Tennessee got its latest crack at Joshua Lane, and the in-state defensive lineman left Knoxville with plenty to think about.
Lane, one of the top remaining uncommitted prospects in the 2027 class, wrapped up his official visit with the Volunteers after previously decommitting from Memphis. His recruitment has picked up steam in a big way this season, with Tennessee joining Alabama among the programs that have made a strong push.
For Lane, the trip checked a lot of boxes. He said the atmosphere stood out again, but so did the small things that can reveal a lot about a staff. One moment in particular caught his attention: seeing Rodney Garner react when a player went down.
"What I enjoyed was everything. The atmosphere was good, like last time.
I really liked seeing how Coach Garner was one of the first ones to be out there when one of his players got hurt," Lane said. "I liked to see that."
Lane’s official visit also gave him another look at Tennessee during the Kentucky game, and he said the scene inside the stadium lived up to what he had already seen on campus before.
"Last time I came, I saw the best of the best. This time I came, I saw the best of the best again.So it was really hard to compare, but the atmosphere was legit. They were out there," Lane said.
The relationship with Garner appears to be a major part of Tennessee’s pitch. Lane could be coached by him at the next level, and he said that bond has continued to develop.
"It has grown a lot. We call every now and then, talking.
I know a lot about him. He knows a lot about me.
So it's going good," Lane said.
Lane also watched the Volunteers handle Kentucky, and he came away with a clear view of the performance.
"Dominant again, I said they could do better in a run game. But at the same time, hey, they only scored six points.
So you can't complain about that. A win is a win.
So I have no complaints about it," Lane said.
The defensive line room at Tennessee would present competition, but Lane said that doesn’t bother him at all.
"That's not a concern for me. I know I like to compete.
And if I see some guys I can compete against, then hey, it's going to help me be better. It's going to help my drive.
So I'm not worried about that," Lane said.
What matters most now is the bigger picture, and Lane made that plain.
"I will say, relationships right now. I want to build a good relationship with the coaching staff. That's about it right now," Lane said.
The visit also meant something beyond football. Lane said seeing his family enjoy the trip made the experience even better.
"It helped a lot. I love seeing my family enjoy the time out here.
I just love it. Seeing my family happy made me really happy," Lane said.
Lane said he plans to announce his college decision during the early signing period.
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