Do we need to get nervous about recruiting?

[JOEY'S ALL VOL !!!]

I mean it isn't recruiting season yet so we still have time to turn things around easily.

It’s always recruiting season.

 

[Matt2496]

I'm not worried yet. We still got time.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

I am nervous. Our last HC came from a program where going after big recruits was the norm. Huep and our AD comes from a school where getting an occasional 4 star is considered killing it. Does he even know who he should be going after?

Are recruits nervous about what the NCAA will do? Are the coaches?

My hope is we are going to dive into the transfer portal because we need college ready bodies like yesterday

I just hope we close strong. And to be fair, CJH has shown he can coach up the ones he gets. So that's a little bit comforting.

Do you seriously think this staff as a whole are unaware that better talent is needed to win big in the SEC? That message board posters own this kernel of info the a coaching staff and a D1 school has let it slip by them?

I hope that Banks and CJH are looking at the very best juco DTs out there. That is who will make this defense better immediately. Guys who can play two gaps and push the pocket back makes it so much easier on the rest of the defense. LBers are need as well...but for me having a full cupboard of monster DTs would be my goal.

 

[JOEY'S ALL VOL !!!]

Better be recruiting some quality LBs or getting them in the portal, serious weakness and problem right now.

 

[brockytop]

Wish we would have gotten Nolen, the kid looks like he has a ton of talent, but the truth is my focus remains on TN‘s ability to evaluate and bring in quality transfers, JUCO’s, etc. I firmly believe this will determine how quickly Huepel & Co have a team that can compete for championships. Just think where the current team would be minus transfers. QB, best RB, best OL, two of three best WR’s, several DL that are providing help, starting LB (lost for year); and DB’s that’ve stepped up when needed.

 

[loosecannon]

It is a bit concerning, but I am 9f the mind that we hit the juco and transfer portal really hard. We need physically mature players and need to add some 20yos in with the high school boys.

 

[knox73]

Yes the transfer portal gives kids a second chance to get off the bench and play for another school that has an attractive fun offense. Rodney Garner and other coaches may have a line on some high quality kids that are ready to plug into the Vols system. Bring in more SEC and Big 10 refugees - even an ACC grad like Hooker will work. The wild raucous 100,000 in Neyland sure does not hurt anything. I would think there are some preferred walkons who would sign on for a chance to earn a scholarship too. Play with reckless abandon for Eketer and a confident kicker who can kick consistently on chip shot field goals.

 

[agent|orange]

I will admit I'm a bit nervous for recruiting. We lost out on our only big-time player (Nolen) and have whiffed on EVERY blue chip player in our own state. The highest ranked kid in Tenn that we're in on is the #20 player in the state... which isn't good.

This was UCF fans biggest knock on Heupel... he doesn't and can't recruit. That will be his downfall here if that doesn't get fixed.

 

[knox73]

Heupel had a somewhat unprecedented situation with the "internal investigation" that wrecked the squad via outbound transfers. However the transfer portal is a new avenue to building a roster quickly with D-1 caliber athletes. Seeing the up tempo offense and aggressive defense as well as the instant success of Hooker, Payton, Velus Jones and other in-bound transfers should create a buyers's market to cherry pick transfers for the up and coming Vols.

 

[rockydoc]

How did Heupel recruit at Central Florida?

 

[BreatheUT]

No! Two words “Transfer Portal”!

We're going to need it at this rate with a few top JUCO's.

 

[FLVOL_79]

Too early. Wait till NSD to panic.

Why wait to panic when you can do it right now?!

 

[OrangeTsar]

If you are a Tennessee fan, you are constantly nervous about SOMETHING. It just comes with the membership requirements. Tennessee’s unique geographical location and the way we are surrounded by so many powerhouses presents us with a series of formidable challenges

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

About the only teams that don't need to worry about recruiting every year is AL, GA and Ohio St.

Nolen, while not unexpected, is a kick in the nads if he follows through with the Aggies.

Huge position of need in their own back yard.

 

[House of Neyland]

How did Heupel recruit at Central Florida?

Didn’t he inherit alot of Scott Frost’s recruits and players I mean Heup was only there three seasons. Admittedly I haven’t checked UCFs recruiting rankings in the time he coached there from 2018-2020

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

How did Heupel recruit at Central Florida?

Not great. In the 60s and 75th nationally while he was there.

But you gotta consider the level of the school as well.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Didn’t he inherit alot of Scott Frost’s recruits and players I mean Heup was only there three seasons. Admittedly I haven’t checked UCFs recruiting rankings in the time he coached there from 2018-2020

60, 62, 75 from 2018 to 2020.

 

[lukeneyland]

We’re ranked 23 with all the crap and uncertainty we’ve been through. We’ll turn it around in the coming seasons once the NCAA cloud leaves. We have a real coach and people will want to play for him, especially on offense. We problem won’t win the division with that class but we will continue to trend in the right direction. Beat a good team last night, I trust in Heupel without reservation

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

If anyone follows recruiting, you should have known this class was going to be TNs worst in a long time. There is almost nothing Heupel can do about it. This all falls on Pruitt. He screwed us harder than any other coach in modern TN history. I mean we will have a reduced # if scholarships.

 

[House of Neyland]

I’m more excited that we have the best game day coach here since Doug Dickey or Majors he’s def the best we have had since Fulmer was fired. I feel like now we have a punchers chance against any team in the country and I feel confident he can coach up the players no matter if they are a 2 star or 5 star. The recruits are seeing what he is doing in year one don’t worry they will come. This team plays hard for him unlike our previous loser coach. GBO!

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

How did Heupel recruit at Central Florida?

I will admit I'm a bit nervous for recruiting. We lost out on our only big-time player (Nolen) and have whiffed on EVERY blue chip player in our own state. The highest ranked kid in Tenn that we're in on is the #20 player in the state... which isn't good.

This was UCF fans biggest knock on Heupel... he doesn't and can't recruit. That will be his downfall here if that doesn't get fixed.

Heupel has zero blame for this years recruiting struggles.

 

[House of Neyland]

60, 62, 75 from 2018 to 2020.

Thanks seems like somebody posted that on here in the off-season but I forgot

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Thanks seems like somebody posted that on here in the off-season but I forgot

No problem.

I dont follow recruiting near as much anymore but just happened to be looking that up when you posted.

I also go the 18 and 19 classes backwards. Both in the 60s though.

 

[lukeneyland]

Also we are going to have a chance to steal recruits from some of the highly ranked sinking ships in front of us

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

As long as the NCAA investigation is hanging over our heads, recruiting will suffer. It's not on Heupel. Because of Fulmer and Pruitt's incompetence, it will probably be year 3 before Heupel is operating on the same footing that Pruitt and Butch had the day they took the job.