In this edition of The Rearview, we stop at the beginning of the recruiting season to take stock of what the Vols have accomplished so far, and take a rare look ahead from here. And I got to be honest, I’m fairly impressed with the early commitments they’ve been able to get thus far.

A quick apology for my absence the past month or so. While the nation is a priority, of late, outside forces have ensured that other things like family and career move back up to the top of that list.

The Vols picked up their sixth verbal committment for the class of 2009 and the second this week. Four-star running back Jarvis Giles from Tampa, Florida made his college choice public today announcing that he plans to sign with Tennessee in February.

With Hillary conceding and McCain desperately reshaping his image to appeal to the more conservative members of the Republican Party, one idea will permeate the airwaves and the public discussion. In the coming weeks “party unity” will be a political buzz word thrown around in both democratic and republican circles. In many ways the upcoming 2008 campaign for Jonathan Crompton is no different.