KNOXVILLE — Draw a 120-mile radius around Knoxville on the map. That line stretches to Chattanooga in the south, to Bristol in the east and just past Cookeville to the west.
It’s East Tennessee. And it has been a bigger part of the recruiting philosophy of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley and his staff recently. Only about 10 percent of the players currently on scholarship hail from this area, but that could be changing soon.
The 2013 class of 12 commitments already has a strong East Tennessee flavor. Receiver Josh Smith (Knoxville), offensive lineman Brett Kendrick (Knoxville), receiver Camion Patrick (Lenoir City) and offensive lineman Austin Sanders (Cleveland) account for a third of the pledges for the next signing class.
If the four commitments stick in the 2013 class, Dooley will have brought in 10 East Tennessee players in the last three classes. Comparatively, the 2008, 2009 and 2010 classes yielded just four total East Tennessee players. Only two — linebacker/defensive end Jacques Smith and defensive tackle Daniel Hood — are still on the roster.
Local players have seen mixed success at Tennessee in recent years. Running back Devrin Young of Knoxville was a pleasant surprise as a freshman in 2011. Others, such as former Maryville natives Tyler Maples (class of ’07) and the late Aaron Douglas (class of ’08), didn’t finish their careers in Knoxville.
Kendrick, a product of Christian Academy of Knoxville, believes being a local player gives him more motivation to perform for the team he’s always cheered for.
“I’ve always wanted to go to UT,” he said after making his commitment. “That’s kind of the offer I’d been waiting for and I can’t wait to get there and get started. It’s like a dream come true for me, and now I want to prove I can play at that level.”
Josh Smith, a high school teammate of Kendrick’s and a fellow 2013 commitment, sees the trend of taking East Tennessee players as a testament to the previously unrecognized talent in the area.
“It just shows the UT coaches are paying attention to us more now,” he said. “We have a lot of talented guys in the area and the coaches see that.”
With the rising amount of local talent making up UT’s roster, Dooley and the Vols’ future may hinge on how some of the local players produce.
A class-by-class breakdown of East Tennessee players committed and signed from the ’09 to ’13 recruiting classes:
2013
Brett Kendrick
Position: Offensive line
School: Christian Academy of Knoxville
Outlook: Kendrick plays tackle in high school but could project as either a guard or tackle with the Vols. He worked as a right tackle at Tennessee’s recent lineman camp. He is an accomplished pass protector that will need to develop his run-blocking skills in his first few seasons in Knoxville. A redshirt season will probably be needed for Kendrick to be ready to compete for playing time in 2014 and beyond.
Camion Patrick
Position: Wide receiver
School: Lenoir City High School
Outlook: The lanky 6-foot-3 Patrick could have a chance to compete for immediate playing time when he gets on campus in 2013. If receivers Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter opt to go the NFL after this season, Patrick could see the field early in his career.
Austin Sanders
Position: Offensive line
School: Bradley Central High School
Outlook: Sanders was the first commitment in the class of 2013. The Vols will probably take four or five offensive linemen after passing on taking any in the 2012 cycle. He will probably find a home at offensive tackle and could be a factor for playing time by his sophomore or junior season.
Josh Smith
Position: Wide receiver
School: Christian Academy of Knoxville
Outlook: Smith will be a part of the next wave of UT receivers that will replace current stars Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter. He has speed (4.51 40-yard dash), and impressed the Vol coaches with his precise route running.
2012
Cody Blanc
Position: Wide receiver
School: Knoxville Central High School
Outlook: Blanc enrolled early in the spring of 2012 and went through spring practice as a wide receiver. He drew praise from Dooley for his size and toughness and capped his spring off with three catches for 38 yards in the Orange and White game. There’s some uncertainty about what position he will ultimately play. He played running back, linebacker, safety and receiver in high school.
George Bullock
Position: Kicker
School: Knoxville West High School
Outlook: Bullock handled all of the kicking duties at West. He will have returning starters in front of him at every spot at UT, but none of them have nailed down their respective spots. Expect Bullock to be right in the mix at kicker and kickoff specialist as soon as fall camp begins.
2011
Mack Crowder
Position: Center
School: Tennessee High School (Bristol)
Overview/Outlook: Crowder redshirted in 2011 and left spring practice listed as the No. 2 center behind starter Alex Bullard. He will probably provide depth the next two seasons and be in a prime position to take over the center spot in 2014 when Bullard and fellow guard/center James Stone are both set to graduate.
Brendan Downs
Position: Tight end
School: Tennessee High School (Bristol)
Overview/Outlook: Downs found the field as a backup tight end in his first year at UT. He appeared in eight games and made three catches for 34 yards. He figures to play a larger role in the coming years after the May dismissal of fellow sophomore tight end Cameron Clear and the departure of starting tight end Mychal Rivera after the 2012 season.
Kyler Kerbyson
Position: Offensive line
School: Knoxville Catholic
Overview/Outlook: Kerbyson redshirted in 2011. He was a regular on the second-team offensive line in the spring, playing center, guard and tackle. His versatility should make him a valuable backup in 2012 and increase his chances at cracking the starting lineup in 2013 or 2014.
Devrin Young
Position: Running back
School: Bearden High School (Knoxville)
Overview/Outlook: Young made a huge splash as a punt and kick returner his freshman season. He returned 27 kicks for 628 yards and eight punts for 94 yards. He was used occasionally on offense as a change-of-pace back.
Going forward, he will continue to be a huge part of the return game and will get more chances on offense. He, along with Rajion Neal and Marlin Lane, will all compete for the starting running back spot in 2012.
2010
Jacques Smith
Position: Defensive end/linebacker
School: Ooltewah High School
Overview/Outlook: Smith has appeared in 25 games with 59 tackles and three sacks during his two years at Tennessee. Though he has been productive, he hasn’t quite lived up to his lofty high school rankings yet.
Smith is getting somewhat of a fresh start in 2012 as a Jack linebacker in the new 3-4 defensive scheme. The Jack is a hybrid linebacker/defensive end spot that normally rushes the passer.
2009
Daniel Hood
Position: Defensive tackle
School: Knoxville Catholic
Overview/Outlook: After starting his career on the offensive line, Hood transitioned to defense after the 2010 season and had a productive sophomore year as a defensive tackle. He missed spring practice in 2012, so it’s unclear how the coaches plan to use him in the new 3-4 look.
Kevin Revis
Position: Offensive line
School: Rhea County High School
Overview: Revis redshirted in 2009 and saw the field in only one game in 2010. He transferred to UTC after the 2010 season.