Alontae Taylor's story

[David Ubben]

I spent a couple days in Manchester to trace Alontae Taylor's roots and learn how he grew from a skinny quarterback into a guy who looks like the future of Jeremy Pruitt's defense at Tennessee. He's got a really cool support system, and I think you guys will enjoy getting to know him a little better.

Here's a quick preview, and you can find the full story here.

One night, in the middle of Tennessee’s frenzied, disastrous coaching search, Taylor had made up his mind. He walked into the family living room.

“He told me, ‘Dad, I’m finna do something,’ ” Nate Love said.

He dialed up Georgia coach Kirby Smart, fully intending on committing to the Bulldogs. He didn’t get an answer. Just as quickly as he thought Georgia was the answer, Georgia was out.

“He said if they didn’t have time to answer the phone, they wouldn’t pay attention to him when he went down there,” Nate Love said.
Taylor wanted to feel wanted. He wanted to play for a program where he felt needed.

He felt that when Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer paid a visit here, turning Coffee County Central into a circus. Pruitt couldn’t promise a position or playing time, but Taylor did get to make sure he got No. 6 if he signed with the Vols.

 

[RollerVol]

glad he's a Vol...now, just keep your head up...

GO VOLS...BEAT CATS!

 

[ProudVOLfan]

Did you eat at Jiffy Burger? If not you missed out

 

[rgvol]

My favorite player.

 

[bpalmer28]

My favorite player.

Same here. Also a big Banks and Chandler fan.

 

[savannahfan]

This is not the first story of this kind that has happened over the years we've been involved in and their are hundreds if not thousands more that have involved other schools.
However, it is amazing what little things can "chart" the course of many young people. If you look back on your life, I expect you will find one (or maybe 2 or3) events that have had a very large impact on your life.

 

[DonDiego]

I spent a couple days in Manchester to trace Alontae Taylor's roots and learn how he grew from a skinny quarterback into a guy who looks like the future of Jeremy Pruitt's defense at Tennessee. He's got a really cool support system, and I think you guys will enjoy getting to know him a little better.

Here's a quick preview, and you can find the full story here.

One night, in the middle of Tennessee’s frenzied, disastrous coaching search, Taylor had made up his mind. He walked into the family living room.

“He told me, ‘Dad, I’m finna do something,’ ” Nate Love said.

He dialed up Georgia coach Kirby Smart, fully intending on committing to the Bulldogs. He didn’t get an answer. Just as quickly as he thought Georgia was the answer, Georgia was out.

“He said if they didn’t have time to answer the phone, they wouldn’t pay attention to him when he went down there,” Nate Love said.
Taylor wanted to feel wanted. He wanted to play for a program where he felt needed.

He felt that when Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer paid a visit here, turning Coffee County Central into a circus. Pruitt couldn’t promise a position or playing time, but Taylor did get to make sure he got No. 6 if he signed with the Vols.

You do good work.

 

[CTVolsfan14]

Wow.. going to be fun to rub into UGA fans faces in 2-3 years when Alontae an all conference player and we smoke em.

Watch out for those 2020 Vols!

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Can you copy and paste the story, it seems The Athletic website requires you to sign up and pay for a subscription to view the story.

 

[Volnut]

Can you copy and paste the story, it seems The Athletic website requires you to sign up and pay for a subscription to view the story.

I don't understand why people post links to paywall stories. I think it is against the rules of the board to copy and paste full stories from behind paywalls.
Maybe OP should state that this is a paysite and leave his small summary instead of teasing us with "find the full story here."

Edit: Just now realized that OP is author of the article!

 

[1Big_Orange_Fan]

I'm sure it's a great story but turns out to be a teaser only. I'm not paying to read an article. If OP wrote it and wants to share, hoping he can paste the text into this site.

 

[mitzustu]

It’s the writer and OPs job to write for and drive traffic to the Athletic. Doing his job by posting a link on a site with a bunch of Vol fanatics.

 

[David Ubben]

If you want to check us out, you can sign up for a free trial here.

I also did an in-depth, six-part series profiling Jeremy Pruitt this summer and I guarantee you'll learn plenty about him you didn't know if you read it.

You can find that series here in a series of tweets.

 

[Russdaddy2027]

Prob was a cool full story but not going to pay or sign up to read

 

[Grudenhaslanded]

This is creepy AF.

