'20 TN DE Jay Hardy (Auburn commit)

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Early Signing Period needs to die. I know it would be difficult with all the early enrollees but it’s too easy to manipulate the system and falls right in bowl season when coaches have a lot more to worry about.

Or move it to August.

 

[UTMVol76]

Or move it to August.

I like that idea.

It would be lower percent rate of signees vs December and would be heaviest focus on EEs. I think it would make for two fun events where this current setup makes February stink.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

So, all the AV hand wringing and coaches should have know BS aside, let’s put on our Lawyer/Investigator caps and look at the facts:

1. Hardy verbally committed to Auburn.
2. Media reports state that if Hardy doesn’t sign NLI in December this will be an indication that he would be a target to flip for UT.
3. ENSD passes and Hardy doesn’t appear to sign with Auburn by his and their accounts. NLI site is checked and verified that his name is not there on deadline of last day.
4. Reports are made Auburn coaches are unhappy with him not signing. (Not fact but mentioning reporting)
5. Hardy is interviewed last week when team has BB game in Knoxville and he outlined how the Vols can flip him. BTW, uses opportunity to passive aggressively slam CTR which led to hours and days of “he sucks” in here.
6. Coaches attend his BB game the other night and Hardy supposedly slips out the back. Why do coaches even go to game if they know?
7. Players and commits are still actively recruiting Hardy.
8. Price calls out Hardy and screenshot of the NLI signing appear, though no one knows when it was on the site.

This. We can debate merits of Coach Rocker, but I would feel horrible if this kid’s recruitment enters into any decision about his future on this staff. Probably more BS from Garner trying to elbow out a competitor.

 

[rocky top buzz]

Early Signing Period needs to die. I know it would be difficult with all the early enrollees but it’s too easy to manipulate the system and falls right in bowl season when coaches have a lot more to worry about.

I think it needs to be limited. Perhaps 10 players so you can lock in your top recruits. Or perhaps make ESD non binding, meaning if you sign other coaches can no longer contact you but you can sign elsewhere in February. The early signing period is killing teams when there is a coaching change.

 

[VOLSONLY]

Rumor on VQ is that our staff is saying he got paid $75k from Auburn.

Man this is getting good

 

[white65]

I know kids are different these days but we don't need a troll like this kid. Continuing to establish a hardworking and winning culture is gonna be easier without this loser.

I hope he matures and does well but he don't seem worth it at the moment.

 

[UTMVol76]

View attachment 255217
Man this is getting good

They will never prove it out, Auburn is too good at it at this point. Wouldn’t waste much energy here.

 

[BaldBiker]

This. We can debate merits of Coach Rocker, but I would feel horrible if this kid’s recruitment enters into any decision about his future on this staff. Probably more BS from Garner trying to elbow out a competitor.

Look at the way Tennessee's DL improved this year. Anyone missing one eye and half blind in the other should be able to see it. If Rocker's trend of development continues on this path, I won't care if he ever "speaks" to a recruit. His on field production will speak for itself.

 

[UTMVol76]

Look at the way Tennessee's DL improved this year. Anyone missing one eye and half blind in the other should be able to see it. If Rocker's trend of development continues on this path, I won't care if he ever "speaks" to a recruit. His on field production will speak for itself.

Exactly. When word came out on Goodens ACL tear (combined with Solomans ineligibility at the time), I thought we’d be lucky to hold anyone under 7 ypr. He did a phenomenal job this year.

 

[Volfansince1980]

Look at the way Tennessee's DL improved this year. Anyone missing one eye and half blind in the other should be able to see it. If Rocker's trend of development continues on this path, I won't care if he ever "speaks" to a recruit. His on field production will speak for itself.

Not to mention everyone seems to skate over the fact that we got 3 highly rated D-linemen this cycle, 4 if you count Joseph.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Look at the way Tennessee's DL improved this year. Anyone missing one eye and half blind in the other should be able to see it. If Rocker's trend of development continues on this path, I won't care if he ever "speaks" to a recruit. His on field production will speak for itself.

Agreed. If we need more recruiting juice, there are other guys I’d replace first. We were legitimately wearing teams down in the 2nd half...with a bunch of guys with no experience playing at UT. They will do even better this year with Gooden, Simmons, Thomas, and D Bailey in the rotation. Baron may be an OLB/DE hybrid.

 

[BaldBiker]

Exactly. When word came out on Goodens ACL tear (combined with Solomans ineligibility at the time), I thought we’d be lucky to hold anyone under 7 ypr. He did a phenomenal job this year.

