Tennessee’s lone commitment for the 2011 signing class is no more — for now.
Eric MacLain of Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, N.C., de-committed to UT this week citing a lack of communication with the Vols. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound athlete, who most believe will be an offensive lineman in college, made the decision after he continually stated his intentions to play for the Vols through two coaching staffs since he was a sophomore.
MacLain, however, hasn’t ruled out reconsidering UT, according to his father, Michael MacLain. The crevice between the MacLains and UT began to grow when the family read on recruiting Web sites that newly hired head coach Derek Dooley had contacted prospective junior athletes, but not MacLain.
“This is not an ego stroke,” Michael MacLain said Thursday. “This is where coach Dooley will have to talk to Eric. If coach Dooley wants Eric, he’ll have to talk to him. We are not by any means, even remotely done with Tennessee, but it will take coach Dooley recruiting Eric.”
Jack Britt coach Richard Bailey said he was the one who initiated contact with the Vols after the MacLains weren’t able to reach who they were believed were the proper contacts in UT’s football office.
“His version of what’s happening right now (is that) the University of Tennessee has kind of turned its back on somebody that has been really, really loyal to them through three years through a lot of turmoil,” Bailey said. “You’re talking about three coaches in three years. He stayed loyal. And now they’re sort of turning their back on him. That’s how he views it. I don’t necessarily view it that way but that’s how he views it.”
Bailey said MacLain, who once lived in Powell and grew up a UT fan, took the lack of communication hard.
“Eric was basically in tears and this is a big kid that doesn’t cry,” he said. “He was in tears. He’s upset. It’s been his lifelong dream to play at the University of Tennessee. And this isn’t a case where he’s not good enough to play at Tennessee. I promise you; he’s good enough.”
MacLain had limited official scholarship offers, likely because he committed to UT early and was so solid in his commitment, Bailey said. In the time since news of his de-commitment spread, MacLain has received 15 scholarship offers, including a recent call from Alabama.
“If he can play at Alabama, he can play at Tennessee,” Bailey said. “He’s sick about it. He’s walking around like he lost his best friend today in school.”
Bailey said he spoke to UT assistant head coach Charlie Baggett about two weeks ago and that the receivers coach said UT’s new staff would honor MacLain’s scholarship offer, but that the Vols would like videotape to evaluate McLain.
“They wanted to at least evaluate him so they could talk honestly to Eric about where they saw him fitting in at Tennessee,” said Bailey, who added that UT’s coaches invited MacLain to their junior day on Feb. 27.
Bailey said he sent film to UT, but hadn’t yet heard a response from the Vols.
MacLain originally committed to UT in October 2008 after being recruited by Phillip Fulmer’s staff. He stayed committed after Fulmer was fired and his replacement, Lane Kiffin, agreed to honor MacLain’s scholarship. MacLain was still committed when Kiffin left in January. Unprompted, his family sent an e-mail the News Sentinel stating he still planned on signing with the Vols.
MacLain plans to be an engineering major in college and has a grade point average over 4.0, according to Bailey.
“He’s a very smart kid,” Bailey said. “What he told me today and it rang true to me was ‘Right now coach I feel like I’m recruiting Tennessee and Tennessee’s not recruiting me’. That was a very astute young man making a very astute observation. He just feels like he wants to go where he’s wanted.”
Nearby schools like Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Clemson should prove to be factors in MacLain’s recruitment. Clemson assistant coach Dan Brooks recruited MacLain when he was part of Fulmer’s staff.
UT once boasted one of the strongest 2011 classes in the nation when it had commitments from Louisiana defensive tackle Anthony Johnson, Georgia linebacker A.J. Johnson and MacLain. Since UT’s latest coaching change, Anthony Johnson committed to LSU and A.J. Johnson reopened his recruitment.
Josh Ward contributed to this report.
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Comments » 118
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
Hey Marc, what ever happened to Dalvin Glass, he was offered by UT and never heard his status???
OrangeAppeal writes:
Come on now. He "frew" up a fan! How did that get missed during spell-check?
send writes:
Arkansas State OC leaves for USC
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
He got sick??
The writer must be Chinese..
neylandsmom writes:
this kid sounds like he bleeds orange..get him and get him now..we need players that want to be here..recruit him!
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Derek Dooley has not started his tenure in the most positive manner. This is not the first hiccup by the coaching staff.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
What??
