Recruiting…anyone worried?

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Figured I’d post this here. With the early signing period and NSD just around the corner, we are currently ranked 32 per ESPN, 22 per 247, and one of the lower ranked out of all SEC teams. I don’t follow the recruiting forum, but those in the know, should we be worried at all or do we have some recruits headed our way?

2022 recruiting class rankings: Coaching carousel influencing top 50

 

[stillavol]

As long as we can pick up some solid transfers, we should be ok. The game is changing from long term to instant help.

 

[sunnyvol79]

We will have to hit the transfer portal hard.

 

[RhodesVol]

Figured I’d post this here. With the early signing period and NSD just around the corner, we are currently ranked 32 per ESPN, 22 per 247, and one of the lower ranked out of all SEC teams. I don’t follow the recruiting forum, but those in the know, should we be worried at all or do we have some recruits headed our way?

2022 recruiting class rankings: Coaching carousel influencing top 50

Never trust ESPN, but I'm not super concerned yet.

The 2022 class was never going to break any records, just because we have a staff without a lot of built-in relationships with the kids they need to be attracting to UT. We also only have 16 commits right now, and I anticipate the staff leaves a number of spots for instant impact transfers.

That said, they are looking like they will flip a number of prospects in the next week or so.

Justin Williams is a RB that is a 4* by some services our of Georgia. We have a legitimate shot there.
Kaleb Webb is a 4* WR on several services that looks like he will flip. Just decommitted from ECU.
It looks like we are about to flip a Safety from Mississippi State, who is admittedly a 3*.
We have a solid shot with the No. 1 JUCO player in the country, 4* DT Jeffrey M'Ba.
Who knows what might happen with Walter Nolen (who has an official visit this weekend). I think that's not happening, but the kid is unpredictable.

More importantly, in my mind, is the fact that there have been some pretty solidly rated players from the class of 2023 that have been showing legitimate interest in UT. The 5* QB from California, whose name I won't even attempt to spell off the top of my head, flew all the way here for an unofficial visit. That's pretty darn big. So, I think that the on-field success, combined with the relationship building that the staff is doing right now, should prove dividends in the end.

 

[WesternNCVol]

Interested but not worried.

I suspect we sign a fair amount of portal players and juco guys this time.

At some point we have to sign a solid class of hs kids to develop long term depth though.

This staff seems to be able to get a lot out of a little though so I won’t freak out until we sign bad classes and lose.

 

[Southern_Accent]

This class is still kind of a mulligan for this staff. I want to see us succeed in this transfer cycle and I will start worrying if we don't have a better class in 23

 

[CAVPUT]

Coming from the depths of misery under Pruitt, I am not the least bit concerned. Don't woory about things I have no control over. What's the point?

 

[knoxvol16]

No championship team sits at a recruiting ranking of 32. Now, do I think the Vols will stay at 32, no. But, if you want to be a championship team, you'd better be landing top-tier talent.

 

[hog88]

Yes, there is no excuse for being so low.

 

[jlbvols]

No championship team sits at a recruiting ranking of 32. Now, do I think the Vols will stay at 32, no. But, if you want to be a championship team, you'd better be landing top-tier talent.

Remember every team we are competing against for players is saying UT will be slammed by the NCAA. Until the NCAA issues are resolved recruiting will be an up hill battle.

 

[CAVPUT]

No championship team sits at a recruiting ranking of 32. Now, do I think the Vols will stay at 32, no. But, if you want to be a championship team, you'd better be landing top-tier talent.

Are you seriously talking championship? Come on man. Huepel just pulled this program out of purgatory. UT hasnt been so much as an after thought over the last several years and the NCAA crap Pruitt left us only adds to the enormous job he faces. You think one 7 win season will vault this program into the top 10 of recruiting? Get real.

 

[Pappy]

last year when I heard about our qb problems and all we had left was Bailey, Milton and some dude from Va. Tech, yes I was worried. This year....naaa

 

[OrangeTsar]

No championship team sits at a recruiting ranking of 32. Now, do I think the Vols will stay at 32, no. But, if you want to be a championship team, you'd better be landing top-tier talent.

