'11 JUCO TE Andrew Power

[valoisvol]

I saw this somewhere on VN recently. He's 6-5, 253 & buried on the DL depth chart.

What do y'all think of this move? Can he catch a ball? :question:

Yes I would hope so. He did come in as a receiver/DE when he was recruited I think

 

[BigOrangeVol29]

Recruiting can sometimes be a dirty business and it's a shame that kids get recruited over, but such is the business of big time athletics. Players and teams both have to, and will do, what is in their own personal interest. I didn't know that much about Power as a recruit as to whether or not he could come in and contribute, I will be honest. However, if the coaching staff has decided to move on it is because they either are seeing tendencies from his play or lack of or they believe they are in good standing with another player(Clear, Rome, Fulse, or someone else) that can help them keep their jobs. I wish the young man the best, hopefully he will land on his feet and find someone else who believes his talent can help them win.

 

[DaddyChad]

Hope we aren't left high and dry on NSD by these actions....we need TE's in a bad way
Rivera & Downs aren't gonna get it done.

Even if we don't land anyone to fill in for Power, I still would rather save the scholarship for next year. If we're going to roll the dice on a kid with limited upside at least do it on a kid with four years to develop. This kid was the biggest question mark in our recruiting class most would tell you.

Some people don't have the stomach to follow recruiting.

 

[VolFanInIndiana]

I disagree with you here -- perhaps you were being imprecise with your wording. There is nothing wrong with offering a bunch of kids -- that is a necessary part of the process and every kid going through the process understands that. The problem comes not in offering a lot of kids, but in accepting the commitment of a kid then telling him later that you have no need of him. When you accept a commitment it becomes an oral contract.

Before some come back with the fact that the kids decommit all the time, remember that we are dealing with teenagers here. This is the first and only time they will ever go through the process. Our coaches are not only adults, they are supposedly experienced, professional adults who do this for a living and have been through it many times. Are the experienced professionals to be held to the same standard as the "virgin" teenager??

mlsoft

Maybe I did word it wrong but what you said above is exactly what I was trying to say. I have no issue at all in offering 100's of kids. I do have an issue with accepting that offer and the player being added to the list via scout and rivals and telling him and his family he has a place at the table. The kid can plan and families could in some situations actually move or make plans to move as it has happened before. Then when a higher ranked kid comes along....you just tell the "Powers and Parkers" of the world...thanks but no thanks...sorry about your luck. For those screaming "It's no different when a recruit changes their mind"...Yes, it is. That is why you have 100's of offers made to recruits. This recruit could have ONLY made 1 visit and accepted his offer and be 100% committed to Tennessee. I know every situation is different...I just think Character speaks volumes in actions.

 

[Volleycat]

The staff wants to free up a spot for Rome because they must think we have a legit chance with him. If so, their choices are: (1) not recruiting Rome because there is no spot; (2) letting Power know now that there may not be a spot for him; or (3) wait until Rome commits and then telling Power to walk, which could be on NSD. None of these options are great ones and because the staff wants to keep their jobs, they picked the option which is fairest to Power. If we don't get Rome, Power may recommit, if he's still available, but he probably won't be. Recruiting is a heartbreaking business.

 

[therickbol]

Maybe I did word it wrong but what you said above is exactly what I was trying to say. I have no issue at all in offering 100's of kids. I do have an issue with accepting that offer and the player being added to the list via scout and rivals and telling him and his family he has a place at the table. The kid can plan and families could in some situations actually move or make plans to move as it has happened before. Then when a higher ranked kid comes along....you just tell the "Powers and Parkers" of the world...thanks but no thanks...sorry about your luck. For those screaming "It's no different when a recruit changes their mind"...Yes, it is. That is why you have 100's of offers made to recruits. This recruit could have ONLY made 1 visit and accepted his offer and be 100% committed to Tennessee. I know every situation is different...I just think Character speaks volumes in actions.

You have no idea if a kid is 100% committed to a school. You think every time these kids have second thoughts they call up the school they are committed to and tell them? That is why you have last minute changes all over the place the last couple weeks leading up to NSD. And some changes made on NSD.

