'20 TN CB Keshawn Lawrence (UT SIGNEE)

[bignewt]

nah. there's elite talent in this state that we want as much as anyone else. people do get too caught up on in state kids, especially when you get in to the 2nd tier talents. and that's what gets you in to trouble imo.

there's probably 4-6 guys that we (and anyone else) would want/take right now. so we'll go after those kids really hard.....just like Bama, GA, Clemson, OSU, Mich etc, etc, etc....

once you get past that, then you have to rely on evaluations and comparisons to other kids all over. and you go after the best players, period......

when i say we need to keep the in state guys, im always talking about the top shelf. you can't have Von Bell, Harrison Smith, Cade Mays, Tee Higgins, Amari Rogers etc, etc, etc....all leave the state and watch them ball out at places like Clemson, OSU, GA etc....those are the kids we're all after and being an in state kid SHOULD mean something when Tennessee recruits you.

it doesn't mean the same as a Bama, LA, GA, FL kid, and people just need to recognize that. TN has become a transplant city, especially in the mid state, so the roots that kids have in some of those other states just don't exist for all of them in TN. so while it's one thing to say TN is producing more top level D1 talent, it's not an apples to apples comparison.....it's due to a big population increase over hte last 10 years, and at least a decent sized portion of that growth didn't grow up here.....no ties to UTK, and may have stronger ties elsewhere when all is said and done.

so, the thing this staff needs to do is just keep building, put a better product on the field and show that top shelf talent (regardless of where it is) that you can accomplish whatever goals you wanted to at UGA or Bama, you can do here.

and if you happen to be from TN, then you have the added bonus of potentially being part of something that will endear you to your home state, the fans and this program for a long time.

LSS....everybody wants Keyshawn Lawrence, Reggie Grimes and a handfull of others. we do need to get our share of that pie from now on.....but it's because they're great players....that also happen to be from TN......not solely because they're from TN...

Way too long but not my rebuttal. It does not matter where you are from. Get the best. Tee Martin is just as big or not bigger hero here than any player that came from in state. Zip code recruiting is archaic thinking. We need to get past this state pride thinking with high schoolers. Only then can we build a true winner.

 

[butchna]

We didn’t really miss on that many in the ‘19 cycle.

Bill Norton
Maurice Hampton
Zion Logue

Those were a few we absolutely wanted from Day 1 that chose to go elsewhere.

Zion Logue wasn’t from day one. Midseason at the earliest.

 

[jakez4ut]

Way too long but not my rebuttal. It does not matter where you are from. Get the best. Tee Martin is just as big or not bigger hero here than any player that came from in state. Zip code recruiting is archaic thinking. We need to get past this state pride thinking with high schoolers. Only then can we build a true winner.

I was just illustrating my reasons why in state recruiting for Tennessee isn't what it's all cracked up to be and why it just doesn't matter as much as some seem to think it does.

And why "taking" in state for the sake of in state is not the way we'll build this back.

Quality always matters more than zip code.

But if you can get both... Great.

 

[swampfoxfan]

??????
Phillip Fulmer
Reggie White
John Henderson
Al Wilson
Reggie Cobb
Jabari Greer
Cedric Wilson
NICK REVIEZ!

Don't leave out the Colquitt clan

 

[chavisut]

I was just illustrating my reasons why in state recruiting for Tennessee isn't what it's all cracked up to be and why it just doesn't matter as much as some seem to think it does.

And why "taking" in state for the sake of in state is not the way we'll build this back.

Quality always matters more than zip code.

But if you can get both... Great.

Exactly. Get the best. However, sometimes the best are instate and you’d like to be able to land those easily.

 

[85SugarVol]

Zion Logue wasn’t from day one. Midseason at the earliest.

Yea, couldn’t remember for sure. Just knew we wanted him in the end.

Point was, we didn’t miss many we really wanted.

Guys like Wilhoite, Woodi, Knox, & Otey were not “in-state misses”.

Get the best we can, in-state or not. I don’t want 18 guys from the state of Tennessee just because they are all 4 Stars. JMO.

 

[chaseasl]

I agree, those guys were asked to attend camp to see if we really wanted them, Knox was the only one that cane and he was still on down the board. I don’t blame the kids who didn’t come either because they knew they could commit to other power 5 schools without coming. Norton and Hampton seemed to be the only ones we really wanted I think from day one. We did try to get on Logue later.

 

[Cosmo Kramer]

Pruitt wanted to eval these TN guys because while at Alabama they werent recruiting basically all of them.

 

[Jack Burton]

Why? Why does losing instate talent bother you?

Elite in-state talent like Tee Higgins. Guys like that should be scoring TDs for the Vols and not other premier schools. We’re letting guys like him get away and we’re not bringing in equal talent from out of state in some of these positions.

 

[scvolfan7]

Elite in-state talent like Tee Higgins. Guys like that should be scoring TDs for the Vols and not other premier schools. We’re letting guys like him get away and we’re not bringing in equal talent from out of state in some of these positions.

