Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt spent Monday doing exactly what the Tennessee program needs most and that is recruiting. And Pruitt’s recruiting work centered around what has to be the biggest priority for the football program
The state of Tennessee.
The biggest recruiting priority for the Vols has to be the in-state class of 2022. In last week’s war room, Austin listed 16 in-state players who have Vol offers, or have had Vol offers and have other power 5 offers.
Tennessee’s class of 2022 is one of state’s best and is a class the Vols must prioritize.
Coaches always say recruiting starts within your own state and you work out from there. I’m not saying that Tennessee’s entire class of ’22 should come from within the state lines, but the bulk of it should starting with quarterback Ty Simpson from Martin.
The in-state crop of talent for next year is not heavy at one position it’s a balanced class with big guys and skill guys and the highest rated quarterback the state of Tennessee has ever had. It’s a class that 6-8 months ago, Tennessee seemed positioned very well with. That positioning the days is not as solid thanks to a 3-7 season and continued talk surrounding Jeremy Pruitt. It’s safe to say the sooner there’s clarity the better.
Regardless of what that clarity is, the program must win in state.
In rebuilding situations there are moments or times where the window of opportunity for that rebuild is greater. For the Vols I believe now is one of those times.
Tennessee has long been a national brand with the idea that you can go anywhere and recruit. Given the Vols lack of success the last ten years that brand has taken a hit. That doesn’t mean you can’t recruit nationally (see Henry T., Kaden Salter, etc). But recruiting is typically easier closer to home. However, recruiting closer to the house is not as easy as it once was with Georgia’s success. Tennessee lost most recruiting battles in the state of Georgia this year where they went head to head with the ‘Dawgs. Getting a player out of Alabama that Auburn and/or Alabama wants has always been tough. There are obviously exceptions but it's hard. Mississippi is going to be harder with Lane Kiffin. Mack Brown is making North Carolina harder. The Vols recruiting footprint is not as easy as it used to be.
So when you have a class like you have in state in 2022 then you must capitalize. Butch Jones did in 2014, which is why his 2016 team was his best and should have won the SEC East. That 2014 class had 10 instate players in it. Not all turned out to be impact guys but Derek Barnett, Josh Malone, Jalen Hurd, Todd Kelly, Rashaan Gaulden, and Aaron Medley were.
In 25 years of covering recruiting in the state of Tennessee, the number of prospects in the state has certainly increased, but it doesn’t mean every year is like this year.
The class of 2022 in the state of Tennessee is deeper than a typical year. Maybe the deepest I have ever seen.
It’s why Pruitt spent Monday talking to as many in state prospects as he could because the Volunteer state has to be THE priority for those in orange moving forward.