Tenneessee Cited for Recruiting Poon

“We can be VERY pursuaive, ya’ll”

(UPDATE: More Photos of the “Hostesses” after the jump)

Its a great idea really, sending small armies of young coeds from your fair university to high schools throughout the south with the purpose of “urging” 4 and 5 star recruits to come to your school.  That’s the kind of time honored flesh peddling that has made serving chicken wings and watered down tap beer a viable money making option for years now, why not shift that successful business plan to SEC football, a great idea indeed.  Its a great idea unless you do it blatantly, within your role as a representative for your university.  The NCAA tends to frown on such devil -may-care dirty poon recruiting.

Interviews with multiple recruits and their family members revealed that the N.C.A.A. has strong interest in Tennessee’s use of recruiting hostesses, students who are part of a formal group at the university that hosts all manner of prospective students at campus visits, including athletes. It is not clear whether the university sent the hostesses to visit the football players.

In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a high school game in South Carolina in which at least three Tennessee recruits were playing.

Marcus Lattimore, a running back who made an unofficial visit to Tennessee but said he would not enroll there, said multiple Tennessee hostesses attended a game at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., in September. He said they brought signs, including one that read, “Come to Tennessee.”

“I haven’t seen no other schools do that,” he said. “It’s crazy.”

Lane Kiffin isn’t the first one to try such tactics.  The placement of poon sleeper cells has been tried before…to very mixed results…sorry Baylor.

Luckily,Kiffin was able to increase the talent level…as any good recruiter would (he does have “The Shrimper” making calls for him, so you’d expect nothing less).  Without further adieu, may we present the UT Hostesses from the last recruiting season (some possibly still recruiting for 2010) AND this season. Last year they were used with great success (see Bryce Brown, David Oku, et al.)…come to Tennessee indeed. [Names via VolNation – Here’s the post (also referenced in the Deadspin Article) from Volnation; Also, HT to Deadspin for pointing out the Orange Pride Photo from UT Media Guide]:

Whitney Bell

Genna Cox

Ashley Sizemore

Amanda Grinnell

Courtney Hitchcock

Lacey Pearl Epps

Brittany Edwards

Kristen Hall

UPDATE: The AngryT does the Lord’s work.

Clearly, most were selected on their looks…but overly suggestive last names are also a plus. And please don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a quality hostess. See Exhibit A:

It also helps if she’s a MTV reality-show star.

[HT: Poon of the SEC for posting this recently]

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