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Mr. Toot'Toot's sobering take on the Pac 12
bananasnblondes
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Tennessee linebacker Henry To'o to'o is one of the most sought after players available in the transfer portal after two impressive years in Knoxville. Alabama was hot on the trail of the California native during the 2019 recruiting cycle, and is involved once again this time around.
“Pete Golding and Coach (Nick) Saban, they’ve been reaching out,” Henry’s father, Iese To’o to’o, told BamaOnLine. “While I can’t speak for Henry, I know after all our discussions he wants to stay in the SEC. And I think he’s leaning towards Alabama. I mean heavily leaning towards Alabama.
“All the other SEC schools reached out to him, too. But one thing that we talked about was that we chose Tennessee the first time when we should have came to Alabama, so let’s not make this mistake twice.”
Despite To’o to’o’s father considering the Tide as the team to beat, there are variables at play that will ultimately impact the decision.
“I got a lot more respect for Coach Saban now,” Iese said. “Coach Saban is a man of his word. He’s truly about the player. And the reason why I say that is he advised Henry to wait until April comes around, because the NCAA one-time transfer rule hasn’t passed. It was supposed to pass in January, the day after the national title. And it didn’t. They set it back on the table until April. And Coach Saban told us to wait until April and if this thing passes he was like there’s one more hurdle, which is the SEC needs to pass in-conference transfers also. For him to do that, I’ve got a newfound level of respect for the man. He’s one of those guys that’s truly for his players. I told Henry why not play for a man that’s looking out for your best interests.”
And regardless of whatever the NCAA and SEC passes come April, there will still be discussion with Saban and the Alabama staff as to what’s next.
“We’ll probably sit down and talk with Coach Saban again and see what he feels is best for Henry,” Iese said. “Coach Saban’s advice is he thinks Henry is gone after this year. He told Henry if you came to us and played the way you’re playing, your NFL grade is going to be high. I would encourage you after this year to leave (if that’s the case).
“His advice last week was wait it out and, need be, he doesn’t want Henry to sit out a year. He wants Henry to go somewhere or stay where he’s at and play, because more than likely he’s going to be gone next year. Like I said, Coach Saban is a man of his word and is truly, truly about the player. And I appreciate that. It will depend on the advice and counsel he gets from Coach Saban. If Saban tells him he feels it’s best he sits out a year, then that’s probably something Henry will consider doing because he looks up to Coach and really takes his opinion seriously.”
The familiarity with Alabama has also translated to the decision-making process this time around.
“Pete Golding is a good coach,” Iese said. “He’s done wonders since he’s gotten there. They’ve improved every year. And also it’s the same exact relationship as far as the love and the respect that Coach Saban has given to us. Nothing’s changed. It’s rare for him to come back after a player turns him down, because it’s Alabama. They get talent left and right. The amount of talent that comes through that door … the guys sitting there waiting their turn, they could start at any other program day one. Coach Saban doesn’t have to come back and ask for a player to join the team. The fact that they reached out to Henry … that’s big and that says a lot.”
With the transfer rule likely to play a role in To’o to’o’s final decision, his dad touched on the other programs that are involved.
“There’s a rumor going around that Henry is coming back to the West Coast. That’s a nay,” he said. “That’s not going to happen. I want my son to be in a competitive league. At this point right now the Pac 12 has fallen off the last few years. They’re not the old Pac 12. Him coming to USC, no. Him going to Oregon, that’s highly unlikely, but if everything failed that might be an option. He’s talked to almost every SEC school. If he’s going to transfer within the SEC there’s only one place, and that’s Bama. We’ve talked to Texas since Coach Sark went over there. He’s had his eye on Henry for a while. Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, but he’s not really big on the Big 12. He was also talking to Michigan and Ohio State. I think Ohio State, if everything fell through — there’s a lot of scenarios — and if the NCAA rule passes and the SEC rule doesn’t pass, then he might look to go to the Big Ten to Ohio State. There’s a linebackers coach at Ohio State, Al Washington, that’s created a relationship with Henry. He feels there’s enough knowledge there to get him to the NFL. We’ll know for sure in April how this thing will play out.”
2 additional thoughts:
-Fuck, this guy is living vicariously through his kid
-not even a whisper of UW mentioned among the Pac schools his son won't be attending. Didn't he silently commit to us at one point?
