Cotman explains decommitment.

[ttocswob]

Pure class. In his fifth year he needs JUCO transfers?

Same strategy as Majors after the 88 debacle - it worked, too - at least until the middle of the 92 season. Not sure if CBJ gets another 3 and a half years, though.

 

[State of the Vols]

My question is how the heck a HS coach in Florida knows this. SDS is starting to remind me of the National Enquirer.

You are assuming that when he said "my coach", he was speaking of his hs coach. Why? Could he have not just as well meant the UT coach who was responsible for his recruitment? I am not saying this is what he meant, but it would make more sense.

 

[Volniac]

In my lifetime (56 years) TN has won 6 conference championships and one national championship. I do not love the Vols because they win conf. championships and compete for national championships. If that's what I was obsessed with I would be a Bama fan...or a fan of the current hottest team. That's called band wagon.

I always want the Vols to win. I go into every season thinking "we've got a chance this year." Some years a greater chance than others. But I also know that they will come up short almost every year (one exception in my lifetime so far). I don't let this distract from my love of the Vols. I will pull for the Vols when they are 6-6. 8-4, 10-2, or 12-0, We all enjoy the good years more than the bad but I would rather be a 6-6 Vol than a 12-0 Bammer or Gator or anyone else.

Incessantly degrading the current coach does not fall within my definition of being a Vol fan. Sometimes a coach doesn't work out and needs to be replaced. Fans have the right to voice that opinion. But so many posters on here take that right to such a ridiculous extreme that it's an embarrassment.

We are all Vol fans (I guess), but we are not all equal Vol fans....some are better fans than others.

Each of us can come up with our own criteria for judging.

You had me until "some are better fans than others"

Seriously? It is ridiculous to me to try and say some are less of a fan than others for giving their personal opinions and thoughts on the program, even if they may go overboard sometimes. Because that does happen. But whether a Sunshine pumper, negavol, or somewhere in between, I don't think anyone is any more of a fan that anyone else.

Just remember that we're all on the same side here. Anytime someone expresses their thoughts and opinions in an extreme way, its only because they are passionate about Tennessee football. I know I sure as hell am. We all want to see the program do well and win, and compete nationally.

I have been a huge Butch supporter and want him to have success here. I want him to be the guy, I really do. Nothing would make me happier. But I officially jumped off the Butch train after the last game. That said, I still want him to turn the ship around and get it done, I just don't believe he can until I see it. If he does, awesome I would love that. If he doesn't though, I hope the team can move on and get someone who can get it done. From what I've read, that's how a lot of people feel.

That doesn't make anyone any less or more of a fan than anyone else.

 

[AM64]

Believe it or not, this is actually all very common practice in the dog-eat-dog world of recruiting these days. Mainly the SEC and the upper tier programs, but every school had probably done this to some degree.
However, it's a little more of a 2-way street than ppl realize. Hundreds of recruit's drag schools along every year by including them in their "Top 10 Schools" and "Top 5 Schools" and "Top 3 Schools", giving them reason for hope so that he can continue "reaping the benefits" those schools are providing while trying to secure his commitment. 90% of the time, the school they will end up attending was decided loooong before signing day.
But when a kid does those things, or has been committed to School X for the last 16 months and spurns them on National Signing Day in front of the whole nation when he picks up the hat without your school's logo on it... nobody thinks a thing of it. Nobody gets up in arms about it when it's the recruit telling the coach thanks, but no thanks. Nobody realizes that this recruit has been promising these schools for months he's coming, after all these programs emphasized emphatically that he plays a position of which they are in dire need of in this recruiting cycle, and it's actually the schools that get left out to dry WAY more often than not.
I'm not defending or condoning this process, but there is a mutual understanding that, ultimately, each side has to do what's in their own best interests.
When the NCAA started putting regulations on the number of signees each school could have, it made it much worse and is the sole reason it's become so prevalent today. Coaches try to fill their class to max capacity as quick as they can, then once they've reached it, they can relax a little and coast through to signing day, while continuing to pursue the top targets on their board...

In other words, contrary to popular belief, when you hear that it was the coach that cut ties with a recruit, 9 out of 10 times it means they are going to fill his spot with a prospect they have ranked higher.

Butch's reputation will not be marred with the big bad Indian giver tag, so no worries there haha

Exactly, and the other thing is that a coach's job is actually on the line based on how the recruits perform, and few people seem to consider the implications of the recruiting restrictions.

Johnny Majors recruited something like 76 players the year he went to Pitt, and turned in a NC a few years later - the magic wasn't there when he had to recruit much smaller classes after the NCAA stepped in with recruiting restrictions. Looking at teams with sanctions verifies that recruiting class size is pretty close to what won't work as it is.

