4-star Payton Page feels good vibe around Vol assistant Jimmy Brumbaugh
Greensboro, North Carolina defensive tackle Payton Page was back on Rocky Top on Saturday. It was the first time he had been back since last year and the first time he got to meet with new defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh.
"It really changed how I think about Tennessee," Page said. "How the defensive line coach thinks. He experienced and is a 3-time SEC All-American. He taught me a lot. I was in there learning from him. I asked him like 20 questions."
Tennessee running backs coach Jay Graham is the main recruiter for Page, but this visit wasn't about the Concord, North Carolina native. It was all bout Brumbaugh and how they meshed.
"He wasn't uptight," Page said. "It was natural talking to him. Usually it's kind of awkward talking to a coach because I never had met him. I felt like I had talked to him before."
The loss of Tracy Rocker was felt in the Page recruitment, but he didn't let him effect him. He wanted to get back over to Tennessee and today he got to get a feel.
"It made me a little shaky because I didn't have an idea who he was," Page said. "I found out his story and I was like wow that's crazy. He was real smooth."
So today wasn't about facilities and photo sessions. Those things are nice, but talking ball with the staff made today very enjoyable.
"I really like this visit to Tennessee," Page said. "It was all about the defensive line coach to be real. He was talking to me and I was loving his vibe."
Several North Carolina prospects have committed tot he home state Tar Heels in recent days. Page has seen it but been unaffected by it.
"That has nothing to do with me," Page said. "What other people do has nothing to do with him unless it's a defensive lineman. That might effect my decision."
So how did today change things for Page?
"Some spots that I can't really say," Page said. "Switching around some things."
He will take his officials this spring and summer and then start to work toward a decision. He knows what he's looking for in a school.
"How many defensive tackles are going to be there and who the coach is," Page said. "I'm not really worried about the school. I'm not worried about the history. I'm worried about who the defensive line coach is and how I get a long with him."