College football coaches rarely lose touch with their recruiting lifeline.
You hear about coaches calling prize recruits even as the coaches are preparing for a national championship game.
And you heard Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin immediately putting his team’s 45-19 victory over Georgia in a recruiting context Saturday.
You can do that with a game. Or you can do it with a series of games.
Halfway through their first season under Kiffin the Vols are smack-dab in the middle of college football’s middle class with a 3-3 record.
But that’s not exactly how the first half of a season will be presented to recruits, none of whom are apt to be swayed by the rallying cry: “We’re mediocre!”
Instead, UT’s football sales force will stress the destination, rather than the program’s current location on college football’s landscape. Its message can be both general and specific.
For the last nine months, the Vols have been selling defensive recruits on the advantages of playing for former NFL defensive guru Monte Kiffin. Their pitch should resonate even more now that you have evidence of his impact at the college level.
UT has held both Florida and Georgia under 24 points for the first time since 1999. It ranks 12th nationally in total defense despite playing two teams that rank in the top six in total offense.
The Vols also can offer offensive recruits more than playing time after the 45-point outburst against Georgia.
Never mind that the Vols rank 48th nationally in offense. That’s heady stuff for a program that ranked 115th in the same category last season.
UT has something for every offensive recruit, regardless of his position.
For example, take the offensive line, which has played most of the season without two former starters, center Josh McNeill and guard Vladimir Richard. It also has relied on the development of walk-ons Cory and Cody Sullins as well as redshirt freshman Aaron Douglas, who was converted from tight end to tackle in the spring.
Thanks, in part, to the offensive line, UT ranks 16th nationally in fewest sacks allowed. Moreover, the offensive line gets plenty of the credit for UT’s dramatic improvement to 34th nationally in rushing.
Not only can the Vols sell an offensive line recruit on improvement, playing time is an obvious attraction. UT loses four of its five starters in the offensive line.
UT should look every bit as appealing to runners as blockers. Bryce Brown and Montario Hardesty provide more than a one-two running punch. They provide a one-two recruiting punch.
Brown, the No. 1-ranked running back in the last recruiting class, came all the way from Wichita, Kan., although the Vols were coming off a losing season, and their new coach had never been a head coach at the college level.
Hardesty carries just as much weight in recruiting. In his four previous seasons at UT he had started a grand total of six games and never had gained more than 373 yards in a season.
Under the new coaching regime, Hardesty ranks 12th nationally in rushing with a 112-yard-per game average. And he has accumulated much of that yardage against defenses which made him their No. 1 priority.
UT got Brown’s attention before Hardesty started playing like an All-SEC running back.
Now, following all of the early difficulties in the passing game, UT has something to sell quarterbacks, too.
After struggling for much of the season, quarterback Jonathan Crompton completed 20 of 27 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns against Georgia.
Any good recruiter knows how to spin that kind of improvement.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 40
VolinCalif writes:
That's telling them John.
SmokeyHound writes:
LETS BEAT ALABAMA! EVERYBODY GO TO THE GAME AND SUPPORT YOUR VOLUNTEERS!!!! BEAT ALABAMA SO WE CAN GET THEIR FUTURE RECRUITS!!!!!!!! COME ON ERIC BERRY!
SmokeyHound writes:
just saying...if you come to tennessee you will go to the NFL (because of our countless coaches with NFL experience) and you will play alot - most of our team is juniors and seniors and our sophomores asrent really that good. plus we have an amzazing coaching staff
Gator_Hater (Inactive) writes:
If we can pull off an upset in Tuscaloosa, top recruits EVERYWHERE will notice. Not to mention that it could put us in a position to run the table the rest of the way. South Carolina doesn't scare me, Monte will handle them. Ole Miss has a solid D, but Monte will shut them down too. Yeah, I might be drinking the kool-aid, but if Crompton continues on this curve and the receivers keep it up, anything is possible. IF we can run the table, and that a BIG IF, I believe we could pull in another QB and some solid OL. We're set everywhere else.
VOLHolla writes:
"Any good recruiter knows how to spin that kind of improvement"
What!?
Those stats are facts - NO SPIN NEEDED
With the NFL experience on this staff, the Big Orange pipeline to to the League will continue
to flow freely. The recruits WILL come.
