'19 NC RB Quavaris Crouch (Tennessee signee)

#4,705
#4,705
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR TENNESSEE?

Crouch’s signatures means a lot for the Vols.

First and foremost, Crouch fills a real need on the roster as an outside linebacker/pass rusher. Crouch will play that outside spot leaving the January linebacker focus on some inside backers were the Vols also have a need.

Crouch has the ability to rush the passer as an edge presence in Jeremy Pruitt’s scheme. And as Friedman noted above, if defense doesn’t pan out Crouch could provide immediate help at running back.

The bottom line is that if Crouch is 100 percent healthy (he's recovering from a hip injury), Crouch can help immediately and Tennessee is getting a very talented athlete. Earlier this year he was talented enough to be the No. 1 player in the country, according to rivals.com

Crouch is also important because Tennessee just landed the top-ranked player in North Carolina, a state that is very much in the Vols footprint. Pruitt and his staff have made the Charlotte area a priority and through the years when the Vols have been at their best it’s been with a roster that had an impact from guys in the Tar Heel State. Tennessee will continue to recruiting North Carolina hard and on the field success from guys like Crouch and Tyus Fields would certainly help.

Finally, Crouch is big in the perception department. Tennessee just beat out a playoff team head-to-head for Crouch’s signature. Pruitt and Brian Neidermeyer closed the deal. It’s a huge recruiting win coming off a 5-7 season. It sends a message that this Vol staff has a chance to land basically anyone and by signing Crouch it shows other recruits that Tennessee is moving in the right direction.
Click to expand...

-VQ
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaagerVol, LynxVol, quadlee21 and 27 others
#4,707
#4,707
giphy.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wolfeman_Vol, Jack Burton, Big Orange Rock and 2 others
#4,714
#4,714
Crouch will likely play outside linebacker for Tennessee, but the blue-chip athlete certainly is capable of dazzling as a tailback, too. He could see a very similar role to former UCLA two-way star Myles Jack. Although Crouch missed the majority of his senior season recovering from hip labrum surgery, the Charlotte native was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 after leading Harding to its first state title since 1953. As a junior, Crouch rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns, adding 14 sacks as a pass rusher. Crouch will attend the All-American Bowl and then enroll early at Tennessee.
Click to expand...
-VQ
 
  • Like
Reactions: quadlee21, BornToBleedOrange, T Dog and 9 others
#4,721
#4,721
“I feel like they’re a program that needs someone to help turn it around. I feel like me going there could really jumpstart it and get it back to what Tennessee used to be,” Crouch previously told VolQuest.

“You look back at history, Tennessee was one of the teams to beat. I feel like coach P(ruitt) over there is going to make a change and I feel like me impacting either side would help out a ton.”

Crouch concludes a very profitable last two days for the Vols, as Pruitt & Co., inked Crouch, 4-star tailback Eric Gray and former 5-star tackle and Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon. Tennessee finishes the early signing period with 19 signees.

The Charlotte native flirted with Tennessee for months and the Vols held some early momentum during the summer. Crouch took multiple trips to Knoxville, but by the time the season rolled around, Clemson sat in the cat-bird seat. Even after Crouch watched the Vols upset No. 11 Kentucky during his official visit in November, many still considered the 6-3, 225-pound athlete a strong Tigers lean.

That all changed a week ago, though.

Pruitt, along with lead recruiters Brian Niedermeyer and Chris Rumph, got the final in-home visit with Crouch last Thursday. The 4-star athlete then took a quiet, unofficial visit to Tennessee right before the dead period, spending the weekend hangout out with a slew of commits and friend/fellow top target 5-star tackle Darnell Wright.

In a flash, Crouch’s recruitment turned upside down, as Tennessee entered the early signing period will all the juice. As the week unfolded, it was unclear if Crouch would simply sign and announce his final decision to wait to go public at the All-American Bowl in Texas on Jan. 5.

The Harding University School star opted to simply shut it down and announce his intentions to play college ball for the Vols. “I just believe in what coach Pruitt is preaching and that he can change the program,” Crouch told VolQuest following his official visit. “You see improvement. You see that they just need more players. The schemes work. Coach Pruitt coached at Alabama. He learned from coach (Nick) Saban. He knows what he's doing. He just needs the players to do it.”

Crouch will likely play outside linebacker for Tennessee, but the blue-chip athlete certainly is capable of dazzling as a tailback, too. He could see a very similar role to former UCLA two-way star Myles Jack. Although Crouch missed the majority of his senior season recovering from hip labrum surgery, the Charlotte native was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 after leading Harding to its first state title since 1953. As a junior, Crouch rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns, adding 14 sacks as a pass rusher.

Crouch will attend the All-American Bowl and then enroll early at Tennessee.
Click to expand...

-VQ
 
  • Like
Reactions: BornToBleedOrange, nicksjuzunk, T Dog and 15 others
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top