Ryan Callahan, from GoVols247, tells McElroy & Cubelic the latest on Tennessee recruiting & what question marks the Volunteers have for 2024
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The question is, as you said, it's got to go from four to eight. I think they can do that. It would be hard not to get better considering how bad they were on the offensive line last year. Now, their schedule actually feels harder this year than it was last year. Search for the Rich Eisen Show on YouTube or wherever you listen. This Jocks 94.5 podcast is brought to you by Millennium Satellite and Video. Log on to msvnow.com. TV excellence everywhere. That's Millennium. McElroy and Kubelik in the morning starts now.

All right, welcome back in. Mackleroy and Kubelik in the morning. Going to talk some Tennessee football with Ryan Callahan here from 24-7 Sports here in just a moment. Before we get to that, it's 735 Tuesday, July 30th. G-Mac, tell our listeners about B-Dry. They've been serving Alabama and homeowners here across the state for more than 60 years. That's right. The longest and largest waterproofing company in the country. Seven years.

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So you have some cash on hand for some end of the summer fun. Call B-Dry now to get the job done right with the strongest warranty and the best price at 942-1976 or visit B-DryAlabama.com. All right, let's go to Ryan Callahan of 247 Sports. Covers the Tennessee Volunteers. Talk some recruiting, talk camp opening. Ryan, first off, a pretty good weekend for Tennessee as they get a bump in the recruiting rankings with a couple of commitments. Why the recent success for Josh Heupel's team?

Yeah, as a lot of times in recruiting it is, it's sometimes just kind of a culmination of all the work you've put in over a long period of time, and this happened to be that. And give them credit for some persistence with one of those recruitments. Deshaun Brame, four-star tight end, had just committed to Oregon last

less than a month earlier on June 29 and flips to Tennessee on Sunday after coming back to Knoxville over the weekend for an unofficial visit. That's one where he had just about picked Tennessee the first time around. Oregon came in, made a late push in the final 24 hours before he announced his decision. Tennessee stays on him. A couple weeks later, he decides, you know what? This doesn't feel right. I think I want to go to Tennessee now. And the Vols end up getting him. So they had put in the work the first time there and then

LaGonda Hayward, four-star safety, top 100 prospect, a guy that really led for for months, beat out Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, some good programs, and going to South Georgia to get a good player like that. So I think some of it's just kind of the program, their trajectory, where they've been, and where people think they're headed now. 20 wins in two years, they've got a lot to sell now.

in year four under Josh Heifel. Clearly, they've been putting in the work to win some of those battles, and they're winning a decent percentage of those this year, probably more so than they were a year ago, and it's definitely showing in the standings now. Well, looking at kind of the footprint, it's kind of all over the place with where they're recruiting. They're going to Oklahoma. They got actually a guy from my

High school, South Lake Carroll, a tight end, which we didn't even have when I was in school. So the fact that they're still running the same offense and have tight ends now is pretty sweet. Indiana, Kansas, Vegas, but not a lot from Tennessee. Only just a handful from Tennessee. As the mid-state continues to grow, or central state or whatever we call it, I think it's the mid-state. As that continues to grow, how much more will Tennessee maybe focus their attention on trying to increase the amount of

of Tennessee kids that they bring in in their class. Yeah, I think that's always a pretty big focus, but the state has been a reliable source of at least

six to 10 players in just about every class that Tennessee can count on wanting, really wanting to get. And really it's been closer to eight to 12 a lot of years. It's the talent levels improved. And so that's a, that's a focus, you know, even more than it, than it always has been because they, I think they know there's enough talent there to be a big part of the core of their roster. I mean, you go back and look at some of the most, most successful rosters in recent memory, a lot of in-state guys, you know, that Jalen Hurd and Josh,

Josh Malone, some of those guys that were key to Butch Jones' run eight or nine years ago were in-state players. So they know it's important. This year, I think, just a little bit of an unusual class because there's some guys that are maybe on the fence about evaluation-wise or that

