'20 TN DE Jay Hardy (Auburn commit)

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Without a doubt, Tennessee’s top target for the 2020 class during the February signing period is Auburn defensive line commit Jay Hardy. Tennessee coaches Kevin Sherrer and Derrick Ansley have put the full court press on Hardy, who was in Knoxville on Wednesday night for a basketball game against Knox Catholic. The 6-4, 300-pound defensive tackle told Volquest before his game that he’s still seriously considering Tennessee and is open to hearing the Vols’ pitch over the next few weeks.
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“I’ll hear what everyone has to say,” Hardy said before his 7:30 game Wednesday. “(Tennessee) is telling me to look at what they did this past season and to see the growth and what they did with the younger guys, what they could do with me.” Hardy committed to the Tigers in November following a late official visit to The Plains, but the 4-star lineman had developed a strong relationship with AU defensive line coach Rodney Gardner throughout the process.
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Asked what Tennessee could do to position itself for a signing day flip, Hardy didn’t hesitate to answer. “It’s just relationship with the coaches,” he said. “I didn’t have real talk relationship with my position coach and the d coordinator. Me and coach (Jeremy) Pruitt had a good relationship, but it wasn’t what I wanted it to be.” Through AAU basketball tournaments, he’s close with Tennessee signees Keshawn Lawerence and Tyler Baron. Early enrollee Harrison Bailey was joined by Quavaris Crouch, Henry To’oto’o and others to root for Hardy on Wednesday night. “They still want me. They’re on me,” Hardy said.
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“It’s real hard sometimes, but it’s just something I’ve been talking to my parents about. Just making my own decision.” Hardy said his relationship with Mays, Lawrence and others could factor in his final decision, but he’s more curious about the rest of Tennessee’s roster. The 4-star plans on unofficially visiting Tennessee for a basketball game sometime in the next few weeks before NSD, using the trip as a chance to get around the football team a bit more. “I’ll (visit) sometime with my dad. I want to get some time around (the football) players,” he said. “I got real tight relationships with guys in my class, but it’s the guys there now I’m (curious about). Like the juniors and seniors I’d be there with. I don’t know or talk to them.”
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Tennessee does still have its in-home visiting remaining. While Gus Malzahn already went to Hardy’s house, Pruitt specifically (and strategically) saved his visit for January. “He’s been talking about coming down to the house. I’m looking forward to it,” Hardy said. “In the end, I want to see what place is more comfortable for me, and I want to see what they got to say about the place as well.”
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-VQ
 
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KPT_VFL said:
Basically would be a Vol if his position coach out in more effort?
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Think that's fair but don't think it's as bad as it sounds. You really can't take anyone for granted.
But when a kid comes in claiming 100% in, you start treating him as a member of the recruiting team, not someone that needs recruited.
Divert your attention elsewhere under the assumption he's peer recruiting.
Definitely a mistake but with an asterisk, imo.
 
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chargervol said:
Think that's fair but don't think it's as bad as it sounds. You really can't take anyone for granted.
But when a kid comes in claiming 100% in, you start treating him as a member of the recruiting team, not someone that needs recruited.
Divert your attention elsewhere under the assumption he's peer recruiting.
Definitely a mistake but with an asterisk, imo.
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Yup.

A mistake. Just not the one some think it was.
 
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#5,669
#5,669
chargervol said:
Think that's fair but don't think it's as bad as it sounds. You really can't take anyone for granted.
But when a kid comes in claiming 100% in, you start treating him as a member of the recruiting team, not someone that needs recruited.
Divert your attention elsewhere under the assumption he's peer recruiting.
Definitely a mistake but with an asterisk, imo.
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I don't follow recruiting as much as others but I was thinking a recruit like Bailey or Cooper told the staff to focus on others, we're committed. It appears from my uneducated eye he wants to feel the love. I somewhat get it, but if you're a team player and want the team as a whole to be better you wouldn't want to garner un-needed attention if you truly want to play for a certain team. I'd like to see him in orange but I have my reservations.
 
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#5,673
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It seems like he doesn’t have a strong like for our coaches. If he signs.. it’ll be because of peer recruiting, not his position coach. Rodney Garner is going to be tough to beat.
 
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Specks said:
I don't follow recruiting as much as others but I was thinking a recruit like Bailey or Cooper told the staff to focus on others, we're committed. It appears from my uneducated eye he wants to feel the love. I somewhat get it, but if you're a team player and want the team as a whole to be better you wouldn't want to garner un-needed attention if you truly want to play for a certain team. I'd like to see him in orange but I have my reservations.
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I don't mind if they decide attention would have been a good thing. But tell the staff that you're having reservations, all it would have taken.
 
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