Will Tyler Smith go to UT now?

[HTV]

I've never heard this...  All anyone has ever reported was that he was committed...  He committed in November....  If he signed then it has had to be recently... not in november..  Because his verbal was in november..

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That's just not accurate. Smith signed with UT during the early signing period in November, along with Matthew Dotson and Damien Harris. There is a two week window in November that basketball prospects can sign early before their senior seasons.

 

Normally for a school to release a signee, there has to be some kind of unusual circumstances, like there was with Jordan Howell and Georgia two years ago. That was when Georgia was found guilty of NCAA rules and placed on probation. With those circumstances, UGA release Howell, who then signed with Tennessee.

 

In cases where it is a simply coaching change a release isn't normally granted. The standard NCAA letter of intent says that the prospect understands that he is signing with a school, and not a coach. Smith and the other two did sign the LOI.

[Harris' hooligans]

NCAA has a rule that says if there is coaching change players can transfer without losing a year of eligibility. Doesn't matter if he is signed unless UT athletic director feels like goin against the given rule and ethics that you release a player if he asks to be let out. Why do you think JJ Sullivan played at Ohio State instead of Arkansas. Andre Iguodala played at Arizona after he signed with Arkansas because of the coaching change there. Unless Tyler really just loves the university or cannot get another good offer from somewhere he feels comfortable he will transfer

[HTV]

NCAA has a rule that says if there is coaching change players can transfer without losing a year of eligibility.  Doesn't matter if he is signed unless UT athletic director feels like goin against the given rule and ethics that you release a player if he asks to be let out.  Why do you think JJ Sullivan played at Ohio State instead of Arkansas.  Andre Iguodala played at Arizona after he signed with Arkansas because of the coaching change there.  Unless Tyler really just loves the university or cannot get another good offer from somewhere he feels comfortable he will transfer

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Again, that's not accurate. There is no such NCAA rule.

 

Here's the NCAA website: www.ncaa.org

 

Find that rule.

[Harris' hooligans]

alright the situation at Arkansas never happened...situation at Baylor never happened. Plenty of other situations. Tell me how ALL of these recruits got out of their letter of intents

[mnewballer21]

alright the situation at Arkansas never happened...situation at Baylor never happened.  Plenty of other situations.  Tell me how ALL of these recruits got out of their letter of intents

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the situation at baylor was totally different that was with a murder and all kinds of other things going on, not to mention it wasn't the recruits it was the kids already at the school that were given the opportunity to transfer

[Gerry Bertier]

Again, that's not accurate.  There is no such NCAA rule.

 

Here's the NCAA website:  www.ncaa.org

 

Find that rule.

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Tyler hasn't officially signed. There is nothing listed on the UT website saying he has officially signed. So that rule doesn't matter.

[btowntigers]

I just looked it up and maybe Dickie V was right.  Louisville has got the #18, #37, #53, #69, #87, #99 players commited for next year, WHOA!!!  That does not even include the fact that Brian Johnson will be a freshman next year after having surgery to repair a torn ACL this past November. 

 

on rivals it says they have the #7 recruiting class...which is still good though...you know Dickie V gets caught up in the moment all the time. Kentucky has the top recruiting class.

 

if i was Tyler Smith i would be reconsidering that offer he had from Kansas. Unapproved Website says that he hasnt signed yet and is only verbally committed to UT.

[HTV]

Tyler hasn't officially signed. There is nothing listed on the UT website saying he has officially signed. So that rule doesn't matter.

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Really? This is from UT's official website, UTSports.com

Go to the link at

 

http://www.fansonly.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s.../weekly-release

 

and you will find confirmation of Smith's signing on page 9 in the release. You have to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the page.

 

Here's another link confirming the signing:

 

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/gvx_basketball...3333992,00.html

 

UT's signees must be ready to help quickly

Peterson sees talent in three he recruited

 

By MIKE STRANGE, strange2@knews.com

November 17, 2004

 

As basketball's early signing period ends today, Tennessee will stand pat with three additions that bring different attributes to the table.

 

That Oak Hill Academy guard Jamont Gordon's recruitment will go until the spring comes as no surprise. UT coach Buzz Peterson said Tuesday he thinks the Vols helped themselves by landing big fish Tyler Smith and two lesser-known prospects.

