Recruiting Forum Football Talk IX

#140,190
#140,190
Happy Friday

Scripture — Book of Job 42:2–3 (NIV)
“I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

Reflection
After all the questions… after the loss, confusion, silence, and searching… Job arrives at a place deeper than answers—he arrives at awe.
“I know that You can do all things.”

That statement didn’t come from an easy season. It came from a man who had watched much of what felt stable disappear. Job had wrestled, questioned, defended himself, and tried to make sense of pain. But when he encountered the greatness of God, his perspective changed.
“Surely I spoke of things I did not understand…”

That is not defeat—it’s humility.
There are seasons where we work hard to understand everything… why something changed, why a door closed, why prayers seem delayed, why pressure keeps building. And sometimes God’s greatest work isn’t giving immediate explanations—it’s reminding us who He is.
God’s purposes are not fragile. They cannot be blocked by delays, people, setbacks, mistakes, or circumstances.
What feels confusing to us is never confusing to Him.
Faith often matures when control loosens… and trust deepens.

Prayer
Lord, You are able to do all things, and no purpose of Yours can ever be stopped. When I face situations I cannot explain, help me trust Your wisdom above my own understanding. Forgive me for the times I speak too quickly, assume too much, or try to carry burdens that belong in Your hands. Teach me humility like Job… to recognize that Your view is higher, Your timing is better, and Your plans are greater than what I can currently see. In seasons of uncertainty, anchor me not in answers—but in Your character. Help me walk forward with confidence, reverence, and peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
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#140,193
#140,193
Student athletes in non-spring sports are off campus for a couple of weeks before they return to start their summer grind.

For Derek Owings and the football team it’s all about picking up where they left off. No one in football believes they have arrived, but there’s confidence and everyone is pleased in the work they have gotten done to this point. Owings’ message to the team is to not waste a day when they return.

Owings touted the gain in muscle mass this spring and two of the bigger movers in that department have been David Sanders and Ethan Utley. Sanders has always been a natural born vocal leader and he has been very much that in the weight room over the last few months. We won’t call him the leader on the offensive line, but it’s clear to see that’s a post he will command sooner rather than later. Utley continues to develop after playing undersized in the interior a year ago.

Tristen Keys is looking more explosive. He has put on more than 15 pounds and is right around 200 heading into the summer months. He has totally reshaped his upper body and with no locked in replacement for Chris Brazzell, he is hoping to make some headlines when camp starts in August. Keys was limited in spring as he recovered from the foot injury he dealt with as a senior last fall. Keys did more the last week or two of spring drills, his work got people’s attention then and he has built on that.

Defensive back Kayin Lee has been impressive during workouts. He had a solid spring and obviously has a ton of experience on the field. He has drawn plenty of praise from the strength staff for his commitment and work. Lee really seemed to find his footing in the program the back half of spring. The spring “game” was one of his better days as a Vol. He has a bunch of experience and there’s a reason Tennessee sought him in the portal.

Another guy in the secondary, Tennessee has been pleased with was their first transfer commitment in Qua Moss. Moss wasn’t talked about much during the spring, but he was very consistent and he is an upgrade at the nickel position from the last couple of seasons for Josh Heupel and Jim Knowles.

There’s nothing new at the quarterback position. But it’s game on when they return in June as to how much they grow and develop from what they got done in the spring. Both had good moments and not so good moments. The next 2.5 months is simple who shows they can give this team the best chance to win regardless of age, experience, weight or whatever. Who gives them the best chance to win.

We are dead in the middle of conference commissioner talking season and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey finds himself some what on an island when it comes to the college football playoffs.

Every league including the coaches and AD’s in the SEC are in favor of a 24 team playoff. Sankey and ESPN are not. The ESPN part of that gives Sankey some fighting power but even his own conference members aren’t with him on this one.

ESPN would generate more revenue with a 24 team playoff, but there would be more expenses with more rights fees as well as production costs. So their profit margin likely wouldn’t expand greatly and they certainly want to own the whole thing so they are comfortable at 12.

