Saturday, July 3, 2010
KNOXVILLE -- Quarterback Justin Worley from Rock Hill, S.C., committed to the University of Tennessee football program Friday morning, giving the Volunteers their sixth commitment for 2011.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Worley, who is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com, also had offers from Notre Dame, LSU, Florida State and others.
Worley, who confirmed the news Thursday afternoon via text message, has been at or near the top of the Vols' quarterback recruiting board since Lane Kiffin was their head coach. He remained a top priority after Derek Dooley took the job in January.
"I just felt comfortable with the school and the coaches and everything, really," Worley said. "I like the direction Coach Dooley's headed with the program ... and I want to be a part of it.
"The coaches at Tennessee don't just care about football, but about everything you do off the field, too. They want to develop you into a better person."
Worley emerged on the national recruiting radar as a sophomore at Northwestern High School, when he completed 309 of 543 passes (57 percent) for 50 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. As a junior he completed 403 of 585 passes (69 percent) for 42 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
Vols' 2011 commitmentsLB Christian Harris 6-2, 230, 3 stars Woodstock, Ga. (Etowah High)OL Alan Posey 6-6, 305, 3 stars Athens, Ga. (Clarke Central High)TE Andrew Power 6-5, 262, unranked Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Arizona Western CC)DB Brian Randolph 6-0, 180, 3 stars Marietta, Ga. (Kell High)RB Tom Smith 5-10, 205, 3 stars Apopka, Fla. (Apopka High)QB Justin Worley 6-4, 195, 3 stars Rock Hill, S.C. (Northwestern High)
The Scouts, Inc. report on Worley said he is a "pocket passer with very good height and the ability to make all the necessary throws.
"He is an accomplished deep ball passer with touch and the ability to drop the ball in over-the-top of coverage," the report continued. "Worley has adequate bulk at this stage and the frame to grow. He can scan the field and does a good job of finding passing lanes. He is not a great athlete and only has decent speed, but he has very good pocket presence and does a good job of avoiding the rush. He will feel the pocket collapsing around him and will use his foot quickness to sidestep the pursuing pass rusher in order to buy himself a lot of second-chance passing opportunities.
"Worley is a tough player who competes hard and isn't afraid to take off and run when nothing becomes available to him in the passing game. He has very good physical tools, but not elite. He can be unorthodox in his methods."
Worley is used to a shotgun spread offense, while UT plans to use a more traditional pro-set offense under Dooley and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
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