Tennessee Volunteers Crooting Thoughts by Jieret (the version without all the swear words)

[Jieret]

Because @tsweezy asked and promised WMU would be first in his yearly recruiting reactions, here's a special one-shot issue of MAC SEC Tennessee Crooting Thoughts!

 

New commits for Week 9 are bolded.

Tennessee Volunteers

Class Stats:
Ranking: 1 (+/-0  from last week)
Signees: 12

Scores:
Composite: 2.9
ESPN: 113    Rivals: 523.4    247: 296.39

Current Class:
#3 5* OT David France [Pass Blocking] Macon, GA (B/B+)
#12 5* QB Jake O'Connor [Pocket] Excelsior, MN (B/C)
#24 5* WR B.J. Flash [Speed] Washington, DC (B/B+)
#23 5* WR Joseph Kleen [Red Zone Threat] Reserve, LA (B/B+)
#31 5* OG Charles Le [Pass Blocking] Arlington, MD (B/C)
#32 5* OLB Tee Sweezy [Coverage] Knoxville, TN (B/B)
#74 4* CB Wendell Gallagher [Zone Coverage] Fayetteville, NC (B/C)
#92 4* RB David Forsberg [Receiving] Trion, GA (B/C)
#160 4* DE Armando Medina [Speed Rusher] Coral Springs, FL (B/C+)
#242 4* K Bruce Knight [Power] Citra, FL (C/A+)
4* SS Kevin Wells [Man Coverage] Idabel, OK (C/B)
4* P Amir Stevens [Accuracy] Franklin, TN (C/B)

I know - I can’t believe the Vols recruited players outside of the Top 300 either!  But the recruiting Death Star that is Tennessee doesn’t care what you or I think, it just continues to spread its croot empire.

Fun fact that won’t make anyone besides Tsweezy happy:  Tennessee has won seven of ten coin flips this season.  In five of their wins (Flash, Kleen, Le, Gallagher, Knight) they were the underdog, although not egregiously so - I believe the lowest underdog the Vols won on was a 57%-43% split.
For those who need their schadenfreude, the three Tennessee losses were CB Maximiliano Wengerd (to Oregon), OG Ulysses Flores (Minnesota), and ILB James Oneil (Ohio).  Oneil's was especially hilarious because both Tennessee and Bowling Green led with 37%, yet Ohio 26% got the signature.  (Sorry you're catching strays here, @PoopyRhinoPickle)

Position-wise, let’s see how this class might fit on the Tennessee roster:

QB (Jake O’Connor): If the Transfer Portal somehow comes on-line this offseason, 4-star Mark Koch is probably one of the first to enter his name.  He was never starting while Brandon Savage was here except for injury or mop-up duty, but he also thought he’d be next in line when Savage left even if it was only for a year.  Now with O’Connor coming to Knoxville, it certainly feels like the torch will pass from Savage to JOC - and pass over Koch.

RB (David Forsberg): Not a need with two 4-star sophomores ahead of him (one that can still redshirt) and a 4-star junior.  Probably taken for balance purposes.

WR (Flash, Kleen): An interesting situation here.  There will be 2 seniors and 4 sophomore WRs in the room already when Flash and Kleen walk in, but the freshmen duo will also be the only 5-stars.  Hayes Edwards has a lock on one of the starting jobs; will Sweezy let the duo fight for the other two positions or will one/both be redshirted?

OL (OT David France, OG Charles Le): France will be the 7th OT in the room, but just like above he’ll be the only 5-star.  Even though he isn’t needed to start, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vols gave France the starting RT job to give him as many reps as possible.
For some reason I can’t feel the same way about Le.  The basic circumstances are similar to France and the WRs, but two freshmen guards redshirting in 2023 suggest Le will as well, just to balance out the position group better.

DE (Armando Medina): Matthew Cano will start at one spot, and I’d bet on last year’s 5-star recruit Roger London to man the other spot.  With three seniors and sophomore Douglas Dimmadome Jr. (son of Doug Dimmadome, owner of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome) to provide depth, Medina should be redshirted.

OLB (Tee Sweezy): Only three underclassmen besides Sweezy, and one is a walk-on.  I think the Vols staff will let Sweezy join the two-deeps his freshman season, if not start.

Secondary (CB Wendell Gallagher, SS Kevin Wells): Gallagher will have a senior, two redshirt sophomores, and a redshirt freshman ahead of him on the depth chart.  Unless they really don’t want the two-star junior at CB5, I don’t see a need to play Gallagher immediately.  Same with Wells, who have 3 players ahead of him at strong safety.

Special Teams (K Bruce Knight, P Amir Stevens): Current starter Marcus Jackson will have two more years of eligibility, so redshirting Stevens is the obvious move.  Knight could battle for the starting position with junior Marquez Garces, but I’d again expect a redshirt here to “extend” the coverage the current kick depth chart gives.

Looking ahead: Tennessee no longer has any blue chip players on their board.  It may not be fair, but I can’t help but feel that most of the Vols’ remaining targets are pursued to cut down on the number of potential walk-ons.  One battle that I don’t get that sense on?  South Dakota center David Ventura, who will probably make his decision between Tennessee and BYU next week.  He wouldn’t be a starter in Knoxville any time soon, but he would be a solid backup after his redshirt year.
This fight took on extra meaning when BYU head coach @Curby4 alleged the Volunteer coaching staff couldn’t even find South Dakota on a map.  To be fair, this actually may or may not represent the majority of Tennessee residents, not just the coaching staff, so one shouldn't think any worse of them for it.

 

[tsweezy]

What kind of dumb shirt is that? FOOTB - all? The heck

[Weeze]