Tennessee lands 2024 in-state DE Carson Gentle
It was after Tennessee's 'Night at Neyland' camp last month that McCallie School (Tenn.) defensive end Carson Gentle realized that he wanted to be a Volunteer.
On Saturday morning, the three-star prospect turned that dream into a reality by announcing his commitment to Tennessee over the likes of Kentucky, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Stanford, and Harvard.
For Gentle, his relationship with Tennessee's staff began just over a year ago when he received his offer. However, it was his relationship with defensive line coach Rodney Garner that proved to be key.
The 6-foot-4, 236-pound prospect went in-depth on his commitment to the Volunteers below.
- On the coaches reactions when he committed:
"I called Coach (Rodney) Garner and I talked to Coach (Josh) Heupel. Both of them told me how excited they are about me in general. Coach Garner isn't always the most enthusiastic person, but I could hear a little pick-me-up in his voice and he was excited. Coach Heupel, he let out a cheer, so he was pretty excited too."
- On why he chose Tennessee:
"I've always been a Tennessee fan growing up here. Wanting to see them win has always been a big thing. With the coaching staff they have now, I know they are on the right trajectory and I think with me there and other players we'll be able to be a national championship contender and I think we are going to win one. Coach Garner was major in my decision to go there and that staff is planning to stick around. I also think they'll prepare me to be a better player than anybody else could."
- On his relationship with Coach Garner:
"It started last June at my first Tennessee camp. I started working with Coach Garner and the defensive line and he is pretty hard on us, but I really fell in love with the way he coached. I went back for a camp this past June and we talked more then. I talked with him a few times over the past month. I know he thinks great things about me, I've heard other people tell me that. That relationship has been pretty strong."
- On what he likes about Garner's coaching style:
"What I like about Coach Garner is just how real he is and blunt. He'll have these high school kids that aren't committed to Tennessee yelling at them and coaching them up. He treats them like his own players and I love that. You can just look at his resume and he's been in the game for a long time and knows a lot."
- On what Garner likes about his skillset:
"He always talks about my motor. He likes to compare me to David Pollack, who he coached at Georgia. A lot of our numbers and measurables are the same. I've heard that from multiple people there. He also loves my ability to bend, my explosiveness, my strength. I may not be 6'5" or 6'6" like these other guys, but I make up for it with speed and strength for sure."
- On his recruiting efforts for Tennessee moving forward:
"There are a few recruits in-state, even in my city, that I'll be trying to recruit. All of them I know a little bit or know about. Boo Carter, Marcus Goree, and Kaleb Beasley as well. There will be a lot of defensive backs that we're going to try and get."