Theory For Recruiting Problems

[GoodlettsvilleVol]

It is my strong opinion we have been falling short in our recruiting classes for some time now. This baffles me since, with our nice facilities, we should be having consistent top 5/10 recruit groups.

We were doing quite well in Fulmer's first years. Phil was a recruiting machine. Put him in a recruits living room with mom, dad, uncle's, etc. and the man would shine. He got more than his share of top recruits then the bottom fell out. What happenned?

I've heard more than a few posters say Phil got lazy but not one of those knows that for a fact. They're just looking for someone to blame.

Anyway, here is my theory for the downturn:

Historically Vols have made a living cherry picking top players from, among others, the eight states that abut our borders. We've all but owned the Carolinas. Georgia, Ohio, Mississippi and the like. And we could go into Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and others with great success.

What changed? As a group those state's colleges have improved their own football programs giving their star recruits more reason to stay instate. Hence, it's more difficult to harvest their prime players.

To me Fulmer didn't get lazy. He put forth the same effort he always did. This trend began to occur during his tenure and effected him.

Now, I am certainly not saying that group of programs in those state's became stellar but collectively they got better which appealed to their recruits.

The record shows that recruiting for UT has dropped and has been a challenge ever since.

It bothers me that we can't recruit with the Alabama's, Georgia's, and the Ohio State's.

JMHO

I've heard more Fulmer haters snivelling about him. I refuse to be a part of that crowd.

No way is he lazy. No way is he stupid.

One of the worst aspects of this crowd is the deep need to blame so quickly.

This is one of the primary reasons why so many top coaches refuse a job with us.

We are our own worst enemy.

 

[TBrown]

We don’t have top 5 facilities so why should we have top 5 classes based on facilities alone?

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Phil didn't get lazy as much as OU hired Stoops, OSU hired Tressel, LSU hired Saban, USC hired Spurrier, UF hired Meyer, and UGA hired Richt....

 

[YankeeVol]

We don’t have top 5 facilities so why should we have top 5 classes based on facilities alone?

12th overall and 5th* in the SEC according to 24/7

*2nd in the East. Ahead of UGA and FL

 

[utvolpj]

So basically other teams got better? Interesting theory

 

[SmokeySC]

Just need to win football games and they will come. Winning solves a lot.

Tennessee has a bit of momentum right now in athletics with the baseball program on the rise and another promising year of basketball.. so hopefully Football team can win some games and recruits take notice

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Players want to play for big-time programs that win and develop players for the NFL.

Tennessee hired Derek Dooley, Butch Jones, and Jeremy Pruitt.

See the disconnect?

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

The competition stepped up their collective games in GA, AL, and FL.

Fulmer never did.

The hiring of Richt, Meyer, and Saban pretty well exposed Fulmer and he refused to change with the times. Cutcliffe leaving just added to the slide and exposed Fulmer further.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Lot easier competing against Sparky Woods, John Blake, Dinardo, Dubose, Goff, and Zook than Spurrier, Stoops, Saban, Richt, and Meyer....

 

[shane80]

It is my strong opinion we have been falling short in our recruiting classes for some time now. This baffles me since, with our nice facilities, we should be having consistent top 5/10 recruit groups.

We were doing quite well in Fulmer's first years. Phil was a recruiting machine. Put him in a recruits living room with mom, dad, uncle's, etc. and the man would shine. He got more than his share of top recruits then the bottom fell out. What happenned?

I've heard more than a few posters say Phil got lazy but not one of those knows that for a fact. They're just looking for someone to blame.

Anyway, here is my theory for the downturn:

Historically Vols have made a living cherry picking top players from, among others, the eight states that abut our borders. We've all but owned the Carolinas. Georgia, Ohio, Mississippi and the like. And we could go into Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and others with great success.

What changed? As a group those state's colleges have improved their own football programs giving their star recruits more reason to stay instate. Hence, it's more difficult to harvest their prime players.

To me Fulmer didn't get lazy. He put forth the same effort he always did. This trend began to occur during his tenure and effected him.

Now, I am certainly not saying that group of programs in those state's became stellar but collectively they got better which appealed to their recruits.

The record shows that recruiting for UT he as dropped and has been a challenge ever since.

It bothers me that we can't recruit with the Alabama's, Georgia's, and the Ohio State's.

JMHO

Biggest recruiting issue is we are losing games. Recruiting will be strong when we can produce in the field results.

 

[EricStratton]

Fix Cumberland ave and your about half way to better recruiting classes.

 

[birdie74]

Lot easier competing against Sparky Woods, John Blake, Dinardo, Dubose, Goff, and Zook than Spurrier, Stoops, Saban, Richt, and Meyer....

Same with LV basketball. Competition improved - so more difficult to recruit and succeed.

 

[VolBricks]

I say we need bigger "Bags" those small bags from fast food places do not hold enough. Paper grocery store sacks are the way to go in recruiting.

