Recruiting Forum Football Talk III

[drvenner]

Slay has become the best part of 104.5.

He’s Driving a van to Knoxville Saturday with “Slay’s Boom Boom Room” on the side of it

He is pretty much the only reason I listen to the Sports Animal in Knoxville. I am not sure if "Slay ride" is still on in the mornings, but I would always tune in when I knew he was going to be on.

 

[UTMVol76]

He is pretty much the only reason I listen to the Sports Animal in Knoxville. I am not sure if "Slay ride" is still on in the mornings, but I would always tune in when I knew he was going to be on.

Slay just pops into shows on 104.5 whenever he wants (they gave him a key card). He owns that building!

He and the morning guys are really good, but I love the dynamic he has with Brent and Babs.

 

[Rylee_Vol18]

The key was that Al Wilson wasn’t a linebacker in high school..... the majority of high schools don’t have equal talent across the board.... that’s why quicker, more agile big men end up on defensive line and fatter slower ones end up on offensive line in high school...They also have a tendency to put their stud at running back when at the next level they will be a linebacker...... Recruiting the best players is good practice, imo...... the key is having a coach able to figure out where they will prosper the most..... Pruitt failed at that.

That's 100% not true. I went to school with Al, he most definitely played linebacker. It's a common misconception on here that he only played rb. If memory serves right, he wasn't even the starting rb. Can't remember the guy's name that started but it wasn't Al. Did he play a lot of offense? Yes, but he's always been mostly a defensive player.

 

[pierce60]

I've been impressed with Foster. I was afraid he was going to be another Blaine Bishop.

I hate having to decide between Blaine and Jared Stillman. Holy crap. They make me want to drive into a steel girder.

Anyone who doesn’t talk with a high pitcher screech is better than Blaine Bishop!

I get Bishop is a Titans legend, but Ramon Foster brings the same “former player perspective” and it’s from this decade and his voice isn’t like nails down a chalkboard.

 

[pierce60]

Mike Keith was hosting for a couple days this week. He is an excellent conversationalist and its very apparent he brings command presence into a room.

If you’ve ever met him, he is genuinely one of the nicest people ever! It doesn’t matter who you are, if you want to talk ball he will talk as long as he can. And the guy never forgets anything when it comes to football.

 

[InVOLuntary]

I'll politic you. Abolish daylights savings.

Nooooo! Leave it daylight savings year round. Tennessee passed a bill to do just that. Has to be approved at the federal level so probably in 2121.

 

[Rylee_Vol18]

Al was a running back in HS and was a freaking steam engine. On defense he played linebacker and was a QB for 1 year at Jackson Central Merry

Did you graduate JCM? If so, what year?

 

[Nashvegas31]

That's 100% not true. I went to school with Al, he most definitely played linebacker. It's a common misconception on here that he only played rb. If memory serves right, he wasn't even the starting rb. Can't remember the guy's name that started but it wasn't Al. Did he play a lot of offense? Yes, but he's always been mostly a defensive player.

Believe the RB was Kelly Williams or something like that. They had a crazy one two punch. I was thinking AL was a RB/FB and Saftey in Hs but maybe it was LB.

 

[RikidyBones]

how bout we just make it all DST? across the board.

Nooooo! Leave it daylight savings year round. Tennessee passed a bill to do just that. Has to be approved at the federal level so probably in 2121.

I can compromise. We need to pick one. That's all I champion.

 

[CAVPUT]

Same. As long as you are getting guys that are productive in SOMETHING for you. Whether it be special teams or an occasional touch on offense or just a few snaps here and there. You can get guys like deangelo Gibbs that never sniff the damn field.

I really thought Pruitt had an eye for a player when he saw one. Hoping Heupel and his crew can fare better in that regard. The main difference is that Heupel and his staff were able to find those types at UCF. Of course, Florida has a mother load of recruits to choose from, taking UF, Miami and FSU leftovers won't be the path to success here.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Nooooo! Leave it daylight savings year round. Tennessee passed a bill to do just that. Has to be approved at the federal level so probably in 2121.

Tennessee did that? quite progressive.

 

[Vols4us]

Would love to be able to compare. Never really been much further west in Tennessee than Nashville.

PG's right and you should if you can. Lived a dozen years over that way over in the delta. IMHO - the best.

 

[Nashvegas31]

I really thought Pruitt had an eye for a player when he saw one. Hoping Heupel and his crew can fare better in that regard. The main difference is that Heupel and his staff were able to find those types at UCF. Of course, Florida has a mother load of recruits to choose from, taking UF, Miami and FSU leftovers won't be the path to success here.

I think Pruitt can evaluate and find players. I think he can develop them defensively in his scheme as well under normal circumstances. He had no chance in the pandemic. He was young as a HC as is let alone having no clue how to manage a pandemic in a critical development yr for his team.

Offensively he was a moron apparently meddling too much and didn’t know how to not make his assistants not hate him

He also sucked at keeping his 2nd and 3rd options warm in recruiting. If he missed one number 1 he usually fell to bottom of list since he ignores the others

 

[peaygolf]

Did you graduate JCM? If so, what year?

I didn't go to JCM.

