Signing with Tennessee easy for Pair

By DENNIS BRUNSON
Item Sports Editor
dennisb@theitem.com

There was no great revelation that led Marques Pair to make a verbal commitment to the University of Tennessee football program on Monday. Instead, the Sumter High School offensive tackle said it just felt right to commit to the 2010 recruiting class.

“I saw the the type of coaching staff they have, the way the coaches treat the players and the way the fans treat the players,” the 6-6, 275-pound rising senior said on Wednesday after getting back into town from a camp with the SHS basketball team. “That’s what helped me make my decision. I just really liked what I saw.”

And new Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff liked what they saw of Pair when he ventured to Knoxville for a UT summer camp. Pair had a tremendous camp, earning most valuable player honors.

Pair said he was surprised when he received an MVP award.

“I actually thought I was doing OK, average for myself here in Sumter,” Pair said. “I was not expecting MVP honors.”

Pair, who said he had offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and offensive line coach James Cregg talk to him after the camp, thinks what won the Tennessee coaches over was his athleticism.

“Most of the drills we did, most of the other players didn’t have as much quickness, speed and footwork as I did,” he said. “I really work on my footwork, and I don’t think most of the others had the agility I have.”

Pair can’t officially sign with Tennessee until February of ‘10. While the school obviously holds a special bond with him since it was the first to offer, Pair said that won’t deter him from considering other schools should they offer.

“I’m still going to take more visits and listen to what other coaches say,” Pair said. “I’m going to continue to weigh my options as things move along.”

Sumter offensive line coach Doc Davis said Pair was getting a lot of interest from South Carolina and Clemson as well as Auburn and Alabama, though none had offered. Pair went to a camp at Auburn in the middle of June and said he plans to go to another one in July.

The 16-year-old Pair graded out at 88 percent and had eight knockdown blocks at left tackle for Sumter, which played for the 4A Division I state title in 2008. Pair was moved to the spot by Davis after he played tight end on the junior varsity the year before.

I was kind of mad at first; I wanted to play tight end,” Pair said of the decision by Davis, who was in his first season with the Gamecocks. “He told me if I moved to tackle I would be a much better player. I guess it was sort of good that he moved me to tackle.”

Davis said Pair made quick progress at tackle and thought he had his coming-out party in Week 8, a 42-20 victory over West Florence. Pair was matched up with Knights defensive end Maliciah Goodman, who signed with Clemson earlier this year.

“Marques was matched up with Goodman and he more than held his own,” Davis said. “He gained a lot of confidence from that performance.”

While Pair thought he had a good game against Goodman, he thought his performance three weeks earlier is where he began to realize how good he could be.

“I really think my defining moment was against Greenwood (a 10-0 victory) and Sam Montgomery,” Pair said. “He was usually a defensive lineman, but he was moved to outside linebacker for the game. That made me feel I had to be even quicker because he was going to be coming full speed at me. I worked hard and I was faster on my feet and with my hands.”

Reach Sports Editor Dennis Brunson at dennisb@theitem.com or (803) 774-1241.