One unintended recruiting benefit for the Tennessee Vols that comes from NCAA penalties
The headline for the Tennessee Vols last week when the penalties for the recruiting violations committed under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt were announced was the lack of a postseason bowl ban. It was always the assumption that Tennessee wouldn't be hit with a bowl ban, but there was admittedly some nervousness from current head […]
The headline for the Tennessee Vols last week when the penalties for the recruiting violations committed under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt were announced was the lack of a postseason bowl ban.
It was always the assumption that Tennessee wouldn't be hit with a bowl ban, but there was admittedly some nervousness from current head coach Josh Heupel all the way up to the NCAA's announcement.
"[I] was nervous before the announcement came," said Heupel earlier this week. "During the process you really don’t find out until a couple hours before it goes public."
Avoiding a postseason bowl ban wasn't the only positive that came from the penalties.
One unintended benefit of the NCAA's penalties for Tennessee is that it instantly built some added trust between recruits (and some current players) and Heupel.
For two years, opposing coaches on the recruiting trail have told recruits that Tennessee would be hit with a bowl ban.
Heupel, meanwhile, has told recruits for two years that Tennessee wouldn't be hit with a bowl ban.
Now that the penalties have been handed down, Heupel can look recruits in the eye and tell them that he was right. The opposing coaches that were recruiting negatively against Tennessee can't do that.
"For two years and the recruits that we did sign a ton of trust from them and their families because there were a lot of unknowns and they were getting hit by other schools with some things that were probably a little or a lot sensationalized," said Heupel at SEC Media Days on Thursday. "To be able to put this thing to bed, have it on paper of what’s transpired then for us to be able to get on the phone with them and be able to talk through how we have already navigated the space in two years and the reality of what it’s going to look like going forward. At the end of the day they can tell this isn’t going to impact the ability to have great players around them, to be able to play at the highest level, win a bunch of individual awards and compete for championships."
This is just another addition to Heupel's already-strong reputation on the recruiting trail. Players and recruits know that they can trust Heupel because he delivers on his word. There's no deception, only transparency. And that's something that every high school recruit (and their parents) can appreciate.
Josh Heupel just made Lane Kiffin look foolish and recruits are going to notice
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel just made Ole Miss Rebels Lane Kiffin look foolish and recruits are going to notice
Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