 

[KnoxVillain]

Maybe I did word it wrong but what you said above is exactly what I was trying to say. I have no issue at all in offering 100's of kids. I do have an issue with accepting that offer and the player being added to the list via scout and rivals and telling him and his family he has a place at the table. The kid can plan and families could in some situations actually move or make plans to move as it has happened before. Then when a higher ranked kid comes along....you just tell the "Powers and Parkers" of the world...thanks but no thanks...sorry about your luck. For those screaming "It's no different when a recruit changes their mind"...Yes, it is. That is why you have 100's of offers made to recruits. This recruit could have ONLY made 1 visit and accepted his offer and be 100% committed to Tennessee. I know every situation is different...I just think Character speaks volumes in actions.

Maybe in a perfect world...where you are the president or something....

 

[VolFanInIndiana]

You have no idea if a kid is 100% committed to a school. You think every time these kids have second thoughts they call up the school they are committed to and tell them? That is why you have last minute changes all over the place the last couple weeks leading up to NSD. And some changes made on NSD.

I made the comment pretty clear. IF a recruit made 1 visit and acepted his offer and says he is 100% Vol....then it is just that. Nowhere in my statement did it say he had taken 5 official visits, 13 unofficial visits and had flopped back and forth with 3-4 teams. If the kid has said I am a Vol and I am not visiting anywhere else....where is the problem? I know everyone likes to claim it's all fair in the recruiting game...but not all recruits play said game. Some actually do stick by their word. Coaches should consider the idea IMO.

 

[VolinDawgland]

A.) There is nothing that binds a recruit to stick by their commitment. So its not logical to assume the recruit should be the only person in the process that holds all the cards. Its the nature of the business. Its not pretty but it is the system that is in place.

B.) And more importantly, in these situations, its a win-win. Thats why I dont understand the uproar from you people complaining. You seriously think the better option is to allow Power to enroll in college, join the team with the knowledge that he has almost no shot of getting to play. Then he gets frustrated and two years down the road is making the difficult decision to transfer schools? Power can now find a scholarship offer at a school that fits his talent level where he can get playing time. Its a win-win situation for both parties involved. Sorry if you cant see that.

Exactly, commitments are not binding from either direction. Only thing that really matters is the signature on NS day. Everything else is just information/noise.

 

[VolinDawgland]

I understand the situation just fine. Our coaching staff speaks of building a strong foundation based on HIGH Character kids. This young man was OFFERED and accepted. He chose to be a Vol without dragging it out and waiting till the last minute like alot of kids do. For this, he is passed over..and asked to go somewhere else as we think we can do a little better. While I support the Vols and always will...this is a situation where I hope ALL the TE recruits decide to go elsewhere and we are left with movng a DE to TE in the middle of spring ball. I would lean toward those who could care less about tossing kids aside who wanted to be Vols....as the idiots. JMO:hi:

This is just sentimental nonsense. Recruitment is tough nosed business from both the recruit and the school angle. Kids change their commitment when a perceived better offer presents itself and a school can change it's mind as the whole process is dynamic. If you're going to be that dogmatic about a verbal, then we've just handed all leverage to the kids and will get passed by everyone else not playing with your exaggerated and misplaced sense of ethics.

If we waited until day before signing day, then maybe you have a point.

 

[615 Vol]

So this makes 2 players that have had to "look elsewhere" as the staff has told them to do so. Nothing like seeing this high character in action. Yes, we here at the University of Tennessee will offer you...but please do not consider it a REAL offer as down the line we will pull it if we think we can do better than YOU. It would be hilarious to me to see recruits stop committing to Tennessee until NSD. Then when people freak out and question why they don't they would respond "Why commit? They don't honor their offers until they think your the best they can get". I know most Vol fans feel this practice is ok as we may get a better player...but I still think it taks the character spoken so much about and tosses it out the window. JMO

How exactly do you know what was said between these players and the coaches? For all we know, the coaches told them that they would still honor their commitment but let them know they might not see much playing time. I'd rather a coach be honest with me so that I could go find a better situation before it was too late rather than sign somewhere and never see the field.

