Vols land 5-star WR Mike Matthews!!!!

[615vols]

This commit raises our Rivals ranking to 9, but our average is 3.82 (only 17 commits), third behind Ohio State and Georgia. Elite stuff.

We’re about to add another 4* linebacker tomorrow too

 

[GVF]

The kid runs track. My guess is he’s a true speedster…down near an unofficial and unpublished 4.2. Just a wild guess. I hope he has enough awareness to know who Willie Gault is and tracks him down to ask a few questions about speed on the field.

Technique increases speed. I was 4 years behind Gault in HS and had the same track coaches he had and also sprinted. Only because I despised distance running, and wanted to be fast (for baseball). I was a sprinter of the caucasion persuasion, so I never really got to run in any meaningful meets, and they knew I'd move on out to baseball anyway so they tolerated me. But, the fact they tweaked my running mechanics and got me down to a 4.6-40 and a 21.2-200 taught me there was as much skill in improving speed as there was improving performance in any other sport. A true speedster like Gault that could blaze trails on the track and the gridiron is always at full speed in no more than 3 strides. We were always pushed to be at full speed in that short a time.

As much a fan of Gault I've always been, having known him early in life, always been a little disappointed he hasn't ever really put time back into UT. As far as i'm aware of anyway. Not even sure he has ever visited home all that often.

 

[butchna]

I was so jaded that I was OK with it at the time. Not bc I thought CJH was the guy, but I figured it couldn't be any worse.
I would love to see a poll from that time of those who would have taken Heupel or Frost. That would be embarrassing. Danny White hired by UT was like landing a 2,000# marlin with a Zebco202 from a WalMart kayak. And not a soul knew it at the time.

By 2020? Frost wasn’t on any list. Now 2017, I’d have hated to lose him to Florida if they had landed their first choice (Chip Kelly 2nd for them).

 

[Caz]

11.57 100 meters

Michael Matthews - Stats

Great information. Thanks!

 

[Remy]

DD, where my exploding parakeet boom at?!?!?!? I need it babeeeeeeee!

 

[VolNExile]

DD, where my exploding parakeet boom at?!?!?!? I need it babeeeeeeee!

Can I fill in the gap for now?

 

[livefaith]

By 2020? Frost wasn’t on any list. Now 2017, I’d have hated to lose him to Florida if they had landed their first choice (Chip Kelly 2nd for them).

My point was that Frost looked like there home run and Heupel looked like the leftovers from UCF. That's all.

 

[Hank Bukowski]

Technique increases speed. I was 4 years behind Gault in HS and had the same track coaches he had and also sprinted. Only because I despised distance running, and wanted to be fast (for baseball). I was a sprinter of the caucasion persuasion, so I never really got to run in any meaningful meets, and they knew I'd move on out to baseball anyway so they tolerated me. But, the fact they tweaked my running mechanics and got me down to a 4.6-40 and a 21.2-200 taught me there was as much skill in improving speed as there was improving performance in any other sport. A true speedster like Gault that could blaze trails on the track and the gridiron is always at full speed in no more than 3 strides. We were always pushed to be at full speed in that short a time.

As much a fan of Gault I've always been, having known him early in life, always been a little disappointed he hasn't ever really put time back into UT. As far as i'm aware of anyway. Not even sure he has ever visited home all that often.

Wow…thanks for this. Gault and Anthony Hancock and other WRs of that era were my heroes. I remember reading about Gault’s commitment to getting faster. As I recall, he was very much dedicated to learning the mechanics of running and how to shave milliseconds off his time. He actually spent a lot of time studying it…how to get the most out of his body. Also, as I recall, his commitment paid off. Later, when he was with the Bears, I recall him taking ballet lessons for the same reason…always pushing himself and training his body to produce more and more.

I too can’t really understand his conspicuous absence from the program. No idea why. But it’s disappointing. I mean, he was one of the original founders of Wide Receiver U. I would LOVE to hear about him spending time in our WR room and out on the field with them.

 

[GVF]

Wow…thanks for this. Gault and Anthony Hancock and other WRs of that era were my heroes. I remember reading about Gault’s commitment to getting faster. As I recall, he was very much dedicated to learning the mechanics of running and how to shave milliseconds off his time. He actually spent a lot of time studying it…how to get the most out of his body. Also, as I recall, his commitment paid off. Later, when he was with the Bears, I recall him taking ballet lessons for the same reason…always pushing himself and training his body to produce more and more.