 

 

Advertisement

 

 

 

"All three of 'em bring us something a little different,'' Peterson said at the conclusion of a long but spirited practice.

 

Joining 6-foot-7 forward Smith are 6-8 forward Matthew Dotson and 6-10 center Damion Harris.

 

Harris was listed at 255 pounds when he signed with UT last November. He didn't get eligible and a year later, he's even bigger - 275 pounds - at Prince Avenue Prep in Pickens, S.C.

 

Peterson said Harris will be eligible this time and discounted the possibility of another year at prep school.

 

"I told him on the phone (Tuesday) that there is basically no other option,'' Peterson said. "With (Brandon) Crump leaving next year, Damion needs to get in great shape and be ready to come in here and help us some.

 

"He needs to get his mind set he'll be playing at the University of Tennessee next season.''

 

Dotson, from Hickman County High School, had intrigued Peterson for some time. His ability to score inside or outside was an attractive combination.

 

However, he was headed to Belmont or Tennessee Tech until UT made a late offer following Joey Cameron's de-commitment.

 

"You're not going to get all these All-Americans,'' Peterson said. "You need to make sure you've got people who want to be at Tennessee, who feel proud to put Tennessee on their chest.

 

"That young man is excited he's going to here. He's smart; he can shoot it. He needs to get stronger and he knows that, but he's got a lot of potential ahead of him.''

 

In Giles County's Smith, the Vols get a prep All-American who wants to be at Tennessee.

 

"Since I've been here in Knoxville, that's a young man we had to get,'' said Peterson. "He has just tremendous athletic ability and he's got a chance to be a tremendous player here.

 

 

Maui Time: The Vols leave Friday for the Maui Invitational, where they play Stanford on Monday night.

 

Jordan Howell (ankle) is back at practice, but Dane Bradshaw (ankle) has missed two days since the exhibition win over Carson-Newman.

 

 

No offense intended, but both of these credible sources can't be wrong.

[Purple & Gold Standard]

I wasn't for sure until I looked back but those three players did sign national letters of intent back on Oct.16,2004...It is on utsports.com under the basketball home page archives....Also you can see the letter from Mike Hamilton addressing Buzz's firing...

 

 

I would not think this would fall under any kind of unusual circumstances as far as Tyler,Matthew and Damien being granted a release from the letter of intent....

 

The Baylor thing involved a murder...The Georgia thing involved A NCAA scandal..This is just a normal coaching change...

[GCfan79]

If indeed, Tyler did sign his NLI....he is bound to that contract as stated in the following link... http://www.national-letter.org/guidelines/nli_text.php.

 

 

According to a couple of articles that I have read...Smith did ink with UTK. Therefore we will see him playing next year in Orange & White or he won't be playing at all. My question is...Why sign with a struggling program, knowing that if the team doesn't make the NCAA tournament, the coach is gone. Anyone that thought Buzz would be around after this year if he didn't make the NCAA tournament is just simply lying to themselves. This program went from 4 straight NCAA tourney appearances under Jerry Green to 0 tourney appearances in the last 4 years under Peterson. For an athletic director, that decision is easy. The coach something or someone has to go...Buzz was the way out this time.

[big_boi_2005]

One question that I have is that if you do back out of your national letter of intent, can you be allowed to attend prep school? But it does say that if you sign the NLI, then you must participate with the university. If you decide to back out, you can lose one year of college eligibility.

[mkhhawk]

If indeed, Tyler did sign his NLI....he is bound to that contract as stated in the following link...  http://www.national-letter.org/guidelines/nli_text.php.

According to a couple of articles that I have read...Smith did ink with UTK.  Therefore we will see him playing next year in Orange & White or he won't be playing at all.  My question is...Why sign with a struggling program, knowing that if the team doesn't make the NCAA tournament, the coach is gone.  Anyone that thought Buzz would be around after this year if he didn't make the NCAA tournament is just simply lying to themselves.  This program went from 4 straight NCAA tourney appearances under Jerry Green to 0 tourney appearances in the last 4 years under Peterson.  For an athletic director, that decision is easy.  The coach something or someone has to go...Buzz was the way out this time.

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I went to the link you noted above. From there I found a Release Form for requesting the athlete be released from the NLI. IF the school approves it, it appears as though the athlete would NOT have to sit out a year.

Edited March 14, 2005 by mkhhawk