'14 KY DT Matt Elam

#30
#30
"It's been real fun. I'm just enjoying it right now. Just going on all these visits and seeing everything and all the colleges and what they have to offer," Elam said. "It's just really fun and mind-blowing. Just getting to meet people I never thought I'd meet, it's just real neat and it's real nice."

"When Kentucky offered I was like, 'Man, my hard work is paying off.' And then I talked to coach Saban and I was like, 'Wow,' and it started to hit me this was for real," Elam said. "Then, I went there and met him and it was a cool moment to meet him. It's just been fun going to all these places."

"I talked to coach Stripling, I've talked to him a couple of times on the phone and we talk on twitter. He's real excited for me to come up and talk to me," Elam said. "He's real nice. I can tell he's a genuine guy and is down to earth and that he really cares. We can carry a good conversation by just asking me how my day is going."

"I want to meet the coaching staff and see the facilities and see the area and see what it's like. I'm really looking forward to seeing it," Elam offered.

"I'm just keeping my mind open right now and just waiting things out," Elam said.
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-Fortenberry
 
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#35
#35
“I do feel like they’re going to offer me,” Elam said. “It was real nice. They have some new facilities that are just great. I got to meet coach (Butch) Jones. He seems like a great coach, but an even better man,” Elam continued .“I got to see the practice. It was good. They get after it there. Seeing them practice was my favorite part of the trip because it let me get a better picture of what they are all about,” Elam finished.
 
#36
#36
wU-Tang Vol said:
“I do feel like they’re going to offer me,” Elam said. “It was real nice. They have some new facilities that are just great. I got to meet coach (Butch) Jones. He seems like a great coach, but an even better man,” Elam continued .“I got to see the practice. It was good. They get after it there. Seeing them practice was my favorite part of the trip because it let me get a better picture of what they are all about,” Elam finished.
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How have we not offered like ten DT already?
 
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#38
#38
wU-Tang Vol said:
“I do feel like they’re going to offer me,” Elam said. “It was real nice. They have some new facilities that are just great. I got to meet coach (Butch) Jones. He seems like a great coach, but an even better man,” Elam continued .“I got to see the practice. It was good. They get after it there. Seeing them practice was my favorite part of the trip because it let me get a better picture of what they are all about,” Elam finished.
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Sounds like he would seriously think about committing on the spot, if we offer.
 
#42
#42
While his frame might imply playing nose guard in college, Matt Elam plans to play defensive tackle. That helps Tennessee, which will employ a 4-3 base scheme with two defensive tackles.

Elam is from Elizabethtown (Ky.) Hardin. He visited Tennessee last weekend.

"Their facilities are amazing," Elam said. "They are brand new and I got to meet Coach Jones. He seems like a great coach and will change the program around.

"I got to watch them practice which let me see how they do things. Very high-paced tempo. They get on them but that's what I want. They just get after it."

Elam has scholarship offers from Alabama, Kentucky, Louisville and Western Kentucky. He has said he'd like to stay close to home for college. When asked about the distance to Knoxvile, Elam said, "Not that far."
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-Espn
 
#43
#43
Tennessee has NOT offered, but bama has?
Am I missing something here? Big DT wants to play in a 4-3 scheme. Seems like he would jump at a Volunteer offer.

Why isn't he rated yet? 247 composite shows #21 DT nationally, but not rated by either Rivals or 247. Confusing.

Ron? Wu Tang? Somebody? Anybody?
 
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#44
#44
Id would say we are pushing more for Mosley as our "big" space eating DT.

And no I'm not saying we only want one DT
 
#45
#45
Paul said they want him to come to camp so they can evaluate him further. He said he was surprised Elam didn't get an offer but he figured he would later on.
 
#46
#46
TriCitiesVol said:
Paul said they want him to come to camp so they can evaluate him further. He said he was surprised Elam didn't get an offer but he figured he would later on.
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Sometimes the later on, is what can cost you a recruit. We need 10-12 guys on the lines in this class. This kid seems to be one that should have left Knoxville with an offer IMO.
 
