Running back Jalen Hurd, a 5-star player out of Hendersonville, Tenn., has committed to Tennessee.
(GoVols247.com)
When five-star running back prospect Jalen Hurd committed to Tennessee Thursday morning, he announced the news the way many prospects do -- with a tweet.
The good news from Hendersonville, Hurd's hometown, quickly filtered through the indoor practice facility in Knoxville, where the Vols were practicing.
The news also reached nearby Nashville, where Vanderbilt and third-year coach James Franklin have made a point of going after high-profile prospects who might previously have never considered being a Commodore.
Given Franklin's penchant for speaking his mind, some fans and media believed Franklin's tweet that said Vandy "isn't the place for you" if "you want to settle in life" was directed at Hurd. But was it?
Read below for the social media timeline.
Jalen Hurd's commitment and the reaction on social media
Franklin's commits were made 9 hours before Jalen Hurd. Franklin said he only heard about it this morning which matches with the tweet. Franklin commits were part of a serious of similar comments posted simultaneously. To say he was tweeting about Hurd is a stretch at best.
Guess what? Some of us do not care what the Vanderbilt head coach tweets, says, or thinks about hot assitant coaches' wives. What we care about is getting back to drilling the Commodores on the football field and want it to start this coming fall. I don't care if the smart mouth's tweetaroo was directed at Hurd or not. I care nothing about what that guy does. I just want the Vols to do their thing on Saturday's this fall. That includes a thrashing of the almighty Vanderbilt who won last year against whom?
It is a shame our program is at a point where we care what the Vanderbilt coach is typing on his computer. Great recruit. Hopefully we can have some on the field success and get him to sign an actual LOI next February.
just the fact that anyone is talking about Vandy says alot about what Franklin has done there. That being said i think that tweet might come back to bite him where the sun dont shine . lol
Franklins tweet sure looks like he knew something, I mean come on people who goes off telling someone their settling and this wasnt the place for them, unless he was bitter about something. Probably just figured out how bad this could backfire on him and now says there was nothing to it. I bet a few more wont want to be there before its over.
Guess what? Some of us do not care what the Vanderbilt head coach tweets, says, or thinks about hot assitant coaches' wives. What we care about is getting back to drilling the Commodores on the football field and want it to start this coming fall. I don't care if the smart mouth's tweetaroo was directed at Hurd or not. I care nothing about what that guy does. I just want the Vols to do their thing on Saturday's this fall. That includes a thrashing of the almighty Vanderbilt who won last year against whom?
It is a shame our program is at a point where we care what the Vanderbilt coach is typing on his computer. Great recruit. Hopefully we can have some on the field success and get him to sign an actual LOI next February.
Program doesn't care. KNS media cares about number of posts on this garbage. You are not part of the program so don't say "we."
If a player's goal is to be a doctor or lawyer I could see not going to Vandy as "settling" but if goal is be an NFL player, nah. But if goal is to be a doctor or lawyer, and you want the best then go to Duke or Harvard, not Vandy.
It is a shame our program is at a point where we care what the Vanderbilt coach is typing on his computer. Great recruit. Hopefully we can have some on the field success and get him to sign an actual LOI next February.
supposedly he'll graduate high school in December and enroll at UT for the Spring semester
Franklins tweet sure looks like he knew something, I mean come on people who goes off telling someone their settling and this wasnt the place for them, unless he was bitter about something. Probably just figured out how bad this could backfire on him and now says there was nothing to it. I bet a few more wont want to be there before its over.
You nailed it. He got emotional like the little baby he is, spouted off, like he has done countless times while at Vandy, and then realized what a cry baby he was and started denying any involvement.
If his tweet was not about a recruit then what was he talking about? Fried chicken? give me a break!
Who cares what Franklin thinks or says?! He coaches Vandy and we are TENNESSEE. He wants them to be good but it ain't going to happen. The little bit of success he has seen is all he will see. He will bail within the next 2 years...mark it down. Welcome Jalen with the rest of the Mighty Vols. You are about to be a part of a very special thing. I agree with a comment Todd Kelly made the other day. We are not coming back. WE ARE BACK! Watch out everyone the VOL TRAIN is on the tracks! Fight on you MIGHTY VOLS and yes the basketball team is in the tournament. You can mark that down as well.
just the fact that anyone is talking about Vandy says alot about what Franklin has done there. That being said i think that tweet might come back to bite him where the sun dont shine . lol
Agree with you on what he has done for Vandy, but just like Kiffie did, he yaps about everything and doesn't know when to shut his mouth. Keep it up Franklin as you are showing your true self and recruits will see you for what you are! GBO
CBJ is bringing them in!! As for Vandy, when franklin gets them to their first Sec championship and wins and gets them to their first NC game and wins or beats one of the top sec teams once, then he will have proven something, until then he is nothing but another coach of a team who has never won any kind of championship in the history of their pathetic football program. If CBJ was black he would be getting more media attention than franklin, and if franklin was white nobody would be talking about his two average seasons.
