Tennessee uses Oklahoma 2020 signing day concept for 2021 official offer
Lincoln Riley always seems to be a step ahead.
The chess emoji tweeting head coach of Oklahoma is at the forefront of recruiting through social media. From the eyes, to branding and to social media campaigns, there’s no doubt Riley has a feel for the modern era of recruiting.
Programs across the country have followed in Riley’s footsteps, some a little too closely.
Tennessee’s most recent video series mirrored one produced by Riley last year. The Volunteers used it to send out official offers, and the Sooners for the 2020 signing day. The video is action themed, and extremely similar to the series that was filmed by Oklahoma content creator Zack Hefley.
In Oklahoma’s same series, the end credits feature specific player branding for each recruit, also coined by the Sooners. Texas found themselves using the same idea the very same recruiting cycle.
Oklahoma is currently set to kickoff their season on Aug. 29 against Missouri State, but the Big 12 moving to a conference only schedule could cause it to be canceled.
Oklahoma has officially lost one game off of its 2020 schedule. The presidents of the SEC agreed to do a 10-game, conference only schedule.
Oklahoma has officially lost one game off of its 2020 schedule.
The Sooners were able to maintain their entire 12-game schedule up to this point while schools like Oklahoma State and TCU had lost one or two non-conference games already. That has since changed.
There was a report Wednesday that the SEC was planning on going to a conference-only schedule. The presidents of the SEC adopted a plan Thursday afternoon to do a 10-game, conference-only schedule according to a release from the conference—canceling Oklahoma’s second non-conference game against Tennessee scheduled for Sept. 12.
NEWS | @SEC establishes new football start date of September 26 and Conference-only football competition.https://t.co/UhFFOfQ2lK
The Big 12 canceled its virtual media day as well on Thursday that was announced as a go for Monday. The conference is reportedly having an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss the 2020 football season.
It is unclear how the Big 12 is going to schedule the 2020 season. The ACC and SEC will play a 10-game conference only schedule with a conference championship game while the Pac-12 and Big 10 will play conference-only games, but have yet to release its models for the season.
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is scheduled to meet with the coaches on Monday after the now-canceled Big 12 virtual media day.
This 3rd installment in our Gators Wire original series will attempt to rank the likely No. 1 wide receiver for every member school in fall.
After previously examining each Southeastern Conference program’s projected quarterback and lead tailback entering the 2020 season, this third installment in our Gators Wire original series will attempt to rank the likely No. 1 wide receiver for every member school this fall.
Featuring high-powered offenses throughout the league’s 14 teams, the conference had nine wideouts selected in the 2020 National Football League Draft, meaning there will be some big names to replace and opportunities for returning players to step into larger roles.
The Florida Gators had three receivers chosen in the draft, the most of any SEC program, with Van Jefferson coming off the board at No. 57 to the Los Angeles Rams, Freddie Swain at No. 214 to the Seattle Seahawks, and Tyrie Cleveland at No. 252 to the Denver Broncos, the fourth-to-last overall selection.
Three of the league’s wideouts went in the first-round, headed by Alabama Crimson Tide standout Henry Ruggs III to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 12. His teammate, Jerry Jeudy, followed shortly behind, selected by the Broncos at No. 15, and Justin Jefferson of the LSU Tigers was plucked by the Minnesota Vikings at No. 22.
Four-star 2021 tight end Hudson Wolfe chose Tennessee over Ohio State and others on Monday.
Ohio State has lost two of its main priority targets in the last four days. First, it was five-star offensive lineman J.C. Latham committing to Alabama, followed by Monday’s news that four-star tight end Hudson Wolfe has given his verbal pledge to Tennessee.
Wolfe made the announcement live on Rivals and continued the hot recruiting for head coach and Jeremy Pruitt and the Volunteers. It gives Tennessee the class of 2021’s No. 9 tight end overall according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
He chose UT over Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss.