#47
#47
VolsDoc81TX said:
Tennessee has NOT offered, but bama has?
Am I missing something here? Big DT wants to play in a 4-3 scheme. Seems like he would jump at a Volunteer offer.

Why isn't he rated yet? 247 composite shows #21 DT nationally, but not rated by either Rivals or 247. Confusing.

Ron? Wu Tang? Somebody? Anybody?
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Probably doesn't have much of a rating yet due to playing bad competition in Kentucky, not a state that produces many elite FB players year in and year out.

He's finally going to junior days this year, coach has just now sent film to coaches, hasn't gone to summer camps to be evaluated in person, etc...just guesses as to why he's just now getting offers.

Our staff probably wants to see him in action this summer at camp before they offer. Like others have said, they don't want just space eaters at DT, they want athletic guys who can rush the passer. JMO
 
#48
#48
Sorry if I missed it, but this kid got a legit offer from UA? Not a conditional one but a committable one?

Also, Paul said the staff isn't going to just offer a guy who just "plugs" in at DT. They want athletic guys on the interior of the line.

They also want versatile big guys. Kids that can play the 3 tech, be able to stunt, have speed off the edge, play with pad leverage, and maintain gap control.

Paul didn't come out and say this directly, but I get the feeling he thinks were "handicapped" in the interior of the DL as far as athleticism goes with 98 and 44.

There's no way you can have an effective stunt with a 360 lb DT. JMO
 
#49
#49
Ron Swanson said:
Probably doesn't have much of a rating yet due to playing bad competition in Kentucky, not a state that produces many elite FB players year in and year out.

He's finally going to junior days this year, coach has just now sent film to coaches, hasn't gone to summer camps to be evaluated in person, etc...just guesses as to why he's just now getting offers.

Our staff probably wants to see him in action this summer at camp before they offer. Like others have said, they don't want just space eaters at DT, they want athletic guys who can rush the passer. JMO
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I think its to early to get into the panic mode of taking just any DT's. I know how important we need to fill that position and I'm sure the coaches feel it even more. I believe more DT's will come to light when the staff has a chance to see more film on certain prospects. This is not to say Elam isn't good enough we will just have to wait and see what the coaches say and feel about him.
 
#50
#50
“We just, like, toured around the facilities since they got some new ones. It’s real nice. It’s the best I’ve seen so far through my visits of colleges,” said Elam, who’s ranked the No. 298 overall player and No. 25 defensive tackle in the 247Composite for the 2014 class.

“I got to meet with the new coach, Coach Jones. He’s real nice, genuine. Then, we went out to practice. We just got to see how they do everything. It’s really high-paced. We got to watch the drills and everything.

“It was real nice.”
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“They’ve got a great staff,” Elam said. “I got to talk with the defensive line coach, Coach Stripling. He was real nice. He’s been recruiting me so far. He was just telling me about the staff, and they’re just real nice and everything. You can just tell that they care.”
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“They just got after it,” he said. “They just really did a lot of contact, and just high-paced. It was just unexplainable how they get after it and just the difference between high-school football and college. It really just made me want to get better and everything as a player, too. Just a real eye-opener.

“The stadium, it’s huge. (Jones) was like, ‘It’s just a huge stadium, huh? It’s really nice.’ And everybody was like, yeah. He was like, ‘Just wait ‘til the bleachers, just running it,’ and everybody started laughing.

“It’s just a really nice stadium — just huge — and the new indoor facility, it’s really nice, too.”
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“I’m really interested in Tennessee, so if they offer, that would mean a lot,” he said. “But I’m still keeping my mind open right now. I just got a few offers, too.”
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- 247

Also said he's visiting UF this weeked, and he's excited about it. He said UF is showing "a little bit of interest" right now. He also plans to hit a UL and UK spring practice.
 
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