In State not considered better by this staff

[bburger991]

Calling OC Brown garbage? Come on man, that's out of line.

Compared with the other prospects we're going after he is. He's nowhere close to James/Cullen/Stone/Robinson/...etc

I don't know anything about him personally, so its nothing about that. Its just his on field play and reports from everyone else.

He's probably one of the most overrated players in the country tbh.

 

[bburger991]

Bad year for in state talent anyways, next year Kiff will be going much harder after some Tennessee kids.

This too. Next year I've got the feeling we'll be getting a few more in state kids.

 

[bburger991]

There's probably a better way to convey what you mean, without calling a kid trash.

Probably, but its just the first thing I thought of.

 

[CagleMtnVol]

I could care less if we sign one guy from in state as long as we have a Top 5 Class and then win games with those guys.

 

[orangeblur]

The staff knows what they are doing and they are correct with all their in-state evaluations. The talent level in-state just is not good.

There are some good individual players year to year but consistently the talent sucks. And you are always going to get "spin" from guys on here trying to hype up or overhype some of the in-state prospects.

I'm still a little baffled over all the hype surrounding James Stone. He struggled mightily at camp from what I saw. He is a guard all the way in college. No way is he a tackle. If the staff has backed off him some I can honestly say I'm not that surprised.

here is a story someone sent me today...........26 players just from Memphis are either starters or in two deep...

SEC coaches find fertile ground in Memphis' contributions to rosters

By Ron Higgins

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

You don't want to start your college football career by getting hurt.

Former Evangelical Christian star Barrett Jones suffered that
misfortune during preseason camp a year ago as a true freshman at the
University of Alabama.

But once surgery mended Jones' ailing right shoulder last winter, he
got on a steady track to a starting offensive guard berth on a team
many experts think should win this year's BCS national championship.

"There were a lot of vacant spots on the line," said Jones, one of 26
former Memphis-area high school standouts either starting or playing
second-team minutes on 10 Southeastern Conference schools.

"That's why I worked so hard to rehab the shoulder and tried to learn
the offense. I had some jitters that first game (the season opener
against Virginia Tech), but I've learned you've got to tune out the
crowd and external factors, and just go play football. It has been
good to play healthy."

Alabama coach Nick Saban felt Jones had the tools to become a starter.

"Barrett has played extremely well for us and made consistent
improvement," Saban said. "He does all the little things right. We
knew that's the kind of person he was."

Arkansas redshirt freshman defensive end Tenarius Wright of Whitehaven
wasn't even listed on the spring depth chart, but is now a vital part
of the Razorbacks' defense as a pass rush specialist.

Wright's performance in a 47-19 victory over Texas A&M on Oct. 3
earned him a new nickname — "Werewolf" — from Arkansas defensive
coordinator Willy Robinson.

Wright sacked A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson and caused a fumble that
was scooped by teammate Jerry Franklin. He returned it for a
game-changing 85-yard touchdown that gave Arkansas a 21-10 lead.

"I saw him scramble and I wasn't going to take no for an answer, so I
went in for the stab," said Wright, who has 19 tackles, including six
for losses, as well as a team-high two forced fumbles.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said moving Wright from linebacker to end
last year when he was redshirted took some convincing.

"In his heart, Tenarius wanted to be a linebacker, because he felt
that was his best position," Petrino said. "Now that he's having
success and sees what he worked on is working, he believes in it and
is playing faster each week. He's one of our most productive defensive
players for the amount of snaps he gets."

And speaking of pass rushers, Ole Miss senior defensive end Greg Hardy
of Briarcrest has almost returned to full speed after suffering a
severe ankle sprain in the season opener against Memphis on Sept. 6.

Hardy, a former starter, is getting more and more snaps every game.
Hardy (11 tackles including three sacks) and senior starting
cornerback Cassius Vaughn of East (23 tackles, one interception, five
breakups) are counted on to make big plays every week for the Rebels.

"Greg is almost back to being himself," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt
said. "He has played better almost every game. And Cassius has been
outstanding. I think this has been his best season."

Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson's recruiting in the Memphis area in
recent years has paid off with a trio he describes as "three really
solid guys who went to good schools who can handle the academic work
here with no problem."

Sophomore starting linebacker Chris Marve of White Station ranks
second in the SEC in tackles (65) and first in forced fumbles (three).
Junior linebacker/deep snapper John Stokes of MUS (19 tackles and a
blocked kick) is a multi-position whiz. Freshman redshirt DeAndre
Jones of MUS has one tackle while learning the ropes.

"Chris has had a lot of success since he has been here," Johnson said.
"John is so versatile that he's almost a backup for everybody on the
linebacking corps, and that probably keeps him out of a little playing
time, because he has to learn three positions instead of one. And he
snaps on punts, and he does a great coverage job. DeAndre is getting
better, and we need him to play."

Two key starters on the right side of Tennessee's defensive line are
former Christian Brothers standout Chris Walker and former East star
Dan Williams.

Walker, a junior end, broke into the starting lineup this year after
playing in 26 games his first two seasons. He has 21 tackles,
including four sacks (tied for second in the SEC) and two
interceptions including one for a touchdown, despite a fracture in his
lower back. Williams, a fifth-year senior, has 29 tackles and five
quarterback hurries.

