Mississippi State pledge Austin Howard recaps ‘amazing’ Tennessee trip
Tennessee wants to add at least one more linebacker to the 2025 class and Memphis standout Austin Howard was on campus this weekend. He left town very impressed.
“Man, it’s been great,” Howard said. “Just everybody’s loving it here. Facilities are amazing. It’s something different up in Rocky Top and the stadium and the game. It’s been amazing.”
Tennessee beat Alabama 24-17 and the aftermath saw most of the stadium on the field. That includes Howard, who also was on the field after Vandy beat Alabama a few weeks back.
“That was different on the field,” Howard said. “You rushing the field. This is my second time this year rushing the field on a visit. And this one you got a hundred and two thousand people just rushing the stands something crazy.”
Currently committed to Mississippi State, Howard is likely to pull away from that pledge in the days ahead and focus on Vanderbilt and Tennessee the most.
“It’ll be Vandy, Tennessee, going on my visit to Memphis,” Howard said. “So I’m just, just seeing all the different factors into it where I fit in on the team, but how things I follow align.”
As for what he is looking for out of his college choice?
“I’m looking for is just how I feel about myself on the team really,” Howard said. “How I see myself being like the biggest factor I can be on a, on a team. That’s my biggest thing.”
Watching the Vols has become something he does on Saturday’s and he finds himself watching his position.
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“That would be the biggest thing I look at,” Howard said. “They moved smooth. They moved like in unit, the linebackers didn’t make too many mistakes. I’m just watching them knowing what the linebackers are supposed to look at the keys they’re supposed to read.”
He was able to talk to William Inge this weekend and map out a path to playing time here.
“Coach’s a cool guy,” Howard said. “Talking to him over the summer, man, just getting to know him and he sees me coming in and playing.”
And then there is Josh Heupel and their relationship.
“Coach Heupel, he a cool dude,” Howard said. “Chill, laid back. What it feels like to me when it’s time to get serious, you know, it’s time to get serious.”
So when might we be on the lookout for a decision? It’s not too far down the road and Tennessee’s current class is not shy about leaning on him.
“Probably like early or mid-November is the day I’m gonna, cut it all off and pick a school,” Howard said.
“Yeah, they were all telling me we need some linebackers,” Howard said with a smile. “Coach Inge is telling me, we need a linebacker. Jaedon (Harmon) was a little bit too.”
