Monday Musings: Josh Heupel had a huge weekend

IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!

And man, what a weekend it was for the Big Orange. So, without further ado, let’s pull on the checkerboard lederhosen, get the polka music playing, and chug down those Tennessee Volunteers-related thoughts tapped and poured straight from my brain.

1) David Sanders, Jr. just did some things for Josh Heupel on the recruiting trail, in my humble opinion. The commitment of the big offensive tackle from Charlotte signaled to other recruits and major programs that the Vols can go out of state and land the types of players that make a difference in being in the type of program that hovers around the 8-9 win mark to one that competes for titles.

One very significant factor in Georgia’s success is their ability to impose their will on their opponents. That starts with offensive linemen that are elite. That’s the sign of a team that’s built to win, and it’s incredibly obvious every time I’ve watched Tennessee play them (or Alabama in years prior) that the Vols haven’t been on that same level as far as line talent. Sanders it the kind of player that can change that.

And hey, great players want to go play with other great players. That’s why so often the rich have stayed rich in the college football recruiting world. However, landing players like Sanders, Jr., George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon, and other big-name recruits surely hasn’t gone unnoticed by other recruits.

2) Flipping a recruit from Alabama is no small thing, but Heupel also did that on Sunday, securing the services of Jaedon Harmon. Harmon talked, as Nick notes in his most recent article, about relationships and the way he was treated by Heupel and his staff early in the process. And being able to bring Harmon back the way Heupel and William Inge did is truly something else.

3) The Vols had an interesting little feature regarding the EA Sports College Football 25 game and how it related to their roster. Specifically, the players were asked who they thought would be the fastest player on the roster in the game. One name came up repeatedly and was wrong: Squirrel White.

The answer (for those who didn’t watch the video for whatever reason) is Peyton Lewis. The true freshman running back is apparently listed with a 97 speed rating. I find that very curious because true freshman in this game typically aren’t granted with the best stats.

However, Lewis isn’t a crazy choice. The freshman has wheels. He exploded for 373 yards on 30 carries with 4 touchdowns for Salem High School in his Virginia state semifinals last year. One player in the video nailed it too, and several didn’t seem too surprised by it.

So while Squirrel seems to be the one most think can move the fastest, EA Sports apparently disagreed. Hoping to see Lewis get the chance to prove his speed this fall.

4) The Rockies honored 2024 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Todd Helton over the weekend, and two other Vols were involved: Peyton Manning and Mike Honcho himself: Jordan Beck.

That is the perfect photo of Beck. That’s mainly because that’s a guy who simply marches to the beat of his own drum.

Oh, yeah, and he’s swinging the bat well since his recent return to the majors this month. 6-16 from the plate. Love to see that.

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Next week I’ll hit a season prediction for UT. We are almost there. Until then….Go Vols!