Every year there are we see close calls in recruiting, that really come down to chance. Whether it be a last second switch, a rescinded offer, or an offer that is never extended in the first place. IT is really a big part of why recruiting is so interesting. I thought it would be fun, and interesting to look back at some of these and think about how they could have shaped this years team. This is simply for fun, and is not a shot at anybody. Not be taken overly seriously.
2008:
-What if Lawrence Guy takes the SAT at an earlier date? In that case he likely would have been able to attend a warm weather game which very well could have been the difference. If guy likes the weather in Knoxville, the vols could have the best or second best true soph DT in the country. Imagine him with Hughes in the future...
-What if our slew of off-season arrests does not occur? Antoine McClain from Anniston, Alabama is probably our starting RT right now assuming he could make it through practice.
-What if Casey Kelly makes it to campus? Does he put himself firmly in the starting QB race? or what if the staff realized that Kelly was going to play baseball instead, and takes a chance on a Sean Renfree or D.C Jefferson instead. How do those guys fair? What if the lack of QB on the board gives the staff an incentive to take a chance on Randall Cobb instead? Do we then have another big play receiver?
-What if Trooper Taylor leaves at a later date, and is not promised PC duties? How many of the Miami kids that he claimed actually come? Certainly Larentee McCray does...and probably starts this year. Trooper sure thought some of those Northwestern boys would follow, would be a much different defense this year....
-What if Tennessee accepts a commitment from David Spurlock? He probably starts right now in a zone blocking scheme that he is tailor made for...
-What if we make Scott Loeffler our QB coach? Is Ryan Mallet our QB right now?
2007
-What if Tennessee takes Jourdan Brooks' signature on signing day? He has turned some heads at Rutgers...
- What if Tennessee makes room for Marquise Maze and goes after him? Not only would we have an explosive receiver, but Alabama would be in trouble next to Julio this year.
-What if we stay on Morgan Burnette instead of putting our eggs in the Michael McNeil basket? You could argue that Tennessee would have the two best safties in the country, and the news of Morley would not have made the wave it did.
-What if we take Craig Cooper instead of Creer? Would Cooper push for playing time this year? Could he fill the role of an explosive back that we are counting on freshman for?
2006
- What if Houston Nutt does not hire Gus Malzahn? Is Mitch Mustain our starting QB right now. Does the Springdale gang follow him to Knxoville?
-What if Goggins does not swap last second? Is he starting across from C-Walk?
-What if Brandon Warren choses Tennessee from the get go?
-What if the LB"s from Stephenson stick to their word? Sheppard and Riley...both starters at LSU.
-What if Tennessee gets on Duke Calhoun earlier, and keeps him from Memphis. Could be the tall physical receiver this team lacks.
2005
-What if Hardesty sticks with UNC, and we grab Felix Jones instead of pressing for Baker and Stewart? Would Jones have redshirted? Would he still be in Knoxville right now?
-What if Geno Hayes never commits to Tennessee? Do we go after somebody else instead?
-Pat Turner? Does Fulmer redshirt him?
What does any of this mean.? Well what if Ricky-Jean Francois does not blow off a standardized test, and Tennessee stays on him. Lets say for a second that he comes here, meaning he does not go to LSU. Well then what happens in the 2007 SECCG? Francois was the MVP of that game and a strong case can be made that LSU does not win without him. Forget him playing for us, him simply not being on the field in that game, could have given Tennessee some serious distance going into the 4th quarter....Then Tennessee goes on to beat Hawaii most likely and Phillip Fulmer is our Head Coach this year coming off of a 5-7 season. It would be difficult to fire him one year removed from a Sugar Bowl win, could be impossible. This place is a hell zone, and god knows who our OC would be.
While it is fun to look at this stuff, the real point is that recruiting is an inexact science in many ways. There are no locks, and ANYTHING can happen. While these rolls of the dice may feel like they have an impact on the program, the fact is that if you believe in the direction that is all that matters. You cant win them all, and sometimes it hurts to be so close. But in the grand scheme of things, as long as you are driving forward, not every fork in the road matters. Things will happen. and there is nothing anybody can do about it. But as long as the big picture looks good, no one brush stroke is all that important. If we believe in what we have, we will win more rolls than we will lose, and that is what is important in recruiting. But no matter what you will always get a bad bounce or two. So never believe that we are out of it for a recruit, and never believe that we have it in the bag. Even if they have signed the dotted line (see Markish Jones 2007
)
2008:
-What if Lawrence Guy takes the SAT at an earlier date? In that case he likely would have been able to attend a warm weather game which very well could have been the difference. If guy likes the weather in Knoxville, the vols could have the best or second best true soph DT in the country. Imagine him with Hughes in the future...
