Another reason to dislike Tennessee Volunteers

[gmartin]

Reading this made me sick. How often has Tennessee played UM or MSU, let me check 3 times in past 25 years. What a bunch of b.s.

Tennessee wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett is seeking to transfer to a school in Michigan to be closer to his ill father in Saginaw, according to espn.com. Arnett had 24 catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman this season. He picked Tennessee over scholarship offers from Michigan and Michigan State among others. Now it sounds like he wants to be a Spartan or Wolverine --but the Volunteers might not let him. In an e-mail to several media outlets, Arnett said he is seeking a release to all schools in Michigan but Tennessee will only release him to Mid-American Conference schools, unless he wants to pay his own way to a Big Ten school. Tennessee has a policy of not releasing players to schools it plays or recruits against. Scout.com posted a long written statement from Arnett, in which he writes, "I don't know what's next. My family can't afford to pay for school, but my father's poor health isn't a good enough excuse for me to attend a BCS school close to home. Therefore as a student athlete I feel coach Dooley is trying to hinder my success by not allowing me to compete at a BCS level and neglecting the fact my father is severely ill." But school spokesman Jimmy Stanton, quoted by the Knoxville News Sentinel, retorted: "We're not denying him a release to be near his family, get a good education and play Division I football at the same time, but we do have a policy of not releasing players to schools we either play or recruit against. Where he's from, there are several good D-I schools nearby that would be good options to play football, get a good education and keep him near his family."

[MarkL]

So since there is a very small chance that the Vols would make the Capitol One, Outback, or Gator Bowl and play either U of M or MSU during this kid's remaining three years, he can't transfer to one of those schools. I am appalled. Some rich alum of the school is likely to get in the ear of the AD and smack some common sense into him. This is a serious embarrassment for the school and I bet few alums will stand for these actions.

[Flipper]

Yeah...not a good idea to come off as heartless pricks when your coach is about to head back out on the recruiting trail in January. I'm sure this story will come up when he tells some HS kid and his parents that Tennessee isn't just a school...it's a "family"

[Rightupinthere]

So, what's wrong with him playing at MAC school? I think there's something said about all parties as this drama unfolds.

[MarkL]

There's nothing wrong with playing at a MAC school, but the justification given by UT doesn't hold water. It looks like this decision is being made out of spite for the kid leaving.

[pdt1081]

There's nothing wrong with playing at a MAC school, but the justification given by UT doesn't hold water. It looks like this decision is being made out of spite for the kid leaving.

He had offers from UM and MSU. Therefore, they do recruit against each other. Which is mentioned in their policy.

[Class of 61]

But as long as we're talking about their "policy", haven't some MAC schools played Tenn. recently? Just don't know if any of the "directionals" were one of those schools. But they probably think all MAC schools are alike anyway.

[Flipper]

It's my understanding that most schools restrict releases to conference schools or at the most D1 schools in the same state. Tennessee has a national reach. With 85 scholarship players you are almost guranteed that you can find a number of kids with offers from any number of division 1 schools all accross the country on that roster. This gives them a safe rationale to not give anyone a release, or put some heavy stipulations on it. In this case, the kid wants to go home and have a shot at a BCS title while being close to his sick dad. They're just being dicks by citing a policy that they know is ridiculous. Shame on them...

[Ydfalcon]

Yeah, my wife is a Tennessee native and Volunteer Alumnae, and through her I have come to where I consider myself a Vol fan as well as a BG fan. In addition, normally, I like Coach Dooley (though I've not been crazy about his record on the field these past two years). But in this case, I think he flat out made the wrong call, and it is embarrassing. While I understand where you'd hate to let a kid go, then wind up playing against him in another year or two, the likelihood of this happening is very small, and this is a bit of a unique circumstance anyway. While I think his transfer should carry with it the usual stipulation that he has to sit out a year, the kid just wants to be closer to his dad and I think at the very least, PR-wise, it would have been the better decision to let him go. If the transfer was approved, 90% of people, even most Vol fans, probably wouldn't even know it happened. Now, it's a news story getting nationwide coverage (not exactly major coverage, but obviously people in Northern Ohio are talking about it now) that winds up being a black eye for UT & Coach Dooley.

[Flipper]

Looks like they've reconsidered and will allow him to xfer to a BCS program in Michigan. Smart move....