I too can’t really understand his conspicuous absence from the program. No idea why. But it’s disappointing. I mean, he was one of the original founders of Wide Receiver U. I would LOVE to hear about him spending time in our WR room and out on the field with them.

My only guess as to why Gault has been absent from any knowledgeable post career support that is known of with the NFL, UT or GHS, is that he was and has always been private and quiet. Google only turns up limited info on Willie Gault, and most are archived films and brief interviews. He may have worked with young sprinters in the track clubs out there. Who knows. But, he has never pursued coaching, or been a continuing figure at his alama maters. Not publically anyway. Gault has spent his post pro career in LA. For years co-cponsored a golf event down in Mexico. His ex-wife, her twin, and my sister were good friends in HS and on homecoming court together. Willie was always a standup guy. Great family and just good people. He's had bit pieces here and there in acting as well. His commitment to So Cal all these years mostly has been access to continued training and Masters age bracketed track. His last posted recorded 100m I saw (2018) was around 11.5s (World #2). His committment to training and body remains impeccable, and he is every bit the genetic freak Hershel Walker is. The only meat he rarely eats is fish.

I never personally ran or trained with him back in HS. As JV tracksters, we were not allowed on the track when they showed up. His speed on film did no justice to watching him run in person. I was never on any radar for speed stardom though I wanted it badly. not even on my own driveway. I considered a 4.6 fast, but in a crowd of athletes, it was merely average at best. But, watching him run, and being coached by the same coaches on sprinting mechanics, I did manage to shave it down from probably a 5.2 to that 4.6.

 

[GVF]

Wow…thanks for this. Gault and Anthony Hancock and other WRs of that era were my heroes. I remember reading about Gault’s commitment to getting faster. As I recall, he was very much dedicated to learning the mechanics of running and how to shave milliseconds off his time. He actually spent a lot of time studying it…how to get the most out of his body. Also, as I recall, his commitment paid off. Later, when he was with the Bears, I recall him taking ballet lessons for the same reason…always pushing himself and training his body to produce more and more.

I too can’t really understand his conspicuous absence from the program. No idea why. But it’s disappointing. I mean, he was one of the original founders of Wide Receiver U. I would LOVE to hear about him spending time in our WR room and out on the field with them.

Little more tidbit info...When Gault elected to pass on track and the Olympics coming up in '84, it was more a tactical decision at the time. Yes, he was blistering fast. But, once he got deeper into international track and facing the Olympics, he probably realized he was not going to be the fastest and the odds of him being an olympic champion sprinter were not going to fall his way. Not sure he would have even medaled against the international sprinters of the day. So, he took the $1 mil signing bonus and decided to be the fastest in the NFL. He did make his way back into the olympics team as a bob sledder (Alternate 1984), probably leading the way for sprinter types to join 4 man teams to provide aid in take off speed. And later on since the genetic Gods were in his favor, he started entering age bracketed Masters events each time he hit the 5 year bracket. So, at age 45, 50, and 55 he would enter a Masters event and set his world record sprinting that way. So, from age 45-59, he was the fastest man in the world in those three age brackets for 15 years running. He had his time, and when it was over, he raised his family and they are grounded and accomplished in their own rights. His oldest Gabe was the lead artist on the worlds largest mural in toledo. He is still regarded as one of the 6 fastest NFL players of all time, but Ron Brown and Darrell Green were faster. Gault never won NFL's fastest man title. What makes him such a speed legend in my mind is that his body has always been clean. Anything he ever accomplished was purely natural. THe way it should be. No PED's or anything that shouldn't be there. His personal best ever 10.1 100m and 13.2 110 high hurdles was rare in his day. Sprinters now are almost full second faster. One thing you rarely see is as a HS senior he was the fastest man in GA with a 9.9 100 yard. And 4 years later Ronnie Dennis from my class repeated that title from GHS and broke willie's record with a 9.8. To my knowledge, those are still the two fastest 100 yard times in GA HS history before sprinting converted to meters.

 

[swampfoxfan]

Maybe BVS but I didn't believe 100% we would get him. This makes up for a lot of 2nd place finishes. 5 stars all over the place don't mean as much as 5 stars in the right places , at least to my way of thinking.

 

[hndog609]

He is still regarded as one of the 6 fastest NFL players of all time, but Ron Brown and Darrell Green were faster.

I think there's two classifications for "fastest" players. There's guys that were stupid fast that managed to suit up play and then there were guys that were stupid fast and had legit NFL careers. To the best of my knowledge these are the vettably (meaning verified track 100m times) fastest NFL players ever.

