Tennessee defensive tackle drops a brutal message on his commitment

admin | June 24, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Charles House fell in love with oranges.

The North Mecklenburg defensive lineman attended a University of Tennessee football game last fall with Daryl Vereen, the Vikings’ new head coach. Vereen, a North Meck and Tennessee graduate, accompanied his son to a packed home game that drew many of his old teammates back to Neyland Stadium.

Eric Berry, a two-time All-American defensive back for the Volunteers before going on to play nine years in the NFL, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. House met Berry and took in the entire gameday experience at his coach’s alma college. The rising senior committed to Tennessee on Saturday, choosing the Volunteers over Alabama and Georgia.

‘AN EVERYDAY KID’

On3 Sports rates House as a four-star recruit and the ninth-ranked football prospect in North Carolina. Following his sophomore and junior seasons, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman was named to the Queen City 3A/4A All-Conference team.

He has thrived on the Vikings’ defensive line. He had seven tackles for loss and three sacks last season after making 40 total tackles as a sophomore. When he first showed up for summer practices, he was already North Meck’s biggest lineman.

House won a starting berth on varsity as a freshman and went on to lead the Vikings’ defense with four total sacks. “He’s an everyday kid,” Vereen added. “He does not miss practice. He does not miss workouts. He attends any football-related event. And he has never really been a follower.”

VIKINGS TO VOLUNTEERS

Vereen took over at his alma mater in May. The Vikings were 5-6 last autumn and hovered around.500 for the majority of previous coach Damon McKee’s four seasons. Vereen, a former All-Observer pick who led Mecklenburg County in rushing, was a standout at North Meck before going on to play four years at Tennessee.

He redshirted before playing four seasons with the Volunteers, earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2008. Vereen, a three-sport athlete at North Meck, won the 2005 basketball state championship and competed in a number of sprints and relays on track. He has become close to House while serving as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator for the previous three years.

Vereen resides nearby, and the two have done recruitment trips around the Southeast. Even on Saturday, Vereen had no reason to believe the House would ultimately chose Tennessee over Alabama or Georgia. While he appeared to enjoy himself at the Volunteers’ game against Texas A&M in December, Vereen recalls seeing House smile ear-to-ear following his official visits to Tuscaloosa and Athens as well.

House did his research, analyzing depth charts and considering how he and his parents thought he’d fit into various programs. House fell in love with the orange, just as Vereen had done 17 years earlier.