Getting to the Elite 8 seems to have caused an even greater step-up to Vols recruiting than we were previously seeing.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed this recent interesting twist -- a few weeks ago we had the elite camp and (inside) word is that 2012's Jordan Adams of the Atlanta Celtics wanted to commit, but perhaps the staff wouldn't yet take his commitment just yet.
This week young Mr. Adams showed-up at #14 in the nation on the ESPN Super 60 for the 2012 class. With apologies to Lundquist, are you kidding me?
I can only figure that the Vols -- trying to land either Poythress (also on that list at #13) from Clarksville or Kentavious Caldwell (on the 2011 list at #11) -- may not want to discourage them by taking Adams at this point. Or, unlike the Selby situation, we want to keep our enviable relationship with Adams on the lowdown.
In any event, there is unbelievable recruiting momentum with the Vols seem to occupy with several players in the 2011 and 2012 classes. Heck, even in the 2013 class we have a young man from just above Knoxville who may be one of the top 5 players in the U.S. (Shannon Hale). It wouldn't be outrageous to say that UT, along with KY, UNC, Ohio St, and Duke are the five hottest BB schools in recruiting right now.
Call it Elite 8, call it Pearl, Jones and Forbes hitting their stride, call it Tobias Harris starting something special, but whatever the reason, here is how I believe things look:
2010-2011 Lineup:
PG: Goins (Sr.), Golden (Fr.)
SG: Tatum (Jr.), Bone (Sr.), McBee (So.)
SF: Hopson (Jr.), McRae (Fr.)
PF: Harris (Fr.), Maymon (So.), Woolridge (Jr.)
C: Williams (Sr.), Hall (So.)
That leaves 1 scholarship free that is not being used this season. Goins, Williams, Bone, and Hopson will likely free-up 4 more after the season. That's 5 scholarships for 2011 class.
2011 Commits: Chris Jones (PG) and Kevin Ware (SF)
2011 Possibilities: Michael Chandler (Top 4 HS Center), Adonis Thomas (#3 SF), Moussa Gueye (7'1 Juco Center:MSH Player Profile: Moussa Gueye : MidStateHoops.com) Quincy Miller (#3 PF), Amir Williams (#4 Center), Kentavious Caldwell (ESPN #11 player -- SG from GA), Tyler Harris (SF & Rivals #77 player),
A class of Jones, Ware, Caldwell, and Chandler or Gueye or Williams is not unrealistic
2011-2012 Possible Line-up:
PG: Jones (Fr), Golden (So.)
SG: Tatum (Sr), Caldwell (Fr.), McBee (Jr)
SF: McRae (So), Ware (Fr.)
PF: Harris (So), Maymon (Jr), Woolridge (Sr)
C: Hall (Jr) or Gueye (Jr)
Again, the Vols may leave one schollie unused because of the absolute monster class in 2012
2012 Targets (just a few): Alex Poythress (SF -- ESPN #13), Jordan Adams (SF -- #14), D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (SG -- #20), Tony Parker (C -- #21), Jarnell Stokes (PF -- #27), JP Tokoto (SF -- #23), Jeremy Hollowell (SF -- #54), Junior Lomomba (SF)
A realistic class would include Adams, Parker, and Stokes. Tatum and Woolridge will graduate. Harris is "two and through" and the unused schollie leaves 4 scholarships available if no one of the incoming players is a one and done (which the Vols will soon have to contend withby having players like Jones and Caldwell or a Chandler or with the size of a Gueye -- 7'1 athletic/physical guys don't come along all the time).
2012-2013 Possible Line-up:
PG: Jones (So), Golden (Jr)
SG: Adams (Fr), Ware (So), McBee (Sr)
SF: Caldwell (So), McRae (Jr)
PF: Parker (Fr), Maymon (Sr), Stokes (Fr)
C: Guye (Sr), Hall (Sr)
One only dreams of the number of Elite 8 appearances (or Final Fours) the all these guys coming through could manufacture for the Vols.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed this recent interesting twist -- a few weeks ago we had the elite camp and (inside) word is that 2012's Jordan Adams of the Atlanta Celtics wanted to commit, but perhaps the staff wouldn't yet take his commitment just yet.
