The timing of Lane Kiffin’s decision to leave the University of Tennessee for Southern Cal came at a bad time for the Volunteers’ recruiting class. Included among UT’s prized commitments who now must decide whether to reopen their recruitment is former Ooltewah High defensive end Jacques Smith.
Smith was scheduled to begin classes at UT today but has decided to put off enrolling to allow time to discuss his future with his family.
“Right now you can say I’m undecided,” Smith said moments after leaving the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex, where Kiffin broke the news to the team. “I’m going to stay up late tonight thinking. I’ve got to talk to my mom and grandma and see what we think is best for me.
“This is a huge decision because it’s the next four years of my life, so I have to be smart about it.”
Smith said he learned of Kiffin’s decision less than two hours before the team meeting through television reports.