When he returns to Tennessee next month, he said he wants to “meet the coaches, see how they are” and get a better feel for the Vols’ campus and facilities. He wasn’t able to meet with first-year Tennessee coach
Josh Heupel’s staff during his trip to Knoxville last month because of the ongoing NCAA dead period for recruiting, which ends May 31.
“I already know a little bit about (Tennessee’s coaches), but get to know them some more, just see the city some more,” Pope said. “I only got to stay there one day (last month).”
Vols wide receivers coach
Kodi Burns has built a strong relationship with Pope over the past few months. Pope said Burns is high on him “because they can do a lot with me, and he said I can play inside and out, and I can be more than just somebody to pass the ball to. I can get handoffs and all types of stuff.”
Pope said he has continued to talk with a few of Tennessee’s players, too. He’s a cousin of Vols senior defensive end
LaTrell Bumphus, another former Hardin County standout, and Pope has gotten to know Tennessee wide receivers
Velus Jones Jr. and
Jimmy Holiday.
“I think (Jones) followed me on Instagram before I went up there, and
Jimmy Holiday,” Pope said. “I talk to Jimmy, too — those three guys. They both hit me up before I went up there.
“They really like the offense, they told me. They said it’d be a big effect on how the outcome is this year for Tennessee. They said the coaches were cool, and they were better than the last staff. I thought that was good.”
While it wasn’t a true recruiting visit, his trip to Tennessee last month left him with a good impression of the Vols.
“(I liked) the end of the game, when they sing ‘Rocky Top.’ Everybody, like, huddles up,” Pope said. “The stadium’s pretty big and nice. When they played, I didn’t expect them to throw the ball as much as they did. You know how they tell you, ‘We’re going to throw the ball a lot?’ They threw it a lot. I liked that. The coaches, they were having fun on the sideline. I liked that, too.”