No no NO

i have watched all the feel good inspirational Hollywood movies and knows for a FACT that when you get enough loveable undervalued misfits together with an unproven coach who has never won in the big leagues, the hopelessly outmatched underdogs are CERTAIN to beat the vaunted unbeatable bullies in a championship upset.

 

[TnVol!]

Things I'm worried about certainly don't include football recruiting.

 

[GoodlettsvilleVol]

Worried.

 

[Hunerwadel]

I believe we'll end up in the top 20. But to compete for championships we're going to have to get more 4* & 5* players. I know a lot of highly ranked HS players don't pan out but the recruiting services are much better at evaluating talent than they used to be. If you're not getting your share of these guys it's a tough road to the top.

You can say "look at Cincinnati" but if they were in the SEC they might have won 9 games this year.

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Never trust ESPN, but I'm not super concerned yet.

The 2022 class was never going to break any records, just because we have a staff without a lot of built-in relationships with the kids they need to be attracting to UT. We also only have 16 commits right now, and I anticipate the staff leaves a number of spots for instant impact transfers.

That said, they are looking like they will flip a number of prospects in the next week or so.

Justin Williams is a RB that is a 4* by some services our of Georgia. We have a legitimate shot there.
Kaleb Webb is a 4* WR on several services that looks like he will flip. Just decommitted from ECU.
It looks like we are about to flip a Safety from Mississippi State, who is admittedly a 3*.
We have a solid shot with the No. 1 JUCO player in the country, 4* DT Jeffrey M'Ba.
Who knows what might happen with Walter Nolen (who has an official visit this weekend). I think that's not happening, but the kid is unpredictable.

More importantly, in my mind, is the fact that there have been some pretty solidly rated players from the class of 2023 that have been showing legitimate interest in UT. The 5* QB from California, whose name I won't even attempt to spell off the top of my head, flew all the way here for an unofficial visit. That's pretty darn big. So, I think that the on-field success, combined with the relationship building that the staff is doing right now, should prove dividends in the end.

Good stuff. Thanks!

 

[orangemadam]

I am very concerned.

Every team will get kids from the portal, the top teams will get their pick of the litter.

We will have to be content with picking up the top teams' bread crumbs and hope JH can find some underrated stars (which we have said about every coach past 10 years)

Gotta be in top 15 recruiting classes or we will remain mid-tier, even in SEC

 

[DaddyChad]

Yes, there is no excuse for being so low.

We’ve got some big visitors the next few week. It’s a concern though if we stay this low.

 

[hog88]

Remember every team we are competing against for players is saying UT will be slammed by the NCAA. Until the NCAA issues are resolved recruiting will be an up hill battle.

That just means Hype & co need to do a better sales job.

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Mostly what has me worried are teams like Missouri, South Carolina, and Kentucky are all ranked higher. To win in our own division we have to be recruiting over them.

 

[UAVOL]

Remember every team we are competing against for players is saying UT will be slammed by the NCAA. Until the NCAA issues are resolved recruiting will be an up hill battle.

Exactly!!!!!! We will probably be hit hard on scholarships by the NCAA since we self imposed on ourselves. You are never going to compete against Bama, UGA, OSU etc. in recruiting until we start winning and that will have to be done by the majority 3 stars and the few 4 stars we get that buy into CJH's culture just like what happened this year. CJH and staff will recruit what they can and then hit the portal for those transfers that can immediately help.

 

[chattavol420]

No championship team sits at a recruiting ranking of 32. Now, do I think the Vols will stay at 32, no. But, if you want to be a championship team, you'd better be landing top-tier talent.

Ya but I don’t that our roster won’t be significantly higher overall than that when it’s all said and done. The portal really is a game changer.

 

[joevol33]

 

[volinSmyrna]

If he can recruit Tillman and Hooker to stay next year, I don't care what this class is rated. Hit on a couple of kids from the portal, and that will blunt the sting. Trying to build relationships etc in year one, coupled with the NCAA cloud over the program, this class was destined to be rough. Get those 2 to stay, win 9-10 games next year, and the rest sells itself.