VOL03_NC writes:
All one needs to do is watch the games and see how much the TEAM has improved. The kids maybe full of potential, but the staff has made it posssiable. Hardesty was good last year, he is great this year and seems to get better each game. As for JC,ESPN has already said it!!!
chbradshaw writes:
Given the headline, I expected the article to reference at least one recruit who seemed impressed with the progress. This was nothing but a theory without any supporting facts. Back to journalism school if you ever went.
VolsToTheWall writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Munsterlander writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
V0LUNT33R writes:
I will be interested to see your reaction following the cocktail party. Be careful; the Dawgs might have something for y'all.
halloffamebowler writes:
There are not enough tickets for everyone.The game is a sell out.
Razzle writes:
He's the Dumb-Arse Man.
Razzle writes:
Pretty creepy how you reference "getting liquored up and beating the kids". That what your problem is? Try getting some professional help.
txvolsfan writes:
IDIOT
Vols033 writes:
I can honestly say I HAVE pissed off a gator fan this year during the UT and florida game. It is a great feeling to look at someone who is upset because their team CAN'T make the statement they wanted to.
leedsvol2007 writes:
Let's not get too carried away. Georgia has given up a lot of points this season and the success Garcia and Mallet had throwing against gave Crompton the opportunity to have this type of game.
I am very excited about his play on Saturday and think it bodes well for the rest of the season but do not look for him to put up the same type of numbers against Bama.
If you rank the games as to most likely wins and losses Bama would rank as our biggest test.
To have a chance in this game we must improve our poor kick coverages, play patient offense, and keep the ball enough to keep our defense rested.
We have a chance to win if we can keep Arenas from killing us.
GoVols!
Docrok writes:
I agree with you completely on not letting Arenas kill us! He is twice the player James is and definitely better than the three players that have already run one back on us! They really need to find the answer on special teams! If they do I think our defense really keeps us in this game because contrary to what ESPN and the rest of the pundits are telling you, Alabama's offense is not much better than it was last year! They score most of their points in the third and fourth quarter when the opposing defense is tired! So UT's offense needs to have some good sustained drives and score points early!
Go4Two writes:
Adams this is the first time Hardesty has been healthly.
SIMSVOL writes:
DaMan is back with DaIdiotic comments. You really ought to learn how to be quiet. Every time you open your mouth, the ignorance spews out. Georgia beat a very good Arkansas team, should have beaten LSU... Tennessee is a good team with loads of talent and getting better by the week. Find something else to do DaMan - surely there's something you're good at - but football isn't one of them.
DC_Vol writes:
Hey everyone J Dahmer the sociopath is back spewing his negativity to make himself feel good again. Get some couseling help man and stop hurting poor defensless animals when you are not our site.
Kiffin has been recruiting in the top ten since his arrival. He just smashed an above average Georgia team despite what you say. GA was ranked in the top 25. How about if we beat Alabama will you agree to get off this site and never return???????
I love that you watch UT improve every week and disprove/discount all you posts. How do you feel being constantly wrong about everything you post and everything in your life? Didn't you tell us last week that GA would kill us and now since we crushed them you are pretending they are a horrible team. What you saw this past weekend is a vastly improved Tennessee team coach up by our great NFL coaches. UT Football improves every week and recruits are taking notice and we will get stronger. The Lane train has left the station and has left you behind. You must hate seeing UT succeed which makes me happy!!!
DirtyVolsack writes:
What happened to your idea that since we are running a more pro-style offense we would only put up 20 points a game? Unless I am seeing things (which I'm not) UT is averaging almost 33 points a game at this point in the season while your high and mighty gay-tards are averaging only six points more at 39. As of now, your logic seems busted.
Biggie writes:
Hardesty was great last year...he just didn't get the nod over the senior
GreensboroVol writes:
Saturday was another building block in what CLK is trying to create at Tennessee. They may not finish this season 9-3 but they are getting better each week but they have to continue to build. Let's be honest, this is not an SEC championship team and I hope no one thought it was. CLK still need to fill a lot of holes and continue to get the team to execute what he and the other coaches are teaching. If they show improvement, the top recruits will see what's going on in Knoxville and want to be part of it. If you are a top high school player on defense, why wouldn't you want to come learn how to take your talent to the next level from Monte Kiffin? Who in today's college football will be able to teach you how to play championship defense in college and give you all the tools to get to the NFL? Look at Montery Hardesty. This is a guy who couldn't get off the bench when Fulmer was the coach and now Eddie Gran has transformed him into the SEC's best running back. He is a guy who if CPF were still in charge, fizzle out this year and never be heard from again. Now he has a chance to be drafted in the NFL. High school players notice things like this and will be drawn this coaching staff. I listen to a guy like Ed Orgeron talk and I'm ready to run through a brick wall. This is a A plus coaching staff and within a few years I believe we will be seeing championship level football in Knoxville.
