Despite a pair of visits to check out two of Tennessee’s fiercest rivals, Jacques Smith said UT’s coaches need not worry about his commitment.
“It doesn’t hurt to see what other campuses are like,” the 6-foot-3, 225-pound defensive end from Ooltewah High School said. “I know what I feel about Tennessee.”
Smith, a strong candidate to be deemed the top prospect in the state, committed to UT last month. He has since visited Alabama and will travel to Georgia on March 21.
Smith was clear; UT coaches don’t have to worry about the Crimson Tide.
“Oh no, not at all,” Smith said when asked if he was interested in Alabama. “That’s probably the last place on earth that I’d go to college.
“Alabama has a very good football program and a very good football coach. They have a good program - one of the nation’s top - but it’s not a place for me. If I went there, my heart wouldn’t be in it.”
Smith has scholarship offers from North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and, most recently, LSU with former UT defensive coordinator John Chavis leading the charge.
Smith appreciates the offers but feels that some schools are just offering him to persuade him to visit their campuses – either for junior days, summer camps or official visits this fall.
“I respect them,” Smith said, “but it’s kind of like a bribe just trying to get me to come here.”
Smith has already started recruiting other prospects to UT, namely offensive lineman James Stone from Maplewood High School. Stone is likely Smith’s top competition to be named the state’s top prospect.
“I try to persuade them over a little bit, just to see the good sides about Tennessee and the negative about the other schools that I’ve seen already,” Smith said. “I let them know in advance without taking the trips.”
Count Smith as one that enjoyed seeing some of UT’s coaches and players jump around shirtless in front of nearly 100 prospects visiting junior day last Saturday.
“It was real exciting to see that,” said Smith, who plans to enroll in January. “They’re really pumped up about the season.
“I am, too.”
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Comments » 72
mempuss writes:
“Oh no, not at all,” Smith said when asked if he was interested in Alabama. “That’s probably the last place on earth that I’d go to college
Hahah gotta love that!
wildberry14 writes:
love this kid
cjraney writes:
All Vol baby. Love it. Avoid the rush, hate Bammer early.
bluetick writes:
Long way til signing day but this guy was born with orange blood. No sweat. As for Alerbamer here is their response to our coaching staff ripping off their shirts. Sooo funny!
http://www.volnation.com/blog/2009-03...
tums writes:
Ahh yes, the token Bama fan that has nothing to do but go to a Tennessee site. Excellent, you will be bleeding orange soon. You are starting to convert. You love Tennessee, its ok to admit it. Oh, and Saban wants this kid, you do too.
txvolsfan writes:
YAWN
Bearwuzacheater writes:
Go straight to he!! and have a giant cup of STFU! You are not welcome here!
And yes bear was the first successful big time CHEATER in Tuscaloser!
bluetick writes:
Talk is cheap dude. Alligator mouth, tadpole @ss.
JMP_Vols writes:
Love his attitude!
bluetick writes:
Past is past + this guy isn't even on the team. Just another Gay Turd cry baby.
easleychuck writes:
Thank you for weighing in with your intelligent opinion.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
I honestly believe that Ala will break their losing streak.
Sometime.
Maybe not 1st outing w/o John Parker Fitzsimmons Kennedy Wilson.
We'll see.
Dooley_Wears_Orange writes:
Hey Nasty D_C_ head, if Florida and Bama are so far and above Tennessee, why do you feel compelled to come on a Tennessee site and stir the Sh*t? Shouldn't you have better things to do?
easleychuck writes:
Last time I checked, the roach lizards and mullets are 0 - 0 for the 2009 season, same as the Vols. It is obvious you fear the Orange why else would you hang on hang on what is, basically, a UT informational site.
Your program is riding high right now and the only way to go is down. It all runs in cycles.
If you do not think so, just ask the mullets....the wins have been few and far between for them against the Vols....nice 2 game winning streak but not much for a decade and a half prior.
You day is coming and it could be sooner than you think. It will be fun to see how you roach lizards handle the worm turning on your a@sses.
I am positive that if the Vols run off 4 out 5 against, your absence from GOVOLS will deafening and quick.
momma_gatorzz writes:
Need a friend? Is that why you are trying to align yourself with alabamerbuttjammer? I would ask you to leave but I know what you would say. Something like "We're here we're qu**r, get used to it."
adamsck#591720 writes:
I like this kid's attitude. Hope he pans out as a Vol.
MrBamSeydu writes:
haha, this is great. He's visiting other schools so he can tell other recruits why they are lame.
Voluvr writes:
He must have heard about what the bama cheerleaders were like.
