Losing recruiting battles to Clemson

#1
kkep48

kkep48

PirateVol
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#1
Never thought that Clemson University would be beating out UT for big-time recruits but, guess that's what it is. Wasn't all that long ago when Tennessee could go into South Carolina and pluck away whomever they wanted. Whatever Tommy Bowden is selling must be pretty popular.
 
#2
#2
kkep48 said:
Never thought that Clemson University would be beating out UT for big-time recruits but, guess that's what it is. Wasn't all that long ago when Tennessee could go into South Carolina and pluck away whomever they wanted. Whatever Tommy Bowden is selling must be pretty popular.
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Maybe they're selling the fact that we couldn't recruit their OC?
 
#3
#3
Call me when we lose one of the top players from Tennessee to Clemson. That'll be the day we have a serious problem.

It would have been nice to land KP, but Clemson has been his favorite for a long time.
 
#5
#5
#6
#6
a 2* recruit from Memphis is a sign we are losing ground to Clemson?
 
#7
#7
utvolpj said:
a 2* recruit from Memphis is a sign we are losing ground to Clemson?
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I thought Phil could see through the star ranking and perform his own talent evaluations? Or was it just the Clemson coaches who could saw an All-American, future NFL starter when they looked at Merling?

Clemson coaches have vision.

Tennessee coaches have beer guts.
 
#8
#8
VolunteerHillbilly said:
I thought Phil could see through the star ranking and perform his own talent evaluations? Or was it just the Clemson coaches who could saw an All-American, future NFL starter when they looked at Merling?

Clemson coaches have vision.

Tennessee coaches have beer guts.
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BS.

You would have been the first to bitch about CPF signing a 2 star guy from Memphis.
 
#9
#9
justingroves said:
BS.

You would have been the first to bitch about CPF signing a 2 star guy from Memphis.
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I think you are wrong there pal. I haven't posted anything about the 2* guy who is now committed, although he is not from Memphis. I do my best not to criticize individual players or prospects because they are just kids trying to get an education, and complaining about a specific individual's rating is just that.
 
#10
#10
VolunteerHillbilly said:
I think you are wrong there pal. I haven't posted anything about the 2* guy who is now committed, although he is not from Memphis. I do my best not to criticize individual players or prospects because they are just kids trying to get an education, and complaining about a specific individual's rating is just that.
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Yet you'll complain about where UT ranks among Rival's Top 25?
 
#11
#11
justingroves said:
Yet you'll complain about where UT ranks among Rival's Top 25?
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discussing the class in general, in comparison to the classes that our divisional/conference rivals are amassing is not calling out individual people. Although I do not have access to recruiting service rankings going back to the mid-1990s, I have read that this class will be the worst, rankings wise, in Fulmer's entire tenure at UTK. In the meantime, UGA and UF continue to rack up their usual Top10 classes. Eventually, this is going to bite the Vols in the backside no matter who is coaching the team. I think it is worth discussing.
 
#12
#12
VolunteerHillbilly said:
discussing the class in general, in comparison to the classes that our divisional/conference rivals are amassing is not calling out individual people. Although I do not have access to recruiting service rankings going back to the mid-1990s, I have read that this class will be the worst, rankings wise, in Fulmer's entire tenure at UTK. In the meantime, UGA and UF continue to rack up their usual Top10 classes. Eventually, this is going to bite the Vols in the backside no matter who is coaching the team. I think it is worth discussing.
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So instead of pointing out one guy, you'll just say they all suck before you see them play?

Makes sense.
 
#13
#13
VolunteerHillbilly said:
What about Phillip Merling? Wasn't he a freshman All-American?

yep. projected 2nd rounder in NFL draft this year.

*Phillip*Merling, DE, Clemson - 2008 NFL Draft Scout Profile, Powered by The SportsXchange
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Excellent. Your most recent example is a 2-star commitment from 2004 in the far west side of Tennessee, who committed to Clemson as a tight end.

I'm sold.

Fulmer can take down the border around the state. Tennessee is Tommy Bowden's playground now.
 
#14
#14
Jaytrain5 said:
Fulmer can take down the border around the state. Tennessee is Tommy Bowden's playground now.
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Bowden just gets the crumbs that Saban, Tuberville and Daddy Bowden leave for him. There is no fence around the state. Not around Shelby County. Not around Nashville and it's donut counties. Not even around Knoxville/Alcoa apparently given the past couple of years happenings. This is an open state.
 
