KNOXVILLE – Eric Gray knew where he wanted to go well before he made it public.
A year ago, the Tennessee freshman running back had backed out of a nonbinding commitment he had made to Michigan, and all signs pointed toward Knoxville for the former (Memphis) Lausanne standout.
But until the ink dried on his letter of intent, nothing was certain.
Gray became the next-to-last high school senior to sign with the Volunteers during the early signing period, with only athlete Quavaris Crouch coming after him. With another early signing period starting Wednesday, Gray was reflective.
“I knew I wasn’t going to Michigan pretty early,” Gray said. “I knew pretty early I was coming to Tennessee. After my official (visit) to Florida, I pretty much told my family I was coming to Tennessee.
“I just wanted to wait until signing day to announce it.”
With the weekend addition of three-star defensive back Doneiko Slaughter, Tennessee has 18 players committed for its 2020 signing class, which currently ranks 20th in the country and eighth in the Southeastern Conference, according to 247Sports.com. It’s unclear just how many of those players will make their decisions final during the initial period, which ends Friday, but it will let the Vols coaches take inventory of where they stand in filling needs.
A year ago the initial period gave Tennessee a chance to do just that, and while the Vols added only two recruits in the traditional February signing period, they were key pieces in linebacker Henry To’o To’o and offensive lineman Darnell Wright.
To’o To’o started all 12 games for the Vols, totaling 64 tackles (five for loss). Gray had 453 yards rushing and three touchdowns, but 246 of those yards and all three rushing scores came in the 28-10 season-finale victory over Vanderbilt, which was the Vols’ fifth straight win and sixth in seven games, improving their record to 7-5.
There were other immediate contributors from the 2019 class, including Wanya Morris and Wright on the offensive line. Quarterback Brian Maurer had some moments. Defensive backs Warren Burrell and Jaylen McCullough earned starts, while Crouch and Roman Harrison performed well in spot duty at outside linebacker.
Can the Vols build on their success with some quality additions over the next three days? That’s the belief.
And last season’s message to the incoming class? Come join us.
“Shoot, my message for that’s kind of on the edge or off the edge, it’s the progress we’ve made,” To’o To’o said. “Everybody has seen the progress ever since Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt has gotten here, and it’s a process. Nothing is built in just one day. Nothing is built within a week. It’s a process.
“For guys that’s going to commit on Wednesday, I’d just say, ‘Trust the process. Things are going to happen here.'”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.