Volquest- Tennessee Volunteers Football & Recruiting
The Volquest football program is booming under head coach Josh Heupel, and their latest recruiting class looks promising, too. In fact, they are on track to finish the season in the top 10 in the country. But Ohio State is in the mix for the top recruits from Florida, too. So how do the Vols stack up against Ohio State? Let’s take a look at their rosters and how they stack up against each other.
Vols volleyball recruiting class is off to a good start
The 2023 Volquest volleyball recruiting class is off to shaky start with nine commitments. The class ranks ninth nationally, and Tennessee is in the mix for several elite recruits. Among those commits is three-star offensive tackle Ayden Bussell. Bussell recently spoke with VolQuest about his recruitment success. He believes Tennessee will be able to compete with the best programs in the country.
The recruiting class features four all-state performers: Ally Batenhorst, Rylee Gray, Lindsay Krause and Whitney Lauenstein. A sixth recruit, libero Lexi Rodriguez, hails from San Antonio. The other two recruits are outside hitters Ally Batenhorst and Kayla Smith. Each player brings a unique skill set that helps the team succeed.
Vols football recruiting is booming under head coach Josh Heupel
As a second-year head coach at Tennessee, Josh Heupel and his staff are working hard to recruit the next generation of Vols. One prospect that the Vols are considering is 2024 cornerback Kenneth Woseley. Woseley is a 6-foot-170-pound prospect from Philadelphia who attended Imhotep Institute Charter High School. Heupel interviewed him recently for the Rutgers Wire.
The offensive coordinator of Tennessee, Josh Heupel, has an up-tempo spread offense. Heupel is one of the most accomplished offensive minds in college football. His recruiting philosophy boils down to finding players who fit his system. The Vols have a solid offensive line, which is one of the main reasons why Memphis is a great place to recruit. The Vols started the season with four wins but lost two games to Alabama and Ole Miss in two weeks.
Already Showing Results
The new Tennessee Volquest football recruiting efforts are already showing results. The new coaches had been in the job for 10 months when the December signing period rolled around. They had to recruit against the perceived perception of sanctions. The Pruitt era’s NCAA investigation exposed recruiting violations at the school, and COVID-19 protocol prohibited recruiting in person until the summer. Most of the top in-state 2022 recruits had already signed with other schools. Heupel and his staff were able to lock down those in the 2023 class with their contacts.
Vols volleyball recruiting is on track for a top-10 finish
The Lady Volunteers are on track to land a top-10 player in the 2019 class. The Vols are already recruiting a top-level player in the form of libero/defensive specialist Kiake Kearney. The talented high school student has already visited several Division I programs, including Tennessee. Her older brother plays volleyball for Long Beach State. She is a native of Nashville, Tennessee.
Smith Gilbert helped the Lady Volunteers win the SEC Indoor Championship in 2005 and the NCAA Mideast Regional outdoor championship in 2007. The team finished fourth in the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2004. Previously, Smith Gilbert was an assistant coach at Alabama for three years from 2000-02. His Lady Vol athletes won seven SEC titles and 53 NCAA Division I All-America honors. In addition, Smith Gilbert helped establish 19 school records.
Ohio State in the mix for top Florida recruits
Ohio State is in the mix for three top-ranked Florida defensive linemen. Ja’Lon Bisontis, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound tackle from New Jersey, has already visited Alabama, Michigan State, LSU, and the University of Miami. However, he has not yet set a spring visit date with Ohio State. Despite the recruiting buzz, Ohio State remains one of the top-ranked teams in the country for offensive linemen.
Final Words:
Ohio State is still in the mix for five-star Florida cornerback Tyson Campbell. Campbell is ranked No. 3 in the 247Sports Composite and played at American Heritage High School in Fort Lauderdale last spring. But it has not been easy to make a case for Ohio State, even after Campbell visited the Buckeyes this spring. In the meantime, the Buckeyes are in the mix for top Florida offensive linemen, but it may not be enough to secure the top Florida.