I suppose I came into today in the same fashion I did most of the games this past football season:

Hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.

The difference was that, while I realized that the chances of a landslide of commitments to Tennessee was unlikely, I also just felt good about things.  I felt that — given the short time Lane Kiffin and his new staff had to actually recruit — Tennessee would hold its own.  Turns out I was right.  I felt confident the Vols would show well (Scout #22, Rivals #23), but with all that’s transpired in the last 12 months, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t just a little bit of a surprise.

After the turmoil of this past football season, pleasant surprises are … well … pleasantly surprising (gee, that was profound).

More importantly, however, I was seriously impressed with Coach Kiffin’s comments this evening at his post-Signing Day press conference.  His message was clear:

This is only the beginning.  This is where it starts.  This is Tennessee…

Video: Lane Kiffin: Signing Day for UT

Despite the fact that Tennessee was not in the top-10, the Vols were constantly on the lips of talking heads throughout the day.  Furthermore, given the fact that the Vols have only had a full coaching staff for approximately 2-3 weeks, it is almost a little amazing that the Orange were even in running for some players, but all day long Tennessee kept being in the top-3, or top-2 for great recruits.  Even better is the fact that there are now 19 players — solid choices, not “settle for” recruits — for whom the Vols were the choice.

To each of the young men who chose to wear those orange shirts, I say welcome.  We’re glad to have you…

There were so many great points made by Kiffin this evening.  Here were the ones that stood out to me:

• You don’t take players just to take players – Tennessee was selective, choosing the people that our staff felt were needed;
• Tennessee got great recruits with only a few months or weeks to seal the deal, competing against coaches who had been recruiting the same players for years — next year, that does not apply;
• When Kiffin first arrived at Southern Cal, the team had a losing record — obviously that changed;
• This is only the starting point — from here it only goes up.

With the foundation the Tennessee staff laid today, I am finally beginning to feel really confident about the future of the program.  I firmly believe that things are moving purposefully.  What’s more, it is obvious Kiffin has a plan about where it is we are going.

For me, today was a success and I am happy.  After all, you don’t judge a race winner by where they started, you judge them by where they finish.  Kiffin made it clear that finish is far down the road, but the Vols are gaining speed and expecting to win.

Yeah, today Tennessee got a little bit of its swagger back…

– So it goes …

Video Courtesy of:  GoVolsXtra

About the Author:  "Lawvol" -- I'm just a guy living in North Carolina who has an unnatural fascination with the color orange. Just because I'm a Tennessee alum and die-hard Volunteer fan doesn't mean that I can't poke a little fun at the Big Orange and anybody else for that matter. Feel free to complain all you want. >> Read more from this author

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