'15 FL DE Marques Ford (FORMER UT commit)

[jkleno]

Grow up. Stuff happens. This is big boy football. Butch is paid to win football games, he doesn't keep his job merely by not hurting any feelings. If this is what the staff feels is best, then that's the direction. Is it poor timing for him? Certainly, but it's not like he doesn't have a ton of other options. He will still get a full ride and play D1 football at a major school. It just won't be UT.

The comments that have been expressed pertain to an 18 year old. It is truly a feeling of empathy toward him. Wishing him the best, if you would have read the prior posts, and wishing we could have kept him are rational responses. I understand that things happen and tough decisions have to be made, but sincerity is much nicer than your "big boy" BS.

 

[AboveAllNations]

Big mistake on UT part

This is especially egregious if we're still planning to give scholarships to a punter and long snapper.

 

[Volngeorgia]

McKenzie should walk on for year one and have his rich daddy VFL pay his tuition until 2016 when he gets scolley.
Ford then gets his scolley for 2015.

I know....this is completely :crazy:

 

[Probably_in_Class]

The comments that have been expressed pertain to an 18 year old. It is truly a feeling of empathy toward him. Wishing him the best, if you would have read the prior posts, and wishing we could have kept him are rational responses. I understand that things happen and tough decisions have to be made, but sincerity is much nicer than your "big boy" BS.

Technically, you mean sympathy, not empathy (none of us have gone through the situation of recruiting or at least very few), but I'm not fighting the rationale of those feelings. What I'm debating is your reasoning for not hypothetically pissing off some coach at a single school in Florida as if the entire state of FL will be cut off from UT recruiting because of one guy.

 

[Montrell Hardy]

This is especially egregious if we're still planning to give scholarships to a punter and long snapper.

A long snapper in particular is beyond baffling.

 

[DocVOLiday]

It may be crazy, but it was bound to be said at some point (whether kidding or not)

 

[Tokeup69]

Grow up. Stuff happens. This is big boy football. Butch is paid to win football games, he doesn't keep his job merely by not hurting any feelings. If this is what the staff feels is best, then that's the direction. Is it poor timing for him? Certainly, but it's not like he doesn't have a ton of other options. He will still get a full ride and play D1 football at a major school. It just won't be UT.

Finally someone with some common sense wish the kid good luck and move on its all part of the recruiting process people get over recruited or asked to look around it sucks but its part of the game!! Butch is in control of this team so get behind them or find another team to follow!

 

[Probably_in_Class]

This is especially egregious if we're still planning to give scholarships to a punter and long snapper.

I'm willing to debate the long snapper scholarship, but every team in the nation gives scholarships to punters. A strong punter is vital.

 

[AboveAllNations]

How about we find a walk-on long snapper like almost every other college football team?

 

[volinbama256]

how about we find a walk-on long snapper like almost every other college football team?

this

 

[jspvol76]

 

[tdtrevorg]

I don't know why everyone is going after the longsnapper. I guarantee he will blueshirt so he'll be cut from the class as well.

 

[Sandvol]

How about we find a walk-on long snapper like almost every other college football team?

Can't believe we're wasting a scholarship on a snapper.

 

[Volngeorgia]

How about we find a walk-on long snapper like almost every other college football team?

Swain talked a lot about that this morning saying that long snappers now have to be offered.
He put a video of Lovingood on his web site hoping to convince people.

 

[Montrell Hardy]

How about we find a walk-on long snapper like almost every other college football team?

Without a doubt. Makes zero sense to pull a 4* DE's offer and still give one to an LS that you could get as a walk on.

 

[volgrad500]

A lot of the angst in this thread stems from the fact that VN has spent the last several years condemning other coached for doing this because, you know, Butch Jones would never pull a kid's offer-he's too much of a family man, class act, Christian...

 

[Sandvol]

Who would have ever thunk we'd be turning away 4 star defensive linemen.

 

[butchna]

Can't believe we're wasting a scholarship on a snapper.

Bob Stoops can.

 

[triad280]

I will say that Marques Ford has handled this in an extremely classy way
and am glad the kids phone hasnt stopped ringing. I was hoping he was going to be a Vol,
but CBJ gets paid a lot of money to make these type decisions...

 

[Boston_Vol]

How about we find a walk-on long snapper like almost every other college football team?

^This is the truth. Not sure why you use a scholarship on a long snapper anyway. That's the equivalent of give a guy a scholarship just to be a gunner on kick off

 

[tdtrevorg]

The longsnapper is gonna blueshirt. To open yet another spot. No way he'll sign on Feb. 4

 

[griffdog14]

his replacement better be a ******* superstar.

 

[Mullins2010]

his replacement better be a ******* superstar.

Or?

 

[CABVOL]

This is especially egregious if we're still planning to give scholarships to a punter and long snapper.

I am not so keen on the long snapper, but as far as a punter goes, having a good punter/kicker is vital to a program.

Not a jab at you, but it really baffles me how people, year in and year out, cannot see how important it is to have excellent special teams. Special teams play wins and loses games every week during football season. Stepping off soapbox now.

 

[dhvolfan32]

his replacement better be a ******* superstar.

Gotta be on the team before you can be replaced. Besides, we probably have the best DL class in the country coming in next yr. I wish the Ford kid luck though.