced on Scout last night I could have sworn I read he only weighed 255, or was that Zack Fulton?
Either way, whether he is a solid commit or not, it's great to see kids on the O side starting to give the nod to the Vols.
Keep it up, coaches. Go Vols!
belayvol writes:
All night buffet at The Crab Shack. Gator tail was on the buffet and it packs the pounds on.
GreenDevilVol writes:
SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME, how in the world did this one get by Kiffin when they visited Hailes in Va ?????????????
Check out those stats !!!!!! UNBELEIVABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/...
GreenDevilVol writes:
IMO, move over Scroggins, Legaux,Montana,Rettig,Lamaison !!!!!!!!!!!
Has a GPA that matches his stats !!!!
Kiffin said he wanted a SMART Q.B. !!!
belayvol writes:
These stats? I am not seeing it Green Devil.
Statistics Att Yds Avg TD PA PC Pct Yds TD Int
2007 (So.) 142 673 - 4 439 249 - 3,373 36 19
2008 (Jr.) 142 572 4.0 9 295 153 52.0 2,693 34 10
belayvol writes:
Sorry GDV, i forgot there is no way here to indicate sarcasm/kidding. Those are very good stats on this kid. Does not look like anyone has offered him yet. Kinda strange. Good catch though.
givehim6 writes:
Nice having the verbal, might help with recruiting a QB, but it's only june.
golfballs03 writes:
He doesn't play our style
GreenDevilVol writes:
Sounds to me like desperation is setting in somewhere else !!!
atomicvet62 writes:
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FARRAGUT0406 writes:
Interesting 2 committs from kids that none of our rival schools are looking at. CLK and CEO have a plan
panties4tebow writes:
Pantie clad trolls - go let mommie change your panties!!!
GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
atomicvet62 writes:
Hey Boys,
We can get rid of the trolls by 5 of us clicking on suggest removal.
In July you will see some changes for govolsxtra that may keep some of these scumbags off our site.
GO VOL GO BIG ORANGE
atomicvet62 writes:
Enjoy being on this site,you will be off it .......SOON!
Click suggest removal on this tu#d, Vol Fans.
Go Vols
atomicvet62 writes:
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atomicvet62 writes:
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atomicvet62 writes:
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atomicvet62 writes:
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atomicvet62 writes:
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atomicvet62 writes:
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atomicvet62 writes:
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lebvol writes:
It would be great if some of you would grow up and cut out the name calling. It gets a little old.
FARRAGUT0406 writes:
He is not from Virginia
MrBamSeydu writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
vol_chaz writes:
great thread. So let me get this straight.. Pair is ours until he isn't.. Look Pair, if you are wanting to upgrade, you shouldn't have committed this early.
CoachFulmer writes:
Its great to be a Tennessee Vol!
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Thanks for the commitment big man... but a little more commitment would be better. This is called "Tennessee is currently my leader" but I hope you stick with it!
VOLKING writes:
KNS, please consider making this a pay site again. Reading this thread should make my argument for me.
GreenDevilVol writes:
0406, true My bad !!! I still think this kid should get some consideration !!
murrayvol writes:
Auburn? South Carolina? Not rivals? Who Knew?
jack_2222#231746 writes:
Only time the gaturs show up in the news is when another one percent of the top one percent gets arrested.
TommyJack writes:
KNS: July 1st. Where's the IGNORE button?
kiffownsfla writes:
Sob you want leave will you pos lol GO VOLS!
murrayvol writes:
a)In limbo
b)A work in progress
c)The button's in the mail
d)Fuhgeddaboutit
BolivarBob writes:
Geeya! Don't get baited into the "your mommy wears combat boots" mentality. You don't need an ignore button, just scroll on or respond if you want to. Just don't respond with the same kind of 7th grade taunts they're throwing out. You then become one of them. You never argue with idiots because they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.
BolivarBob writes:
And by the way, he is a 3* that will be a 4* soon, although that really doesn't mean much.
FARRAGUT0406 writes:
Since Fla, UA, GA are the three teams you need to beat each year I was refering to those schools
belayvol writes:
6:30 PM EST watch for a new Vol signing.
belayvol writes:
My bad 1st. Not enough coffee yet. Committing of course.
belayvol writes:
Palardy is a Vol!
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/...
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