#15
#15
VolunteerHillbilly said:
Bowden just gets the crumbs that Saban, Tuberville and Daddy Bowden leave for him. There is no fence around the state. Not around Shelby County. Not around Nashville and it's donut counties. Not even around Knoxville/Alcoa apparently given the past couple of years happenings. This is an open state.
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Alabama, Auburn, FSU, and Clemson have really dominated with all that premium Tennessee talent they've acquired recently.
 
#19
#19
VolunteerHillbilly said:
Tennessee has really dominated with all that premium Tennessee talent they've acquired lately as well, huh? :whistling:
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I never suggested that. Although, I'd say it's fair to point out that UT is the only team that played for a championship this year.

I really don't care if UT signs more than 5 to 7 players each year from the state of Tennessee. This state just doesn't produce enough talent.

For the record, I think the UT staff does a fine job with getting the best instate talent in Knoxville. Sure, some kids get away...some have family ties to other universities, and some have a desire to go far away from home...I'm sure some just don't like UT (Golden Tate)...but, for every Golden Tate, Phillip Merling and Patrick Turner, there's a Eric Berry, Gerald Jones, and Robert Meachem.
 
#20
#20
Jaytrain5 said:
I never suggested that. Although, I'd say it's fair to point out that UT is the only team that played for a championship this year.

I really don't care if UT signs more than 5 to 7 players each year from the state of Tennessee. This state just doesn't produce enough talent.

For the record, I think the UT staff does a fine job with getting the best instate talent in Knoxville. Sure, some kids get away...some have family ties to other universities, and some have a desire to go far away from home...I'm sure some just don't like UT (Golden Tate)...but, for every Golden Tate, Phillip Merling and Patrick Turner, there's a Eric Berry, Gerald Jones, and Robert Meachem.
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not this year there's not. we dont have single commit that comparable to Berry, Jones, or Meachem.
 
#21
#21
kkep48 said:
Never thought that Clemson University would be beating out UT for big-time recruits but, guess that's what it is. Wasn't all that long ago when Tennessee could go into South Carolina and pluck away whomever they wanted. Whatever Tommy Bowden is selling must be pretty popular.
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Beyond the other stuff, why would you have low expectations for Clemson?

They are in a BCS conference that someone will have to step up and take over at some point. I mean the parity of mediocrity can't last forever in the ACC, can it?

Clemson is a good school with a great campus. Its a very good location relative to Greenville and Atlanta without being in a city. They have a great stadium and one of the best traditions in the ACC.

They have a great fan base.

Clemson could be the school that steps out of the crowd in the ACC. Butch Davis is also doing a good job. There seems still not to be any direction or focus in Miami. Who knows about FSU... what a disappointment they aren't keeping players away from UF any more. BC will fade without Ryan. Va Tech can't get over the hump.

Clemson could be a great place to be... especially for a SC kid.
 
#22
#22
rexvol said:
[/B]

not this year there's not. we dont have single commit that comparable to Berry, Jones, or Meachem.
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There are a couple of loyalty commits but not of that kind of promise. Austin Johnson is a good player who is all Vol from the start. A Douglas is a Vol at heart and Bailey seems to be also.

All those guys could make a big impact before its done... You are right that there aren't enough of them though.

Neither Jones nor Meachem was a commit because of family or other ties, were they?
 
#23
#23
sjt18 said:
There are a couple of loyalty commits but not of that kind of promise. Austin Johnson is a good player who is all Vol from the start. A Douglas is a Vol at heart and Bailey seems to be also.

All those guys could make a big impact before its done... You are right that there aren't enough of them though.

Neither Jones nor Meachem was a commit because of family or other ties, were they?
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No.
 
#24
#24
rexvol said:
[/b]

not this year there's not. we dont have single commit that comparable to Berry, Jones, or Meachem.
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Agreed.

However, there's not a single kid in the state of Tennessee (other than Barrett Jones) ranked among the nation's top 150 prospects. And that's my point - there's no reason to complain about losing instate players in 2008 if the instate talent isn't worthy of a UT scholarship. The state doesn't have a Patrick Turner, Brandon Warren, John Henderson, or Gerald Riggs this year. It's not as if UT is losing out on high school all-americans from Tennessee.
 
#25
#25
Jaytrain, the only disagreement I'd have with that is that in off years it might be good to take some risks on instate kids just for the relationships... Spurlock comes to mind. I can't imagine that CPF isn't kicking himself over that kid now.

I understand why they did what they did... but it didn't work out this time.
 
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