The kids who cause the grief - won't commit or honor commits are the problem - no sweat for them, they'll just play somewhere else. But they can sink or make a coach's career in a few cases. Imagine what a few great DTs and LBs could do right now at UT; then imagine what happens if some are lined up and decide to go play elsewhere on signing day.

 

[luthervol]

You had me until "some are better fans than others"

Seriously? It is ridiculous to me to try and say some are less of a fan than others for giving their personal opinions and thoughts on the program, even if they may go overboard sometimes. Because that does happen. But whether a Sunshine pumper, negavol, or somewhere in between, I don't think anyone is any more of a fan that anyone else.

Just remember that we're all on the same side here. Anytime someone expresses their thoughts and opinions in an extreme way, its only because they are passionate about Tennessee football. I know I sure as hell am. We all want to see the program do well and win, and compete nationally.

I have been a huge Butch supporter and want him to have success here. I want him to be the guy, I really do. Nothing would make me happier. But I officially jumped off the Butch train after the last game. That said, I still want him to turn the ship around and get it done, I just don't believe he can until I see it. If he does, awesome I would love that. If he doesn't though, I hope the team can move on and get someone who can get it done. From what I've read, that's how a lot of people feel.

That doesn't make anyone any less or more of a fan than anyone else.

I understand what you're saying. I'll try to explain it this way.
Let's assume that every one who claims to be a Vols fan actually loves them and wants them to succeed. We can go even further and say that all fans love the Vols equally.

To me that's the same as saying every parent loves their kids and wants them to succeed. For the most part that is 99% true.

However, every parent doesn't do an equally good job; every parent isn't an equally good parent. Some parents, even though they love their child dearly, do things that are to the detriment of their child's happiness and success. I see parents all of the time who think they are doing the right thing but are actually harming their kids and their future.

It's the same with fans.

Sure, we all love the Vols and want them to succeed, but that's not all of what makes one a good fan.
We have many fans who, even though they love the Vols and want them to succeed, continue to do things that harm the team and their ability to succeed over the long run.

To me, that makes them less of a fan.

You can never really tell a parent they are being a bad parent and I guess you can never really tell a fan they are being a bad fan, but the truth is still there for others to see.

 

[VolDaddy61]

Is this a joke? I can't tell. This happens every year to every program. Its the ugly side of recruiting but it happens. If every 5 star guy decided to commit tomorrow you don't think we'd be retracting offers from 3 stars.

But none did, so keep the 4-star.

 

[Carl Pickens]

I swear. Seems that Butch is TRYING to wreck us again and force a termination. Why else do you release 4-star players with that kind of offer list? I mean, how many JUCOs are ready to contribute their first year? We have had a couple, but more misses than hits.

If the brothers had academic issues they' were going to need to go the JUCO route FFS. If they're not on campus they can't help......

 

[Biopsyman]

Sounds to me like he was not invited to the BBQ lunch

 

[08Vol]

I swear. Seems that Butch is TRYING to wreck us again and force a termination. Why else do you release 4-star players with that kind of offer list? I mean, how many JUCOs are ready to contribute their first year? We have had a couple, but more misses than hits.

Butch meets with the coaches
"Alright guys, I've pulled Jason's scholarship"
"Why would you do that?"
"Well we need to make room for a juco CB and Jason is only rated at 3*s"
"But Jason is a RB and we need to take 2 RBs in this class and we are really high on him"
"Well the ATH we have recruited to hopefully play CB is a 4* and you always cut a 3* instead of a 4*"

 

[TNnative]

I don't think you're capable of actually making a valid point and, if there was one in that mess of a post, it fell flat with you lying about Cotman "jumping ship".

The only place your points are valid is the black hole between your ears.

 

[Jax_Vol]

A rough part of the business. Has to be done. Wishing the best of luck to Mr. Cotman!

 

[TNnative]

You are assuming that when he said "my coach", he was speaking of his hs coach. Why? Could he have not just as well meant the UT coach who was responsible for his recruitment? I am not saying this is what he meant, but it would make more sense.

If one of Tennessee's coaches told a recruit that, he needs to just quit. But come on , man with your deductive reasoning. I mean, how many times have you EVER heard a kid call a guy he never played a single day for "my coach"? They don't do that until they put ink to paper, unless they are a total flake.

What makes more sense is trying to count how many reporters Butch has ticked off who are now writing rumors and expose articles to keep morons stirred up. And I am saying that is EXACTLY what some are doing.

 

[82_VOL_83]

Not a fan of this. Honor your commitment to the young man. We need all the quality depth we can stand. Sounds like he was all in. Coach Jones should take a long hard look at his staff before he starts running off 4-star athletes committed to the university.

What guarantee do we have he would honor his?

 

[volfan102455]

What guarantee do we have he would honor his?

Absolutely none - this works both ways.