We answer your questions about the Vols and anything else in our weekly mailbag, Insider Mailing.
“Who is likely the next 2018 prospect to commit to Tennessee and when do you think that will be?” – Clay
Daniel: I really like Tennessee’s chances with local offensive lineman Ollie Lane from Gibbs High School. Not exactly sure on his timeline, but I wouldn’t be stunned to see the Vols wrap that one up before too long.
Will: I think that Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, a 3-star wide receiver from Alcoa, is probably he most likely to commit next. Kellogg was supposed to commit last week, but changed his mind and said that he wasn’t quite ready to make a decision. It’s hard to predict when he could officially commit, but if I had to put a number on it, I’d say he would make a decision within the next month or two.
“If Guarantano wins starting QB at anytime before or during season will Dormady still be on roster in 2018?” – @vol80
Daniel: Impossible to say, but I think both are good enough to be a starting quarterback at a major program, so I’ll be surprised if, in that scenario, Dormady is content to sit on the bench for the rest of his career.
Will: I don’t think it would make any sense for Dormady to stay for his senior season if he was a backup. I see him moving on to a different program next offseason if he isn’t the starter. He could easily find himself at a big time program running a pro style offense anywhere outside the SEC. Whether it’s in orange or elsewhere, Dormady will get a chance to run the show somewhere.
“If Dustin Johnson doesn’t play, what happens to the money already bet on him?” – @RealBfarm
Daniel: It just depends where you placed the bet. Some have come out and said they will refund all money if he withdraws before the tournament, while others are saying tough luck. I already feel bad enough for some people who paid close to $2,000 for non-refundable tickets to the Par 3 Challenge on Wednesday that was cancelled due to weather for the first time in history.
“What’s up with the Memphis basketball program?!” – Rob Clark
Will: Every since Memphis cut off its series with Tennessee it’s been all downhill.
Daniel: Josh Pastner isn’t looking so bad right now.
Nathanael: This is what you get when you refuse to play one of your biggest rivals who is just six or so hours east in your own state. It’s beyond time to reschedule that series.
“How does Serrano continue to fail with pitching when he practically is a pitching coach?” – @TSPN_VOL
Will: Serrano has never signed an elite class of pitchers until this season. I think he’s too protective over his pitchers. He micromanages every detail of the pitching staff, and I think he needed to take a step back and sign a pitching coach with SEC experience this past offseason in his one-year extension. The talent is there to be successful, but the highly touted newcomers haven’t been able to consistently throw strikes. UT’s pitching staff has the stuff to be really solid, but a lack of control across the board is definitely concerning.
Nathanael: This season, the Vols have young pitching. Which means they’re going to be inconsistent. And we’ve seen that so far. What’s surprised me more than anything is how inconsistent the hitting has once again been. Some players have flourished thus far, but others have surprisingly taken a step back. I wish I could explain why Serrano has failed here, but it’s baffling.
“Will Serrano be canned during the season, right after, or simply no contract renewal? Cause…..he gone.” – @neylandmafia
Will: I don’t think his contract will be renewed. His West Coast style of small ball is not effective in the SEC when you have guys throwing 95-98 mph with elite breaking pitches. Plus, giving outs to manufacture runs via bunts and steals is negated when there are so many highly touted power hitters in the conference. Serrano can go back West and probably succeed as a pitching coach or even a head coach. The good thing for John Currie is that whoever comes in after Serrano can immediately be successful with so many talented freshman pitchers on the roster.
Daniel: I don’t see a lot of upside in firing him during the season, so I think Currie will announce after the season that his contract won’t be renewed. I thought Serrano would get the baseball program back on track at some point, but it looks more and more like that’s never going to happen.
Nathanael: He’ll be let go at the end of the season unless Currie decides non-revenue sports are a complete non-factor and he lets Serrano stay. But from everything Currie has said and done thus ar and the emphasis he’s put on the sports outside of the main three at Tennessee, I don’t think that will be the case at all. So I think Serrano is gone after the season is over and you’ll see Chris Burke’s name get bandied about as a replacement.
