Fact or Fiction: Tennessee is bigger rebuild than Vanderbilt
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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MORE FACT OR FICTION: Elias Ricks will leave LSU | Ja'Tavion Sanders should play TE at Texas
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1. Tennessee is an even bigger rebuild than Vanderbilt
Farrell’s take: FACT. Vanderbilt went 0-8 this season and it’s a huge job ahead for new head coach Clark Lea, but the Vols are going to be an even tougher rebuild because of the potential NCAA penalties that will likely keep recruits and coaches away. Someone will obviously take the job and that coach will still land plenty of players, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Vandy was even with Tennessee as far as on-field performance as early as next season. And that’s crazy to think.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Tennessee is a mess, there’s no doubt about it, and the recent spate of high-level players to the transfer portal is very worrisome. It’s also concerning where the coaching search is going to go - if any top-notch guys will even want the job, considering the NCAA sanctions that are possible - and whether the new staff could recruit top-end prospects. In no way am I saying Tennessee is right on the edge of something big like an SEC championship, but Vanderbilt is a much tougher turnaround. It might be an impossible one, actually. Tennessee still has Harrison Bailey, still has some elite recruits in this class and has history and tradition on its side. Lea is a good hire, but Vanderbilt might be the toughest Power Five job by far.
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2. Michigan is back in it for Will Johnson and Domani Jackson.
Farrell’s take: FACT. The hiring of DBs coach and co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist has had quite the impact on the five-star duo, and while USC still leads for Jackson I think Michigan could be back in the pole position for Johnson. Johnson is delaying his decision now and will take a much longer look at Michigan despite a very good visit out to USC, while Jackson will likely commit on the 23rd to USC but will continue to look at Michigan. And if Elias Ricks does in fact leave LSU for Ohio State the Buckeyes will likely be out with both.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. For Johnson, Michigan is going to be a serious player. For Jackson, I’m not so sold. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei five-star cornerback is committing on Saturday and at this point I’ve been given no indication his mind has changed since the hiring of Linguist. Johnson is a different story. The new Michigan assistant is focused on getting Johnson in this class but the five-star corner from Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South had a great visit to USC this past weekend and the two are serious about playing together. Get them both? I don’t see it. But Johnson might be rethinking things.
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3. Texas A&M is recruiting like a national power.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I love what Jimbo Fisher is building in College Station, and the start to the 2022 class is awesome with DE Malik Sylla, OL Patrick Williams and TE Donovan Green. The Aggies still have unfinished business in 2021 and in the transfer portal and when I see the program as a finalist for a prospect I now assume they have as good a chance as anyone. They are a hot name among recruits.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Texas A&M has the seventh-best class in the country this recruiting cycle, led by five-stars OL Bryce Foster and DE Tunmise Adeleye, and the Aggies exploded on the 2022 scene this week with three outstanding prospects, all of them in-state recruits. Nobody is recruiting the state of Texas like Fisher right now. A&M is on a roll and the Aggies are clearly going in the right direction toward having a bigger say on the national stage. But we come back to this one prickly problem: Being in the same division with Alabama is always going to be an issue and until we can wrap our heads around putting the four best teams in the playoff (even if one of those teams doesn’t win its own division) it’s going to be an issue.