“Pete Golding and Coach (Nick) Saban, they’ve been reaching out,” Henry’s father, Iese To’o to’o, told BamaOnLine. “While I can’t speak for Henry, I know after all our discussions he wants to stay in the SEC. And I think he’s leaning towards Alabama. I mean heavily leaning towards Alabama.
“All the other SEC schools reached out to him, too. But one thing that we talked about was that we chose Tennessee the first time when we should have came to Alabama, so let’s not make this mistake twice.”
Despite To’o to’o’s father considering the Tide as the team to beat, there are variables at play that will ultimately impact the decision.
“I got a lot more respect for Coach Saban now,” Iese said. “Coach Saban is a man of his word. He’s truly about the player. And the reason why I say that is he advised Henry to wait until April comes around, because the NCAA one-time transfer rule hasn’t passed. It was supposed to pass in January, the day after the national title. And it didn’t. They set it back on the table until April. And Coach Saban told us to wait until April and if this thing passes he was like there’s one more hurdle, which is the SEC needs to pass in-conference transfers also. For him to do that, I’ve got a newfound level of respect for the man. He’s one of those guys that’s truly for his players. I told Henry why not play for a man that’s looking out for your best interests.”
And regardless of whatever the NCAA and SEC passes come April, there will still be discussion with Saban and the Alabama staff as to what’s next.
“We’ll probably sit down and talk with Coach Saban again and see what he feels is best for Henry,” Iese said. “Coach Saban’s advice is he thinks Henry is gone after this year. He told Henry if you came to us and played the way you’re playing, your NFL grade is going to be high. I would encourage you after this year to leave (if that’s the case).
“His advice last week was wait it out and, need be, he doesn’t want Henry to sit out a year. He wants Henry to go somewhere or stay where he’s at and play, because more than likely he’s going to be gone next year. Like I said, Coach Saban is a man of his word and is truly, truly about the player. And I appreciate that. It will depend on the advice and counsel he gets from Coach Saban. If Saban tells him he feels it’s best he sits out a year, then that’s probably something Henry will consider doing because he looks up to Coach and really takes his opinion seriously.”
The familiarity with Alabama has also translated to the decision-making process this time around.
“Pete Golding is a good coach,” Iese said. “He’s done wonders since he’s gotten there. They’ve improved every year. And also it’s the same exact relationship as far as the love and the respect that Coach Saban has given to us. Nothing’s changed. It’s rare for him to come back after a player turns him down, because it’s Alabama. They get talent left and right. The amount of talent that comes through that door … the guys sitting there waiting their turn, they could start at any other program day one. Coach Saban doesn’t have to come back and ask for a player to join the team. The fact that they reached out to Henry … that’s big and that says a lot.”
With the transfer rule likely to play a role in To’o to’o’s final decision, his dad touched on the other programs that are involved.
“There’s a rumor going around that Henry is coming back to the West Coast. That’s a nay,” he said. “That’s not going to happen. I want my son to be in a competitive league. At this point right now the Pac 12 has fallen off the last few years. They’re not the old Pac 12. Him coming to USC, no. Him going to Oregon, that’s highly unlikely, but if everything failed that might be an option. He’s talked to almost every SEC school. If he’s going to transfer within the SEC there’s only one place, and that’s Bama. We’ve talked to Texas since Coach Sark went over there. He’s had his eye on Henry for a while. Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, but he’s not really big on the Big 12. He was also talking to Michigan and Ohio State. I think Ohio State, if everything fell through — there’s a lot of scenarios — and if the NCAA rule passes and the SEC rule doesn’t pass, then he might look to go to the Big Ten to Ohio State. There’s a linebackers coach at Ohio State, Al Washington, that’s created a relationship with Henry. He feels there’s enough knowledge there to get him to the NFL. We’ll know for sure in April how this thing will play out.”
2 additional thoughts:
-Fuck, this guy is living vicariously through his kid
-not even a whisper of UW mentioned among the Pac schools his son won't be attending. Didn't he silently commit to us at one point?
Comments
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry (but I’m laughing).
My god people. Stop fucking paying for garbage information.
That being said his dad sounds like a piece of shit. Why any ore to would do an Interview about their son’s decision is beyond my. What an ass.
.. otherwise we'll take Nike money if the sec doesn't pony up the dolla bills yo"
Guys like this really do cause cancer to programs.
That said, having another talented player can be helpful and a difference maker.