 

[therickbol]

How exactly do you know what was said between these players and the coaches? For all we know, the coaches told them that they would still honor their commitment but let them know they might not see much playing time. I'd rather a coach be honest with me so that I could go find a better situation before it was too late rather than sign somewhere and never see the field.[/QUOTE]

Well look there....somebody that actually has some clear thinking on this issue. Refreshing.

 

[VolFanInIndiana]

Never see the field? Is that how you try to have it make sense if YOUR mind? Obviously the staff thought the kid could contribute or they would not have offered him to begin with. Trying to say the kid will never see the field is a sad excuse as you have no idea what he would do once he was here. Much the same way you have no idea what a 5 star highly rated kid will do. Yes, Tennessee has had ALOT of busts as of late in this department. While we pass on alot of guys who are not rated 4-5 stars...alot of them seem to do pretty well elsewhere...and are playing on Sundays. Everyone could care less as your hoping to land a higher rated kid. That is all it is and I for one hope this backfires. If your going to be just like the rest of the sneaky, cut throat, back room dealing recruiters....at least say that CDD. Don't speak of high character and then don't practice it yourself. eace2:

 

[VOLNBAMA]

I saw this somewhere on VN recently. He's 6-5, 253 & buried on the DL depth chart.

What do y'all think of this move? Can he catch a ball? :question:

Fowlkes was a WR

 

[KnoxVillain]

Never see the field? Is that how you try to have it make sense if YOUR mind? Obviously the staff thought the kid could contribute or they would not have offered him to begin with. Trying to say the kid will never see the field is a sad excuse as you have no idea what he would do once he was here. Much the same way you have no idea what a 5 star highly rated kid will do. Yes, Tennessee has had ALOT of busts as of late in this department. While we pass on alot of guys who are not rated 4-5 stars...alot of them seem to do pretty well elsewhere...and are playing on Sundays. Everyone could care less as your hoping to land a higher rated kid. That is all it is and I for one hope this backfires. If your going to be just like the rest of the sneaky, cut throat, back room dealing recruiters....at least say that CDD. Don't speak of high character and then don't practice it yourself. eace2:

And you are a Vol fan why? Stop crying over something so insignificant. :cray:

I'm beginning to think you must have some relation to Power...

 

[Ravenheart]

How exactly do you know what was said between these players and the coaches? For all we know, the coaches told them that they would still honor their commitment but let them know they might not see much playing time. I'd rather a coach be honest with me so that I could go find a better situation before it was too late rather than sign somewhere and never see the field.

Sad, but true.

 

[DaddyChad]

Never see the field? Is that how you try to have it make sense if YOUR mind? Obviously the staff thought the kid could contribute or they would not have offered him to begin with. Trying to say the kid will never see the field is a sad excuse as you have no idea what he would do once he was here. Much the same way you have no idea what a 5 star highly rated kid will do. Yes, Tennessee has had ALOT of busts as of late in this department. While we pass on alot of guys who are not rated 4-5 stars...alot of them seem to do pretty well elsewhere...and are playing on Sundays. Everyone could care less as your hoping to land a higher rated kid. That is all it is and I for one hope this backfires. If your going to be just like the rest of the sneaky, cut throat, back room dealing recruiters....at least say that CDD. Don't speak of high character and then don't practice it yourself. eace2:

Seriously? Because we tell a kid to look elsewhere in Nov you're upset?

Dooley's obligation is to field the best team possible within the NCAA rules. Not to pacify douche bag fans like yourself who are quick to take the moral high ground but even quicker to undercut when results aren't what they expect.