The other concern some have with a 24 team is what does that do to the final couple of weeks of the regular season. If a team is a lock to make a 24 team field do you have coaches sitting starters, etc. As someone threw out to us this week, how much interest would there be Texas A&M and Texas if both coaches sat their starting quarterbacks because they are locks for the playoffs.

Sankey won’t win this argument on his own, but the ESPN assistance is interesting.

The playoffs won’t be the only topic discussed in Destin in two weeks. There will be some spring practice talk about continuing the way it is or adjusting more to an OTA style in June and July.

Then there will be the verbal barbs between Kiffin and Ole Miss which everyone will be writing and talking about.

At Tennessee, the field crew is finishing up prep for the Savannah Bananas. After that they will begin reworking the surface to resod Shields-Watkins Field later this summer.

When baseball season ends at LNS, work will resume there to complete some graphic things and the plaza area around the entrance. And at Neyland Stadium once the event is over the end of this month they will get back to finishing up the gate 9 plaza and gate 10 entrance way.
Click to expand...
-War Room
 
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#140,195
#140,195
Hoops
At long last, Tennessee’s 2026-27 roster seems to be complete after VCU transfer forward Christian Fermin committed to the Vols on Thursday, following an official visit with the Vols on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Fermin played in just four games last season after taking a leave of absence from the Rams. It was reported in March that Fermin was away from the team while dealing with a personal matter.

Fermin played in 86 games over the previous three seasons at VCU, averaging a career-best 5.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 21.4 minutes per game during the 2023-24 season, starting all 38 games for the Rams.

We’re not sure Fermin was a take when he got to Knoxville for the visit, but it seems Rick Barnes and his staff were intrigued by the skill set for what they were looking for and the possible fit on Tennessee’s new-look roster. Whatever happened on the visit made him a take.

We believe Tennessee liked that Fermin comes from a winning program at VCU and has NCAA Tournament experience. He was a team captain in 2024-25. He is a shot-blocker and brings a lot of experience. We would also assume Terrence Hill was a strong reference for Fermin as a teammate and person and that Fermin addressed whatever led to his time away last season. Clearly the Vols were sold on Fermin enough to make him the final addition to the roster.

Tennessee also brought in Georgia State transfer center Christian Beam on a visit earlier this week, but nothing materialized from it.

We do believe the roster is now complete after the addition of Fermin and that it would be a long shot for any other new names to pop up. Clearing a spot would require a change at the bottom of the roster involving one of the two former walk-on players and that doesn’t seem likely.

Players should start arriving on campus in late May or early June to begin a very important summer session, during which all the new pieces of the puzzle will begin learning how to fit together.

With the 2026-27 roster finally finished, the staff’s attention will turn fully to the 2027 recruiting class and the more normal offseason rhythms of summer recruiting.
Click to expand...

-War Room
 
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#140,196
#140,196
Orange. said:
What was going on when Brown got hit by the pitch late in game?

Could Brown have just stood there like nothing happened? Wouldn't the ump have called him hit by pitch anyway? Do we have a choice in the matter? Only if he doesn't leave the batter's box? Or hoping the ump would miss it? Elander directed Brown back to the plate and umps huddled. Some rule I don't know. I get that he was hit before the run scored. It looked like there was more to it than that.
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Pretty sure - could be wrong - that it was a 3-0 count so it doesn’t matter if it hit him or not.

E caught up in moment and wanted it to be a wild pitch to tack on another run.
 
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#140,198
#140,198
MarcoVol said:
Pretty sure - could be wrong - that it was a 3-0 count so it doesn’t matter if it hit him or not.

E caught up in moment and wanted it to be a wild pitch to tack on another run.
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That would have been ball 3. Brown was convinced it hit him, or at least acting as though it did. Elander and the other coaches wanted it to be a wild pitch to get another run in and advance the other runner. The umps huddled to make a decision on if it was a wp or a hbp.
 
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#140,199
#140,199
GiggerVol said:
That would have been ball 3. Brown was convinced it hit him, or at least acting as though it did. Elander and the other coaches wanted it to be a wild pitch to get another run in and advance the other runner. The umps huddled to make a decision on if it was a wp or a hbp.
Click to expand...

Couldn’t remember the count, thanks
 
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