Especially considering OP is trying to profit of a kid’s story by harassing the kids family and friends around his hometown, when that same kid can’t profit off of his own likeness and still stay eligible with the NCAA

 

[lmoore944]

If you want to check us out, you can sign up for a free trial here.

I also did an in-depth, six-part series profiling Jeremy Pruitt this summer and I guarantee you'll learn plenty about him you didn't know if you read it.

You can find that series here in a series of tweets.

Thank you for all of the great content David. I enjoy reading your articles each day. The Athletic is definitely worth it for anybody who enjoys reading in-depth sports articles and doesn't mind paying a few bucks per month for it.

 

[roosterjbh]

This is creepy AF.

Especially considering OP is trying to profit of a kid’s story by harassing the kids family and friends around his hometown, when that same kid can’t profit off of his own likeness and still stay eligible with the NCAA

What? How is this any different from the hundreds of profiles done on college players every week? Do you feel this way about stories on VQ, 247, Hyams, etc?

 

[ProudVOLfan]

What? How is this any different from the hundreds of profiles done on college players every week?

I wont go as far as him but I think the point is, I dont have to pay to read those stories

 

[roosterjbh]

I wont go as far as him but I think the point is, I dont have to pay to read those stories

Except you do?

 

[OneVolNation]

Thanks for the share. I've enjoyed following Alontae Taylor's early success so far and truly believe he is on the way to a successful career.

You have to love Alontae Taylor's approach to the game. He gets after it every play. The first thing people notice is his obvious talent for the game as a starter his first season, but as you continue to watch his execution of fundamental techniques, you can also tell he's coachable. He just doesn't make the kind of mistakes you might expect to see during a player's freshman season. He plays with a focus you recognize as special and wish every player would bring to the game if they are athletically capable of it.

It's exciting to imagine a player with his talent soon to be combined with 4 seasons of development under a head coach who is not only a multiple National Championship-winning Nick Saban coaching disciple, but who also boasts a resume of winning a National Championship as Nick Saban's defensive coordinator, specifically. If that wasn't already enough reason to confirm Alontae Taylor chose the best possible football program for his development as a player, then for good measure, consider his head coach has specialized in coaching the defensive back positions for over the last twenty years after playing as a defensive back himself under legendary Hall of Fame coaches Boots Donelly (played defensive back too) and Gene Stallings who played for the legend "Bear" Bryant who hired him as a defensive coach where he won a couple of National Championships. (Stallings then coached the defensive backs group for the Dallas Cowboys team that won Super Bowl XII.)

As you can see, there is enough hall of fame, championship-winning, defensive back pedigree available to Alontae at Tennessee for him to thrive as he continues to develop to his full potential. That combination of ingredients is a recipe for big time football success for AT, CJP, and UT.

Interesting related Vols trivia: Tennessee Volunteers Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt was originally recruited by Coach Boots Donnelly as a quarterback before making the move to defensive back his freshman season.

Bonus related trivia: Tennessee Volunteers Cornerback Alontae Taylor is faster than every current NFL player. AT's speed was clocked at 22.5 mph!

 

[ProudVOLfan]

Except you do?

REALLY?! I pay to read articles online? Are we talking about 2 different things?

 

[roosterjbh]

REALLY?! I pay to read articles online? Are we talking about 2 different things?

VQ and 247 are paysites. Lots of their stories/player and recruiting profiles are behind a paywall. If you are just talking generally, then yeah I guess there are lots of free sports articles out there.

 

[ProudVOLfan]

VQ and 247 are paysites. Lots of their stories are behind a paywall. If you are just talking generally, then yeah I guess there are lots of free sports articles out there.

Yea I dont go to either of those sites. Personally I have more important things to do with my money but to each their own

 

[orangemadam]

What? How is this any different from the hundreds of profiles done on college players every week? Do you feel this way about stories on VQ, 247, Hyams, etc?

Because almost everyone in America is used to entitlements. Always have their hands out. I don't see a problem myself with someone doing research and staying up nights writing an article. He's the one doing the work, not the guy in the article.

 

[Ten_Titans]

This is creepy AF.

Especially considering OP is trying to profit of a kid’s story by harassing the kids family and friends around his hometown, when that same kid can’t profit off of his own likeness and still stay eligible with the NCAA

He's a credentialed media member lol.

Going around talking to people is like 70% of his entire job.

Also, there is nothing to stop Alontae from writing a autobiography and selling it.