The coaching transitions at Tennessee and Auburn may have gift-wrapped this area’s top football prospect for Alabama. North Jackson’s Tana Patrick, rated by Rivals.com as the fifth-best linebacker in the nation, had listed Alabama and Auburn atop his list while also praising former UT defensive coordinator John Chavis.

Tommy Tuberville’s resignation leaves an uncertain future for the Auburn assistants Patrick knew best — Don Dunn and James Willis — and although Tennessee assistant Jason Michaels was at the Stevenson, Ala., high school Wednesday, UT is considered a long shot to get Patrick.

“Tana had been going to camp at Auburn since his sophomore year and knew all those guys,” Chiefs coach Shawn Peek said. “Now it’s likely none of the ones he knew will still be there. Recruiting is about relationships. You can take that for what it’s worth when he decides.”

Once Auburn settles on a new coach, there will be much ground to make up on the recruiting trail, besides swaying Patrick back. New Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin’s enthusiasm alone, combined with the potential for early playing time on a defense that reportedly will be headed by Kiffin’s well-respected father, could at least result in an official visit by Patrick.

Since being formally introduced Monday, Kiffin appears capable of selling ice cubes to an Eskimo. Within a three-day span he has lived up to his promise to “build a fence” around the state’s recruiting borders by stopping in Memphis, Nashville, Murfreesboro and Henry County, while also finding time to fly to Atlanta and Tampa to talk with prospects.

He watched Memphis-area receiver Marlon Brown, the state’s top prospect, play basketball Monday evening while still wearing the same suit he wore at his Knoxville news conference and greatly impressed three other prized recruits — Hillsboro’s Eric Gordon and Henry County’s Marsalis Teague and Dominique Allen, none of whom is a UT commitment.

Teague, long considered a lock for Florida, admitted he was not considering Tennessee before Kiffin’s visit. Allen, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound fullback who switched his commitment from UT to LSU last month, said the possibility of playing with Teague still could be a factor for him. Gordon gushed over the new coach’s energy.

Such early praise indicates the Vols’ new staff shouldn’t be counted out on any prep player they target.

We’re nine months from learning what kind of on-field coach Kiffin is, but the players he brought to Southern Cal prove he’s a crackerjack recruiter who understands that aspect is the lifeblood of any program.

Even while still answering questions at his Monday news conference, Kiffin had a form letter being faxed to every high school football coach in the state, explaining he would be visiting as many of them as he could in the coming months, and leaving contact information. Although this is not a state typically deep in talent, it does produce a handful of impact players each year, and Kiffin seems determined to end the Vols’ recent trend of missing out on the top in-state recruits.

Last spring UT signed just four of the state’s top 20 prospects, while Alabama got three of the Volunteer State’s top five recruits, including linebacker Don’ta Hightower, who became a starter. The on-field success by Alabama, Georgia and Florida is directly linked to the fact those programs have had signing classes ranked in the nation’s top 10 each of the last three years. UT has ranked outside the national top 20 two of the last three signing days.

The only current area player committed to the Vols, Rhea County offensive lineman Kevin Revis, made it clear that he fully intended to sign with Tennessee regardless of who became coach. South Pittsburg’s David Jones, rated by Rivals as the state’s No. 4 running back prospect, also is leaning to Tennessee, provided the Vols’ new staff makes an offer.

On the other hand, Vols coaches have their work cut out for them to land former Brainerd star Cory Hall, despite the fact he originally signed with Tennessee before playing one season at Northwest Mississippi Junior College. Hall, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive end who had 11 sacks in his first year at Northwest, was granted a medical redshirt last season to heal an injured shoulder and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Hall said he is beginning the recruiting process anew after UT’s coaching change. Although he has eliminated Auburn, Hall said he will choose from Florida State, Missouri, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Oregon and Syracuse, as well as waiting to speak with Kiffin.

“I’m curious to see what the new staff at Tennessee thinks of me,” said Hall, who plans to enroll in January at whatever school he chooses. “Whenever there is a coaching change, the new staff has to make up a lot of ground. They’re at a disadvantage because you don’t know them.

“But ultimately, most of us sign wherever we can get on the field quickest and make an impact.”