Deuce Knight Talks Vols At OT7 Event

2025 Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Deuce Knight attended the Overtime 7-on-7 event with Team Pressure and caught up with Volunteer Country.
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Tennessee has recruited 2025 quarterback Deuce Knight for a year now. Knight has been high on the Vols and has been in Knoxville more than on other college campuses in America. Tennessee was one of the only major programs recruiting him for a long time, but other suitors have come calling this offseason. Georgia and Alabama have offered in the past few months, but Knight underscored that Tennessee's day-one interest holds weight.

"That means a lot to me. It's one of the first schools that believed in me as a player. They jumped on me before all the hype out here, and that means a lot to any player." Tennessee has been steadfast in its pursuit of Knight, sending assistants multiple times to George County High School to scout him. One of those assistants was offensive coordinator Joey Halzle, someone who Knight has come close to in the past few months. "He always lets me know that I'm loved over at Tennessee. Him and Coach Mitch [Militello], they always tell me before we get off the phone, 'You are a special player. We are waiting on you.' That means a lot that they are letting me know that they are waiting on me. What we can do in that offense is special."

Knight visited Knoxville on June 2, a big visit for both parties. Tennessee came on strong for Knight but did it in a way consistent with their previous efforts. The coaching staff prioritizes gradually building relationships with prospects, especially quarterbacks. Though the Vols did lay out a strong pitch for him, Knight felt the energy was consistent with their usual efforts. "I wouldn't say it was something different. Coach Halzle does always show me something different every time I go up there, but I just love getting up there. Just hanging around Coach Halzle, Coach Heup, Coach Mitch, and Coach Jack [Lowary]. All those guys are really good guys; they always bring energy to recruitment, so I love that."

The Overtime 7-on-7 Event is interesting, to say the least. Walk five feet, and you are next to a Power-5 prospect. Knight physically stood out, looking every part of his 6-4.5 listing. His throwing mechanics have noticeably improved in the last calendar year, as his length doesn't hinder his throwing motion. He continues to layer the football exceptionally well and made in-game reads similar to what the Vols run. 7-on-7 tournaments require quarterbacks to make concise half-field reads and get the ball into open space. Knight is a point guard, a distributor that thrives when he can lead his targets into green grass. 

Alabama is a school coming hard after Knight, especially in recent weeks. His recent unofficial visit went well, and it was validating for a now-national prospect to get pitched by Saban and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. Tennessee continues to be in good standing with Knight, who becomes more of a household name with each passing day.

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Evan Crowell
EVAN CROWELL

Evan Crowell is the lead publisher of Sports Illustrated-FanNation's Volunteer Country, serving as a beat reporter covering football, basketball, and recruiting. He previously worked as the lead publisher of Sports Illustrated-FanNation's Gamecocks Digest.