tensie2004 writes:
I hope that we upset bama but iam also glad to know that I do believe we can compete with bama. With a break here or there and our new coaching staff, we can win. The future years with this staff will pay off and hamilton did the right thing last year.
Go Vols
Cldvols1 writes:
Georgia's bad? So bad they beat an Arkansas team with arguably the best QB in the nation who then beat an undefeated Auburn squad that beat us a week earlier. Man, they are terrible! Save the antics dude, the Vols played one helluva game! GBO!!!
cooper65#432178 writes:
I haven't heard anyone try to make the argument that Mallett is the best QB in the country. There are 4 better in the Big 12 South alone.
murrayvol writes:
If we pull off an upset in Tuscaloosa, Heads of State will notice.
Cldvols1 writes:
Ever heard of Lou Holtz, he said it more than once. What about Mark May, he said it more than once too. I'll give it to ya he is from one of those Big 12 South schools, Texas. Halfway through the season he's got 1422 yards and 13 td's. Not to mention a 154.60 passer rating. Yea your prolly right though, not very good numbers.
illinoisvolfan writes:
Did anyone notice that Adams wrote an article that only mentions Florida once and didn't mention Tebow at all? This may rank right up there with the miracle of Chirst turning water into wine.
ElizabethtonvolnNC writes:
Hello - interlopers, Kiffin haters...Question ? How are those Oakland Raiders doing??....Yea, that 5-15 coach they had sucked!
WhiteHotBleedOrange writes:
Obviously, "DaMan" stands for "Dumb a#% Man!"
volsgirl writes:
Got anny ticket? I will buy it?
kd45music writes:
Win or lose, the 'bama game is huge. If we win, Rocky Top will be higher than the Himalayas and we'll soar to the top of the recruiting ladder. If we lose and play tough, we're still in good shape. The question is, was the Crompton resurgence for real or just a mirage? We'll find out next Saturday.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
KNS staff - I once again request that you remove DaMan from this site. Everything he posts is negative, irresponsible, and demeaning.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well, he was hurt a good part of the season, just like he has been most of his time here. He's not 100% right now, but he has been healthiER longer than in any previous season. He's ALWAYS been great when he was ABLE to be on the field.
jtvols writes:
Come on people, it was one game and Georgia did not want to be in that game after the LSU game the prior week. The SC and Ole Miss games are going to be huge to the success of this season...and let's face it, we need to have some success this year. Next year is going to be bad. 1st year QB and young OL, that does not play well in this league.
smoky50 writes:
That my man is the MOST IMPORTANT PART! JC needs to keep his head and continue on the "curve". Beat BAMA GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I don't disagree with much of what you say, but it is really no slam on Bama's offense to say that they "score most of their points in the third and fourth quarter when the opposing defense is tired!" That is what they DO; they usually have big, strong, deep O-lines and hard-running RBs. They pound and pound until the other team is tired and then they knock them out, just like most heavy-weight boxing champions. That is just old-fashioned Southern football. Their defense and special teams are usually good enough to hold the opposition at bay while the offense wears down the other defense, and then BAM! Again, you aren't wrong, it's just that Bama's approach ISN'T a sign of offensive weakness, it's their STRATEGY--and it seems to be working well this year.
Psychovol writes:
Journalism isn't empirical research Einstein.
OrangeBlood54 writes:
GREAT WIN . STAY TOUGH AND WE WILL BEAT BAMA
IT WILL FEEL SO GOOD . CAN'T WAIT . IT WAS AWESOME TO SEE THE BIG ORANGE TEAM ON THE SIDELINES JUMPING AS A TEAM . LIKE THE OLE DAYS .
GREAT JOB COACHES AND A THANK YOU TO THE WIVES WHO SHARE THEIR HUSBANDS WITH OUR TEAM .
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