MURFREESBORO - His junior year of high school officially ended Friday with a state championship. Now Ooltewah's Jacquez Smith is looking forward to a senior year of football and beyond.
"I'll be preparing this summer for the next year of football and for the season after that, with UTK,'' Smith said after winning the Class AAA discus at Middle Tennessee State's track with a throw of 156 feet, 10 inches.
It's been more than three months since Smith, a blue-chip defensive end, became the first commitment of Lane Kiffin's 2010 recruiting class at Tennessee. That doesn't mean the recruiting stopped.
Alabama and Clemson have been especially persistent, Smith said.
"I might take a trip to Alabama (over the summer) because they've been hollering at me,'' Smith said. "I'm not interested at all, but my coaches want me to go there just to be nice because you never know.''
Dan Brooks, the defensive line coach who laid some of the recruiting groundwork on Smith at UT, has kept in contact since moving on to Clemson.
"At the same time, I'm sticking with my commitment (to UT),'' Smith said.
"It's done. It's final. I'm ready to play high school ball and have fun with that and be on to college.
"I'm going to be up there (in Knoxville) with (defensive line) coach (Ed) Orgeron a lot this summer.''
Another newly crowned state champ will be summering in Knoxville.
Zach Rogers of David Lipscomb, a 2009 receiver signee, won the A/AA long jump at 23 feet, 8 inches. Watching from the stands was older brother Austin, a UT receiver.
That's two long-jump titles in a row for Rogers, who firmly believes track complements football.
"It's all about competition and explosion, just being around the best athletes out there,'' Rogers said.
"Now I'm getting ready to report up to Knoxville to get ready for football season. I'm going to second session of summer school but I'm up there running routes in June.''
A third future Vol nearly won a title. Daniel Hood of Catholic, the most recent addition to the 2009 signing class, finished second in the A/AA discus.
Nick Branum of Catholic, an invited walk-on, was eighth in the long jump.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 10
appalachianvol writes:
All good young men. Welcome to the big Orange.
VolWalker writes:
well said Jimbo...well said
panties4tebow writes:
GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bspurlingcac#225603 writes:
Jimbo of Powell fame?
RockyTopBoy writes:
If "Its done. Its final" as Smith says, then no need to go to visit Alabama. If he goes to visit Alabama, then "Its not final."
MillisaAnn writes:
Welcome and Go Vols!!!
Wayfarer writes:
Congrats to wins by the future Vols, well done. It is also very nice to see in-state players staying home and wearing the orange & white. I am really excited to see what the "dream staff" can accomplish with the mix of veteran players and the new incoming freshmen.
VOLFORLIFE writes:
"I'm not interested at all, but my coaches want me to go there just to be nice because you never know.''
That's what he said in the interview, RockyTop, because, as he says, you never know. What if suddenly Coach Kiffin decides he doesn't "fit into our plans", as has already happened with some young men. I personally think this young man is smart not to burn his bridges too quickly because "you never know".
GO VOLS!!!
JUGHEAD
lildhoss76ut#638162 writes:
who says white men cant jump?lol
marinevol writes:
When the interlopers come on, do not reply. Be smarter than they are.
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