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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Tennessee’s 2015 mid-term enrollees had to make a decision on where to attend school, there was one thing that stuck out about Tennessee.
Sure, the fans, the system, the facilities, the opportunity to wear the orange and white, all of that played a part in their choice. But the biggest thing that stuck out was family, one of the foundations on which Butch Jones has built the program at UT.
Jones and his staff got to know the players and their families on a personal level, building a relationship early that was about more than just football.
“The coaches, Coach Jones and Coach Stripling talked to me more as a person than a recruit,” defensive lineman Shy Tuttlesaid.
The message held a similar appeal for fellow defensive lineman Kyle Phillips. But for the Nashville product, the staff’s actions spoke louder than its words.
“It was so exciting just to see how the coaches take care of the players and how much they care about the players just not on the field, but off the field as well,” Phillips said. “They want you to succeed in every aspect of life.”
The football family is built on the idea that coming to Tennessee is about more than just football, because the game is only a part of being a student-athlete. The jersey may come off one day, but the Power T never will.
“Football is going to end even if you do play in the NFL,” Phillips said. “Everybody doesn’t have a long career, maybe the average is three years. Knowing that football is going to end one day, so you have to work hard in school and to be a better person overall, not just on the football field.”
The connection extends beyond the players to their families. Everyone becomes a part of the larger Tennessee football family.
“They are genuine guys, personable,” linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. said. “They didn’t just build relationships with me but with my family as well. So that was really important to me and I am sure as well for all the other commits that we have.”
Defensive back Stephen Griffin grew up in Knoxville before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. He went to preschool with current Vol Todd Kelly, Jr., who was one of the players that wanted him in the Tennessee family and was able to give him a personal look at what being a Volunteer was all about.
“They’re building a program and the players have all bought into the system and I really liked that,” Griffin said. “I wanted to be a part of that. The coaches do a lot of recruiting, but the players do a lot of recruiting as well.”
All of the freshmen are glad to now formally be a part of that family.
“It is a great place,” Kirkland said. “Coach Jones has made it an incredible atmosphere here, a very family environment. I am just happy to be here.”
SOUND BITES
Here are sound bites from the newest members of #Team119:
FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ANDREW BUTCHER
»(On why the UT coaching staff has been so successful on the recruiting trail)
“It’s how they get to know you as a person and more than just a football player. I think that’s a huge part of it. They talk about life instead of just football and get to know you as a person.”
»(On reuniting with former high school teammate Joshua Dobbs)
“I think it’s really cool that we’re back on the same team. He was a very special and a great leader in high school and I believe he’ll continue to do the same in college.”
»(On adjusting to life at UT along the other early-enrollees)
“It does help because all of us are going through the same thing. We can talk to each other if we need any advice, so that’s been nice.”
FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE BACK STEPHEN GRIFFIN
»(On the first few weeks have been)
It has been great, it has been a blessing to be able to live out my dreams of playing at a big time school like this. It has been awesome.”
»(On why Tennessee)
“The coaches, the players, everything, the atmosphere. I love it here. I used to live here when I was younger, so it is kind of like coming home”
»(On going to preschool with Todd Kelly Jr.)
“Me and Todd used to go to preschool together. We have always kept communicating. It just ended up that we are the same college and that’s pretty cool. We hang out all the time.”
»(On Todd Kelly Jr.’s advice to him)
“He has told me to stay down and keep grinding. It will get hard at some times, but keep pushing, you have your brothers around you to guide you through it. Stay focused”
FRESHMAN LINEBACKER DARRIN KIRKLAND JR.
»(On older players who have helped him)
“Jalen Reeves-Maybin, he has been really great with me, as well as Dillon Bates. They are really helping me get acclimated to the team and really helping me on my position.”
»(On his goals)
“First is in the classroom, make sure my GPA is above a 3.0. My parents really want that for me. As far as playing, do what I do on the football field. It will take care of itself.”
»(On the opportunity to play early)
“It is definitely a great opportunity for myself, I am just looking forward to showcase my abilities in spring practices and the spring game and the rest of the summer going into the fall. We will see what happens.”
FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN KYLE PHILLIPS
»(On UT’s incoming class of defensive linemen)
“I think this group can do really well. We still have a lot of work to do. There are a lot of high expectations for our freshmen class, but we have to put in work in the classroom and on the field just to show you guys how good we can be. As the season progresses, we’ll see how it goes. We have, definitely, enough talent to be as good as people say, but we still have to work hard to get to that point.”
»(On excitement level of #Team119)
“It’s a lot of excitement. We just feel that we have great expectations next year. We feel like we can go far next year and maybe have a run at the playoffs, but we’ll just see how it goes from there. We all know we have to work hard. We all know we have a lot of work to do to get to that point. The team that’s been at the high level, they’ve worked hard, so we have to work even harder than them to be there. We have great expectations for next year though.”
»(On early goals at UT)
“Just work hard and see where it goes. I’m the baby still, so I just want to move on with life, do well in the classroom, study hard, practice hard, get in the weight room, run hard and train hard. We’ll see how it goes from there. I’m not looking for any individual goals. We’ll just see how my performance plays out.”
FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN SHY TUTTLE
»(On how beneficial it is to get here early)
“It’s very beneficial. I’m looking forward to next season. I will be ahead and comfortable with the coaches and playbook.”
»(On becoming a dynamic duo with Kyle Phillips)
“Yeah, of course as long as we work hard and do our job.We aren’t talking too much about football right now just hanging out.”
»(On why choosing Tennessee)
“The coaches, Coach Jones and Coach Stripling talk to me more as a person than a recruit.”
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