14 months. All this carnage in 14 months. Hurricane Lane blew through Knoxville and left the Tennessee football program in ruins. How did it happen? Good question. You would think that a school like Tennessee with tradition and prestige would hire a football coach to lead it’s program. Instead they hired a rock star wannabe. Why?

When Phil Fulmer was kicked to the curb at UT, his record was somewhere around the 150-50 mark. But winning 3 out of every 4 games for two decades was not enough for the Vols. They weren’t winning the right games anymore. They weren’t beating the Gators, and they weren’t beating the Tide.

Apparently, somebody had the idea to go out and hire the “anti-Fulmer”. Fulmer was a class act, he was a Vol. He played for the Vols and bleeds UT orange. He gave the impression that he did not want to make waves, never wanting to mix it up with Urban Meyer or Nick Saban. He shrugs off losses with his standard “we will work like heck”. But he can never be accused of embarrassing the school.

“So who do we get? How about the kid who the Raiders just fired? He’s young. He’s good looking. He’s in shape. He’s got the balls to get in Meyer’s face. He is a guy who can come in and light a fire. Never mind he has a 5-15 record. Never mind he has never heard of Knoxville. Who cares if he wants to scrap everything UT and replace it with USC? As long as it wins games right?”

Well now you know. You went out and hired the anti-Fulmer only to realize that Fulmer was more good than bad. Now look at you. You fans who have been swallowing his crap for 14 months, how do you like him now? Oh you loved it when he took pot shots at other coaches. You laughed it up. You thought it was great when he made jokes around the SEC. It was just jealousy right? Or maybe we were scared? Maybe we were worried because we didn’t have Fat Phil to kick around anymore? No actually, we were really laughing at you.

Now look at you. You’re making youtube videos peeing on t-shirts and cussing his name. You’re burning mattresses and spray painting F-Bombs on rocks. You were SOOO cocky. What are you now? You’re getting what you deserve, that’s what.

By: James Folsom

Dustin Doe’s apparent failure to perform eight hours of community service has led to an arrest warrant issued to him on January 5th.

Back in July, Doe was caught driving on a suspended license and was arrested. According to records, Doe paid the $311 fine associated to his case when he was adjudicated guilty before a judge. Doe reportedly paid the fine but then failed to perform the community service that came with this adjudication.

Doe was initially suspended from the team at the time of his July arrest and was later reinstated during two-a-days in August.

He is no longer with the team due to graduation.

-GSN, Bringing you the best in free recruiting and team news.

11:00 UPDATE. Michael Taylor has released an official statement on the matter. Taylor: “I have had a change of heart and I have de-committed from Tennessee.”
“I am not ready to release a list of schools yet,” he said. “I am open right now.”

His coach spoke with Chad Simmons of scout earlier this morning and said “Mike is now comitted to Florida.”

So as of now it remains to be seen.
——–

The riot is over, the students are back in their dorms and Lane Kiffin is half way to Los Angeles, California. As the dust settles from the chaos that was Kiffin’s flight from Knoxville things seem to be falling apart with their current recruiting class. It was made known recently that Michael Taylor was the first casualty of the coach-less Tennessee recruiting class. Though Taylor did not explicitly make the news known himself, a teammate of his let slip that he was heading to the Sunshine State to play for the University of Florida.

University of Central Florida commit Tony Jacobs, a teammate of Michael Taylor at Atlanta Westlake High, informed the Orlando Sentinel that the standout linebacker would be decommitting from Tennessee and committing to Florida.

“Yeah he is going to the University of Florida” said Jacob.

When Taylor was finally contacted for comment he did not sound pleased that the news had been reported however he did not deny the the report either.

“They had the nerve to call me and ask me to come to Southern Cal. And Coach Ed Orgeron said that he was going to be my coach at Tennessee.” It is widely known that Orgeron is leaving with Kiffin to be at USC.

This is a good pick up for the Gators of which right now are looking to take one more linebacker after Michael Taylor. Standing at 6’1, 200 pounds, Taylor is a prized recruit that will be now joining the Florida fold.

It is expected that more UT recruit defections are on the way in light of the recent chaos in Knoxville.

Solomon Patton is a Gator, plain and simple. The 5’10, 175 pound wideout from Hoover, Alabama loves the Gators more than anything, and he enrolled early at his favorite school earlier this week to get a jumpstart on his college education. Sort of weird huh? I was under the impression that Nick Saban owned the state of Alabama in recruiting; apparently not. He will be hitting the field this spring when the Gators put on the orange and blue for practice. I for one cant wait to see Patton play at UF.

During his entire career, Patton put up huge numbers for his high school, SS Murphy. During his senior season, Patton caught 71 passes for 891 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s over twelve yards a catch! But that’s not the only stat he was doing well in. He got 30 rushes for 371 yards and three touchdowns and also returned five kick returns this year for 194 yards and one touchdown. Patton was used everywhere on his team, and will probably do the same at UF next fall.

Patton is expected to play in the slot for UF this spring/fall. He will get his shot on the outside too, but I expect him to stay in the slot and have sort of a Percy Harvin role. He was one of the two wide receivers to enroll early at Florida this semester (Robert Clark), so now him and Clark can get a leg up on the other wideouts UF has committed to play for them in 2010 (Chris Dunkley and Quinton Dunbar).

Gator Sports Nation exchanged a few words with Patton tonight:

When I first spoke with Patton, I asked him if he was pumped about this year, he replied back: “Heck yea!”

We had the chance to ask him a couple of things.

Gator Sports Nation: What did you think of the Under Armour All-America game?

Patton: “I liked it a lot, um it was a good experience just being to leave mobile and go play with the best athletes in the nation, i mean that’s big and i thank god for blessing me to get this far in life.”

Gator Sports Nation: What are the advantages of enrolling early at UF?

Patton: “Me getting in early it gives me a chance to learn the plays and get in the weight room to put about 15 pounds on b4 the season and just go through spring.”

-Gator Sports Nation

Chris Dunkley is
one of the top recruits in the nation and today
 GSN got a change to speak with the 4 star play
maker out of Pahooke, FL.


GSN: How has the recruiting process gone for you so far? 

Dunkley: "Hell it was nerve racking!"

GSN: What excites you the most about being a Gator? 

Dunkley: "That I have a chance to make a big splash as a
true freshman."

GSN: What do you think about the new receivers coach
Zach Azzanni?

Dunkley: "He is real cool we are not gonna miss a beat." 

GSN:What was your first impression of the atmosphere
at the Swamp? 

Dunkley: "Showtime!" 

GSN: Haha yeah. Why can't it be football season already?

Dunkley: "I need the time for my legs."

GSN: Are they in bad shape?

Dunkley: "Yea they are."

GSN: How is that coming along?

Dunkley: "Working on them now I just got to get flexible.
I'm fast as hell now andthe doctor said with flexibility
I would way faster."

GSN: Well we hope you get that straightened out in time
for football!

Dunkley: "Im gonna be good trust me."

GSN: Are there currently any recruits that have not
committed to Florida that you think will be in
this class?   

Dunkley: "I don't know who, maybe Da'rick Rodgers."

By: Kurt Posner & Brandon S.