How Tennessee Football can benefit from Alabama Baseball firing its head coach
Alabama Baseball fired head coach Brad Bohannon this week due to an investigation into suspicious betting activity on a recent game against LSU. According to ESPN, a person betting on the Alabama/LSU baseball game was in communication the entire time with Bohannon. Alabama's decision to fire Bohannon (they didn't really have a choice), is one […]
Alabama Baseball fired head coach Brad Bohannon this week due to an investigation into suspicious betting activity on a recent game against LSU.
According to ESPN, a person betting on the Alabama/LSU baseball game was in communication the entire time with Bohannon.
Alabama's decision to fire Bohannon (they didn't really have a choice), is one that can actually benefit the Tennessee Vols football program.
2024 four-star wide receiver Amari Jefferson is one of the top athletes in the nation. And he's a player that several SEC programs — including Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee — would love to land.
Jefferson is a two-sport athlete who plans to also play baseball in college. In fact, he's currently committed to Tennessee baseball, though that commitment is hardly "solid" at this point, something the Chattanooga native recently mentioned to On3.
“I don’t even know where I am going, honestly,” said Jefferson to On3 this week. “Obviously, I am committed to Tennessee for baseball, but that happened after my freshman year before I ever played a varsity football game."
Jefferson reiterated his desire to play baseball in college, telling On3 that "baseball is key for me".
With Alabama's baseball program currently in disarray and suddenly in need of a new head coach, it might give Jefferson some doubt that Tuscaloosa is the right place for him. Tennessee's baseball program is obviously in a much better place with Tony Vitello leading the charge (the Vols' recent hot streak after a slow start should help, too).
Georgia is a big factor in Jefferson's recruitment so it's not like the downfall of Alabama baseball's coach is going to make it an automatic that Tennessee lands the talented wide receiver.
But it certainly leaves the Vols in a good spot. Georgia has the best football program in the nation right now and Alabama is still right there at the top of the college football world (and Nick Saban is still Nick Saban), but Tennessee has the better baseball program. And Vols football is doing just fine after going 11-2 last season with a win over Bama. That could be enough to sway Jefferson to Rocky Top.
I'm sure Alabama will continue to be in the mix for Jefferson despite Bohannon's firing, but it will make things a bit trickier for the Crimson Tide as they navigate a difficult situation.
Tennessee is essentially going head to head with Alabama and Georgia for Jefferson. If they can land the talented wide receiver over two of their top SEC rivals it'll be another sign that the Vols are ready to recruit with the "big boys" of college football. And once Tennessee starts winning more of those battles, it could be enough to swing the pendulum in the Vols' favor in the SEC.