9.95
Jim Hines- Lots of people forget that the first man to ever break the 10 sec 100m mark played in the NFL. By "played" he was one of the "suit up" guys mentioned earlier though.

10.00
Trindon Holiday- bounced around 6 different teams and had some success as a returner but his career wasn't particularly notable.
Cliff Branch*- the asterisk is because there's some debate about how official that 10.00 is but at any rate he was a legit burner and legit player.

10.01
Jeff Demps- put on a uniform a couple times and that's about it
Jacoby Ford- better than Demps but his whole career stats would equal one decent receiver's year.

10.06
Ron Brown- pretty solid career as a returner and even caught some passes from time to time but wasn't anything special.
Bob "Bullet" Hayes- took his Olympic Gold to the NFL and went on to the Hall of Fame. The benchmark of being super fast and super good at football.

10.07
Alvis Whitted-very quietly parlayed his speed into a 9 year career that garnered just under 2700y receiving, rushing and returning.

10.08
Darrel Green- behind Hayes (at least IMO) the best actual football player to be in this class of speed and another HOF inductee.

10.09
Sam Graddy- our first Vol on the list took his '84 Olympic100m Silver and 4x100 Gold to the NFL and despite no great laurels managed a 5yr stint between the Broncos and Raiders.

10.10
Willie Gault-we all know the story here.

Special mention of another Vol, Leonard Scott. Though never playing in the NFL to follow professional track his 9.91 is, I believe, the fastest time ever run by anyone that played legitimate big time football at the collegiate or pro level.

Hope this didn't take us too far off topic but I grew up fascinated by all things fast. (athletes, cars, girls, etc)

 

[Hank Bukowski]

Little more tidbit info...When Gault elected to pass on track and the Olympics coming up in '84, it was more a tactical decision at the time. Yes, he was blistering fast. But, once he got deeper into international track and facing the Olympics, he probably realized he was not going to be the fastest and the odds of him being an olympic champion sprinter were not going to fall his way. Not sure he would have even medaled against the international sprinters of the day. So, he took the $1 mil signing bonus and decided to be the fastest in the NFL. He did make his way back into the olympics team as a bob sledder (Alternate 1984), probably leading the way for sprinter types to join 4 man teams to provide aid in take off speed. And later on since the genetic Gods were in his favor, he started entering age bracketed Masters events each time he hit the 5 year bracket. So, at age 45, 50, and 55 he would enter a Masters event and set his world record sprinting that way. So, from age 45-59, he was the fastest man in the world in those three age brackets for 15 years running. He had his time, and when it was over, he raised his family and they are grounded and accomplished in their own rights. His oldest Gabe was the lead artist on the worlds largest mural in toledo. He is still regarded as one of the 6 fastest NFL players of all time, but Ron Brown and Darrell Green were faster. Gault never won NFL's fastest man title. What makes him such a speed legend in my mind is that his body has always been clean. Anything he ever accomplished was purely natural. THe way it should be. No PED's or anything that shouldn't be there. His personal best ever 10.1 100m and 13.2 110 high hurdles was rare in his day. Sprinters now are almost full second faster. One thing you rarely see is as a HS senior he was the fastest man in GA with a 9.9 100 yard. And 4 years later Ronnie Dennis from my class repeated that title from GHS and broke willie's record with a 9.8. To my knowledge, those are still the two fastest 100 yard times in GA HS history before sprinting converted to meters.

Dude…thank you for this! Brought back many memories. I remember most of what you wrote about Willie’s career. Willie made his name in Tennessee football and then in the NFL.

Every current WR and DB on our roster needs to read this! Willie’s dedication to his craft made him one of the best ever…a great example for all our players for whom true speed matters.

 

[LordVOLdemort]

I think recruiting is about to explode with the last few takes now that the ncaa has passed punishment.

How many more can we take? I wonder how the restrictions will affect this year’s numbers.

 

[Remy]

I think there's two classifications for "fastest" players. There's guys that were stupid fast that managed to suit up play and then there were guys that were stupid fast and had legit NFL careers. To the best of my knowledge these are the vettably (meaning verified track 100m times) fastest NFL players ever.

9.95
Jim Hines- Lots of people forget that the first man to ever break the 10 sec 100m mark played in the NFL. By "played" he was one of the "suit up" guys mentioned earlier though.

10.00
Trindon Holiday- bounced around 6 different teams and had some success as a returner but his career wasn't particularly notable.
Cliff Branch*- the asterisk is because there's some debate about how official that 10.00 is but at any rate he was a legit burner and legit player.

