Tennessee Football 'definitely up there' for 4-star LB Jay Schell
Tennessee hosted four-star Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School (Ga.) standout linebacker Jay Schell on Saturday for the “Big Orange BBQ”. Following the event, Schell went in-depth with
Volquest on the visit.
“This is my third time, so I came for a seven-on-seven camp last year, and then to a game this last fall; I came to the Oklahoma game,” Schell said of how many times he has now visited Knoxville.
This visit was different for Schell as he got to spend more one-on-one time with the Tennessee Coaching Staff.
“Today was a day that I didn’t necessarily get to see Coach Inge (working) with the guys, but I got to spend to more time with him,” Schell said. “It was good. More personal. Just got to sit down and eat with the coaches and know them better.”
He has quickly built a nice connection with Tennessee Linebackers Coach William Inge.
“He is a great guy,” Schell said of Inge. “Just getting to know him on more of a personal level, we share some of the same beliefs. I got to pick his brain a little bit on how he develops his linebackers, and I was impressed by that.”
The standout linebacker was also impressed by Tennessee’s new Defensive Coordinator, Jim Knowles, during the visit.
“Obviously, the past speaks a lot to him,” Schell said of Knowles. “He has had some of the top defenses over the last few years, so it is cool to see. When I spoke with him, we talked about some of the guys he has developed at Ohio State and how I could be like that. He sees my length like those guys. It was cool to see the plan of how he could develop me like those guys in the past. He is just a really successful coach.”
Schell plans to return to Knoxville in the fall for another game day visit, and there are currently several things standing out about Tennessee.
“It is Tennessee,” Schell said of this. “It is a big SEC school. They have proven to put guys in the league, and also the coaches here. I think they bring in the best coaches, Coach Knowles being one of them. It is pretty personal. They are building a relationship with me. Then, Coach Heupel, I got to spend a pretty good bit of time with him, too. He is a great coach and a great guy. Great people over here as well as football.”
It is early in his process, but the four-star says Tennessee is standing out.
“They are definitely on my top list of schools,” Schell said. “I haven’t released any lists yet, but they are definitely up there.”
