Now real work begins for Tennessee football recruits
KNOXVILLE — Tennessee has been here before.
With Wednesday’s national signing day for college football behind them, the Volunteers boast a class that ranked among the top dozen in the nation. As Jeremy Pruitt prepares for his second season as coach, there is enough incoming talent to get fans excited about what’s ahead for the program — one that,
while rich in history, is 55-57 this decade and is the only Southeastern Conference member without a 10-win season in that span.
The Vols have been in a position this promising as recently as 2015, when Butch Jones signed the fourth-best class in the country, a group that included one five-star recruit, 15 with four stars and 12 with three stars. Coming off a seven-win season, it appeared the building blocks were there for the Vols to be back on the right track.
That never materialized. Tennessee did win nine games in both 2015 and 2016, but since then the Vols have won a total of nine, with only two against SEC competition. That fourth-ranked recruiting class, filled with talented athletes ready to continue the momentum, has had 13 of its 29 members elect to transfer out. That includes offensive lineman Drew Richmond and linebacker Austin Smith, who are currently in the NCAA transfer portal, which means other teams can contact them.
Not a single player signed in that class has made an AllSEC team, despite the fact that three — running backs Alvin Kamara and John Kelly and defensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie — have been taken in the NFL draft. Kamara, picked No. 41 overall by the New Orleans Saints, was the 2017 NFL rookie of the year. Kelly was a rookie this past season for the Los Angeles Rams, who reached the Super Bowl. McKenzie was a rookie this past season — and moved to offensive guard — for
the Kansas City Chiefs, who reached the AFC title game.
Two members of Tennessee’s 2015 recruiting class, tight end Kyle Oliver and offensive lineman Zach Stewart, were off the roster by the time preseason practices started that year. Two others, offensive lineman Jack Jones and running back Joe Young, had their careers cut short later due to injury. Another offensive lineman, Chance Hall, who would have been a senior this season, announced Thursday he was giving up football due to injuries.
Three completed their college eligibility in 2018 — defensive linemen Kyle Phillips and Shy Tuttle and defensive back Micah Abernathy. Defensive back Justin Martin completed his in 2017.
Only five players remain from the group, with 2019 their senior season, and they’ve had mixed results. Jauan Jennings has totaled 87 catches, including 10 touchdowns — most famously, he was on the receiving end of the last-second Hail Mary to defeat Georgia in 2016 — and nearly 1,200 yards. Linebacker Darrell Taylor has 11 sacks. Linebacker Darrin Kirkland has been solid despite battling injuries. Long snapper Riley Lovingood has starting experience.
For the Vols to return to the top 20 (or even the top 40) not only in recruiting but during the season, it will take development from players currently in the fold.
By player ranking, the class Pruitt just signed is Tennessee’s best since 2009. He aggressively recruited for the offensive line, signing five players for that group, with Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright both five-star prospects. He attacked at linebacker, too, with prospective gems in four-star talents Quavaris Crouch and Henry To’oto’o, and addressed the other positions as well.
Success, facilities and support — financially and from fans — were once major assets for Tennessee in recruiting. The facilities and the support are still there.
If Pruitt can retain and develop the players he has added, success stands a much better chance of returning.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress. com. Follow him on Twitter @ genehenley3 or at Facebook. com/VolsUpdate.