Talked with Crouch's longtime mentor and former coach...
Here's a snippet of what Sam Griner had to say about Crouch's decision to sign with Tennessee...
"Instead of being a part of a program that’s been there, done that, the guys that start the program that make the turn — even when Alabama wasn’t great it was the Julio Jones’ that made it great — so when they come back they are remembered for making it great and what it is now.
That resonated with Q. He believes that this group that’s coming to Tennessee is going to be one you remember forever. They’re going to make something special.
... You have to be able to believe in what you can’t see. There’s no proof in it right now that they’re going to be good. You have to believe in it. It’s a feeling you have to have. That’s what he saw in that last visit. That relief became a reality. This is where I want to be.
That’s hard to do for a lot of kids, but Q is very, very (keen) on critical thinking. He has an ability to think deeper than now. That sucker was playing chess, not checkers. He was thinking moves down the road and that’s what was important."