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Tennessee football: 2021 DL decommits from Vols due to coaching change

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images) /
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Staff changes for Tennessee football may have cost them in recruiting. North Carolina defensive lineman Isaac Washington decommitted from the Volunteers.

There’s been a lot of talk when it comes to all the staff changes that have occurred under Jeremy Pruitt the past two years with Tennessee football. The Vols only have one assistant coach who is in the same role he was in during Pruitt’s first season.

Well, all those changes may have finally come back to haunt Rocky Top. The Vols suffered a commitment from defensive tackle Isaac Washington, who is a three-star on Rivals, for their 2021 recruiting class on Wednesday.

A 6’3″ 265-pound prospect out of East Surry High School in Pilot Mountain, N.C., Washington committed to Tennessee football Jan. 25. He announced his decommitment from the Vols in a post on Twitter.

What stands out in that tweet is the fact that Washington cited the recent coaching changes this offseason as the reason he was reopening his recruitment. The Vols just replaced defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, who went to the South Carolina Gamecocks, by luring Jimmy Brumbaugh from the Colorado State Rams.

That’s the switch that likely made the difference. However, UT also replaced outside linebackers coach Chris Rumph with Shelton Felton, and they replaced inside linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer with Brian Niedermeyer, who moved over from tight ends, a position Pruitt promoted Joe Osovet to lead.

Big Orange Country could still be in the running for this prospect. But in the moment, this is an example of too much attrition proving to be costly. Washington wasn’t a guy who was committed for that long, and nobody can blame him for reopening his recruitment. Pruitt’s history so far suggests his decision will work out, though, so he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Still, with Washington’s decommitment, Tennessee football is back to only four commitments for its 2021 class, and only one of them, wide receiver Jordan Mosley, is higher than a three-star on Rivals. But there is plenty of time to get things right. So this is no reason to panic.

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