Tennessee maybe sees playing a different position or would prefer to play at another position, in some cases a guy who wants to play on the other side of the ball. So just some interesting cases where this might not be a bigger in-state class compared to some other ones they've had.

in recent memory, but most years you see them going a little more aggressively at some in-state players. So a couple have not gone their way this year, but for the most part, they do a pretty good job of prioritizing in-state players. I think you'll continue to see that with the staff. That's

That's usually the first place they go when they go out on the road. They do a pretty good job of getting in-state players on campus all the time. Ryan Callahan joining us on the Buyer's Right Hotline talking Tennessee. As we move into fall camp, guys who we have not yet seen in a Tennessee uniform that could contribute this year. We'll get to some other position battles maybe with some veterans in a moment, transfers, but new faces that you feel like could actually help this football team this fall. Who might those be?

Man, well, like with most teams, it's probably the transfers for the most part. You know, I think true freshmen, you know, there are a couple to watch. I think on defense, Boo Carter, he's one of those in-state stars in the 2024 class that they pursued for a long time, really coveted, held off Michigan to land him and later had to hold off a big run from Colorado down the stretch to make sure that they

They signed him, and he's made some plays throughout spring practice and continued to make a name for himself throughout the offseason. I think he's probably number two in line at the star position right now going into fall camp, but he's one of those guys that we're going to be watching throughout camp and maybe into the season, too, to see if he maybe gives Tennessee some pause to think, hey, maybe we need to

find a way to get this guy on the field if he can really continue to prove himself because I think he's going to help on special teams if nothing else. But if he shows up on defense, they've got Jordan Thomas, a junior, probably in front of him right now, but a guy that could also maybe play safety. So do they give any thought to moving him over to safety to get Boo Carter on the field? And then Mike Matthews, a wide receiver. I think he's an exciting freshman that made some plays throughout the spring. He's...

Not going to be in line to be a starter, I don't think, but he's someone that they're probably going to have to find a way to get on the field. He just kept showing up throughout the spring and five-star coming out of high school, so you knew he had that kind of ability. But one of those guys, newcomers on offense that I think you're going to see. And then Peyton Lewis at running back, too. Probably not one of the top two backs, wasn't out there this spring, but I think he'll get some work this year as they look to establish some depth at that position.

Looking at this season in general, really not a lot of question marks outside of the secondary. I mean, what's keeping you up at night if you are Josh Heupel? Outside of injuries, right, the obvious. If Nico goes down, what does the backup look like? Sure. But is it the secondary that's really kind of the main point of contention at the moment?

Yeah, I think so. That's where I start. And I don't know that it's something that necessarily keeps Josh Heupel up at night, but it's the biggest concern about this team that's not something established that they can really count on having good production at that position this year because they do have a lot of new faces there. And some of them have played a little bit before, but just haven't been full-time starters. Guys like Andre Turrentine, former

former Ohio State transfer. I think they feel pretty good about him and even some of the new guys they brought in. I mentioned Jordan Thomas. He's been in the program a couple years waiting his turn to play. He's

He's played some, and when he has, he's looked pretty good. So I feel they know what they've got there. Same thing with Ricky Gibson, a second-year guy they're really excited about. He'll probably start at corner. The transfers and the big spot I'm not sure about is safety next to Andre Turrentine. That one's kind of up for grabs going into fall camp. Could be Will Brooks, the walk-on fifth-year guy in the program. Could be

maybe Jacoby Thomas, the middle Tennessee transfer. He didn't really take that job and run with it this spring. So he's got some work to do. And then maybe a guy like Christian Charles reemerges who's had some injury problems. So that's a little bit of an unknown. Jermod McCoy, an Oregon State transfer, probably in line to start at corner. But yeah, that's all new guys, basically. And then the depth behind them, a little shaky at one or two of those spots, too. So

That's the most unproven thing, and because they lost so much experience, too. They had a lot of veterans last year at that position. This year, again, all new guys that have not been full-time starters at Tennessee. Ryan, am I on track with having some real concern after Dylan Sampson at running back? Not saying not capable, but just he has legit explosive capabilities. He is a big-time home run hitter. I just don't know if they have anything close to that after him. How would you either agree or debate that?

