Could Tennessee football benefit from Texas A&M firing Jimbo Fisher in transfer portal?
Tennessee football could get an early start on its offseason transfer portal efforts in the wake of Texas A&M firing coach Jimbo Fisher on Sunday because of an NCAA rule for players affected by a coach's firing.
NCAA rules grant a period for players to enter the portal when a coach is fired, which could lead to Aggies entering the portal and being potential targets for the Vols only if they enter the portal.
"There is a 30-day window that starts when that becomes official," said Billy High, Tennessee's director of internal and advance scouting. "They still have to enter the portal. It is not something where you (can) say, 'Hey, make sure this guy knows we are interested.' That is illegal.
"Once they enter the portal, then you are allowed to contact them at any point.”
High was asked Monday at the Knoxville Quarterback Club about the possibility of recruiting players from Texas A&M after Fisher was dismissed. High recited the NCAA rules in response to explain that Tennessee could indeed add players from Texas A&M, but only once players have officially entered the portal. UT cannot contact any players on another roster unless the player enters the portal per NCAA rules.
Fisher went 45-25 in six seasons at Texas A&M with a 27-21 record in SEC play. He won nine games twice, including in the 2020 season shortened by COVID-19. The Aggies are 6-4 with two games left, coming off a 51-10 win against Mississippi State on Saturday.
Mississippi State also fired coach Zach Arnett on Monday in the middle of his first season. Arnett was hired following the death of Mike Leach in December 2022. MSU is 4-6 and 1-6 in the SEC. It has lost six of its past eight games.
Texas A&M's Walter Nolen has strong Tennessee ties
Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen has been one of the SEC's best defensive players this season and would be a significant target in the portal, if he opted to explore his options after Fisher's firing.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Nolen has 7½ tackles for loss and 4.0 sack as a sophomore.
Nolen was a former five-star prospect from Powell High in Knoxville. He spurned Tennessee when he signed with Texas A&M in December 2021. In July, Knox News reported that Nolen was implicated in serious NCAA recruiting violations under former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt that resulted in the Vols’ five-year probation.
How Tennessee football balances high school and portal recruiting
High, a University of Tennessee graduate, compared high school recruiting to how the NFL builds through the draft. That remains a focal point for the Vols, while the portal remains an emphasis.
"High school is always going to be top priority," High said.
Tennessee has the No. 13 recruiting class in the nation for the 2024 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. UT signed the No. 10 class in 2023 and the No. 17 class in 2022, Heupel's first two full classes at Tennessee.
The Vols also have had success in the transfer portal, adding eight players last offseason who have started games this season.
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"I think with the way it is now, you’ve always got to be prepared," High said. "There are 85 scholarship players on every single roster. I think it is really, really important to always be aware of both sides but high school is always going to be really important.”
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Tennessee football could benefit from Texas A&M firing Jimbo Fisher
