The first season of Vols volleyball starts on Saturday, and there is nothing more thrilling than the prospect of fall camp. But before the Vols get to work, listen to the Volquest podcast to learn more about Vols’ history and present. Those with a passion for true crime will love the Morbid podcast, a true crime and spooky history podcast. Produced by the Morbid Network, the podcast is hosted by Caleb from Horror Soup and features Ash, Chris Demarais, and Gustavo Sorola.
Simpson’s departure from the Vols
While Volquest Podcast Tennessee’s decision to fire Jeremy Pruitt has hurt its chances for a top-five recruiting class, the sudden departure of Simpson is even more damaging to the program. Despite the new coach’s firing, Simpson was highly excited about Heupel’s offense and was expected to play for the Vols if Pruitt remained as head coach. Though it is possible that he’ll decide to play for Alabama or Clemson, Tennessee will continue to recruit Simpson. Whether he signs with either school or not, Tennessee will have ample opportunity to offer a transfer portal.
One of the biggest deciding factors in Simpson’s decision to attend the Vols was the coaching change. The Vols had been his top choice since his eighth-grade recruitment, but changes in the Tennessee staff frustrated him. After all, his father is the head coach of the Tennessee-Martin program, and there were rumors that he would join the Vols staff under Jeremy Pruitt. While the two coaches had different styles and approaches, they were still a good match for the young quarterback.
Jay Hardy’s commitment to Tennessee
Jay Hardy is one of the nation’s top football prospects. During his recruitment, the four-star prospect from McCallie High School has been considering Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, and Georgia Tech. He visited Knoxville for the Volunteers’ 41-21 win over South Carolina this past weekend, and he is set to announce his decision to Tennessee on Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. Hardy was in the process of narrowing down his list to five schools, but has visited Georgia Tech, Volquest Tennessee, and Auburn in recent weeks.
The Tennessee Volquest Podcast pursuit of Hardy, a four-star defensive lineman, has taken a bizarre turn. While Hardy indicated to reporters last November that he would be committing to Tennessee, he later spurned them to sign with Auburn instead. While Hardy was a strong candidate for the 2020 class, the program has been recruiting well this cycle. Tennessee was one of the top three schools for Hardy before he chose Auburn.
Kiffin’s lack of interest in going to USC
If Kiffin didn’t want to go to USC, why would he stay at Tennessee? After all, he rebuilt the Vols’ program after leaving USC. He snuck out after just one season to take the job at USC. Kiffin hasn’t remained quiet about his decision, and it’s hard to blame him. He is a controversial figure, but his actions have had consequences for his former players and coaches.
One incident that sparked Kiffin’s disinterest in USC was the infamous “ping-pong ball” incident, which resulted in his being stranded at an airport. After two months, he received a phone call from Kiffin, and was on a plane to Los Angeles by five. Orgeron had never been to USC before, but his desire to return to the school compelled him to take the flight.
Tennessee’s plan B recruiting class
While there have been a few reports of a potential “plan B” recruiting class, that has yet to happen. The fact is that the Vols have been able to find a number of players that have the potential to be NBA draft picks. This year’s class contains four players in the NBA, including Admiral Schofield. A sixth player from the 2020 class, Dallan Hayden, is also a possibility. While the team could do well with any of these players, it’s not clear what exactly Tennessee is doing to ensure that they are getting a quality class.
Final Words:
Tennessee is a top candidate to sign five-star prospect Nico Iamaleava, a quarterback from Downey, Calif. who has committed to coach Josh Heupel. According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Iamaleava ranks No. 7 nationally. He visited Tennessee earlier this month and named Tennessee as his top five schools on Wednesday. However, the program is keeping a close eye on Iamaleava.