"Chris has been banged up a little bit," first-year Tennessee coach
Lane Kiffin said, "and his numbers haven't been as high. But ... I
think he'll have a great second half of the season, as will Dan. Dan
played a great game (against Georgia on Oct. 10). It was by far his
best game. He got a lot of push inside and hit the quarterback a
bunch."

LSU junior placekicker Josh Jasper of Ridgeway has done a little bit
of everything in his three seasons for the Tigers. He kicks off, is
the Tigers' pooch punter and this season became the starting
placekicker (8-of-9 field goals, 13-of-13 extra points).

"He's a tremendous competitor, he works extremely hard on what we ask
him to do," LSU coach Les Miles said of Jasper. "We ask him to perfect
a different piece of kicking as our game plans change every week. He
does that, with a smile. He enjoys the challenge of change."

No matter how highly recruited a player might be, it's a challenge to
contribute as a true freshman.

But first-year players Martavius Neloms of Fairley, Daren Bates of
Olive Branch and Marlon Brown of Harding are ahead of the learning
curve.

When Kentucky All-SEC cornerback Trevard Lindley suffered a high ankle
sprain on Oct. 3 against Alabama, Neloms got thrust into the starting
lineup. He has seven tackles after starting the last two games.

"Martavius got baptism by fire (against South Carolina)," Kentucky
coach Rich Brooks said. "He was never totally out of position, but
gave up a couple of touchdowns because he didn't finish on some deep
balls. Yet for his first collegiate start, he did a creditable job. He
grew from that. He has a short memory about letting one play affect
the next one."

Like Neloms, Bates got tossed into the thick of the action as a
starting safety for Auburn. He has 38 tackles and an interception.

"Darren does make some of the freshman mistakes," first-year Auburn
coach Gene Chizik said, "but he has gotten better every week. He has
stepped up to the plate when we desperately needed somebody to do that
at safety. He has taken over that position. He has really delivered."

Brown, the state's best high school prospect last year and who chose
Georgia over Tennessee, is finally getting more snaps as a reserve
wide receiver. He caught his first two collegiate passes against the
Vols on Oct. 10.

"Marlon was well coached in high school, but he came from a relatively
small program," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "He certainly didn't
see the type of speed and competition you see in the SEC. He's just
learning how to play with the caliber of athletes on our team and in
our league. He has the talent. He's just smoothing out his game."

Bates is one of three former Olive Branch stars who are starters in
the SEC. The others are linebackers Allen Walker (26 tackles) of Ole
Miss and K.J. Wright, who has a team-high 47 tackles for Mississippi
State.

"K.J. was dinged up a bit against Georgia Tech a couple of weeks ago,
but he's had a fine year," first-year State coach Dan Mullen said.
"His size and athleticism allow him to create a lot of mismatches."

Memphis flavor

According to the latest depth charts of Southeastern Conference
schools, there are 26 former Memphis-area high school stars either
starting or on second teams. They are:

Alabama: Offensive guard Barrett Jones (ECS)

Arkansas: Defensive end Tenarius Wright (Whitehaven) and cornerback
Greg Gatson (Germantown)

Auburn: Safety Darren Bates (Olive Branch)

Georgia: Wide receiver Marlon Brown (Harding)

Kentucky: Cornerback Martavious Neloms (Fairley) and cornerback Daryl
Faulkner (Whitehaven)

LSU: Placekicker Josh Jasper (Ridgeway) and offensive guard Alex Hurst
(Arlington)

Ole Miss: Cornerback Cassius Vaughn (East), defensive end Greg Hardy
(Briarcrest), linebacker Allen Walker (Olive Branch), offensive tackle
Bradley Sowell (Hernando), deep snapper Preston Powers (Briarcrest),
wide receiver Markeith Summers (Olive Branch) and kicker/punter Justin
Sparks (Briarcrest)

Mississippi State: Linebacker K.J. Wright (Olive Branch)

Tennessee: Defensive end Chris Walker (CBHS), defensive tackle Dan
Williams (East), deep snapper Morgan Cox (ECS), placement holder Bram
Cannon (Briarcrest), tight end Jeff Cottam (Germantown) and linebacker
Greg King (Melrose)

Vanderbilt: Linebacker Chris Marve (White Station), linebacker/deep
snapper John Stokes (MUS) and linebacker DeAndre Jones (MUS)

 

[MikeHamiltonFan]

Thanks blur that was an interesting article. I am still glad Kiffin is doing his own evaluation and is not reaching on instate kids just because they are in state.

When he said in his most recent press conference it is easy to make a travel roster now but will be harder in the future, you got a sense of just how much better this team will be.

Sullins and Reveiz are great stories, but with guys like Juwuan James or maybe Jeff Luc coming in, they are stories that will not happen in the future. We will be too deep and loaded with stars for walk ons to ever become starters. We will look less like we do now talent wise and more like Alabama.

 

[orangeblur]

Thanks blur that was an interesting article. I am still glad Kiffin is doing his own evaluation and is not reaching on instate kids just because they are in state.

When he said in his most recent press conference it is easy to make a travel roster now but will be harder in the future, you got a sense of just how much better this team will be.

Sullins and Reveiz are great stories, but with guys like Juwuan James or maybe Jeff Luc coming in, they are stories that will not happen in the future. We will be too deep and loaded with stars for walk ons to ever become starters. We will look less like we do now talent wise and more like Alabama.

what that article says to me is that the state has talented players...they all might not be viewed as TN types...or guys TN would want....but there are alot of underrated players all across the state...who if given a chance could prove to be productive...