 

[volswitten1]

Never see the field? Is that how you try to have it make sense if YOUR mind? Obviously the staff thought the kid could contribute or they would not have offered him to begin with. Trying to say the kid will never see the field is a sad excuse as you have no idea what he would do once he was here. Much the same way you have no idea what a 5 star highly rated kid will do. Yes, Tennessee has had ALOT of busts as of late in this department. While we pass on alot of guys who are not rated 4-5 stars...alot of them seem to do pretty well elsewhere...and are playing on Sundays. Everyone could care less as your hoping to land a higher rated kid. That is all it is and I for one hope this backfires. If your going to be just like the rest of the sneaky, cut throat, back room dealing recruiters....at least say that CDD. Don't speak of high character and then don't practice it yourself. eace2:

Its not a commitment until both parties sign the paper on NSD verbals are a part of recruiting so if your going to get so upset about it quit following it. We will have some go our way and some won't get use to it.

 

[sjt18]

If I were a recruit and was going to be dropped... I would want to know in October... not February.

The thing these kids deserve most is what he apparently got- honesty. I wish nothing but the best for him.

 

[Lefty2405]

V fan in Indiana its college sports sir. Universities recruit over kids every year and tell kids to look elsewhere.... ALL UNIVERSITIES DO THIS. Even some of the "God-Like" coaches fans obsess over exercise this practice. This is a classy move for the coaches to do this at the beginning of November and not the beginning of February. I believe it was LSU who brought in a class of kids then didn't tell some of them they would be "gray-shirts" until the beginning of practice. Sucks if you are Powers and his dream of dreams was to be a Vol, chances are it wasn't, he will be fine. Has like 3-4 months to find another school.

 

[m1al]

This is just sentimental nonsense. Recruitment is tough nosed business from both the recruit and the school angle. Kids change their commitment when a perceived better offer presents itself and a school can change it's mind as the whole process is dynamic. If you're going to be that dogmatic about a verbal, then we've just handed all leverage to the kids and will get passed by everyone else not playing with your exaggerated and misplaced sense of ethics.

If we waited until day before signing day, then maybe you have a point.

I understand recruiting in D1 sports is a tough, sometimes cut throat business. I hate to see this happen to a recruit however it is definately better to do it as early in the process as possible..

That being said since when is a 'sense of ethics' misplaced? Depending on how one does business I can see how ethical behavior might 'get in the way'.

I know you didn't mean it this way but it almost seems like you think ethics are a bad thing..

I don't mean to be a martinet. I tend to view things in black and white (not much gray area) and it has gotten me in trouble at times...

 

[OptimusPrimerib]

I think it's possible Power's offer was conditional based on the number of TEs we take. If the staff feels good that they're going to land the number they wanted then it's no surprise they'd be able to pick and choose which ones to keep. If that's the case then Power would be fully aware of the conditions of the offer from the beginning and this isn't so bad as some think. The above scenario is just speculation but it's something to think about.

 

[abb4]

I think it's possible Power's offer was conditional based on the number of TEs we take. If the staff feels good that they're going to land the number they wanted then it's no surprise they'd be able to pick and choose which ones to keep. If that's the case then Power would be fully aware of the conditions of the offer from the beginning and this isn't so bad as some think. The above scenario is just speculation but it's something to think about.

Totally pulling a theory out of your ass is just pointless. There is no way this is the case. The kid was recruited over bottom line and there is nothing wrong with that it is standard practice these days. Just like kids commit somewhere for months only to change on NSD. If these kids can change there mind last minute why is it so wrong for a coaching staff to change its mind 3 months before NSD?
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[Browder McGill]

V fan in Indiana its college sports sir. Universities recruit over kids every year and tell kids to look elsewhere.... ALL UNIVERSITIES DO THIS. Even some of the "God-Like" coaches fans obsess over exercise this practice. This is a classy move for the coaches to do this at the beginning of November and not the beginning of February. I believe it was LSU who brought in a class of kids then didn't tell some of them they would be "gray-shirts" until the beginning of practice. Sucks if you are Powers and his dream of dreams was to be a Vol, chances are it wasn't, he will be fine. Has like 3-4 months to find another school.

No he doesn't. He's an EE, so that gives him a month or so. I think juco signing day is in early-mid Dec. Not as much time as it seems.

 

[sjt18]

One factor that may be getting overlooked here is that he may not be performing as expected on the field.