'20 GA OL Tate Ratledge (UGA commit)

[CAVPUT]

It still amazes me (though it shouldn't) that people still bitch about not having a top 5 class, yet fail to acknowledge the fact that we've been getting our butts handed to us by programs that recruit 2 & 3 star players. Don't miss the forest for the trees.

That's not my point. I'm going by what Pruitt said after his patchwork first class at UT. He's the one that spouted off and set the bar/expectation.

Having said that, I knew he would find things much more difficult here than at Bama. He's used to walking into a recruits home or HS wearing the crimson and getting any kid he wanted. Not so easy when the color is orange. I knew that when he made the comment. I also don't expect him to step up and admit it's a harder recruiting row to hoe than he'd thought.

 

[SweetasSoda]

That's not my point. I'm going by what Pruitt said after his patchwork first class at UT. He's the one that spouted off and set the bar/expectation.

Having said that, I knew he would find things much more difficult here than at Bama. He's used to walking into a recruits home or HS wearing the crimson and getting any kid he wanted. Not so easy when the color is orange. I knew that when he made the comment. I also don't expect him to step up and admit it's a harder recruiting row to hoe than he'd thought.

Maybe he was shocked that wearing the orange, as you put it, is not as easy as he remembers when he was playing. Because at that time it was the opposite with the orange and crimson.

 

[CAVPUT]

Maybe he was shocked that wearing the orange, as you put it, is not as easy as he remembers when he was playing. Because at that time it was the opposite with the orange and crimson.

Agreed. UT was, at one point, rolling with wins, big bowls, natty talk. Makes recruiting much easier. Having a generation talent at qb helping call kids to play with him also didn't hurt the effort. Pruitt let his mouth get ahead of his brain with that comment. Don't fault him for being enthusiastic and sending that message, but once the emotion dies and you start to get into the daily grind of selling Knoxville, UT, the SEC...where we've been struggling to stay out of the cellar...and "rebuilding" vs playing for rings and spots in the NFL, the job becomes a helluva lot harder.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not expecting us to have top 5 classes out of the gate in his career. He's going to need time to get things back on track and rolling. He's going to need time to change the culture. He's going to need at least 3 years IMO to rebuild depth to the point that we can maintain our level of play throughout an entire season if injuries occur. And that level of play certainly won't be at the level of Bama and UGA for a long while.

I'm sure Pruitt will be more guarded in what he says going forward. Just another lesson a guy learns about being the head man vs a coordinator. It's also a lesson that you learn the waters you're swimming in before you dive into the deep end with your mouth.

 

[SweetasSoda]

Agreed. UT was, at one point, rolling with wins, big bowls, natty talk. Makes recruiting much easier. Having a generation talent at qb helping call kids to play with him also didn't hurt the effort. Pruitt let his mouth get ahead of his brain with that comment. Don't fault him for being enthusiastic and sending that message, but once the emotion dies and you start to get into the daily grind of selling Knoxville, UT, the SEC...where we've been struggling to stay out of the cellar...and "rebuilding" vs playing for rings and spots in the NFL, the job becomes a helluva lot harder.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not expecting us to have top 5 classes out of the gate in his career. He's going to need time to get things back on track and rolling. He's going to need time to change the culture. He's going to need at least 3 years IMO to rebuild depth to the point that we can maintain our level of play throughout an entire season if injuries occur. And that level of play certainly won't be at the level of Bama and UGA for a long while.

I'm sure Pruitt will be more guarded in what he says going forward. Just another lesson a guy learns about being the head man vs a coordinator. It's also a lesson that you learn the waters you're swimming in before you dive into the deep end with your mouth.

I love the enthusiasm and the determination, and I get the feeling that is the way he is and will continue to be. Also think that is exactly what we need to get out of the hole we're in. He'll just have to block out the noise from the fans that expect everything now. Think he has the ability to get the most out of his players and sooner as he did with Thompson and Taylor last year so we won't necessarily have to recruit on the level with AL and GA to become competitive with them. Think it will be a slow steady climb that Fulmer understands and will allow. I just don't feel the panic with recruiting like I did with Dooley and Butch. We'll see how it goes.

 

[jwilliams]

That's not my point. I'm going by what Pruitt said after his patchwork first class at UT. He's the one that spouted off and set the bar/expectation.

Having said that, I knew he would find things much more difficult here than at Bama. He's used to walking into a recruits home or HS wearing the crimson and getting any kid he wanted. Not so easy when the color is orange. I knew that when he made the comment. I also don't expect him to step up and admit it's a harder recruiting row to hoe than he'd thought.

I wasn't necessarily aiming that comment at you. It's just a general frustration I have from reading this board. I agree that Pruitt probably shouldn't have said anything about future recruiting at the time he said it. This is not in his defense, but objectively speaking, he said that "next year" (2019 class) we'd be right up at the top, or something along those lines. I don't know what "right up near the top" means... perhaps better than 12th... dunno. Ratings are tough to interpret when you consider we got 2 highly touted transfers. If you factor those guys in are we 10th or better in the nation? Wouldn't that be "right up near the top?"