New coaching staff. Pruitt probably gets tee. Especially if we have tee Martin on staff

 

[bignewt]

Elite in-state talent like Tee Higgins. Guys like that should be scoring TDs for the Vols and not other premier schools. We’re letting guys like him get away and we’re not bringing in equal talent from out of state in some of these positions.

Higgins wanted out of town wouldnt have mattered if Fulmer was still the coach. Good grief yall need to get over Higgins. Kid wanted a new experience not go to college in his backyard.

 

[Jack Burton]

Higgins wanted out of town wouldnt have mattered if Fulmer was still the coach. Good grief yall need to get over Higgins. Kid wanted a new experience not go to college in his backyard.

More excuses for why we miss on elite in-state talent. “Ya’ll” need to stop making excuses for losing these difference makers. Higgins isn’t the first either. Let’s hope the 2020 class changes this perception.

 

[Smokeytom]

Way too long but not my rebuttal. It does not matter where you are from. Get the best. Tee Martin is just as big or not bigger hero here than any player that came from in state. Zip code recruiting is archaic thinking. We need to get past this state pride thinking with high schoolers. Only then can we build a true winner.

Nah you gotta play both sides. Tell the top instate guys to have pride where they’re from and tell all the rest to get the hell over their zip codes. Lol

 

[SugarCC]

More excuses for why we miss on elite in-state talent. “Ya’ll” need to stop making excuses for losing these difference makers. Higgins isn’t the first either. Let’s hope the 2020 class changes this perception.

It was 2 yrs ago, dude. Not making excuses...just moved on; same as everyone involved in Higgins recruitment: coach, staff, player...everyone, but you. You still fretting over the one that wouldn't be your Valentine in school?

Last year, Pruitt signed 2 of the top 5 in-state prospects, and a 3rd (Jordan Davis) will be here next year. With Davis, that will be 5 of the top 13 prospects in last yrs class. Three others from the top 10 (Max Wray, Master League, and Cameron Johnson) had been committed to other schools for several months before Pruitt was even hired. The only one we truly "lost" was Mays; and, he was lost the moment we had our worst season in 120 yrs.

The two that Pruitt truly wanted this past class, Maurice Hampton and Bill Norton...Hampton had been committed to LSU for nearly 2 yrs; he was always going there. Same goes for Norton, he was headed to UGA no matter who was coach; Pruitt had been on the job for 3 months whenever he committed.

You can choose the ignore all of this, if you like; then again, if you're one of these people that think Lance Wilhoit, or Woody Washington, or Trey Knox "got away", there's no talking sense into you, anyway; and you're hell bent on on being completely oblivious.

 

[Jack Burton]

It was 2 yrs ago, dude. Not making excuses...just moved on; same as everyone involved in Higgins recruitment: coach, staff, player...everyone, but you. You still fretting over the one that wouldn't be your Valentine in school?

Last year, Pruitt signed 2 of the top 5 in-state prospects, and a 3rd (Jordan Davis) will be here next year. With Davis, that will be 5 of the top 13 prospects in last yrs class. Three others from the top 10 (Max Wray, Master League, and Cameron Johnson) had been committed to other schools for several months before Pruitt was even hired. The only one we truly "lost" was Mays; and, he was lost the moment we had our worst season in 120 yrs.

The two that Pruitt truly wanted this past class, Maurice Hampton and Bill Norton...Hampton had been committed to LSU for nearly 2 yrs; he was always going there. Same goes for Norton, he was headed to UGA no matter who was coach; Pruitt had been on the job for 3 months whenever he committed.

You can choose the ignore all of this, if you like; then again, if you're one of these people that think Lance Wilhoit, or Woody Washington, or Trey Knox "got away", there's no talking sense into you, anyway; and you're hell bent on on being completely oblivious.

This is a problem going beyond Higgins. He’s one of many examples. This is a Golden Tate, Patrick Willis, Jalen Ramsey post.

I’m not arguing for taking the 2nd tier guys just because they’re TN players. Over the last decade + we’ve neglected the elite in-state talent and have an excuse for when we miss on each one.

I’m hoping Pruitt changes the perception of UT and these guys want to come here first before looking elsewhere.

 

[appvol]

It’s funny how some get bent out of shape on in state recruiting. I went to 247 looked back starting at 2010.So who is Tennessee missing out on in state that I missed starting at 2010 that went to a different school and is making or made a difference at that school.

2010 - No names stick out
2011 - No names stick out
2012 - Jay Guillermo had a good career at Clemson
2013 - Jalen Ramsey and Corn Elder
2014 - No names stick out
2015 - Van Jefferson(maybe). Ke’Shawn Vaughn had a good year last year.
2016 - Joejuan Williams had a good year and Tyrel Dodson
2017 - Tee Higgins,Jacob Phillips,and Amari Rodgers.
2018 - Cade Mays and Max Wray(maybe)
2019 - Have to wait and see.