Yep. The DL didn't look very promising at the beginning of the season. Rocker has to get most of the credit for the turn around. He took JUCOS, transfers (and lost a couple of them to injury) and several fairly inexperienced young men, who didn't have but a couple of months in his defensive line and turned them into a solid DL.

 

[tn4elvis]

Exactly. When word came out on Goodens ACL tear (combined with Solomans ineligibility at the time), I thought we’d be lucky to hold anyone under 7 ypr. He did a phenomenal job this year.

Some times your best teachers are not your best recruiters. Chavis was a good example of this.Great lb coach a developer of talent. Average recruiter at best. If you can ever get both in the same guy .You have something special.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

As a father of two sons I have often told them a man's word is the most important thing you have in life. Your race, religion, wealth; none of that matters. The poorest man in life can give you his word and follow through with it - it makes him as rich as anyone else on this green earth.

The way it should be!

 

[BaldBiker]

Agreed. If we need more recruiting juice, there are other guys I’d replace first. We were legitimately wearing teams down in the 2nd half...with a bunch of guys with no experience playing at UT. They will do even better this year with Gooden, Simmons, Thomas, and D Bailey in the rotation.

^This^

Could have saved myself some typing in my last post.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Yep. The DL didn't look very promising at the beginning of the season. Rocker has to get most of the credit for the turn around. He took JUCOS, transfers (and lost a couple of them to injury) and several fairly inexperienced young men, who didn't have but a couple of months in his defensive line and turned them into a solid DL.

The new guys can develop and earn playing time. We don’t need this guy.

 

[UTMVol76]

Some times your best teachers are not your best recruiters. Chavis was a good example of this.Great lb coach a developer of talent. Average recruiter at best. If you can ever get both in the same guy .You have something special.

I’ve always said I’d take a solely great developer over a solely great recruiter.

An elite recruiter and developer is rare and they deserve every penny they earn.

 

[BaldBiker]

The new guys can develop and earn playing time. We don’t need this guy.

Exactly

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Exactly. When word came out on Goodens ACL tear (combined with Solomans ineligibility at the time), I thought we’d be lucky to hold anyone under 7 ypr. He did a phenomenal job this year.

Agreed. The DL won us the Kentucky game. Not just on that last play.

 

[butchna]

Look at the way Tennessee's DL improved this year. Anyone missing one eye and half blind in the other should be able to see it. If Rocker's trend of development continues on this path, I won't care if he ever "speaks" to a recruit. His on field production will speak for itself.

The conspiracy theorist in me could see that was what Auburn was trolling...their alum. They have the super relationship building recruiter but a mediocre teacher and developer. Word gets around that Rocker prepares you better and the higher rated big uglies take notice. Float that a recruit (already signed) would pick UT if not for the position coach?

 

[UTMVol76]

The conspiracy theorist in me could see that was what Auburn was trolling...their alum. They have the super relationship building recruiter but a mediocre teacher and developer. Word gets around that Rocker prepares you better and the higher rated big uglies take notice. Float that a recruit (already signed) would pick UT if not for the position coach?

I, for one, believe in conspiracies and this sounds plausible to me.

 

[BaldBiker]

The conspiracy theorist in me could see that was what Auburn was trolling...their alum. They have the super relationship building recruiter but a mediocre teacher and developer. Word gets around that Rocker prepares you better and the higher rated big uglies take notice. Float that a recruit (already signed) would pick UT if not for the position coach?

Wouldn't be a surprise to me at all if it were to come out that this is what happened.

 

[ALLVOL24/7/365]

He better step it up if he wants to be a engineer and play football. Doubt any engineering professors will give free passes for being on the football team..

Remember this is Auburn we are talking about. He wont even have to show up for classes to pass with 3.75 or better. The people at the cabin in the woods will make sure of that with the professors. They are going to keep the players “eligible” at AU no matter the cost.

 

[UTMVol76]

Agreed. The DL won us the Kentucky game. Not just on that last play.

Our development across the board this year was prodigious outside of QB where there was an obvious lid on the talent level. Everywhere else the development was A+.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

The conspiracy theorist in me could see that was what Auburn was trolling...their alum. They have the super relationship building recruiter but a mediocre teacher and developer. Word gets around that Rocker prepares you better and the higher rated big uglies take notice. Float that a recruit (already signed) would pick UT if not for the position coach?

$5 says that Garner and Rocker have a history and Garner wants to see Rocker gone. Either by recruiting perception or narrative that we were the dirty ones here.