Okay, I'll stop there... I'm rambling...

 

[KBVol]

I actually am. If you dont think fans hold any power, you're silly. There is a reason that boycotts work.

Stop it. No fan wanted nor made the ridiculously bad hires and decisions made by those in charge at Tennessee these last 10 years.

Fact is, while fans were certainly complaining about Fulmer late in his tenure, it was boosters and “leadership” that were ever vigilant for the split second opportunity to fire him....not the fans. And if the fans hadn’t been complaining at that time, those same guys who wanted him out would’ve still looked for and seized on the opportunity to fire him given the circumstances of the program.

Fans have some “power” with their voice and pocketbook, but not much.

Lemme guess, you’re one of those guys who thinks the team loses games and recruits because of this website too, no?

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Stop it. No fan wanted nor made the ridiculously bad hires and decisions made by those in charge at Tennessee these last 10 years.

Fact is, while fans were certainly complaining about Fulmer late in his tenure, it was boosters and “leadership” that were ever vigilant for the split second opportunity to fire him....not the fans. And if the fans hadn’t been complaining at that time, those same guys who wanted him out would’ve still looked for and seized on the opportunity to fire him given the circumstances of the program.

Fans have some “power” with their voice and pocketbook, but not much.

Lemme guess, you’re one of those guys who thinks the team loses games and recruits because of this website too, no?

You're very naive. The boosters and leadership made the move but the move was made because of fan grumbling. You have selective memory....

 

[Catbone]

You're very naive. The boosters and leadership made the move but the move was made because of fan grumbling. You have selective memory....

Did we hire Derek Dooley and Butch Jones too and let them drive the program into the ground? Lmao

 

[vol2002]

Recruiting to Tennessee is really tough right now, no doubt. I’m at least encouraged that kids like this still come through our campus in droves. Tells me that once this thing turns and we start winning, our recruiting will be just fine. Gotta keep grinding.

 

[joeyn12004]

I have been a member of vol nation for years and never made a post because I didn’t have anything that I felt would be beneficial to a discussion. I do have some information that I would like to share now. I have a nephew that has a child the goes to Darlington, the high school that Tate attends, and my nephews child said that Tate is leaning very heavily toward Georgia. He has a super good relationship with Pittman. He was wearing a Georgia pin at the prom and it is their feeling it will be hard to overcome this relationship. My hope is that they are wrong and he chooses the good guys. In any case, we will find out soon.

 

[Big Gucci Sosa]

Yeah it’s well known that he’s going to pick Georgia tomorrow

 

[secking]

I have been a member of vol nation for years and never made a post because I didn’t have anything that I felt would be beneficial to a discussion. I do have some information that I would like to share now. I have a nephew that has a child the goes to Darlington, the high school that Tate attends, and my nephews child said that Tate is leaning very heavily toward Georgia. He has a super good relationship with Pittman. He was wearing a Georgia pin at the prom and it is their feeling it will be hard to overcome this relationship. My hope is that they are wrong and he chooses the good guys. In any case, we will find out soon.

I award you, your first like.

Couple things here, I did check around yesterday and still leaning towards UGA. I just think timing is off for TN. Had Tate been a ‘21 recruit, I think UT has a positive year (8-4) or better and UT will have more momentum on the trail next year with better results to show. Tate does lean on his relationship with Pittman as the tipping point.

Second point, where is SCarolina? This kid is from Muschamp’s school. Muschamp’s dad was the Headmaster at Darlington. Not even in top 5?

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Did we hire Derek Dooley and Butch Jones too and let them drive the program into the ground? Lmao

We, meaning the University of TN, Yes we did. Apparently, you dont understand that chaos begets chaos. It started with Kiffen and snowballed after that. Each coach was worse than the coach before.

 

[Catbone]

We, meaning the University of TN, Yes we did.

No. You know I meant the fans.

 

[901LookAlive]

Thread is dead to me, Tate is dead to me except when Roman Harrison is abusing him like D Taylor did Wilson last season. Way to say screw your Dad kid.

 

[MrVolton]

I award you, your first like.

Couple things here, I did check around yesterday and still leaning towards UGA. I just think timing is off for TN. Had Tate been a ‘21 recruit, I think UT has a positive year (8-4) or better and UT will have more momentum on the trail next year with better results to show. Tate does lean on his relationship with Pittman as the tipping point.

Second point, where is SCarolina? This kid is from Muschamp’s school. Muschamp’s dad was the Headmaster at Darlington. Not even in top 5?

Seems like if most of UT’s top targets commit early, it’s gonna be somewhere other than UT. That’s why I’d just as soon they wait. Pruitt’s gonna have to prove he can handle the likes of UK, Vandy, Missouri, and S. Carolina with what he’s got before he starts recruiting like UGA. And I ain’t talking about winning the east either. Looking good en route to 7 or 8 wins and getting a few guys drafted will do the trick. I think Pruitt gets it done. Folks thinking we’ll struggle to get to a bowl this year better hope they’re wrong, because of so, it could prove to be a much longer climb than Pruitt’s willing to stick around for.

