'First let me give a big shout out to Coach Scott Cummings, George Quarles, Rob Black and David Meske for bringing east Tennessee state High School Championship trophies.

High school coaches, great ones like the three individuals mentioned above, do their jobs for the love of the game with little recognition, and their work goes largely unnoticed. Congratulations to those men, their staff members, and the kids.

Now that Butch Jones’ contract is all but settled and Tennessee is going to a bowl game, let’s talk 2015 recruiting.

Much like last recruiting cycle there are a number of moving parts to filling out Tennessee’s signing class. I think as we go forward with this Head Coach commitment lists will be fluid until mid to late January. Instead of hanging onto kids, this staff looks to be in the mode of continually trying to upgrade positions.

Looking at the Commitment List it would appear Tennessee is all but finished with this class. Nothing could be farther than truth.

I see plenty of changes to the Commitment List coming in the next few weeks …. From Tennessee’s perspective, the changes will be for the betterment of the class. My guess is there are two maybe three departures from the Commitment List that I understand are in the offing are ones many will be disappointed about.

Hope I’m wrong. I don’t think I am though.

Tennessee has a top 5 recruiting class in the works regardless of whatever recruiting service you have a preference for. If this holds, with back to back top 5 recruiting classes, the direction of the program in terms of roster reconstruction is clearly pointed in the right direction. Because Tennessee has some but not all its 2015 recruiting done, the staff has been able to focus efforts on the out years of 2016 and 2017.

The 2016 class is shaping up to be as good or possibly better than the previous 2 recruiting classes. You have to win the state of Tennessee in recruiting first. From where things are headed, I personally like how things are going.

But not all is grand. I do have concerns.

1) I don’t think I’m breaking any new ground here but the most important need in the 2015 class is offensive tackle. Tennessee right now has two offensive tackles on campus. Think about that. Two. Dig a little further and consider one of the two is playing with one a knee that has the ACL shredded and will have no more eligibility after January 2nd. The other one well …. to be honest we don’t know whether he can play in the SEC or not. Early returns are not favorable and we are unlikely to know whether he can play or not until he rolls out onto LP field next September. What is left behind those two guys? Guards attempting to play tackle.


Tennessee does have a one committed player named Jack Jones from the mid-state who will enroll in January. This kid will get every opportunity this spring to beat out a bunch of guards for one of the starting tackle spots. This is where Tennessee is at offensive tackle. Jack Jones, a fine prospect, who isn’t on campus…. may walk onto campus and at worst case is going to be in the two deep at tackle when they put pads on in the spring.

Here is my concern.. where are the other offensive tackles in this class? It appears Tennessee is “all in” for offensive tackle prospect and Georgia commitment Pat Allen. Tennessee is still trying with Allen but chances are he sticks with Georgia. If that happens, what is next? Drew Richmond the offensive tackle from Memphis folks are clamoring over isn’t coming here. Much to the lament of my Memphis friends, I never have and still don’t think Drew Richmond is an answer for Tennessee at offensive tackle anyway. Yes, early enrollee Chance Hall could play offensive tackle and will likely get that shot….. once he is healthy. He is recovering from surgery that ended his senior season and chances are he will miss spring practice. Me, I think Hall is a guard in college anyway.

There are a couple of other offensive tackle names that have popped up on Tennessee’s radar. Sure, one or more of those kids may visit Tennessee but you would think with the playing time available Tennessee would be the team to beat for one of more of those kids. That isn’t the case though.

Something seems odd here that with the playing time available Tennessee isn’t in on more highly regarded offensive tackle prospects.

2) Does anyone other than me think we still have a ways to go at the wide receiver position? Tennessee has recruited well at the wide receiver position. When, healthy Tennessee has plenty of depth . However, I see a group of really good possession receivers. I do not see the athleticism in the group that can turn 5 yard catch an eighty yard play OR stretch the field which will open up the middle of the field for the aforementioned possession guys. Tennessee has Preston Williams, one of the top wide receivers in the Southeast, committed for the 2015 class. I think he is a really good prospect. Is he a burner? I don’t expect it when he is now coming back from major knee surgery that ended his senior season. I still believe Tennessee needs a burner at this position in this class.


By the way, I’m not worried about Josh Malone. Look at Josh Smith’s improvement from his freshman to sophomore year before injury wiped out his season. Too, Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers weren’t near the receivers during their freshman years as they ended up as before they left school. Some kids just mature fast or slower than others. He will be a star here before he leaves Tennessee for the NFL.

The message here … in my opinion….. Tennessee is still is a work in progress at the wide receiver position on the outside.