This is like hitting a small pot-hole as problems go..LK was like the Titanic striking an Iceberg in comparison.
dvols writes:
lots of mis info, alabama has not offered...
he will get attention when he earns it!
Cldvols1 writes:
Wtf, this is the first mention of ANY type of negativity regarding CDD! As far as I'm concerned it's not negative at all. We just started 2010 the kid will be contacted, mark my words. I think your just a lonely troll who takes cheap shots whenever they can insert something negative regarding our staff. But we preshate ye comin on er message board!bwahahaha GBO
bobbytodd writes:
It said he got a call from Alabama dork. The info is correct. It is your ability to read that is the problem.
tward#641449 writes:
Just read the following. "UT once boasted one of the strongest 2011 classes in the nation when it had commitments from Louisiana defensive tackle Anthony Johnson, Georgia linebacker A.J. Johnson and MacLain. Since UT’s latest coaching change, Anthony Johnson committed to LSU and A.J. Johnson reopened his recruitment." Don't know anything about the guys mentioned. Just hoping we are not asleep at the wheel. Better to loose in competition than to be caught napping.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Been a UT fan all my life. You obviously don't read other boards or you would see that Dooley has started irritating some writers. I am just a messenger and not a "troll", child. You are one of those that feel if any negative word comes on a board, then it can't be from a fan. That is the way a peabrain thinks.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
I think I'll leave the recruiting to Corch Dooley.
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
This kid's dream was to play in Knoxville. Recruit him, and if it's meant to be, he'll come.
tomkats3242 writes:
The new head coach should pick his own players and not those of two past coaches. We have been stuck with enough bad players. If he is as good as though of and if he really loves UT than he will be there on signing day. If not, high school players are a dime a piece. Its about time we got some 5 star players.
Hounddog writes:
Hounddog is on a mission on this one. Huge oversite going on! Hunter Long OL TOP RECRUIT Memphis Briarcrest (last week at Ms State junior day) has not been invited to UT;s Junior day.
BROTHER #2 Prospect in TN two years ago red shirt at Georgia HAS NOT BEEN INVITED TO OUR JUNIOR DAY!
He is at least as good as brother has ongoings with GA,AL,LSU, AR,MS, MS State, Memphis.
Dad played at memphis and kid grew up a VOL Fan.
Someone needs to know this please help.
Hounddog.
LCfastball writes:
OMG, My stomach is starting to bubble again.......
DaddyVol writes:
I learned a long time ago in the NAVY that "LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS." Coach Dooley will be well served to play his hand close to the vest. Just remember back to the debacle on this very site...where there was new and false speculation every day as to who the new coach would be. And we ask...WHY won't Coach Dooley share more with the press???
ric1958 writes:
Wes Rucker told me that Glass signed with a Texas JUCO.
SGTSpurge writes:
It's nice that you've been such a long-time UT fan, but I'm wondering what you would be doing on other teams' message boards. I mean, we all hate it when fans of other teams come on here and troll all over our board. However, since you did bring it up, I am wondering if you have any links so that we, the fans of Vol Nation, can go and read for ourselves, the irritating things that CDD is supposedly doing?
Slystone writes:
The real question here is will Coach Dooley call him before weeks end?
tnsportsman writes:
I support Coach Dooley and Staff 110%! They have done a good job in a short period of time in signing a Top 10 Class and hiring a great Staff.
BUT, I have said this before on here and I'm saying it again.
1. PR and Marketing is a HUGE part of being a SEC Head Coach, period!
2. Recruiting is 365 days a year without ANY DAYS OFF! Stay in touch with Recruits all the time under the rules.
I know CDD and Staff are working hard to get their system in place and ready the Team for Spring Practice, but they better start communicating with the media, the VolNation and Recruits for 2011 IMO! This could become the weak link in what is a great job so far.
GO VOLS!
TLepage writes:
This kid sounds like a big baby.... Walking around crying???? Really????? We don't need someone that needs to be the center of attention.... The nerve of him saying that WE need to recruit HIM, not HIM recruiting US.... Thats life and this is a business.... The reality is that he probably isn't a good fit in our new scheme, if he was we would have contacted him a few weeks ago.... Dooley obviously doesn't see him working out here... We have contacted other tight ends in the 2011 class that are more elite prospects.... Have fun playing at duke in front of 8,000 people, bud.... Don't see our staff bend over backwards to keep a middle of the pack TE happy...
