In a recent episode of his podcast “The Dynasty,” former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron shared a humorous and revealing story from his high school recruitment days. The tale involves then-Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin’s bold attempt to flip McCarron from his commitment to Alabama, and a misstep by Alabama assistant Jeremy Pruitt.
McCarron recounted that in late 2008, while he was still in high school in Mobile, Alabama, Kiffin, newly appointed at Tennessee, made an aggressive move to recruit him. Kiffin, along with assistant coach Lance Thompson and the entire offensive staff, visited McCarron’s home unannounced. They knocked on his bedroom window, waking him up, and requested to come in for a conversation.
Anticipating such a move, Alabama head coach Nick Saban had instructed Jeremy Pruitt to monitor McCarron’s house to prevent any last-minute recruitment efforts by rival programs. However, Pruitt mistakenly staked out the wrong house, a few doors down from McCarron’s actual residence. Unaware of Pruitt’s oversight, Kiffin and his staff successfully met with McCarron.
After the visit, McCarron informed Saban about the meeting. Saban, surprised and frustrated, contacted Pruitt, who insisted he had seen no visitors. Upon realizing the error, Pruitt discovered he had been watching the wrong house, leading to an amusing yet tense moment in Alabama’s recruiting history .
Despite Tennessee’s efforts, McCarron remained committed to Alabama, where he went on to have a successful collegiate career, including multiple national championships. This anecdote offers a glimpse into the competitive and sometimes unpredictable nature of college football recruiting.
