RTI contributor Robert Hughes is the author of this article
Part of changing a culture, especially in the landscape of college athletics, is bringing in people who are willing to buy into the new mindset. In a week where three players have left the team, it’s clear that not everyone in Tennessee’s football program has bought in.
Quavaris Crouch, on the other hand, most certainly has.
Despite starting his young Tennessee career with a record of 1-3, freshman linebacker Quavaris Crouch is intent on keeping his head up and changing the culture around football at the University of Tennessee.
All the program needs, he says, is time.
“Everything takes time. As long as you keep on working with a good mindset, success will come,” Crouch said on Wednesday during a media availability.
In his short time as a Volunteer, Crouch has enjoyed some personal success. After finishing the first two games without recording a tackle, the former four-star athlete has totaled seven tackles in the past two weeks, and he even picked up a critical first down as a running back on offense against the Florida Gators this past Saturday.
His team, however, has only tasted success once this season, and it came against an FCS program in UT-Chattanooga.
While turmoil lies in the past (and present) for the Tennessee Volunteers, Crouch remains confident that triumph lies in the future. The future for any college football team, of course, comes from recruiting, and Crouch has a message for any prospects who might be reconsidering coming to UT after the Vols’ rough start to the 2019 season.
“For any recruit that’s out there and thinking, ‘Oh, did Tennessee take a step back?’ I would say that you come here and you get ready to play with us,” Crouch stated. “It takes time to build something. The world wasn’t built in one day, either.”
In his time with the media, Crouch drew parallels between his time in high school and his time thus far at Tennessee, noting that his high school team only won one game his sophomore year. But he and his teammates went on to win the state championship his junior year two years later.
That helped Crouch, who was at one point a five-star in the 2019 class, feel more comfortable picking the Vols over teams like Clemson and Michigan when he ultimately signed during the early signing period last December.
“I’m used to having adversity, so this right now is not really bothering me because I’m used to building something,” Crouch said.
For Crouch and the Vols, it seems as though all they can do at this point is continue to build. And if Crouch, a freshman, is any indication of where the program can go, a little bit of time may be all it takes to restore Tennessee back to national prominence.
“We can change it. The season is far from over,” Crouch said. “Don’t be discouraged; just keep going.”
9 Responses
What a wise young man.. We need this kind of speak from the whole team and the FANS.. Social media is the worst thing for recruiting and college football. Everyone wants to win now.. hey I get that, but that’s not reality. I can look at other programs that not anywhere near the low the Vols are at and they are losing as well. Like A&M and Michigan, South Carolina. Be proud of the University for the history, the Spirit and traditions. I have seen articles about being cursed.. LOL nonsense. If there is a curse it’s fair weather fans and the rivals all sound alike.. doom and gloom. I am with Quavaris and a VFL..no matter win ,lose or draw I love my VOLS. GBO#
Proud Mississippian and Tennessee VFL.
Go vols.we will prevail and rise back up.just need a little more depth. Which will come with recruitment of quality players. Do not lose out on the Vols. They will be relevant very soon. Vol fan for life. Jeff in alabama
Love that spirit. Thank You for being a leader and a true Vol, Quavaris. We will stand behind you always!
Go Big Orange!
better find a quarterback first
Pure class! I’m a Bama fan but attitudes like this will turn it around he will be contagious here we go TN fans stay with Pruitt he is handling things the right way!
Great to see a young man with this type of attitude. Football is a tough game you have to roll with the punches. I’m an old timer and remember the old quotes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” and “Quiters never win and winners never quit.” Hang in there Vols, things will get better.
Now that kind of players is what tennessee needs crouch is the recruits tennessee needs then it want take long to get back to the nationl champions we were go vols i will still be a fan no matter how l9ng it takes to get back where we were in competing
I have been a Vol fan since the coach John Barnhill days during WWII. This young man already knows what it takes to be a winner. Pruitt will recruit more like him , and he will build a team that we will all be proud of. No one can build a team that is strong and sound in a few years. One can inherit winning material and become an overnight success but, more often than not, a coach must recruit and develop his own team . This takes time, and if one has a new group of assistants, we have to give them time and strong support.
We’ve got one coming by the name of Harrison Bailey. And who’s to say that Mauer or Shrout won’t be great after some time and experience. Just because Guarantano is playing like crap this year doesn’t mean that the future will be a bust. Patience Vol fans.