What might be more concerning is the fact that the recruiting momentum Ryan Day and staff had through the months of March and April has cooled off a bit. It’s still one whale of a class no matter what happens, but it would be nice to get some positive vibes going again.
At this point, despite looking like a real possibility of signing the best recruiting class in the modern era, it would be stretch now. It’s not out of the question, but there’s a lot that will have to go right from here through the remainder of the cycle for that to occur.
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Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Tennessee Volunteers Offense 3 Things To Know
– It wasn’t a phenomenal year for the Tennessee offense, but after two disastrous seasons for the attack, averaging 366 yards and 24 points per game wasn’t bad. The O scored more than 24 points against five FBS teams after doing that just three times in the previous two years.
Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney has to get more out of the ground game, but the deep plays were there for a passing attack that averaged more than 14 yards per pass.
And now the quarterback situation will be a big thing early on.
CFN in 60 Video: Tennessee Volunteers Preview
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– Jarrett Guarantano was good. He led the team to the bowl win – even with a mediocre game – and he had moments when he looked and played like a potentially special talent to work the O. However, he was maddeningly inconsistent, and that opened the door for Brian Mauer, a talented freshman who failed to hit 50% of his passes with just two touchdown passes and five picks.
On the way is Harrison Bailey, the star of the recruiting class with the next-level pro passing skills to potentially take over the gig right away – he’s going to be the starter if and when Tennessee is playing for really, really big things again.
The quarterback situation will be fine. The receiving corps is another story.
Three of the top four pass catchers from last season are done, with only 6-2, 195-pound Josh Palmer returning among the top guys. Getting USC transfer Velus Jones helps – he caught 81 passes for 1,947 yards and a touchdown in his three seasons with the Trojans – but the pressure is on the recruiting class to step up. 6-5 Malachi Wideman is the best of the group, but Jalin Hyatt and Jimmy Calloway were brought in to play immediate roles, too.
– The offensive line has the potential to be phenomenal as long as all the parts are there. Trey Smith is the star of the show at his left guard spot. He’s the All-SEC anchor and next-level starter, but sophomore Wanya Morris is growing into a special blocker, too, at least tackle.
Morris has to get healthy after having a hip problem, and big-time transfer Cade Mays from Georgia needs to be eligible. No matter what, this is going to be one of the team’s biggest strengths with – most likely – five starters back in some form.
The O line with all of the upside has to pave the way for more of a ground attack. The top three running backs – Ty Chandler, Eric Gray, and Tim Jordan – all return, and a few good options are coming in from the recruiting class.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Tennessee Volunteers Defense 3 Things To Know
Tennessee Vols facial coverings are to help protect the health and safety of fans amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Where to get them.
Looking to support your NCAA favorite, Tennessee Volunteers in these unprecedented times, look no further than purchasing a Vols facial covering. These facial coverings are to help protect the health and safety of fans amid the COVID-19 outbreak. What better way to show off your team’s colors than a facial covering with their logo?
This face cover features bold Tennessee Volunteers graphics, comes in a three-pack, and is pre-sale only for $24.99. They are officially licensed, machine washable, and will ship no later than July 9th.
While the coverings allow for breathability, they are for personal use only and are not intended for medical purposes.
2021 3-star TE Miles Campbell committed to Tennessee in an announcement on Twitter. Details here.
The Tennessee Volunteers receive another 3-star commitment, this time from Miles Campbell, one of the top tight ends in Georgia.
All rankings via 247Sports:
This brings the No. 2 ranked Vols 2021 recruiting class to 21 total commits with an average player rating of 0.8962, less than the 0.8992 average of the Vols 2020 No. 10 ranked recruiting class.
Campbell (6-3, 234) plays at South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Georgia, and is ranked as the No. 37 player in Georgia and the No. 20 TE overall. Campbell holds 32 offers, including one from Georgia, Florida, Miami and Auburn, but chose the Vols in an announcement on Twitter.