 

[secking]

Seems like if most of UT’s top targets commit early, it’s gonna be somewhere other than UT. That’s why I’d just as soon they wait. Pruitt’s gonna have to prove he can handle the likes of UK, Vandy, Missouri, and S. Carolina with what he’s got before he starts recruiting like UGA. And I ain’t talking about winning the east either. Looking good en route to 7 or 8 wins and getting a few guys drafted will do the trick. I think Pruitt gets it done. Folks thinking we’ll struggle to get to a bowl this year better hope they’re wrong, because of so, it could prove to be a much longer climb than Pruitt’s willing to stick around for.

with social media changing recruiting like it has, more and more HS coaches want their stars to commit before the season (if they know where they are going) where they can focus on their SR season in HS.

Did I mention Tate was wearing a TN shirt Thursday? He didn’t let Pittman see him in it lol.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

No argument there, but he's the one who said we'd be right at the top. I don't think he meant "development". It was clear...at least to me..that he expected to be at or near the top in recruiting. So far that hasn't happened.

Did you take Butchs words so literal when he said we have the best staff in America? Pruitt said that because he knew the fan base was at in all time low. He gave us hope. He told us what we needed to hear at the time. Nothing more. I knew he wouldn’t come close to a top 5 class. Nobody else should have thought so either.

 

[jakez4ut]

No argument there, but he's the one who said we'd be right at the top. I don't think he meant "development". It was clear...at least to me..that he expected to be at or near the top in recruiting. So far that hasn't happened.

It's year two.

 

[UTMVol76]

Our last natty was over 20 years ago. The one before that...50 years. We are light years behind Bama, UGA and Clemson. I'm not sure we're a better "school" than any of those 3. We certainly aren't in their league on the football field. I do get your point in that we have a better history in football than either UGA or Clemson, but that was so very long ago. It's almost to the point of saying that Ga Tech has a better history than UGA and Clemson. It really is a reach...a way, way back reach.

Pruitt spouted off about how great we were going to be in recruiting. Pretty clear he thought recruiting would be just as easy at UT as at Bama. Just stroke some egos and grab that 5 star haul. Reality is harsh sometimes. Hey, maybe this staff is filled with super coaches that can take a top 15 class and beat the likes if Bama and UGA. Time will tell.

Using the term “spout” like you have a few times comes off looking like Pruitt is a blowhard and that you have a beef with him, whether you intend to or not.

That said, look at the top 15 recruiting rating from last year taking team names away and only leaving record and see what sticks out like a sore thumb: 5-7.

Therefore, I’d say under the circumstances he’s doing a pretty damn good job getting us to that point of elite recruiting (plus landing at least 4 blue chip recruits last year).

Hot take: by January we’ll be laughing at these conversations and we will have hand wringing that we don’t have enough spots for all the talent we’re attracting.

 

[#Vol4Life1991]

with social media changing recruiting like it has, more and more HS coaches want their stars to commit before the season (if they know where they are going) where they can focus on their SR season in HS.

Did I mention Tate was wearing a TN shirt Thursday? He didn’t let Pittman see him in it lol.

You have any other tidbits?

 

[DefenseWins]

with social media changing recruiting like it has, more and more HS coaches want their stars to commit before the season (if they know where they are going) where they can focus on their SR season in HS.

Did I mention Tate was wearing a TN shirt Thursday? He didn’t let Pittman see him in it lol.

So what do you think Pruitt’s strategy is with all these guys holding off for so long... you think so they can “fine tooth comb” the recruits.... or is anyone silent or what?

 

[JacketVol]

Thread is dead to me, Tate is dead to me except when Roman Harrison is abusing him like D Taylor did Wilson last season. Way to say screw your Dad kid.

My son is telling me he’s going to UT. Hates Georgia. He is the kind of kid who doesn’t mind a challenge. If UT was a mess and he had his choice of schools, he would go to Tech. In no way would he choose Georgia, Florida, or Bama because he knows I hate them. He knows I love him no matter what but fact is, he loves me too. No way he would do that to me with as big a Vol fans as we are. There are over 100 plus schools he could choose from instead.

 

[golfer89]

My son is telling me he’s going to UT. Hates Georgia. He is the kind of kid who doesn’t mind a challenge. If UT was a mess and he had his choice of schools, he would go to Tech. In no way would he choose Georgia, Florida, or Bama because he knows I hate them. He knows I love him no matter what but fact is, he loves me too. No way he would do that to me with as big a Vol fans as we are. There are over 100 plus schools he could choose from instead.

So he hates Georgia... Wait until tomorrow & see if he hates UGA...

 

[Jackcrevol]

So he hates Georgia... Wait until tomorrow & see if he hates UGA...

If i had a choice to attend any of those it would be Florida for Grad School, but, like you said. There's 100 other schools. Always liked UCF better, regardless of sports. Gainesville is trashy.