I do not believe people are paying attention to Vandy because they are so much improved over their traditional teams. If Coach Johnson made the same comment, he would have received the same sort of backlash.
It is not because Vandy is on the rise, it is because the TENNESSEE VOLS are part of the topic!
As a Vol fan living in Nashville, it's sometimes hard to take Franklin's histrionics, but the man's gotta do whatever it takes to get Vandy noticed. I will admit to wanting Vandy to do well, because it would mean a lot to the city and to the SEC in general.
However, after closely listening to and watching Franklin, it's apparent to me that he is all about Franklin. In fact, in a press conference last year when he was one of the "hot" names in coaching, he was asked if he would consider leaving Vandy. His response was that regardless of what happens in the future, he has proven that you can succeed at Vanderbilt. Does that sound like commitment to Vandy?
To say that he has "succeeded" at Vanderbilt involves suspension of all the facts. In 2011, they went 6-7. Of their six wins, five came against teams with losing records, and one loss came against a team with a losing record (UT).
In 2012, they went 9-4. Seven of their wins came against teams with losing records and two against teams that broke even.
But hey, when you win anything at Vanderbilt, you're perceived as "special." So, we'll find out this season - and next, if Franklin is still there, if he really is special. But until his performance proves me wrong, I'm sayin' the guy is a shameless self-promoter, looking to score a bigger gig.
There is a reason Maryland didn't want him to be head coach, when he was their "Head Coach in Waiting," and I think we're about to find out why.
Agree with you on what he has done for Vandy, but just like Kiffie did, he yaps about everything and doesn't know when to shut his mouth. Keep it up Franklin as you are showing your true self and recruits will see you for what you are! GBO
If you think about it, there might be a reason he didn't get the head coaching job at Maryland. Maybe they already knew what we have learned about the guy since he came to Peabody U. Just a thought.
As a Vol fan living in Nashville, it's sometimes hard to take Franklin's histrionics, but the man's gotta do whatever it takes to get Vandy noticed. I will admit to wanting Vandy to do well, because it would mean a lot to the city and to the SEC in general.
However, after closely listening to and watching Franklin, it's apparent to me that he is all about Franklin. In fact, in a press conference last year when he was one of the "hot" names in coaching, he was asked if he would consider leaving Vandy. His response was that regardless of what happens in the future, he has proven that you can succeed at Vanderbilt. Does that sound like commitment to Vandy?
To say that he has "succeeded" at Vanderbilt involves suspension of all the facts. In 2011, they went 6-7. Of their six wins, five came against teams with losing records, and one loss came against a team with a losing record (UT).
In 2012, they went 9-4. Seven of their wins came against teams with losing records and two against teams that broke even.
But hey, when you win anything at Vanderbilt, you're perceived as "special." So, we'll find out this season - and next, if Franklin is still there, if he really is special. But until his performance proves me wrong, I'm sayin' the guy is a shameless self-promoter, looking to score a bigger gig.
There is a reason Maryland didn't want him to be head coach, when he was their "Head Coach in Waiting," and I think we're about to find out why.
Great points rockypop. I have said before that Vandy got nine wins with (1) a 1 pt win over Ole Miss and a new coaching staff (2) a win over Missouri and their young boy football (3) a win over the Blue Hose?(4) wins over the worst Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee teams in 50 years. (5) wins over Wake Forrest and UMass.
Well guess what. UT now has a competent coach and recruiter as does Auburn and Ole Miss. VU has depth now, and will be competitive, but I wouldn't look for any more 9 win seasons anytime soon. As a matter of fact, Vandy will now get spanked on the recruiting trail, and Franklin will be sorry he didn't leave while he was a hot commodity.
BTW, Tony Basilio knew Hurd was silently committed since last weekend. Franklin probably knew too, he is not stupid.
