McGrone is friends with current Vol Darin Kirkland, Jr. and he knew the SEC is serious about football, but the 6-1, 205 pound linebacker got a real sense of what Tennessee is all about. It was amazing, McGrone admitted. It was unlike any other college that I have been to so far from the whole aspect of the academics plus the sports. It was just different than anywhere else.
Coach(Derek) Day, coach (Brady) Hoke, and coach (Tommy) Thigpen is who I visited with the most. They showed that they really cared about me. That was really special. Of course it's the SEC so I know that there facilities are going to be top notch. Just everything was going to be top notch, but just coming here and and seeing it for myself was really great.
It's really how they are recruiting me, McGrone explained. Being able to talk to Darin and see what he really thought about it from his experience alone. That carries a lot of weight with me. I have known him for a while and to hear him to say it. I know it's true. I know what Tennessee is all about.
For me, just the way the coaches treat me and the academics, McGrone offered when asked what was key to his decision. My parent and I have been talking for a long time football is going to end at some point so we want to know the coaches are going to make sure I get my degree and have a career. I just want to make sure if the football thing doesn't work out I have my degree.
McGrone, who is coming off a knee injury, is hoping to return for a game in Knoxville to see what the atmosphere is like as he hopes to have a decision early next winter. I am kind of hoping to have decision towards the end of my senior season to make sure I have all the options that I might want to have. I just want all the schools to see me in my senior season.