10.01
Jeff Demps- put on a uniform a couple times and that's about it
Jacoby Ford- better than Demps but his whole career stats would equal one decent receiver's year.

10.06
Ron Brown- pretty solid career as a returner and even caught some passes from time to time but wasn't anything special.
Bob "Bullet" Hayes- took his Olympic Gold to the NFL and went on to the Hall of Fame. The benchmark of being super fast and super good at football.

10.07
Alvis Whitted-very quietly parlayed his speed into a 9 year career that garnered just under 2700y receiving, rushing and returning.

10.08
Darrel Green- behind Hayes (at least IMO) the best actual football player to be in this class of speed and another HOF inductee.

10.09
Sam Graddy- our first Vol on the list took his '84 Olympic100m Silver and 4x100 Gold to the NFL and despite no great laurels managed a 5yr stint between the Broncos and Raiders.

10.10
Willie Gault-we all know the story here.

Special mention of another Vol, Leonard Scott. Though never playing in the NFL to follow professional track his 9.91 is, I believe, the fastest time ever run by anyone that played legitimate big time football at the collegiate or pro level.

Hope this didn't take us too far off topic but I grew up fascinated by all things fast. (athletes, cars, girls, etc)

Wasn't one of the Berry brothers a junior Olympic sprint champion? I'm surprised he's not on here somewhere.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I think recruiting is about to explode with the last few takes now that the ncaa has passed punishment.

How many more can we take? I wonder how the restrictions will affect this year’s numbers.

I'm guessing around 5 more if we're going to impose a 2 Scholarship reduction this year. That is, of course, unless we sign some "preferred walkons" and cover their scholarships via NIL money. I'm not sure if that's a loophole we can exploit. We're currently at 18 commits.

One thing's for sure, we really need to focus these last few spots on shoring up the interior D-Line and the O-Line. I know we are after CB Cai Bates pretty hard but the rest of the empty spots need to go towards the LOS. Not sure why we are seemingly struggling at recruiting those two positions right now.

 

[hndog609]

Wasn't one of the Berry brothers a junior Olympic sprint champion? I'm surprised he's not on here somewhere.

Evan won a GA 5A 100m title but his PR was a 10.57. Fast to be sure but not in the class of those being cited.

 

[posivol]

out of the whole class this is the kid i wanted the most.

 

[GVF]

Evan won a GA 5A 100m title but his PR was a 10.57. Fast to be sure but not in the class of those being cited.

Yeah. 10.5 is certainly fast. But he’s not in world class speed territory like the ones that were highlighted.
the last true world class speedster was Justin Gatlin and he was track only and tainted his rep.

 

[VFL1953]

Huge recruiting win for the vols! Chose Tennessee over Georgia, Clemson, and Southern California.

Getting a pipeline into Parkview would be huge. The NFL is littered with former Parkview guys, not to mention my beloved Atlanta Braves (Matt Olson, Jeff Francouer). The Parkview program is legendary in the Atlanta area, and adding Parkview guys could only help recruiting in Georgia.

 

[hndog609]

Yeah. 10.5 is certainly fast. But he’s not in world class speed territory like the ones that were highlighted.
the last true world class speedster was Justin Gatlin and he was track only and tainted his rep.

You're forgetting Christian Coleman.

 

[LordVOLdemort]

I'm guessing around 5 more if we're going to impose a 2 Scholarship reduction this year. That is, of course, unless we sign some "preferred walkons" and cover their scholarships via NIL money. I'm not sure if that's a loophole we can exploit. We're currently at 18 commits.

One thing's for sure, we really need to focus these last few spots on shoring up the interior D-Line and the O-Line. I know we are after CB Cai Bates pretty hard but the rest of the empty spots need to go towards the LOS. Not sure why we are seemingly struggling at recruiting those two positions right now.

If I had to guess, I’d say a big issue with LOS is the negative recruiting regarding our speed of play on offense and our time on the field for defense bc of our offensive speed. Heup said at SEC Media days that the defense on the field was a point he’d heard and that we were actually ranked 38th in defended possessions.

 

[OrangeTsar]

My point was that Frost looked like there home run and Heupel looked like the leftovers from UCF. That's all.

Yup, I thought it was AD White „settling“ for what he could get after all of the top picks turned us down.
Ps, speaking of coaches who turned us down (in this case more than once), anyone else really want a chance to pulverize Mike Gundy and Oklahoma Sate some day?