In trying to build depth at certain positions, Butch Jones will not hesitate to go out of his way to find a home-grown local guy to fill the void. That is exactly what he did by bringing in Austin Pope out of Christian Academy in Knoxville, Tenn.
Just like we mentioned with Devante Brooks on Friday, Pope adds to Jones’s and Mike DeBord’s philosophy of depth at the physical skill positions, and they are not taking the tight end spot for granted.
Pope is another hometown guy that fits Jones’s recruiting idea in every way: he keeps a local and state presence on the roster and provides even more depth at a critical position for the system that he wants to run.