The Bulldogs currently sit at No. 18 in the 2021 recruiting class rankings with an average player rating of 0.954 and only seven commits. The low number of hard commits so far should tell you that Georgia coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs staff are only getting started — after all, Georgia is coming off of three No. 1 classes in a row.
Evan Woosley-Reed is shining on the course after being pushed by his mom, former Tennessee Lady Vols basketball standout Tiffany Woosley
Evan Woosley-Reed doesn’t remember the date.
But he remembers the scene when he beat his mother — former Tennessee Lady Vols basketball standout Tiffany Woosley — in golf.
The Tennessee golf commitment celebrated the feat.
“That was a very fun day,” Evan said. “But I did end up rubbing it in too much. The next time we went out she beat me.
“She’s a good golfer. She’s a very good putter, better than me. She’s got that touch, I’d say from basketball, that helps.”
Tiffany is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 3,105 points. She coached at Lincoln County for two seasons after graduating from Tennessee before winning two WNBA championships with the Houston Comets.
Tiffany has put basketball aside these days. The only basketball goal at home is in Evan’s room.
But she can still shoot a basketball.
Evan Woosley-Reed, who is a future Tennessee golfer, pictured with his mom Tiffany Woosley, who played basketball at Tennessee for Pat Summitt. In her basketball career, Woosley won four SEC championships and two WNBA championships. (Photo: HELEN COMER/DNJ)
She hit over 30 straight free throws at her parents’ home one day when her son challenged her to a free throw shooting contest. Evan walked away from it before he got his turn.
“I told her, ‘This is dumb. This is getting boring,'” Evan said.
The two play golf together. They join in scrambles and often win. Their competitiveness comes out on the golf course.
“It’s competitive on who can beat the other in golf while we are playing to beat others in the tournament,” Evan said. “That’s led to us winning a lot of times.
“But ultimately we are having fun out there trying to beat each other.”
Tiffany has owned and sold multiple companies and currently has multiple companies, including Homeland, an IT services firm, where she is the CEO.
Her competitiveness and work ethic have carried over to her son, who was the 2019 TSSAA Small Class state champion and the 2018 runner-up for Cascade, a rural Bedford County school.
She learned discipline and hard work from her former high school coach Rick Insell and former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. It’s driven her in sports and the business world.
“We make him understand he can’t be ordinary,” Tiffany said. “You have to be the oddball. You have to be the one kid that does something different than anybody else.”
Tiffany and her husband, Chad Reed, have their son on a detailed schedule even during the COVID-19 pandemic. He isn’t allowed to sleep in. He runs three miles each morning before doing chores around their Shelbyville home.
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Evan has met Insell, but he never met Summitt, who died in 2016. However, he has heard stories from his mom and Insell about Summitt’s drive to be the best. He understands where his mom got that drive.
“I just want to make sure I put in the hard work to fulfill my dreams,” Evan said. “I want to accomplish it for not only myself, but for other people that want me to accomplish them.”
Tennessee not the original best fit
Tiffany was traveling back from Knoxville with Evan after he attended a golf camp as a seventh-grader when she broke the news to him.
Tennessee, the school that has been home for her and a place she cherishes, wasn’t the place for her son, a budding golf star with big dreams in the sport.
“He wanted to go to Tennessee,” Tiffany said. “At that time, the program wasn’t where I thought it should be. It wasn’t a top-10 program.
“I said, ‘No, we aren’t going.’ And he was really upset with me.”
They started looking at other colleges — Alabama, Auburn and other places — and he was about to commit.
And then the Vols hired Brennan Webb from Middle Tennessee State. The family knew him. Webb followed Evan to three straight golf tournaments. He watched his practice rounds and followed him around.
Evan and the rest of the family became convinced Tennessee was a place for him.
“I’ve grown up as a UT Vol fan my whole life,” Evan said. “It’s a dream come true to go there.”
Tom Kreager is a staffer at the Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network. Contact him at tkreager@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @Kreager.
