2018 Recruiting Thread

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"It's definitely a great experience," Lawless said. "Great people and great coaches. I got to talk to Brady Hoke, and he's a great coach. I'm glad I got to meet him. He seems like a really great guy. We are building a great relationship and that's going to be great for the recruiting process."

"He started right off the bat recruiting heavy," Lawless said. "He called me the next day after he took the job. We have been talking ever since. He definitely seems like he knows what he is talking about. He is really big on the education part and that's good to see from a coach. We talked about the defense and how he sees me playing. We sat down and watched some film and that's always really good."

Hoke is known for texting in all caps, but was he all caps in person? "All caps, all the time," Lawless said. "Everything is capitalized at all times. It's like is he mad or is he yelling at me? (laughs) I'm glad to meet him today and it was a really great impression."

Lawless joins fellow in-state defensive lineman D'Andre Litaker and Greg Emerson in making up the Big 3 in 2018 defensive lineman recruiting. They all talk about playing together and about the daily battles in recruiting.

"Those guys area good guys," Lawless said. "I grew up playing basketball with D'Andre (Litaker) and I got to meet Greg Emerson and he's a pretty good dude. We text every now and then. It's always good to talk to guys in your class. "It makes sense that in-state guys that stay at home and help the state. What they are saying is definitely true."

-VQ

 

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McGrone is friends with current Vol Darin Kirkland, Jr. and he knew the SEC is serious about football, but the 6-1, 205 pound linebacker got a real sense of what Tennessee is all about. “It was amazing,” McGrone admitted. “It was unlike any other college that I have been to so far from the whole aspect of the academics plus the sports. It was just different than anywhere else.

“Coach(Derek) Day, coach (Brady) Hoke, and coach (Tommy) Thigpen is who I visited with the most. They showed that they really cared about me. That was really special. “Of course it's the SEC so I know that there facilities are going to be top notch. Just everything was going to be top notch, but just coming here and and seeing it for myself was really great.”

“It's really how they are recruiting me,” McGrone explained. “Being able to talk to Darin and see what he really thought about it from his experience alone. That carries a lot of weight with me. I have known him for a while and to hear him to say it. I know it's true. I know what Tennessee is all about.”

“For me, just the way the coaches treat me and the academics,” McGrone offered when asked what was key to his decision. “My parent and I have been talking for a long time football is going to end at some point so we want to know the coaches are going to make sure I get my degree and have a career. I just want to make sure if the football thing doesn't work out I have my degree.”

McGrone, who is coming off a knee injury, is hoping to return for a game in Knoxville to see what the atmosphere is like as he hopes to have a decision early next winter. “I am kind of hoping to have decision towards the end of my senior season to make sure I have all the options that I might want to have. I just want all the schools to see me in my senior season.”

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“It was all brand new,” Jones said. “It was very important to get to campus. I didn't expect many of the things I saw today. It was a great experience. I know I will be back. I hadn't been there since I was 4 or 5 and watched my brother play.”

“It's been crazy,” Jones said. “A lot of people are telling me which way to go and what to do and what not to do. Right now, I'm just focused on keeping my head on right and my grades up. And focusing on what's more important like my family."

“I left there thinking about the coaching staff,” Jones said. “They really showed me what they are all about. “They play with a purpose and with a passion. That was the message I got today. “I'm looking for a perfect fit. It's more like a feeling. It's more about how I can be successful there beyond football because football is going to end one day.”

As for a leader, Jones said he doesn't have one and that he has some things to think about, but made it clear the Vols left a big impression. “I'm headed to Indiana next,” Jones said. “I have been to Ole Miss, Memphis and now Tennessee. I'm coming back here for the spring game. “I'm going to take some time to think about it, but it was a great day.”

-VQ

 

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This has smiley potential right here.


Thanks for all these updates and news!

 

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“The visit was great,” Moore told Volquest. “It definitely exceeded my expectations of what it was going to be like. Before, I just had a visual image of what it would be like, but being able to actually see everything for myself that made it 10x better.”

“Me and coach Beard, we have a relationship that’s crazy,” Moore said. “We started building that way back at Georgia last year, so it’s not like it’s a wide receivers coach that I don’t even know. I’ve been knowing him for two years now.” Moore respects Beard’s young soul, explaining that he can relate well to players because he’ll talk about anything: music, football, life, etc. “He’s a funny guy. He knows how to bond with his players really well,” Moore explained.

“He doesn’t only speak football whenever you’re around him. He likes to educate you in life as well. That’s big with me. He’s just a guy you would want to get coached by for four years. He’s that type of guy. He’s the type of coach that’ll sit down and just play Madden with you. That’s what I like.”

Moore also had the opportunity to meet head coach Butch Jones for the first time Friday. The two had chatted via FaceTime on numerous occasions, but Moore’s first official interactions with Jones were quite memorable, too.

“Two or three days prior to the visit, we were in (constant) contact each and every day. I’d call him at lunchtime, he’d text me,” Moore said. “We texted back and forth. When I finally when up there, I was able to shake his hand, look him in the eye and we had a conversation that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” According to Moore, Jones delivered a message of opportunity — both football and beyond. “He left me with some things to think about which is good,” Moore said.

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