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Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell
Calhoun's Nash Nance gets tackled by Buford's Jerome Davis in the first half of the Class AA state championship football game between Calhoun and Buford at the Georgia Dome.
CALHOUN, Ga. — Calhoun High School quarterback Nash Nance made it official Thursday that he will be a Tennessee Volunteer next season.
Nance, who had been committed to Vanderbilt University, met with coach Bobby Johnson on Wednesday and informed him of his decision to de-commit.
“It was a difficult decision for me, but I told Coach Johnson last night after a visit in my home that I was de-committing from Vanderbilt,” said Nance, who passed for 3,018 yards and 29 touchdowns this season for the Class AA runners-up. “It was very emotional for me and my family. After visiting Tennessee and hours of prayer I feel that Tennessee is a better fit for me. Coach Dooley has all the confidence in me and my abilities and he really likes my future as a Vol.”
Nance's Calhoun teammate, five-star receiver Da'Rick Rogers, is still committed to the University of Georgia, though he accompanied Nance on his visit to UT. Rogers has stated that he will decide between Georgia and Tennessee at a 9:45 a.m. press conference on national signing day Wednesday.
Rogers is the No. 9 ranked prospect in the country according to Rivals.com and the top-ranked prospect in Georgia. He set a state single-season record for receiving yards during the Jackets' run to the state title game.
For more on this story, check back to timesfreepress.com and read more about Nance's decision in Friday's Times Free Press.
Lindsey Young is a sports writer at the Chattanooga Times Free Press who started work at the Chattanooga News-Free Press 24 years ago. He covers the Northwest Georgia prep beat and NASCAR. Lindsey’s hometown is Ringgold, Ga., and he graduated from Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School. He received an associate’s degree from Dalton Junior College (now Dalton State) and a bachelor’s degree in communications from UTC. He has won several writing awards, including two Tennessee Sports ...
Great pickup for the new and improved UT program. Double-D is going to get this class right back where it needs to be and all done with integrity and intelligence.
That's not how it happened at all. This kid is a real piece of work, and UT deserves him. He lost his scholly from Vanderbilt way before he committed to UT.
Is there any integrity left in Knoxville at all?
Also, if you foolishly chose to believe what this kid says, then that begs the question: in your conversations with God, Mr. Nance, did he tell you to go back on your word?
Eustis, If Vandy pulled his "scholly" before he committed to UT, how did he go back on his word?? If they pulled the offer, he had no choice but to go elsewhere did he?
And, also how do you KNOW the "scholly" was pulled?
Hey Eustis, it's good to know you were there for all this so you can report how it really happened. I read somewhere that Bobby Johnson also told Nance he wouldn't sign another QB in this class then brought in a transfer. How's that for integrity?
You all should be ashamed of yourselves. In your own words you've called Nance a "kid", so try an understand how a young male around 18 thinks. He's got every right in the world to change his mind based on what doors open and close for him, IT'S HIS LIFE. The only "foolish" thing I can see are individuals judging a young man based on media tidbits. Let your opinions be based on what you watch during the game and quit questioning the integrity of a young man in which you obviously really don't know anything about. Go Vols, and good luck Nance.
Danlberry - if you read both posts, you'll see that I don't believe what Nance is saying to be the truth; my point was that even if you believe what he is saying (again I don't believe a word that comes out of this kid's mouth), his statement of praying to do what's right leads you to believe that going back on your word is what he believes God would have wanted.
A kid is allowed to change his mind any time he wants, but he shouldn't use God to hide behind his decision-making. I don't know about you, but as a Christian, I never use my religion as an excuse to get out of a sticky situation.
Also signalmtnman, Bobby Johnson didn't sign another qb to compete with Nance. He signed a JUCO who will come in and compete with the current starter. Nance was never going to compete with Smith - he was going to compete with Goro, the Parade All-American who redshirted this year. Nance and his family were using that as an excuse to shop around.
And Signalmtnman, how do you know that I wasn't there?
Tennessee has long stood as a school that is willing to get into bed with people who have no integrity. When Lane Kiffin was your coach, you loved him; when he went to a better place, you were outraged that he had the audacity to behave with the same petulance and dishonesty toward your program that he had displayed to the rest of America.
If he lost his scholly "way" before, then why do you even care and whose integrity is in question. So it's fine if Vandy pulls the offer, but if Nance looks around he's a piece of work? I thought you Vandy folks were all about intelligence? And by "way" before you must mean within hours because it all seemed to go down overnight. Hey if you were there good for you, but apparently you did not represent the Dores very well.
I am not a Vanderbilt fan (I actually pull for a team in the ACC) - my understanding is that most teams don't like it when you shop their offer... that's a pretty standard practice.
Eustis,
If they pulled his scholarship offer then how is he going back on his word or displaying a lack of integrity. Johnson said he WOULD NOT sign another QB for this class, not that he wouldn't sign another QB to compete with Nash. So I don't blame Nash for looking around. Johnson should have never made that statement in the first place. Also most players don't like having teams shop around when they tell you that you are their guy either...that works both ways!
"Nance’s father, Mike Nance, said in a text this morning, “no, that’s a lie” in regards to Vandy pulling the offer for his son. "
http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2010/01/28/ten-at-10-nances-deny-report-that-vanderbilt-rescinds-scholarship-offer/?cxntfid=blogs_recruiting
Sounds like sour grapes from Vandy.
Well, if Mr. Nance said that, then it has to be true... NOT.
Eustis, If you have a problem with the Vols, thats ok even if I don't understand it, but do not take it out on this young man. Some of these young men do not really know where they want to go and make mistakes, but in all fairness now is the time to get it right and I hope for his sake this is the right choice.
You say you are not a Vandy fan, but its hard to believe you could get this upset about a kid from Calhoun Georgia decommitting from Vanderbilt, a school that you are not a fan of. This is very strange.
I really can't make the point about the JUCO player any clearer - he is not competition for Nance as he'll have graduated by the time Nance is a Sophomore. Besides, if Nance was so concerned about playing time, why is he signing with a school that has not one but two qbs signed for this class???
Look dudes, I could care less what happens to your podunk school that masquerades a university. You have been irrelevent for years, and your one-time, one true love Lane Kiffin jumped ship as soon as he could. You are like Notre Dame, you are becoming less and less relevent in the national landscape. Good luck with a guy who struggled at UL-nowhere.
Useless - er, Eustis - Have to agree with the earlier comment that for a non-Vandy fan, you certainly spend a lot of time posting angrily on the subject.
With regards to your comment "He lost his scholly from Vanderbilt way before he committed to UT.": Then why was Bobby Johnson conducting an in-home visit as the article mentions? Perhaps picking up the Vanderbilt cap that Nance is shown wearing in some photos?
And your comment "Tennessee has long stood as a school that is willing to get into bed with people who have no integrity." You refer to Philip Fulmer, perhaps? Pat Summitt? Bruce Pearl? Other hires from the past?
Eustice, talking about being irrelevant on the national football landscape, you would clearly be an expert as a fan of an unnamed ACC school as you mention above. Nance is a high school athlete with the right to pick any school he desires and he can switch again by Wednesday if he so chooses. It's certainly not your business either way. I'm not sure ridiculing a student-athlete with offers from UT, Vandy and Harvard shows much class or sense on your part as you keep spouting off about the low character, petulance and dishonesty of everyone else.
Sorry to hear that, hope he gets a solid education.
I agree Vandy. As long as he gets a good education,it really doesn't matter.
And Eustis--- where do you get off on calling this young man a liar?
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