I went to Old Hickory Academy (now USJ) until my Sophomore year, and then to Battle Ground Academy. Graduated in '88
I would go back to Jackson to visit family often. And during his time at Central, I would go watch the Cougars. He was one bad dude.

• Al Wilson (LB, Jackson Central-Merry to Tennessee, 1995) – Wilson was a highly sought-after recruit in the early 1990s as everybody in the Southeastern Conference wanted him to play linebacker or running back for them. Then-Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer even dropped him off at school one day at JCM. A lot of Vol fans’ were at ease on the day he announced his commitment and put his signature on the paper sending him to Knoxville.

 

[Cosmo Kramer]

The three best things in West Tennessee for are:
1) BBQ
2) Hunting (deer, duck, or turkey)
3) The Hernado de Soto Bridge.....................It's gets you out of Memphis on I40



PS/Edit: I can say that because I'm a 9th Generation West Tennessean Don't want offend anyone

West TN sucks

 

[UTMVol76]

I didn't go to JCM.

I went to Old Hickory Academy (now USJ) until my Sophomore year, and then to Battle Ground Academy. Graduated in '88
I would go back to Jackson to visit family often. And during his time at Central, I would go watch the Cougars. He was one bad dude.

• Al Wilson (LB, Jackson Central-Merry to Tennessee, 1995) – Wilson was a highly sought-after recruit in the early 1990s as everybody in the Southeastern Conference wanted him to play linebacker or running back for them. Then-Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer even dropped him off at school one day at JCM. A lot of Vol fans’ were at ease on the day he announced his commitment and put his signature on the paper sending him to Knoxville.

You think Al and Phil stopped and had a chicken biscuit on the way to school?

 

[UTMVol76]

West TN sucks

There are much worse places in the US, but compared to the rest of the state, I agree.

 

[volbeast33]

Believe the RB was Kelly Williams or something like that. They had a crazy one two punch. I was thinking AL was a RB/FB and Saftey in Hs but maybe it was LB.

I was just going by the newspaper articles do that article listed him as RB/safety but my point wasn’t about Al just that many times the position a guy plays in high school is not his best position in college.

 

[Nashvegas31]

I was just going by the newspaper articles do that article listed him as RB/safety but my point wasn’t about Al just that many times the position a guy plays in high school is not his best position in college.

Agree unfortunately these days harder to get kids to try new positions without them jumping in the portal first. I have wondered how Tank would look at LB and Taylor at Saftey but we don’t have enough corner or safety depth for that kind of move.

 

[Volnatic]

My wife and I like Havana Rumba in Middletown. Cuban food. Plantains, sweet potatoes, and pork. Tasty food and very different from what I’m used to. Not spicy really. Also Jack Fry’s, Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse, and Proof on Main.

Ate at the one on Bardstown Road last night. Jack Fry's and Jeff Ruby's also highly recommended

 

[Vols4us]

Agree unfortunately these days harder to get kids to try new positions without them jumping in the portal first. I have wondered how Tank would look at LB and Taylor at Saftey but we don’t have enough corner or safety depth for that kind of move.

I share that exact same view. If Taylor had to switch from his natural receiver position, it should have been to S. He does not have the great CB quick twitch change of direction for man coverage that is needed to excel. But he does have the quick recognition, straight-line speed, strong physical tackler, and good hands of a S. To this point Tank would make a perfect Will style LB at the right weight. JMO.

But depth issues and breaking habits would probably rule it out.

 

[Weezer]

What in tarnation...

Be honest...you got a little turned on.

 

[Smokeytom]

I know there's a lot of Kesling haters on here, but he just spent the last hour (same as my drive ugh) on 104.5 with Ramon Foster and team and it was very enjoyable. Great information on this current team, differences betweeen CJH and CJP, and great stories from the old days.

He’s great when reporting or just chatting. He just sucks at calling games

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I think Pruitt can evaluate and find players. I think he can develop them defensively in his scheme as well under normal circumstances. He had no chance in the pandemic. He was young as a HC as is let alone having no clue how to manage a pandemic in a critical development yr for his team.

Offensively he was a moron apparently meddling too much and didn’t know how to not make his assistants not hate him

He also sucked at keeping his 2nd and 3rd options warm in recruiting. If he missed one number 1 he usually fell to bottom of list since he ignores the others

I thought Pruitt was a very good defensive mind and prove it at his stop overs at Alabama, Georgia and Florida State. I also realize that he had outstanding talent at each of those stopovers which helped in creating his reputation. He had a high hand in shaping Tennessee's defensive scheme and recruiting defensive players. He never recruited the same talent at Tennessee which he had at his previous coaching stopovers. The results at Tennessee never began to reach the same levels which he had earlier. I think a lot of that was talent, but his schemes still were becoming out dated , especially for the new spread type offenses. I was a big supporter of him when he was named our Head Coach. I now realized he never had a chance to bring us when we need to be.
I think we finally have an AD and HC who can improve our football program. I also realize that we have a very long and tough road to travel before we can field a team that will be competitive with Alabama Georgia, Florida and maybe LSU.. However, we are now in a position to begin that surge to become a force in the SEC. Don't give up and look forward to the future. We will get there.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

no politics.