Kelly Jr went first, let the hoopla die down and then Hurd got his day in the spotlight. I gotta say, the spotlight this time of year is much brighter and more focused than the one in the days leading up to signing day, when players have it for 5 minutes. Hurd was talked about by everyone for hours on end.
Dillon Bates on Saturday possibly? Then the Berry twins next week? The dominos are falling early and heads are turning! The sleeping giant is starting to wiggle.....
CBJ is bringing them in!! As for Vandy, when franklin gets them to their first Sec championship and wins and gets them to their first NC game and wins or beats one of the top sec teams once, then he will have proven something, until then he is nothing but another coach of a team who has never won any kind of championship in the history of their pathetic football program. If CBJ was black he would be getting more media attention than franklin, and if franklin was white nobody would be talking about his two average seasons.
The next time you get stopped for "driving while white" let us know. Until that time just shut up. Idiot.
After the beatdown Vandy will get in Knoxville this coming year, I just hope Franklin shows a bit more class and shakes the hand of the winning coach, something he immaturely did not do with Dooley in 2011.
Also, Franklin's little gimmick with Von Bell was sophomoric. He's basically done the same thing to himself and Vandy with his recent tweet. How can Vandy be the "best of both worlds"? Granted, their academics in general are higher but their football facilities, fan base, program, and now coaching are light years behind UT and every other program in the SEC for that matter. Sounds like a snake oil salesman...
The recruiting sites are very political. Recruits are only 5* when they sign with certain teams. Too many times you see a player rated high. He signs with someone other than the BAMA's of the world and his star will drop at least one place maybe two. The services are all about maintaing the status quo and selling ads. Trust the coaches when they offer, not the paid heads.
As a Vol fan living in Nashville, it's sometimes hard to take Franklin's histrionics, but the man's gotta do whatever it takes to get Vandy noticed. I will admit to wanting Vandy to do well, because it would mean a lot to the city and to the SEC in general.
However, after closely listening to and watching Franklin, it's apparent to me that he is all about Franklin. In fact, in a press conference last year when he was one of the "hot" names in coaching, he was asked if he would consider leaving Vandy. His response was that regardless of what happens in the future, he has proven that you can succeed at Vanderbilt. Does that sound like commitment to Vandy?
To say that he has "succeeded" at Vanderbilt involves suspension of all the facts. In 2011, they went 6-7. Of their six wins, five came against teams with losing records, and one loss came against a team with a losing record (UT).
In 2012, they went 9-4. Seven of their wins came against teams with losing records and two against teams that broke even.
But hey, when you win anything at Vanderbilt, you're perceived as "special." So, we'll find out this season - and next, if Franklin is still there, if he really is special. But until his performance proves me wrong, I'm sayin' the guy is a shameless self-promoter, looking to score a bigger gig.
There is a reason Maryland didn't want him to be head coach, when he was their "Head Coach in Waiting," and I think we're about to find out why.
Repeat after me, "I want the "Commodedores" to lose every game." Trust me, having grown up a UT fan in Middle Tenn., you will get there.
Does not matter who it was directed towards. That was a dorky demeaning ridicule of a high school athlete by an NCAA SEC head coach and can be taken as Franklin's pish poor attitude of disrespect towards ANY potential scholar athlete he's after who doesn't sign with Vandy. Point is Franklin obviously DOES NOT respect the recruits he's after himself and that won't change even if they do sign with the Dores. Recruits and scholly players are just a means to the new Mouth of the South's own agenda.
Look, Vandy football is like Haley's Comet, it comes around once every 75 years or so then disappears. I'm not worried about Vandy in football anymore because franklin can't let his ego get out of his way. Kids are not dumb when it comes to social media. If TK JR thinks its a cheap shot, odds are their on to franklin and it's going to cost Vandy for good. For me, I'm going to worry about saban, meyer and richt when it comes to recruiting. That's our competition, always has been, always will be.
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Bruce Pearl through the years
Tennessee 82, Auburn 54
Tennessee 70, Missouri 75
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Comments » 31
sec_fan writes:
Franklin's commits were made 9 hours before Jalen Hurd. Franklin said he only heard about it this morning which matches with the tweet. Franklin commits were part of a serious of similar comments posted simultaneously. To say he was tweeting about Hurd is a stretch at best.
