Ethan Utley Commits to the Vols: What It Really Means

Although this commitment means a lot, there are other levels to it as well. What this means for Tennessee and its recruiting is one thing with getting elite prospects, but when they are in state? It just seems so much more fulfilling for all parties involved.

Ever since Josh Heupel got the job back in January of 2021, he put an emphasis on in-state recruiting and locking down the border like the good ole days. So far, he has not had a letdown in that department. In the last couple of years alone, he has signed at least two of the top-five players in the state, along with having the top player in the state in 2025 commitment, George MacIntyre, on board already as well.

With this trend and the way that Josh Heupel has flipped the entire culture back to normalcy, I don’t see it stopping anytime soon. If anything, it's only increasing, given how he has shown he knows what it takes to win. In any program, you have to recruit well, but without the homegrown kids, it won’t last too long, and Heupel certainly knows that.