This week young Mr. Adams showed-up at #14 in the nation on the ESPN Super 60 for the 2012 class. With apologies to Lundquist, are you kidding me?
I can only figure that the Vols -- trying to land either Poythress (also on that list at #13) from Clarksville or Kentavious Caldwell (on the 2011 list at #11) -- may not want to discourage them by taking Adams at this point. Or, unlike the Selby situation, we want to keep our enviable relationship with Adams on the lowdown.
In any event, there is unbelievable recruiting momentum with the Vols seem to occupy with several players in the 2011 and 2012 classes. Heck, even in the 2013 class we have a young man from just above Knoxville who may be one of the top 5 players in the U.S. (Shannon Hale). It wouldn't be outrageous to say that UT, along with KY, UNC, Ohio St, and Duke are the five hottest BB schools in recruiting right now.
Call it Elite 8, call it Pearl, Jones and Forbes hitting their stride, call it Tobias Harris starting something special, but whatever the reason, here is how I believe things look:
2010-2011 Lineup:
PG: Goins (Sr.), Golden (Fr.)
SG: Tatum (Jr.), Bone (Sr.), McBee (So.)
SF: Hopson (Jr.), McRae (Fr.)
PF: Harris (Fr.), Maymon (So.), Woolridge (Jr.)
C: Williams (Sr.), Hall (So.)
That leaves 1 scholarship free that is not being used this season. Goins, Williams, Bone, and Hopson will likely free-up 4 more after the season. That's 5 scholarships for 2011 class.
2011 Commits: Chris Jones (PG) and Kevin Ware (SF)
2011 Possibilities: Michael Chandler (Top 4 HS Center), Adonis Thomas (#3 SF), Moussa Gueye (7'1 Juco Center:MSH Player Profile: Moussa Gueye : MidStateHoops.com) Quincy Miller (#3 PF), Amir Williams (#4 Center), Kentavious Caldwell (ESPN #11 player -- SG from GA), Tyler Harris (SF & Rivals #77 player),
A class of Jones, Ware, Caldwell, and Chandler or Gueye or Williams is not unrealistic
2011-2012 Possible Line-up:
PG: Jones (Fr), Golden (So.)
SG: Tatum (Sr), Caldwell (Fr.), McBee (Jr)
SF: McRae (So), Ware (Fr.)
PF: Harris (So), Maymon (Jr), Woolridge (Sr)
C: Hall (Jr) or Gueye (Jr)
Again, the Vols may leave one schollie unused because of the absolute monster class in 2012
2012 Targets (just a few): Alex Poythress (SF -- ESPN #13), Jordan Adams (SF -- #14), D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (SG -- #20), Tony Parker (C -- #21), Jarnell Stokes (PF -- #27), JP Tokoto (SF -- #23), Jeremy Hollowell (SF -- #54), Junior Lomomba (SF)
A realistic class would include Adams, Parker, and Stokes. Tatum and Woolridge will graduate. Harris is "two and through" and the unused schollie leaves 4 scholarships available if no one of the incoming players is a one and done (which the Vols will soon have to contend withby having players like Jones and Caldwell or a Chandler or with the size of a Gueye -- 7'1 athletic/physical guys don't come along all the time).
2012-2013 Possible Line-up:
PG: Jones (So), Golden (Jr)
SG: Adams (Fr), Ware (So), McBee (Sr)
SF: Caldwell (So), McRae (Jr)
PF: Parker (Fr), Maymon (Sr), Stokes (Fr)
C: Guye (Sr), Hall (Sr)
One only dreams of the number of Elite 8 appearances (or Final Fours) the all these guys coming through could manufacture for the Vols.