-What if our slew of off-season arrests does not occur? Antoine McClain from Anniston, Alabama is probably our starting RT right now assuming he could make it through practice.
-What if Casey Kelly makes it to campus? Does he put himself firmly in the starting QB race? or what if the staff realized that Kelly was going to play baseball instead, and takes a chance on a Sean Renfree or D.C Jefferson instead. How do those guys fair? What if the lack of QB on the board gives the staff an incentive to take a chance on Randall Cobb instead? Do we then have another big play receiver?
-What if Trooper Taylor leaves at a later date, and is not promised PC duties? How many of the Miami kids that he claimed actually come? Certainly Larentee McCray does...and probably starts this year. Trooper sure thought some of those Northwestern boys would follow, would be a much different defense this year....
-What if Tennessee accepts a commitment from David Spurlock? He probably starts right now in a zone blocking scheme that he is tailor made for...
-What if we make Scott Loeffler our QB coach? Is Ryan Mallet our QB right now?
2007
-What if Tennessee takes Jourdan Brooks' signature on signing day? He has turned some heads at Rutgers...
- What if Tennessee makes room for Marquise Maze and goes after him? Not only would we have an explosive receiver, but Alabama would be in trouble next to Julio this year.
-What if we stay on Morgan Burnette instead of putting our eggs in the Michael McNeil basket? You could argue that Tennessee would have the two best safties in the country, and the news of Morley would not have made the wave it did.
-What if we take Craig Cooper instead of Creer? Would Cooper push for playing time this year? Could he fill the role of an explosive back that we are counting on freshman for?
2006
- What if Houston Nutt does not hire Gus Malzahn? Is Mitch Mustain our starting QB right now. Does the Springdale gang follow him to Knxoville?
-What if Goggins does not swap last second? Is he starting across from C-Walk?
-What if Brandon Warren choses Tennessee from the get go?
-What if the LB"s from Stephenson stick to their word? Sheppard and Riley...both starters at LSU.
-What if Tennessee gets on Duke Calhoun earlier, and keeps him from Memphis. Could be the tall physical receiver this team lacks.
2005
-What if Hardesty sticks with UNC, and we grab Felix Jones instead of pressing for Baker and Stewart? Would Jones have redshirted? Would he still be in Knoxville right now?
-What if Geno Hayes never commits to Tennessee? Do we go after somebody else instead?
-Pat Turner? Does Fulmer redshirt him?
What does any of this mean.? Well what if Ricky-Jean Francois does not blow off a standardized test, and Tennessee stays on him. Lets say for a second that he comes here, meaning he does not go to LSU. Well then what happens in the 2007 SECCG? Francois was the MVP of that game and a strong case can be made that LSU does not win without him. Forget him playing for us, him simply not being on the field in that game, could have given Tennessee some serious distance going into the 4th quarter....Then Tennessee goes on to beat Hawaii most likely and Phillip Fulmer is our Head Coach this year coming off of a 5-7 season. It would be difficult to fire him one year removed from a Sugar Bowl win, could be impossible. This place is a hell zone, and god knows who our OC would be.
While it is fun to look at this stuff, the real point is that recruiting is an inexact science in many ways. There are no locks, and ANYTHING can happen. While these rolls of the dice may feel like they have an impact on the program, the fact is that if you believe in the direction that is all that matters. You cant win them all, and sometimes it hurts to be so close. But in the grand scheme of things, as long as you are driving forward, not every fork in the road matters. Things will happen. and there is nothing anybody can do about it. But as long as the big picture looks good, no one brush stroke is all that important. If we believe in what we have, we will win more rolls than we will lose, and that is what is important in recruiting. But no matter what you will always get a bad bounce or two. So never believe that we are out of it for a recruit, and never believe that we have it in the bag. Even if they have signed the dotted line (see Markish Jones 2007
)
