Reaves' switch remains rocky, almost like Crompton's acceptance

Tennessee quarterbacks coach David Reaves can empathize with pupil Jonathan Crompton. Both have felt the ire of fan bases.

“Your name is mud here,” former South Carolina running back Duce Staley told Reaves when he appeared on a Columbia radio station shortly after he left the Gamecocks last December to join the staff of first-year UT coach Lane Kiffin.

Recruiting was at the center of the emotional estrangement. And it still is with the Vols (3-4, 1-3 SEC) playing host to South Carolina (6-2, 3-2) on Saturday (TV: ESPN, 7:45 p.m.).

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier still seemed miffed this week when he was asked about Reaves trying to recruit committed South Carolina prospects to UT.

“(Reaves) started recruiting all the guys committed to us, which is sort of — I mean, it’s not against the rules. But sometimes you usually let somebody else recruit ’em. (That) is more the ethical thing,” Spurrier told The State. “But it’s no big deal. All fair in recruiting, just about, as long as you don’t break the rules.”

Reaves, who was an assistant for seven years at South Carolina, chuckled and said, “I’d rather not answer that one,” when asked if there are any gentlemen's agreements in recruiting. Kiffin wasn’t so evasive.

“He could have never come to me and said ‘Coach, there’s this really good player but we’re not going to recruit him because he’s committed somewhere else,’” Kiffin said. “That wouldn’t work for me. And that wouldn’t work for our staff.”

Kiffin wasn’t concerned that Reaves, who is his brother-in-law, caught some flack for recruiting some South Carolina prospects, like receiver Alshon Jeffery, tailback Jarvis Giles and defensive backs DeVonte Holloman, Stephon Gilmore and D.J. Swearinger. To Kiffin, that was simply part of the gig.

“I didn’t really talk to him about it because I didn’t know that much about it,” Kiffin said of the transition Reaves endured. “To me, that’s his job. If you’re going to come work for me we’re going to try to get the best players.

“We’re here to win championships. I think that people around here understand that now, but if you work for me then you understand that from the first day that you get here.”

Reaves agreed that committed prospects are just prospects, even if he was bit more selective with his choice of words.

“That’s right,” he said. “They don’t sign until the first week in February.”

Both coaches are garnering more credit for their coaching than their recruiting. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton has gone from a frequent fan target to a player with a suddenly promising future after two strong performances — a blowout win against Georgia and a heart-wrenching loss to then No. 1 Alabama.

Many have questioned Crompton’s field vision. Some have questioned his intelligence. Most just wanted him benched.

UT’s coaches looked deeper and saw a perfectionist who had trouble accepting anything less than ideal.

“That personality can hurt people when things go bad because they expect everything to go perfect and they have a hard time dealing with it when it doesn’t,” Kiffin said. “You have to make sure you continue to build their confidence.”

Kiffin can’t pinpoint a single moment when Crompton changed. However, the Georgia game was when Kiffin noticed a difference, especially when Crompton responded well after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

“It’s not a specific play, but that would be a turning point,” Kiffin said. “He’s different. You feel that he’s different. “

The pressure had clearly affected Crompton. It was most evident when he came to the sidelines after a mistake with a sense of dread. Now Crompton looks to the next play with optimism.

“As opposed to feeling like the world is coming down on you and (saying) ‘Now I’ve got to make a great play because everybody wants me benched,’ ” Kiffin said.

Crompton appreciated the times when Kiffin backed him publicly. He appreciates the time spent learning from Kiffin even more.

“The more time you get to spend with somebody like coach Kiffin … it always helps,” the senior said. “It’s hard to get time but you always try to pick his brain.

“You just go in there, listen to him, do what he says and everything works out.

“I’m enjoying playing for coach Kiffin. I wish I had some more time with him but obviously I don’t, so I’m going to make the best of it.”

Like Crompton, Reaves knows the strain of having an entire state’s worth of football fans on your back. That’s part of being a quarterback — and part of being a recruiter.

“In the SEC, a lot of fans are passionate about their teams and passionate about their coaches,” Reaves said. “So anytime a coach is going to leave for another team in the conference, or even within the division, you know there’s going to be some strife.

“But it’s been a great move for me and I’m lucky to be here.”

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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