Alabama commit set to visit Tennessee
TRUSSVILLE, Ala. — Over 10 months ago, Rivals 100 offensive tackle Pierce Quick committed to Alabama. He grew up a big fan of the Crimson Tide. He dreamed of playing football in Tuscaloosa. He still says all the right things about his commitment, but the four-star out of Hewitt-Trussville is leaving the door slightly cracked for others schools.
He visited Mississippi State a little over a week ago, he is planning to visit Georgia soon, but this week, he will take his first visit to Tennessee.
It is not so much about the connection with new head coach Jeremy Pruitt, but someone else who came with him from Alabama.
"This will be my first time ever in Tennessee, so I am ready for it," said Quick. "I knew coach Pruitt, but he wasn't really a coach I knew that well at Alabama, but me and coach [Brian] Niedermeyer were extremely close.
"Every time I would visit Alabama, I would be around him, we would talk a lot and we were super tight. So him being at Tennessee is something that is pretty cool and we still have a good relationship."
The day after the staff was hired, I was getting text messages from a lot of the coaches. One of those coaches is Will Friend, the offensive line coach in Knoxville and he and Quick are starting to build a relationship.
"He is really a cool guy and his grandparents are from Trussville, so that is pretty cool. He has been recruiting me hard and he knows the area I am from, so we will talk more when I get up there."
The Vols are selling playing time to the No. 7-ranked offensive tackle in the 2019 class. Alabama is loaded with talent and that is what Pruitt is aiming to have his roster looking like in the coming years.
"The Tennessee coaches are telling me that I can come in there and get playing time and that I am a big need for them," said Quick. "They think I can start early there and that is really what they are telling me."
Tennessee was just one of five SEC schools that made a change at head coach in 2017. Alabama also replaced almost their entire staff under Nick Saban. Quick definitely took notice.
"All the coaching changes this year has really opened up my eyes, so you can never go to a school for a coach. The school I choose to go to will be the one I would go to even if I wasn't playing football.
"It is come down to that for me. I am going to evaluate everything as a student, so I am going to visit other schools and just look at things a little differently."
Trip No. 1 to Knoxville could lead to a return visit. Quick will go into this visit with his eyes and ears open and if things go really well, he may schedule an official visit.
"It would have to be an eye-opener for me," said Quick. "It is hard to say exactly what I would have to see or what exactly would have to happen for me to schedule an official visit with Tennessee, but if things go well, there is a chance I take one.
"I am going to take all five and I know Alabama and Mississippi State will get one, so I still have to decide on the other three. Georgia and Oregon along with Clemson and Tennessee are schools I am looking at right now."