 

[VOLATNES]

This is a problem going beyond Higgins. He’s one of many examples. This is a Golden Tate, Patrick Willis, Jalen Ramsey post.

I’m not arguing for taking the 2nd tier guys just because they’re TN players. Over the last decade + we’ve neglected the elite in-state talent and have an excuse for when we miss on each one.

I’m hoping Pruitt changes the perception of UT and these guys want to come here first before looking elsewhere.

Seems like I’ve read in the past that Fulmer has acknowledged he missed the boat on Willis. But Fulmer didn’t miss on many instate kids. The others listed are misses by our most recent incompetent coaches. It seems like Pruitt did overlook some of the Tennessee talent in his first recruiting class. But it also seems that he realizes that and has taken steps in the coaching staff to fix that.

 

[VOLATNES]

Seems like I’ve read in the past that Fulmer has acknowledged he missed the boat on Willis. But Fulmer didn’t miss on many instate kids. The others listed are misses by our most recent incompetent coaches. It seems like Pruitt did overlook some of the Tennessee talent in his first recruiting class. But it also seems that he realizes that and has taken steps in the coaching staff to fix that.

I can’t really remember Golden Tate’s recruitment. Did UT go after him?

 

[FranklinVol-615]

I can’t really remember Golden Tate’s recruitment. Did UT go after him?

Not hard.

I don’t know if he is a practicing catholic or not. He did go from JP2 to Notre Dame though.

 

[Bring_Back_Dooley]

This is a problem going beyond Higgins. He’s one of many examples. This is a Golden Tate, Patrick Willis, Jalen Ramsey post.

Patrick Willis is the worst example you could use. IIRC, only a few SEC teams offered him a schollie. He wasn’t on any successful team’s radar. 20/20 hindsight at its finest.

 

[VolsVFL]

It’s funny how some get bent out of shape on in state recruiting. I went to 247 looked back starting at 2010.So who is Tennessee missing out on in state that I missed starting at 2010 that went to a different school and is making or made a difference at that school.

2010 - No names stick out
2011 - No names stick out
2012 - Jay Guillermo had a good career at Clemson
2013 - Jalen Ramsey and Corn Elder
2014 - No names stick out
2015 - Van Jefferson(maybe). Ke’Shawn Vaughn had a good year last year.
2016 - Joejuan Williams had a good year and Tyrel Dodson
2017 - Tee Higgins,Jacob Phillips,and Amari Rodgers.
2018 - Cade Mays and Max Wray(maybe)
2019 - Have to wait and see.

You just name some excellent player!! Just imagine if we had Joejuan Williams, Tyrel Dodson, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Tee Higgins, Jacob Phillips, Amari Rodgers, and Cade Mays just how different our team would've looked this past season. And not to mention Oregon Ducks Dillion Mitchell and Amadi Ugo or Mizzou Emanuel Hall. I'm all for getting the best player but don't bye pass them for good recruits here in TN.

 

[bignewt]

More excuses for why we miss on elite in-state talent. “Ya’ll” need to stop making excuses for losing these difference makers. Higgins isn’t the first either. Let’s hope the 2020 class changes this perception.

Get out of the 1980s. You say excuse, I say simple truth. Many many kids want to get out and try something new when it comes to college. It makes them more rounded, better individuals usually. You sound ignorant.

 

[bignewt]

You just name some excellent player!! Just imagine if we had Joejuan Williams, Tyrel Dodson, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Tee Higgins, Jacob Phillips, Amari Rodgers, and Cade Mays just how different our team would've looked this past season. And not to mention Oregon Ducks Dillion Mitchell and Amadi Ugo or Mizzou Emanuel Hall. I'm all for getting the best player but don't bye pass them for good recruits here in TN.

You too.

 

[SugarCC]

This is a problem going beyond Higgins. He’s one of many examples. This is a Golden Tate, Patrick Willis, Jalen Ramsey post.

I’m not arguing for taking the 2nd tier guys just because they’re TN players. Over the last decade + we’ve neglected the elite in-state talent and have an excuse for when we miss on each one.

I’m hoping Pruitt changes the perception of UT and these guys want to come here first before looking elsewhere.

Over the last decade has been the worst decade this program has seen in 120+ yrs. Think there's a correlation? THAT'S my excuse.

 

[SugarCC]

Seems like I’ve read in the past that Fulmer has acknowledged he missed the boat on Willis. But Fulmer didn’t miss on many instate kids. The others listed are misses by our most recent incompetent coaches. It seems like Pruitt did overlook some of the Tennessee talent in his first recruiting class. But it also seems that he realizes that and has taken steps in the coaching staff to fix that.

Besides Mays (and as I said, he was lost months before Pruitt arrived in Knoxville), who did Pruitt miss out on in his first recruiting class?