GerryOP writes:
Kinda diggin' deep for a witty response aren't you slick? Don't worry, good loser or bad loser ... you're still a loser.
belayvol writes:
So you are saying that Farragut ate his lunch? What was the score? I don't remember last season. And i am a Farragut grad.
GerryOP writes:
Enjoy and wallow in your past because your future is kind of cloudy...
Jonboy writes:
You have to be under 5 foot 8 and run a 4.2-40 to play for the GatorS
VOLorado writes:
I don't know.
alabama sure does have history...
http://loserwithsocks.files.wordpress...
utmdm writes:
SEC CHAMPS
GerryOP writes:
Hey gators, good luck in your bubble game on Saturday.
GerryOP writes:
No sympathy expected or asked for...
184 -- Fear The Kiffin...
mhillvol#275693 writes:
By the time the NCAA gets through with their recent investigation, you probably will not have a scholarship to offer him. (See rivals.com)
The NCAA letter, dated May 19, 2008, said the allegations against Alabama were potentially major. They included allowing athletes to improperly receive textbooks and other supplies, failure to monitor textbook distribution and to provide adequate education on the rules to athletes and employees at the university bookstore.
The violations allegedly occurred from the 2005-06 school year through the fall of 2007, which means the university could be punished as a repeat violator. The football program was placed on probation on Feb. 1, 2002.
GerryOP writes:
Thought we were talking about recruiting? No? Whatever, we've already ordered the uniforms for Oct 24. We have added an "AH" after the UT. Roll over and play dead ... again.
belayvol writes:
But we do expect blood. So they can expect to bleed.
volroadwarrior writes:
In your dreams!!!!
golfballs03 writes:
Booyah!
jphilli5#240013 writes:
Rumor has it Bear Bryant was light on his feet. That's how he got Nameth. Swear I heard it somewhere. Could be rumor but we have to wonder why those right earwearing bammers won't let him die in peace.
GerryOP writes:
Forget it mhillvol, they're gonna get off scot free. It'll be pretty easy to prove that there are no college textbooks at the University of Alabama.
mhillvol#275693 writes:
You are so right, no college textbooks for their athletes anyway.
belayvol writes:
Not really fair. They still have the Alabama standardized Dick & Jane have a baby.
belayvol writes:
I actually typed out the more recognized name for the book but them changing it to Richard & Jane is waayy funnier.
miamiVOL writes:
JUST THIS IN, OKU SIGNS WITH THE VOLS, KIFFIN DOES IT AGAIN
belayvol writes:
Source?
gavol39 writes:
David Oku is now a Vol.....
olozbal#646632 writes:
Anybody from this freaking paper going to report Oku signed with us??????
If KNS wants to pay me, I'll read other blogs and report it here.....
GerryOP writes:
lil' ramjamboy, are you a Univ of Ala grad? If so, your posts are proof that there are no college textbooks in Tuscaloosa. Grammer and spelling ... important communication concepts.
ballewville6 writes:
to anyone talking bad about ut or ut recruiting you can just go to another site instead of the vols site and last year was a bad year recruiting but the year before was a top 5 and as of now we are 16 but if you look at the average stars ut is 10 with 3.53 and haveing 3 more recruits that are very interested if we were to get 2 of them we would probally move into top 7 or 8 ut has went for quality instead of quantity like ole miss and arkansas 37 and 29 recruits and that is with a hole new coaching staff .ut will have a top 3 class next year and thew year after one being the top class in country. ut will be back on top of sec within a few years.and next year will be as suprising as last season but it wont be a losing year,it will be the best bowl game the sec gets outside the bcs game wait and see
huntined#565710 writes:
WHERE??? WHEN???
abnerPeabody writes:
He didn't need to visit Alabama to be able to tell others why they are lame.He only needs to read your posts to see lameness.Forest Gump was a real good example of the Alabama fans that post here.I'll say this though,not all Bama fans are stupid, but the percentage of smart ones is very low.
huntined#565710 writes:
rivals..got it
vol_in_foreign_territory writes:
freakin awesome
FLAVOLS writes:
BTW, Oku signed with Tennessee tonight! Don't look back Gator and Alabubbas the Big Orange Train is rolling.
abnerPeabody writes:
Hate to see you show your ignorance once more rammer but Saban,like Kiffin,had a first recruiting year that were mostly the previous coaches recruits.If you do not know that ,then you truly are dumber than a coal bucket.
yeavols#228407 writes:
DC Dynasty..pal you are so irrelevant at this point, there is nothing you can say, write, spew, or act out that is even remotely important. get a life and grow a brain.
yeavols#228407 writes:
Gee how shocking is that?
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