Breaking News: Otha Peters Switches to Arkansas

Tennessee commit, now former Tennessee commit LB Otha Peters (Covington, TN) has switched his commitment to Arkansas. It is now being reported by numerous sources that Peters made the decision today, and was announced via his coach today. This is the second loss for the Vols this week as LB Dalton Santos switched his commitment to Texas on Sunday. Peters was assumed to be “100%” signing with Tennessee tomorrow and this was reported by many sites. Supposedly Peters led many Tennessee coaches and players to believe this was the case, but today, Peters has switched his commitment. Peters took a visit to Arkansas last weekend.

What does this mean for the class, well, Tennessee has lost two top talent Linebackers in 3 days. Ironically, Derek Dooley told talented LB Khalid Henderson to start looking other places, because there was no room in Knoxville for him. And now, this decision is coming back to bite Derek Dooley in the behind. This is another crushing blow to the class, but it doesn’t mean this recruiting class is a loss at all, it’s just not as good as it could have been. And who knows, signing day may bring a few surprises for Tennessee. These kids are 17-18-19 years old, so you can never tell what’s going to be happen.

On that note, I am ashamed by the outcry against Peters. Personal attacks against him and such are pure stupidity. When it comes down to it, it’s just a game, and these are kids. It’s their choice and Peters decided he wants to play at Arkansas, I wish him the best of luck. What bothers me is that social networks like Facebook and Twitter allow anyone to get into contact with recruits and some people take this opportunity to talk to recruits. This is a bad idea, always. Fans should not talk to recruits, period. I don’t care if they’re saying good job, good luck, come to Tennessee either. You’re just a fan, you don’t really matter to the kid. He’s coming to play football. Let the kids have their privacy, and let them be kids. Someday, hopefully, they will grow up and learn the lessons of adulthood. But that’s a process. The process of becoming an adult really hits it’s stride in college (something I fear that many college students don’t get). Coming out of High School, you can’t expect kids to be fully mature and “men of their word.”

Put it like this, how many boys that date girls in high school fully commit themselves to that girl and marry her a few years down the road. Yes, it happens, but it is FAR from a consistent thing. Most kids just aren’t mature enough for commitment. Now marriage and where you go to college are in HUGLY different arenas. But it’s the concept of honoring your word that matters here. Learning that is something you learn over time, many times by making mistakes and not honoring it.

That’s my two cents on this subject. I don’t like to rant, but when I see people act they way they do towards these kids, it just comes out.