Brent Hubbs of Volquest said this on Sportstalk

[GovMan]

This is spot on about Sharpe. No team in the country ties up 3 scholarships for kickers. Also I am as puzzled about the Cody Blanc thing as you are.

 

So explain...with the addition of the Knox West kicker next year (who is good but not on the same level as Sharp) will that not be 3 kickers on scholarship? Or is he a recruited walk on?

[dcballas]

So explain...with the addition of the Knox West kicker next year (who is good but not on the same level as Sharp) will that not be 3 kickers on scholarship? Or is he a recruited walk on?

He basically is a walk-on from what I have been told. In his case he can receive funding from state and federal grants and be within the parameters of the NCAA. He can't however receive institutional funding from UT other than a football scholarship. Plus Darr is on scholly to punt, so with Palardy and Bullock (if he was on scholarship) you still would only have 2 kickers on scholly.

 

This is just what I have been told by someone "in the know."

Edited December 22, 2011 by dcballas

[MLREB]

He basically is a walk-on from what I have been told. In his case he can receive funding from state and federal grants and be within the parameters of the NCAA. He can't however receive institutional funding from UT other than a football scholarship. Plus Darr is on scholly to punt, so with Palardy and Bullock you have 2 kickers on scholly.

 

This is just what I have been told by someone "in the know."

 

 

They need to visit the kid at Farragut if they haven't already. I have never witnessed a highschooler kick as far and consistent as that kid.

[STARSNBARS]

Eye wood ruthur haiv Brodus kickin' extree points ovur Palardy...he gits tha bawl up much quickur...

 

Tinnersee's kickin' gaim stinks....Darr agin Kintuckee couldn't punt hit 30 yds....

 

ML iz rite....tha King kid frum Farrah-Gut kix tha bawl az good az enny eye've seed inn hi skool...He kept Mairvul frum shutin' out tha Ads out wif 45 and 49 yd. feeled goles.....

Edited December 23, 2011 by STARSNBARS

[Rebelsman]

So explain...with the addition of the Knox West kicker next year (who is good but not on the same level as Sharp) will that not be 3 kickers on scholarship? Or is he a recruited walk on?

Don't worry GovMan, Eli will be there in a few years!

[FootballDad]

I agree jake. Maybe it's because they don't see them play enough. Maybe they don't have the relationships built in the communities so they can trust evaluations from folks who know the kids. IMO - the bench press, squat, and 40 time are effective ways to evaluate...but, let me put it this way. The high school kid that benches 400, squats 500, and runs a 4.5 should be better than the kid that benches 210, squats 300, and runs a 4.7. So why does that weaker, slower kid appear to be equal or better on the football field? Maybe it is ATTITUDE, WORK ETHIC, LEADERSHIP, HEART, DESIRE, BRAINS, TOUGHNESS, or he is just meaner than heck when he gets on the football field. Everyone who has ever played has had a teammate who was really fast or really strong. But we all knew they weren't "football players". It's easy to identify the best benches, squats, and 40's. It's harder to find out what a kid will do when KY's stud lineman (times have changed) is kicking his #### and telling him to like it. Will he quit or will he find a way to get his job done and help his team? The real "football players" will wipe off the blood and try to raise his game. The non-football player will "get confused and block the wrong man" or tweak a hammie.

 

You take the strong, fast kids. I'll take the football players.

I've been singing that chorus line for a long time. But of course you have to start somewhere and typically that is with speed, verticals, pro agility, bench, squat, etc... One of the things I have also wondered about is why all these times are taken with the kids in shorts and t-shirt? I've never seen a college football player on the field playing without his equipment. There are kids who run practically the same times with pads on or off while others are slowed down by the weight of the gear. If you really want to know how fast the kid is going to be while actually playing, put him in pads and then time him. At any rate...whenever you find the kid who has all the characteristics listed above combined with the physical tools, then those are going to be your bonafide All American types.

Edited December 23, 2011 by FootballDad

[devilsden]

I sit and watch the pro guys time kids in that combine and they don't wear no pads or no kind of equipment. Now I aint got no real idea but I think most college coaches study the kids pretty good. But just like the NFL they all make mistakes, just look at that LB from UT last year, Ravez, did n't he make it to the NFL?

Edited December 23, 2011 by devilsden

[plumb69]

OK ... here's my rant on local recruiting:

 

The summer before Zach Sharp's senior season at Maryville, he was at a UT camp. At the conclusion of the day, Coach Dooley actually spent some time one on one with him watching him kick. Dooley kept placing the football in different spots on the field and having Zach kick it. He hit from every place Dooley put the ball.

 

Zach had already been on the national radar -- having finished in the top 2 or 3 kickers at several big time camps. He would end up breaking just about every kicking record in the history of MHS and breaking at least one state record (most consecutive pat's). He would also be named Mr. Football (kicker division) his senior year.

