Members of the All Vol Call In Show staff were privileged to attend the game between Pearl Cohn and Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) on Friday night, August 24th on the MBA campus in Nashville, Tennessee. While the staff is always thrilled to watch a great football game, high school or college, this game was of particular interest to the staff as it pitted a pair of Volunteer commits squaring off head to head against one another. So, the show went on the road to bring a live look at these teams and interviews with the future Vols involved to our wonderful viewers and readers.
Playing for the MBA Big Red, was Jackson Lampley. Lampley is currently rated as a four-star offensive guard by 247 Sports. Although he currently plays left tackle for the Big Red, Lampley is being recruited as an offensive guard by the Vols. At six foot five inches tall and two hundred ninety-five pounds, Lampley certainly looks the part of a big-time offensive lineman for an SEC team. For three quarters, Lampley showed why some services projected him as a guard and others projected him as a tackle.
Lampley plays at left tackle for the Big Red, and he consistently showed good lateral movement as he dropped into pass protection. For such a large framed player, Lampley was smooth is his movement and looked very fluid. When he engaged pass rushers, Lampley showed what a technician he was. His fundamentals were not just solid, they showed a tremendous amount of polish. Everything about Jackson’s technique showed polish, from the placement of his hands, the bend of his hips, the way he kept his center of gravity back, and his punch when facing pass rushers. He was a smooth athlete for his size, and, if anything, made a case to prove that he was more than capable of playing tackle at the next level.
He continued to showcase his skills out at tackle on the first touchdown of the game. MBA went for a homerun shot off a play action pass, but the Firebirds had sent an overload blitz to the quarterback’s blind side. Lampley moved smoothly out, picked up the blitzer, and brought him to a stone stop. Lampley’s contribution to the stifling of the blitz allowed MBA to complete the long touchdown pass that put the Big Red up 10-0.
Over three quarters, Jackson Lampley showed that he was more than capable of playing offensive tackle at the next level. It was during the fourth quarter that the big senior showed why the Volunteers want to have him playing Guard. It wasn’t due to any shortcoming that Jackson showed as a tackle, it was the mean streak he showed with the game on the line that left scouts and fans salivating. Lampley put out plenty of tape in the game sealing drive that showed the force he can be if he were placed in the phonebooth that the Guard position requires.
There were seven minutes remaining in the game, and MBA lead the game 10-7. The Big Red had the ball on the Pearl Cohn side of the field after forcing a stop, knowing that a long drive and score would almost seal a win. This situation is the dream of all offensive lineman, an opportunity to fire off the ball, impose your will, drive the opponent back, grind them down, and run the ball to a victory. These are the situations that you see what offensive lineman are all about, and this is where you see if they understand how to step up their game in winning time.
Jackson Lampley began the play at left tackle. He ended the first play of that drive on top of his man in front of the right guard. Lampley absolutely crushed his man and pancaked him into the middle of the field. It was a devastating block and an attitude play. That block set the tone MBA as they drove down to score, more often than not, following the trail of destruction Lampley left behind him. The ability to dominate as a run blocker and play clean with a nasty streak to his blocks is what makes Lampley an ideal Guard for the type of line Jeremy Pruitt wants to build in Knoxville. Jackson showcased his talents as a dominant run blocker on that final drive, and while the first play was the tone setter, each play on that game sealing drive will likely appear on his Senior highlight film, and with good reason.
Talking with Jackson after the game, he said that his primary goal was to take care of his assignment. He emphasized that crushing the man across from him was nice, but his first goal was to handle his assignment so that he could help his team win. That unselfish attitude will serve him well in his football career, however, no coach will ever mind seeing Jackson handle his assignment by crushing them. Jackson Lampley understands what winning time is all about, and how to rise to that occasion to ensure victory. This young man is going to look great in Orange on Saturdays next fall.
If you haven’t already, take a look in our videos for live footage from the Pearl Cohn vs MBA game, as well as our post game interview with Jackson Lampley. Stay on the lookout for the second half of this Recruiting Spotlight, when we feature the other player that brought the All Vol Call In Show to MBA that night, Pearl Cohn Defensive Tackle Elijah Simmons.