Honestly I think it is a little of all of the above. Other places got better facilities, recruiting got tougher and UT AD made some bad hires in coaches (probably the biggest reason why). We can go round and round about the why's and why not's but in the end we are where we are and it will take a "Special" coach to get us back to "glory". I will say this much the last coaching staff had a bunch of good/great recruiters on the staff but for some reason they could not develop the players. I actually think we have a coaching staff now that can develop the players but are lacking in recruiting (in the SEC). Only time will tell if we have the right mix of coaches. I have not seen a group of players more excited about a new coach in a long time. I think the players knew Pruitt was a micro-manager and did not resonate with the players as he should have.

 

[VFL1127]

Winning solves everything

 

[TNnative]

Fulmer may have not gotten "lazy" in recruiting, but his evaluations of players was certainly faulty. See his failure to recruit Patrick Willis as evidence of that. Easy to find and read if you take your nose away from Phil's backside long enough.

 

[Voltopia]

I have never before in the history of VolNation, VolQuest, SEC Rant, /CFB, or even Gridscape God rest its soul, heard this theory and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[ETCvol4life]

Develop them and they will come!!!! Need to start showing the recruits that the coaches can develop them and put them in the NFL and then they will come. The only other way is the Pruitt/Bag way and we have shown that we can not do that successfully. Look what Barnes has done with the basketball team for proof. When he started out he had three star talent and developed them into NBA draft picks. If this staff can get the current players and the current recruits to buy in and then develop them the right way then it all turns into wins on Saturdays then recruits will come back.

 

[BigOrangeSky]

The competition stepped up their collective games in GA, AL, and FL.

Fulmer never did.

The hiring of Richt, Meyer, and Saban pretty well exposed Fulmer and he refused to change with the times. Cutcliffe leaving just added to the slide and exposed Fulmer further.

Excellent post. It all ended after 2001 for him. Dead on accurate. No more need said.

 

[RockiesTop22]

Your "theory" is just an obvious fact that we have all known for quite some time.

 

[sjt18]

12th overall and 5th* in the SEC according to 24/7

*2nd in the East. Ahead of UGA and FL

And when you get into the details these rankings are extraordinarily subjective.

UT has very good facilities. Facilities aren't the thing preventing top 5 classes or success on the field.

 

[sjt18]

Not that simple. Fulmer's complacency DID impact recruiting but it wasn't completely a direct relationship... the effort itself. He didn't hold his staff accountable. It was widely accepted that Chavis didn't recruit much or well and that Fulmer gave him a pass. It was also an indication of Fulmer's complacency that he refused to change and evolve with the game both on the field and in the living room with recruits. Fulmer was once thought of as a master of in home visits. But then everyone else got a lot better at it too... and passed Fulmer. He wouldn't change.

Other programs got better. Other coaches got MUCH better at recruiting. The winning style of play changed. Pressure and accountability applied to assistants increased significantly in programs with success. Fulmer stubbornly stayed the same.

It is my "theory" that Fulmer hired Pruitt because he believed that his way of doing things still works and worked... He wanted in part to prove that he was unjustly fired the first time so he hired someone who believed in the style of play and methods that had made him successful in the 90's.

But the elephant in the room... is that UT hasn't been winning AND they haven't been well coached. UT too often hasn't been nearly as competitive as their talent (as measured by recruiting rankings) said they should be.

As Shane Falco famously observed... UT has been in recruiting quick sand.

 

[BeardedVol]

Players want to play for big-time programs that win and develop players for the NFL.

Tennessee hired Derek Dooley, Butch Jones, and Jeremy Pruitt.

See the disconnect?

This. Plenty of schools have nice facilities, only a few have coaching staffs that are consistently putting large numbers of players into the NFL via the draft.

 

[BlinghamptonVol]

12th overall and 5th* in the SEC according to 24/7

*2nd in the East. Ahead of UGA and FL

Uga just opened a new facility for the return of visits that supposedly puts them top 5 in the country. I haven’t seen pictures but just heard about it. If we’re not constantly upgrading, then we’re just falling behind.

 

[ptcarter]

This. Plenty of schools have nice facilities, only a few have coaching staffs that are consistently putting large numbers of players into the NFL via the draft.

Agree.. It's all about player development. And that boils down to assistant coaches. UT's resume sucks on player development. It seems they get worse once they get here. I attribute that to the fact the last 3 head coaches were "confidence artists"; the talked the talk, but couldn't walk the walk. Jury out on Heupel. He seems to have a football IQ, at least on offense. Let's hope this new group of assistants can develop players. They better - we need 2-3 stars to turn into at least 4 stars. That's what they have to work with.

 

[butchna]

Fulmer may have not gotten "lazy" in recruiting, but his evaluations of players was certainly faulty. See his failure to recruit Patrick Willis as evidence of that. Easy to find and read if you take your nose away from Phil's backside long enough.

He started worshipping at the altar of recruiting services instead of evaluating in-house. Willis was a 3 star…he went with 5 star Chris Donald. Current star hoggers woulda been thumbsup with that move.