 

I know there are people more qualified than me to rate prospects, but I think everybody and his brother in the East Tennessee area at least knew that Zach was an incredible kicker with huge upside. Yet Dooley and staff WOULD NOT offer him a scholarship his freshman year.

 

He just finished his freshmen year at Tennessee Tech and guess what? He was a lot better kicker (as a true freshman) than Tennessee's kicker. And kicking, unlike other positions, is one of those positions you can compare across the board regardless of level of competition.

 

That was a miss on the part of UT's staff ... I don't believe anyone can argue that.

 

One other thing ... I can't help but wonder if the running back from Powell will end up being "Randall Cobb #2" for Kentucky. Don't mean he'll be the same type player, I mean that he'll end up being an NFL caliber star that UT let get away????

Well thought out post and I totally agree.

As far as Hubbs goes I think you take anyone who flaps their jaws for a living with a grain of salt.

Or better yet just don't listen to or read them period.

[pking34]

I've been singing that chorus line for a long time. But of course you have to start somewhere and typically that is with speed, verticals, pro agility, bench, squat, etc... One of the things I have also wondered about is why all these times are taken with the kids in shorts and t-shirt? I've never seen a college football player on the field playing without his equipment. There are kids who run practically the same times with pads on or off while others are slowed down by the weight of the gear. If you really want to know how fast the kid is going to be while actually playing, put him in pads and then time him. At any rate...whenever you find the kid who has all the characteristics listed above combined with the physical tools, then those are going to be your bonafide All American types.

 

Let me give that a +1 and elaborate further----- there is such a thing as "fast-twich" and "slow-twich" BRAINS, and a "fast-twich brain" (the guy that moves on instinct, and his instinct is almost always right) is like chopping 2 or 3 tenths off that 40 time. And you always identify those fast-twich brains in pads.

[plumb69]

I really know better but I just can't stay out of this one.

 

QBClubPrez: I have no idea who you are but you are one of the most clueless posters since BlackHavenSenator and I actually learned to like him (a little).

 

UT sucks. They are terrible and they will be for a long, long time. They don't have SEC caliber players, especially in the offensive line. They don't have SEC caliber coaches either

 

A walk-on kicker comes off the fraternity couch and wins a game for them? They don't have a quarterback in uniform that can complete a 15 yard out route? A walk-on running back leads the team in rushing in an SEC game? Any game?

 

They are just awful.

 

Jay can play. I'm glad he's going to Clemson. No, I'm ecstatic.

 

Sharp can kick.

 

Robinette can play. Probably too smart for UT's coaches. Certainly too much character to wear pale orange.

 

UT doesn't want local players. I don't know why.

 

You're crucifying Brent Hubbs for reporting. He's just doing his job.

 

UT recruiting: Can you say Clabo? Cobb? Reynolds? Can you say local kids that UT didn't want but who are in the NFL today?

 

Not too long ago, there was a local offensive lineman that UT recruited vigorously. Good kid. Outstanding grades. Hard worker. Great potential. UT got a commitment from a kid who had been implicated in a date rape on his official visit to UF. So they quit recruiting the local kid. Just dropped him off the radar without any notification.

 

So who do you want, a local kid that can play, who had strong ties to UT, and who was smart enough to probably double your team GPA and was never going to end up on parole for anything or a kid of highly suspect character of roughly equal ability? Oh, and the other kid was in and out of trouble all through high school and was from out of state.

 

UT didn't want the local kid. After recruiting him hard, treated him badly. And it was Pumpkin that was HFC during this time.

 

The local kid went to the ACC and did pretty well. The other kid? In and out of trouble during his time in pale orange. Probably not a rocket scientist today either.

 

I'll go by rule #2: Pull for whoever UT is playing.

 

BTW: Can somebody tell Dooley to clean up his mouth? I'm hard of hearing so I read lips pretty well and his language is awful!

 

You cannot tell me that a team of kids that bleed orange aren't going to be better than a team of kids whose introduction to UT football was Lane Kiffin or UT's latest Toilet Bowl appearance.

 

Look no further than Reveiz. Not recruited. Too short. Local. Yet, he became the heart and soul of the Tennessee footbal team. Where is he today? I think he's playing on Sundays.

You should have taken your advice in the first line and not posted.

[lightsout]

as a college center i Watched this kids highlight tape solid player dont know if he is the best center in the country as stated but will do well at college level understands how to finish opponents when run blocking pass blocking footwork needs improvement or will struggle at college level also though high school run blocking is great will need to get his feet under him more and not lean as much because college defensive linemen will push pull to beat him every time good luck at clemson hope you play and beat UT

[bladerunner]

You should have taken your advice in the first line and not posted.

Everything he said about UT is true.