Tennessee Recruiting So Far

With less than a month left before National Signing Day, Tennessee is clamoring to improve their #28 recruiting class rank. So far UT has 17 commits with 3 4*s and 1 in the ESPN top 300.

Riley Ferguson  #15 QB-PP  ESPN Top 300
Corey Vereen #21 OLB
Austin Sanders  #26 OT

Tennessee has several offers out with 5* and 4* players who are yet to declare. While having a top 25 recruiting class is respectable, playing in the SEC makes it a bit tougher than most conferences. UT needs to secure at least a top 15 class and actually needs a top 10 class within the next 2 years to compete with the rest of the SEC competition.

A few of the undeclared prospects Tennessee needs to secure are:

Derrick Green #5 RB
Vonn Bell  #5 S

Both of these players have been highly recruited and have Tennessee high on their list. Green took an official visit to UT on  09/14/2012, the first one he took and one of only three he has taken so far. Green's list is very long, so to have him on campus is a big plus. It is unfortunate that Tennessee has went through a coaching change this season, but the good news is Jay Graham was retained and was Green's recruiter for his visit. Vonn Bell grew up close to Tennessee Football and has an official visit scheduled for 01/25/2013. He has been recruited and will visit Ohio State and Alabama in January also.

Marquez North and Shelton Gibson have taken or will visit in January and have been offered by the Vols, although they are still uncommitted. Landing any of the undeclared recruits listed will push UT's class significantly higher, which doesn't necessarily equal success, but could definitely make a huge difference next season. Tennessee has also offered Robert Nkemdiche, the #1 recruit in the nation. There probably isn't a realistic chance of landing him, but at least UT and Butch Jones are going all out on the recruiting trail so far.

UT's 2013 class really comes down to this month, good visits, and a whole lot of luck. Realistically it will take UT at least two years, two winning years, to get a great recruiting class.  With all that came out about Derek Dooley's recruiting practices, it should be safe to say UT can only get better on the recruiting trail.

As of today the top 5 recruiting classes look like this:

1	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	23
3	Alabama Crimson Tide	21
2	Florida Gators	25
4	Ohio State Buckeyes	21
5	USC Trojans	15

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Outback Bowl-South Carolina vs. Michigan

Outback Bowl (Tampa, Fla. – Tuesday, January 1, 2013)
South Carolina vs. Michigan – 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)



Michigan will play two quarterbacks on offense in Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner. Robinson will be used more of a runner in his final college game, thanks to an elbow injury he suffered last month. Gardner started the season at receiver, but he moved to quarterback after Robinson’s injury. Gardner has thrown for 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns, and Robinson threw for 1,319 yards and nine touchdowns. Combined, these two quarterbacks have thrown for 17 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Neither player has taken care of the football. Jeremy Gallon and Roy Roundtree are the top two receivers on the team, as Gallon leads all receivers with 40 catches for 684 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Devin Funchess has caught a team-high five touchdowns. Michigan currently has a -8 turnover margin and has turned it over 25 times this season. The biggest problem has been the quarterbacks throwing picks in horrible situations.

The 10-2 Gamecocks could play in any of the BCS bowls because they’re that good, and they’ll suit up a defense that is as physically big and gifted as Notre Dame, who happened to beat Michigan earlier in the year 13-6. The running game consists of Kenny Miles and Mike Davis in Marcus Lattimore’s absence. Miles has toted the rock 99 times for 358 yards and two touchdowns, while Davis only has 52 carries for 275 yards and two touchdowns. Neither are game breakers like Lattimore, but both are serviceable backs who can add punch to the running game and a balance to the offense. But South Carolina makes their money with a filthy defense. The Gamecocks haven’t missed a beat under new defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward. In fact, the defense is more explosive than last season. USC leads the SEC with 40 sacks. Jadeveon Clowney alone has registered 13 sacks alone with 21.5 tackles for loss. Those are stupid numbers. The Gamecocks are fourth in the SEC and 13th overall in scoring defense, allowing opponents a little over 17.4 points per game. It’s a stingy and stout group that loves to play physical and get after the quarterback.

South Carolina’s front four on defense gives the Gamecocks the edge against Michigan. The Wolverines have played five close games in which the outcome was ultimately decided by a touchdown or less, so they’re comfortable playing close games. And Michigan has done a particularly good job protecting the quarterback, as they have only surrendered 15 sacks all season. South Carolina will look to exert their will on whichever quarterback lines up in the backfield, but I’m just having a hard time seeing Michigan consistently putting drives together against the Gamecocks’ defense.

Saturday Down South Original Article by Jon Cooper

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