3) I’m somewhat shocked Tennessee is not scouring the junior colleges for a middle linebacker type that could step in and play next season. Tennessee has a ton of talent waiting in the wings at the linebacker spot but that talent is woefully inexperienced. Dylan Bates and Gavin Bryant will get the first shot at middle linebacker spot next season. Both are wild cards. Bryant is red shirting . Bates is redshirting while recovering from shoulder surgery. Shoulder surgery for a linebacker is not a good thing. For all practical purposes, Tennessee had their middle linebacker for the future committed in Cecil Cherry. It now looks like Cherry and Tennessee have parted ways. If that happens, I, as a Tennessee recruiting fan , would take that as a favorable occurrence. You don’t part ways with a prospect like Cecil Cherry unless you feel like you have or can upgrade at that position. Evidently, Tennessee feels like they are in great shape with Darrin Kirkland Jr. a middle linebacker prospect from Indianapolis, Indiana. Kirkland is the number 1 prospect at any position in the state of Indiana and has long been a Michigan commitment. With all the tomfoolery going on at Michigan he recently decommitted. Tennessee, Ole Miss and Texas look to be his finalist and I believe Kirkland is a January enrollee. If Tennessee replaces Cecil Cherry with this Kirkland kid, that is a job well done by this staff. Kirkland is big, he can run, and is not afraid of contact. All the things you like in a middle linebacker.


Three more things before we close. First, I will have more later in the month and into January as I mentioned above recruiting is far from wrapped up. I know the numbers say differently but there will still be much intrigue you can book it.

Next, Tennessee getting its freshman quarterbacks Quinton Dormandy and Jujuan Jennings on campus in January is critical. Come next fall either one of these kids or both are one to two snaps away from being thrust into the action. Both kids have great skill sets. Jennings is a phenomenal athlete. Dormandy is a better athlete than you think. Really excited about this.

And, this weekend is a huge official visit weekend for Tennessee. Arguably, one of Tennessee’s top remaining targets, Nashville Hillsboro defensive end Kyle Phillips will be taking his official visit. Phillips is an early enrollee, he has played his cards close to the vest, and his recruitment has been a battle pitting LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee against one another.

Right now, today Tuesday December 9th, I think Phillips picks between Tennessee and LSU. Phillips is a difference making defensive prospect. Is he a difference maker like a Derek Barnett? Who knows. It is clear in watching his film and in person the kid has a chance to be disruptive in the mold of a Barnett like player.

'X'

'I was looking at the final playoff rankings (1-25). This would have been a perfect year for 8. Only 8 major teams had two loses or less and were ranked 1-8 so no valid arguments. First round:

1. Bama
8. Michigan St

4. Ohio ST
5. Baylor

3. FSU
6. TCU

2. Oregon
7. Miss St.

Two SEC, two Big 12, two Big 10, 1 Pac, 1 ACC. TV would have loved the national balance.'

'How good does it feel to be excited for a bowl game and a genuine, bowl-worthy road trip?

Earning the bid to the Bowl formerly known as the Gator was a pleasant surprise. Instead of a short bus ride in the state of Tennessee to Memphis or Nashville, which still would have been a step forward, the Vols get to have a real bowl experience. Despite being the last team in the conference to earn bowl eligibility, the program landed one of the better games passing over perhaps more deserving teams.

And it happened because of the University of Tennessee’s brand power, the passion of the fan base, and the borderline starvation of Vol Nation for a taste of success. (Granted, many of you were moaning and crying conspiracy when Ohio State earned, yes earned, a spot in the playoff. It is crazy how that works.)

Most importantly, the Iowa Hawkeyes are an ideal matchup for a Vols team that sputtered to the finish line. The thirty-four days of rest between the regular season finale with Vanderbilt and bowl game should have the Vols as close to full strength as expected with the exception of season-ending injuries and suspensions. Whereas an offense like West Virginia’s spread would have created real mismatches for Tennessee’s secondary, Iowa’s is dramatically less explosive. Vegas lists Tennessee as 4.5 point favorites (for comparison, rumored opponent West Virginia is favored by 4 over Texas A&M).

The downside to drawing Iowa is that the pressure is on Tennessee to protect the conference badge against everyone’s favorite whipping-boy, the Big 10. Usually bowl games are treated as exhibitions, and significance is manufactured. This year for Tennessee, however, winning the game secures the first winning season in 5 years and springboards the program into the offseason.

A future that now has less uncertainty as the university announced an extension for Butch Jones through 2020 and a healthy raise of $600,000, one hundred thousand dollars for every win of the regular season. It was a move the university had to make. The number sounds high, but the landscape has drastically changed in the past year or so with extra TV revenue, and it will only continue to rise. (Just for the record, I do not advocate in guaranteeing anyone six years of payment, especially in a structure that does not guarantee an athlete four years of a scholarship, but maybe I’m a sucker.)

The extension takes the Michigan speculation off of the table and puts the focus solely on enjoying the bowl season and beyond. Now, fans can focus on the important things like whether or not a win in the state of Florida will end the curse against the Gators and which high school athletes will choose to be bricks in the wall.

2015 could be the year that Vol fans have been waiting for.

It starts with Iowa.

Follow @jon__reed on twitter and listen to the Young Guns every Friday from 3-5EST on the Tony Basilio Network!

Merry Christmas!

Jon'