PUL4VOLS writes:
Guess what? Some of us do not care what the Vanderbilt head coach tweets, says, or thinks about hot assitant coaches' wives. What we care about is getting back to drilling the Commodores on the football field and want it to start this coming fall. I don't care if the smart mouth's tweetaroo was directed at Hurd or not. I care nothing about what that guy does. I just want the Vols to do their thing on Saturday's this fall. That includes a thrashing of the almighty Vanderbilt who won last year against whom?
BrassMonkey writes:
It is a shame our program is at a point where we care what the Vanderbilt coach is typing on his computer. Great recruit. Hopefully we can have some on the field success and get him to sign an actual LOI next February.
laraccoon writes:
just the fact that anyone is talking about Vandy says alot about what Franklin has done there. That being said i think that tweet might come back to bite him where the sun dont shine . lol
CantStandCantStandSaban writes:
James Franklin is such a hopeless boob.
tnkidd00814 writes:
WHO CARES!!!!! he is like Vandys winning is a flash in the pan
bUTch_please writes:
Franklin just got bUTch slapped!
jt45 writes:
Franklins tweet sure looks like he knew something, I mean come on people who goes off telling someone their settling and this wasnt the place for them, unless he was bitter about something.
Probably just figured out how bad this could backfire on him and now says there was nothing to it. I bet a few more wont want to be there before its over.
me410ec writes:
I think sec_fan is Clay Travis, the wife of James Franklin!!!!!!!!!
feathersax writes:
THIS!
CoverOrange writes:
Program doesn't care. KNS media cares about number of posts on this garbage. You are not part of the program so don't say "we."
CoverOrange writes:
If a player's goal is to be a doctor or lawyer I could see not going to Vandy as "settling" but if goal is be an NFL player, nah. But if goal is to be a doctor or lawyer, and you want the best then go to Duke or Harvard, not Vandy.
jhncpps1 writes:
supposedly he'll graduate high school in December and enroll at UT for the Spring semester
SummittsCourt writes:
You got that right!
tnoutlaw2001#228008 writes:
You nailed it. He got emotional like the little baby he is, spouted off, like he has done countless times while at Vandy, and then realized what a cry baby he was and started denying any involvement.
If his tweet was not about a recruit then what was he talking about? Fried chicken? give me a break!
RashaadSalabeb writes:
Who cares what Franklin thinks or says?! He coaches Vandy and we are TENNESSEE. He wants them to be good but it ain't going to happen. The little bit of success he has seen is all he will see. He will bail within the next 2 years...mark it down. Welcome Jalen with the rest of the Mighty Vols. You are about to be a part of a very special thing. I agree with a comment Todd Kelly made the other day. We are not coming back. WE ARE BACK! Watch out everyone the VOL TRAIN is on the tracks! Fight on you MIGHTY VOLS and yes the basketball team is in the tournament. You can mark that down as well.
Go Big Orange!
rb4346 writes:
Agree with you on what he has done for Vandy, but just like Kiffie did, he yaps about everything and doesn't know when to shut his mouth. Keep it up Franklin as you are showing your true self and recruits will see you for what you are! GBO
Hound_Dog69 writes:
CBJ is bringing them in!! As for Vandy, when franklin gets them to their first Sec championship and wins and gets them to their first NC game and wins or beats one of the top sec teams once, then he will have proven something, until then he is nothing but another coach of a team who has never won any kind of championship in the history of their pathetic football program. If CBJ was black he would be getting more media attention than franklin, and if franklin was white nobody would be talking about his two average seasons.
Enki_Amenra writes:
I do not believe people are paying attention to Vandy because they are so much improved over their traditional teams. If Coach Johnson made the same comment, he would have received the same sort of backlash.
It is not because Vandy is on the rise, it is because the TENNESSEE VOLS are part of the topic!
rockypop writes:
As a Vol fan living in Nashville, it's sometimes hard to take Franklin's histrionics, but the man's gotta do whatever it takes to get Vandy noticed. I will admit to wanting Vandy to do well, because it would mean a lot to the city and to the SEC in general.
However, after closely listening to and watching Franklin, it's apparent to me that he is all about Franklin. In fact, in a press conference last year when he was one of the "hot" names in coaching, he was asked if he would consider leaving Vandy. His response was that regardless of what happens in the future, he has proven that you can succeed at Vanderbilt. Does that sound like commitment to Vandy?
To say that he has "succeeded" at Vanderbilt involves suspension of all the facts. In 2011, they went 6-7. Of their six wins, five came against teams with losing records, and one loss came against a team with a losing record (UT).