GerryOP writes:
349 days until 2011 LOI NSD. Let's all start getting upset now, why wait until the last minute! Really, a "decommit" gets a 735 word story? You only gave the basketVols victory over UGa about 600 words!
Is this the beginning of the KNS starting to throw down on the new coaching staff? Fulmer basically threw all of you guys except Drew Edwards out of the football complex, Kiffin played you like a cheap fiddle and then stuck it to you, and now Dooley ain't playing the way you want him to! I love you Hook', Josh, and the rest of you guys, but c'mon, give it a break...
smokies_old_soul writes:
both Denzel Perryman and Bobby Hart, 4-star studs from florida are very interested in tennessee, but have heard NOTHING from dooley and his staff.
what are they doing over there ??????
kiffin comes to knoxville and everybody in the country knows about the guy and his mouth within a few days. now dooley is as quiet as a mouse.
being a vol fan isn't very easy these days - this time ten years ago we were enjoying the view from the top along with a big winning streak against bama and in the midst of finally overtaking florida.
what a difference a decade makes.
vols2#227315 writes:
Doodley better get on with recruiting these boys are he will not last long at UT.
PepperGrinder (Inactive) writes:
If I am not mistaken we are in a dead period right now.
Vols4Braves writes:
So ignorant. You should check the headlines a little more often before you start posting comments. Stupid
798orange writes:
It's about 50 weeks until signing day. I would hope that would be enough time to recruit the young man if we want him. This staff has done a good job so far given the circumstances. Give them time to evaluate him, every coach has their own method in doing that.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
Thx for the info, this has been a very odd recruiting effort..
rockytopatl writes:
This is "an ego stroke." The kid will get back on board as soon as his is stroked. As for those already trashing him, please don't do that. If two staffs liked this guy, he's worth having, plus he has the lifelong ambition to be a Vol, the quality most of you typically pine for in every player we chase.
I hate our fans who start "hating" on high school kids during the inevitable politicking. If you can't say something nice about a prospective recruit, just STFU. They read the internet, you know, and may be interested in playing for a fanbase smart enough to not disrespect them in a public forum.
Orangeblood13 writes:
and once again your posts are priceless. What do you know of anything, much less recruiting, or writing?
your life must be real exciting with the glass half empty all the time
asleep#212036 writes:
And what about the dad's statement, "If he's good enough to play at Alabama, he can play at Tennessee"? That may well be but if I were trying to endear myself to the new coaching staff, I wouldn't have stated it quite that way, would you? This kid may be solid but it's perfectly reasonable for the new staff to ask for some film. They really should have called him though if he had already committed, if for nothing else than to tell him yes, we still want you, or no, you need to look elsewhere. In the current world of high school egomaniacs, this kid's concerns do seem legit. Go Vols!!!
Colliervol writes:
I could give less than a flip. And as pd said, I'll let Coach Dooley do the recruiting. That's what he's paid for and what he'll eventually be judged on (wins and losses).
bnakk#240693 writes:
Amen brother. 270lb titty-baby.
516milesfromUT writes:
this story is bogus!it is bait to cause a ripple in the loyalty for coach DD. i am still on board with DD. it is KNS that causes the divide in the vol nation sometimes with these garb stories. Freakin get real KNS. this is phooey!!!pooooooop!!!!! ps..... i didn't put phooey!
516milesfromUT writes:
UPDATE:
the phrase " old news is good news" has been revised....to no news is KNS, spread the word!
---now back to your regular scheduled posting
SGTSpurge writes:
My thoughts on all of this:
First, why are people mad that we don't hear anything out of Coach Dooley? He was like this at La Tech. He speaks when he has something to say. When he does have something to say, it is something productive and useful. Maybe we do not need to know every little detail of every little thing he is doing. I mean, c'mon, what next? Is everyone going to be wanting to know every time the man relieves himself or puts a stick of gum in his mouth? I think we heard from Coach (insert favorite defamatory name here) too much last year. Most of the time, it wasn't good.
Second, maybe this recruit has an ego problem. Maybe he doesn't. Maybe he can play some ball. Maybe he can't. The coaches will make their decisions on him. When I was younger, I really wanted to play football for UT. I ended up playing soccer in high school and played nothing in college. I didn't even go to college at UT. Point is that we all want to do things when we are young and we do not always get to do those things. If this kid is good enough, he will be wearing orange and white. If not, then I wish him luck, but he will wear some other team's colors. That's how the game works. I'm not going to hate on him or on UT.
