I know just about everything I like about Tennessee, and it only gets better, said Bituli, whos ranked the nations No. 135 overall prospect and the No. 1 player from the state of Tennessee in the 247Sports Composite for the 2016 class.
I like it up here. I really like it up here. They are number one right now. Tennessee is number one right now.
The 6-foot-3.5, 235-pound Bituli said Auburn remains number two on his list after making a big impression on him last month during his first visit with the Tigers. But with Bituli heading into perhaps the final months of his recruitment, he said the Vols have continued to establish themselves as the team to beat.
Theyve been up there for a whole bunch of months, he said. I just like the atmosphere down here, and its a good area, a good place to be.
A number of other teams including LSU, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida, Notre Dame and Oklahoma have extended offers to Bituli, but he said Tennessee and Auburn currently have his attention, and hes focused on mainly those two right now.
Just the way they run their offense and defense the scheme in general I think its a good fit for me, if I were to come here, Bituli said. I liked it all. I really enjoyed the environment. I know just about everything about these fans, and they love their football team. I really like that.
The first coach I talked to was Butch, and I talked to Coach Thigpen and got to see some of the players, and theyre really good people, Bituli said. (Jones said) that he really wants me down here and Tennessees a really good place to be just anything a really good coach would say and its true.
Bituli said he has developed a close relationship with Thigpen over the past several months.
Oh, thats my dog, Bituli said. We talk to each other almost every day on Twitter, and we dont just talk about football. We just talk about life in general, and Ive gotten to know him as a person not (just) as a coach.
While Bituli hasnt decided when or where he might go on his next visit, he said he probably will travel to Auburn again before making his college decision. And he said hes currently planning on committing this summer, adding that he wants to get it out of the way so I dont distract myself this upcoming football season.
I do feel confident Ill be able to make my decision by then, Bituli said.