The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program picked up three commitments for its 2018 signing class Sunday, with the trio including Bledsoe County kicker Gabe Boring.
Defensive ends Dre Butler and Tavi McLean also gave nonbinding pledges to the Mocs, who have 18 players committed or signed for Tom Arth's second year as head coach. Thirteen of those players made it official during the early signing period last month. The traditional signing period begins Feb. 7.
Butler, a 6-foot-5, 244-pounder from Newton High School in Covington, Ga., broke a tibia during his sophomore basketball season. He missed both sports as a junior but came back as a senior to compile 50 tackles (20 for loss) and eight sacks in 2017.
Butler still plays basketball, and he had 19 points and 11 rebounds in Newton's recent win over Warner Robins, the top-ranked team in Class AAAAA, Georgia's third-highest.
"Yes, I would like to play in college," Butler told the Covington News in August. "It really doesn't matter which sport. But I can say that if I'm going to college, I'd probably prefer to play football."
The 6-4, 255-pound McLean had 187 tackles (26 for loss) and 10.5 sacks in his final two seasons at Marshall County, which advanced to Tennessee's Class 4A state semifinals last year.
"Really, it just felt like home," McLean said Sunday when asked about UTC. "I have a good relationship with the coaches and players."
Butler and McLean are the third and fourth defensive ends in UTC's 2018 class, joining Mychal Austin of Apopka, Fla. - who signed in December - and Ben Brewton of Beach High School in Savannah, Ga., who recently committed.
Boring was Tennessee's Mr. Football Kicker of the Year last season after averaging 46.8 yards per punt for the Warriors. He also converted six of his seven field-goal attempts (with a long of 47 yards) and all 11 of his extra-point attempts.
He is listed as a five-star kicking prospect by one recruiting service, making him the equivalent of a "Division I prospect" in that service's ratings system. He'll join a group that includes two Baylor School graduates - punter Colin Brewer, who will be a junior next season, and kicker Victor Ulmo, who was named to the Southern Conference's All-Freshman Team in 2017.
"It's a special place," Boring said Sunday of UTC. "I feel like that's where God wanted me, and I love how all the coaches treat the players and how they are always there for the kids. It's a great atmosphere where the coaches not only want to develop us as players but leaders for the future.
"I feel like the future is extremely bright for the Mocs with the coaching staff in place."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.