Third, maybe Coach Dooley decided to spend the bulk of his time focusing on the immediate future. You cannot get to 2011 before you get through 2010. The man had to salvage this year's recruiting class. That was a big job. Okay, so he has taken a look at some kids in the 2011 class. Maybe Mr. MacLain will just have to wait for Coach Dooley and staff to get to him. He is not the only kid to ever want to come to UT and play football. If another opportunity opens up for Mr. MacLain, then I wish him well. If he ends up at UT, I will pull for him. I just know that we as fans need to settle down and let things happen as they happen. Who knows? Maybe we over look him and that turns out to bite us in the behind. Maybe we sign him and he flops. Maybe we pass on him and he flops someplace else. Maybe we sign him and he ends up an All American. Maybe lots of things happen and we really do not know what those things are.
But, I digress... .
wagee12 writes:
Hey Tuba Boy,you are a negative mucker. Where'd you learn that from, Jimma HiYams????
fshnhol writes:
I couldnt agree more! Crying cause he hasnt heard the Dooley?? NSD has just finished, I would think Dooley is working on making sure his new recruits make it to school before he concerns himself with a 2011 recruit. If he is a true Vol like he says he is.....he will wait.
Colliervol writes:
As a matter of fact, I consider it a badge of honor if he has ticked off the media. That's one in Dooley's column as far as I'm concerned.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
I read tonybasilio.com everyday. It is a UT website and his information is ALWAYS right on. That is not another teams website. Negative news is not always a troll. Some of you guys only want to hear "we're gonna beat Bama's arse and go 12-0 next yr". Some of you need to wake up from your dream and face facts. Start with 7-5 and go from there.
SwamisBigOrangeCrystalBall writes:
Exactly and he does not like the TE Wilcox is trying to recruit from Washington. He's like
6-8 280
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Bite me chicken little. Stay in your orange cubicle and never read other sites. You were probably one of the Kiffin fans that never thought anything he did stinks.
Pullingguard writes:
Not being negative, but this article puts a negative feeling about Vols recruting. Two things, if he was not deemed good enough to take a scholarship slip then tell him. If he was good enough then there must be a problem within the staff of direction and contact responsibility. 2010 they had the table pretty well set for them with early enrolls and other committments, and oh yes, they got a 5 star on the coattails of 2 star QB, but 2011 is all within their court and it will be interesting.
SEAL_9821 writes:
I'm following it too brother. I'm behind Dooley 100% but he's got to get a start on inviting some highly rated players come in to visit. I've not seen the first projected 4-5 star even being contacted by this staff or offered to come on a visit.
copia69296 writes:
So... any High School Junior who said they always wanted to be a Vol should get a call from UT ?!? I would hate to think how many letters, tapes, and emails the UT staff gets each week from potential High School players.
So, will KNS begin posting stories on all High School juniors that have NOT been offered scholarships? Even if they really really really want to play for UT?
keepitreal4vols writes:
This kids wants to bleed Orange and Coach Dooley is too busy? All this kid wants is to feel wanted and our staff isn't extending their open arms. I'm starting to have my doubts. I mean, I wouldn't know any assistant coaches if I bumped into them at Krogers and Coach Doley thinks it is acceptable policy to hide coaches and players from the media?
Is our program not in a frgile enough state and now committed recruits are not getting 1 courtesy call? This is not good management.
vols615 writes:
GO GET THIS KID, GO GET HIM NOW, HELL TELL ME WHERE HE LIVES I WILL GO RECRUIT HIM FOR DOOLEY
nocleats writes:
Just my 2 cents worth.. First those of you who know how much a hate rating recruits and recruiting classes will know where Im going with this.. Tenn Is going to sign alot of Lineman this coming year. Lineman other than an elite few dont score the big star ratings.. Those stars are for QBs WRs RBs LBs and Dbs> That said this next class will be heavy on lineman(no pun intended) so it is not going to score high in the so called ratings. BUT; It will fill needs on Tenns roster and that is much more important than scoring High on Rivals top 20 BS poll! I would say this staff is in the process of finding info on as many lineman as they can right now and will really focus hard at this summers camps. But understand this, the days of the good ole boy, "sources close to the Athletic dept " or "insiders" spilling the beans about who is recruiting what and who talked to who are over. As Coach Dooley said the days of the "Sound Byte" style of coaching are done as well. Just have faith. The man knows what he is doing.
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