In 2012, they went 9-4. Seven of their wins came against teams with losing records and two against teams that broke even.
But hey, when you win anything at Vanderbilt, you're perceived as "special." So, we'll find out this season - and next, if Franklin is still there, if he really is special. But until his performance proves me wrong, I'm sayin' the guy is a shameless self-promoter, looking to score a bigger gig.
There is a reason Maryland didn't want him to be head coach, when he was their "Head Coach in Waiting," and I think we're about to find out why.
pingkr62 writes:
If you think about it, there might be a reason he didn't get the head coaching job at Maryland. Maybe they already knew what we have learned about the guy since he came to Peabody U. Just a thought.
Volborn writes:
Great points rockypop. I have said before that Vandy got nine wins with (1) a 1 pt win over Ole Miss and a new coaching staff (2) a win over Missouri and their young boy football (3) a win over the Blue Hose?(4) wins over the worst Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee teams in 50 years. (5) wins over Wake Forrest and UMass.
Well guess what. UT now has a competent coach and recruiter as does Auburn and Ole Miss. VU has depth now, and will be competitive, but I wouldn't look for any more 9 win seasons anytime soon. As a matter of fact, Vandy will now get spanked on the recruiting trail, and Franklin will be sorry he didn't leave while he was a hot commodity.
BTW, Tony Basilio knew Hurd was silently committed since last weekend. Franklin probably knew too, he is not stupid.
Kelly Jr went first, let the hoopla die down and then Hurd got his day in the spotlight. I gotta say, the spotlight this time of year is much brighter and more focused than the one in the days leading up to signing day, when players have it for 5 minutes. Hurd was talked about by everyone for hours on end.
Dillon Bates on Saturday possibly? Then the Berry twins next week? The dominos are falling early and heads are turning! The sleeping giant is starting to wiggle.....
CapitolC writes:
Franklin / Face / Egg
UT / Fork / Hot Sauce / Belch /
Vandy / Back where it belongs
Theo writes:
The next time you get stopped for "driving while white" let us know. Until that time just shut up. Idiot.
CroKev writes:
After the beatdown Vandy will get in Knoxville this coming year, I just hope Franklin shows a bit more class and shakes the hand of the winning coach, something he immaturely did not do with Dooley in 2011.
Also, Franklin's little gimmick with Von Bell was sophomoric. He's basically done the same thing to himself and Vandy with his recent tweet. How can Vandy be the "best of both worlds"? Granted, their academics in general are higher but their football facilities, fan base, program, and now coaching are light years behind UT and every other program in the SEC for that matter. Sounds like a snake oil salesman...
tenndave writes:
The recruiting sites are very political. Recruits are only 5* when they sign with certain teams. Too many times you see a player rated high. He signs with someone other than the BAMA's of the world and his star will drop at least one place maybe two. The services are all about maintaing the status quo and selling ads. Trust the coaches when they offer, not the paid heads.
mrvol2u writes:
Repeat after me, "I want the "Commodedores" to lose every game." Trust me, having grown up a UT fan in Middle Tenn., you will get there.
sunglaspro#374094 writes:
Probably did mean it as a swipe at Hurd, but doesn't NCAA prohibit mentioning recruits by name, so he couldn't admit it anyway
DwayneElizondoMountainDewHerbertCamacho writes:
I've dogged Butch Jones in the past, but this is a huge get. Very impressive. Hope he proves me just as wrong on the field this fall.
Olddogsrule writes:
Does not matter who it was directed towards. That was a dorky demeaning ridicule of a high school athlete by an NCAA SEC head coach and can be taken as Franklin's pish poor attitude of disrespect towards ANY potential scholar athlete he's after who doesn't sign with Vandy. Point is Franklin obviously DOES NOT respect the recruits he's after himself and that won't change even if they do sign with the Dores. Recruits and scholly players are just a means to the new Mouth of the South's own agenda.
tobytyler writes:
Look, Vandy football is like Haley's Comet, it comes around once every 75 years or so then disappears. I'm not worried about Vandy in football anymore because franklin can't let his ego get out of his way. Kids are not dumb when it comes to social media. If TK JR thinks its a cheap shot, odds are their on to franklin and it's going to cost Vandy for good. For me, I'm going to worry about saban, meyer and richt when it comes to recruiting. That's our competition, always has been, always will be.
Want to participate in the conversation? Become a subscriber today. Subscribers can read and comment on any story, anytime. Non-subscribers will only be able to view comments on select stories.