Yeah, that's a valid concern, I think. And this spring, Cam Seldon got hurt, a second-year guy that they've been pretty excited about but hasn't

hasn't carried a huge workload to this point. And then I mentioned Peyton Lewis, true freshman. He wasn't out there this spring coming off a surgery that he had after arriving on campus in January. So those are the next two guys in line, ideally, and you just haven't seen much of them this year. So it's a big camp for Lewis. And then we'll see how Selden comes along. He's still working his way back from the injury he suffered in the spring. So maybe he's, it sounds like he's

He's a little ahead of schedule, so maybe he's back in time for the start of the season, but he could be still out for the first game or two before he's back at full strength. So without those two, it was Deshaun Bishop a lot throughout the spring, and I think another second-year guy hasn't played, but I think they like what they have in him enough that they didn't go to the transfer portal. But yeah, those are all

unproven guys for the most part. So it's a little bit of a concern when you look at what they had the last couple of years with a three-headed backfield at one point that had guys that they trusted in every situation, Jalen Wright, Jabari Small, and then obviously Dylan Sampson. So it's definitely a different situation, and they've got to quickly get those guys in the mix because they rotate a lot, and they're going to have to count on somebody else beyond Dylan Sampson. And right now, I'm not sure they

They know exactly what they have in that position. Finally, before we get you out of here, what is the temperature right now on the Tennessee fans? I know last year a lot of people were very frustrated with a 9-4. I happen to think it was a pretty dang good year, given what you lost the year before. I think most people are looking at a playoff or bust. Is that kind of the general consensus around Tennessee heading into the season?

I don't think the expectations, now we're a month out from the season opener, so maybe that's changes. I don't think the hype train has completely run away yet, but it probably will by the time we get to that first game. I definitely think there are a lot of people, though, looking at it like this is such a good opportunity with the schedule, especially for Tennessee to make a new 12-team playoff that it is going to be a missed opportunity if they don't. So, yeah, it's pretty close to playoff or bust, and I think we'll probably get there once we get to the season. But especially once I think people see

First game or two, if Nico starts to live up to the hype and is making a bunch of plays early on, it's going to be hard for fans to accept anything short of the playoffs because that is such a big piece of it in college football, obviously. I think looking at the schedule, too, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama,

Those are the big three games it probably comes down to. Tennessee should be favored in the other nine games, and they might even be favored against Alabama at home. We'll see about that. I think early on they're about a one-point favorite, but they've got a chance to be favored in nine or ten games, and if they don't make the playoff with that kind of situation with Nico at quarterback, it will be tough for fans to accept, I think. Ryan, great stuff. Thanks for joining us. Look forward to catching up again soon.

Sounds good. Thanks a lot, guys. There you go. Ryan Callahan with 247 Sports. Find his work, Go Vols 247. And also find him on Twitter at Ryan Callahan 247. Bill Smith Buick, GMC, is the GMC Dealer of the Year. Take the short drive up to Coleman, you'll see why. All the different deals, the lot, the inventory, the amount of savings that you can get

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When you have sports mixed with your pop culture, along with humor and celebrity interviews, your earbuds are enjoying the Rich Eisen Show. Good to see you, Bruce Feldman. The Big 12 landscape, I just know how Dion is, where he's coming from. His wins are measured differently. The question is, as you said, it's got to go from four to eight. I think they can do that. It would be hard not to get better considering how bad they were on the offensive line last year. Now, their schedule actually feels harder this year than it was last year. Search for the Rich Eisen Show on YouTube or wordpress.com.

Bye.