These are sound bites from today's CJP press conference:
"We really addressed a lot of needs in the Early Signing Period." Added two transfers, including Cade Mays, who Pruitt believes is "one of the best offensive linemen in the SEC."
eremy Pruitt on new WR signee Malachi Wideman, who’s a four-star football prospect and four-star basketball prospect: He’s an elite athlete. He could play multiple spots in basketball and probably in football, too. He’s so explosive. -Rucker-
Pruitt: Dee Beckwith "could project to play a number of positions," but to me he's dynamic when the ball is in his hands. We'll give him an opportunity to put the ball in his hands, but he's a fantastic athlete. We're going to give them the opportunity to play basketball here. -247-
Pruitt: We targeted Dee Beckwith really early. He played wildcat QB, safety, linebacker, receiver but when you watch him play he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands. -Volquest-
Jeremy Pruitt says Dee Beckwith and Malachi Wideman will both play basketball.
Pruitt: This is one of the best WR groups in the country.-Volquest-
Pruitt: Jay Graham wanted time be back back at Tennessee. Great character. Good recruiter. Great developer. -Volquest-
Pruitt: With the flexibility Brian Niedermeyer has, moving him to inside LBs coach is going to help our staff.
Pruitt: "I think recruiting, there's a little bit of momentum to it." We won our last six games, seven of our last eight, so we created some momentum on the field, created some momentum in December. I couldn't be happier about the guys we added to this group. -247-
Pruitt: "You always want to start at home base, which is our state." We signed 10 guys from the state in this class. We can recruit anybody across the country. You have to do a good job working from home base out. -247-
Pruitt on the recruiting process: "We're always watching tape trying to rerank our board. ... You always want as much information as possible." -Ubben-
Pruitt: Malachi Wideman in particular, he was pretty set on where he was going to school. He was a guy we targeted early on, but we didn't get much traction there. But once he didn't sign, Chris Weinke did a fantastic job kind of staying the course with him the entire time. -247-
I feel like Chris Weinke did a really good job of staying the course and building the relationship of the past six weeks. On getting the attention of Wideman
#Vols -Wallace-
Pruitt: "When you're recruiting high-school kids, to get the correct information is tough because everybody's not going to the combine." The competition guys are playing against, their age — all these things you have to take into account. -247-
Jeremy Pruitt is asked if Jeremy Banks has been reinstated to the program. "No," he said. -Ubben-
Pruitt: Tee Martin knew Velus Jones Jr. from USC. He's from Mobile, Ala., so this is a lot closer for his family to have an opportunity to come watch him play.
Pruitt: Traditionally, there's not been a lot of players from Mississippi who have been at Tennessee. Will Friend's relationships in Mississippi helped us with Jimmy Holiday. Every time we have a group here in recruiting, Jimmy's in here recruiting. -247-
Pruitt: Between Will Friend and Tee Martin, they did a fantastic job working together to make sure we got Dee Beckwith, and Jim Chaney, also. It's a team effort. -247-