3-star IOL Vysen Lang commits to Tennessee
Last spring, Arkansas and Texas were two of the top contenders for Pike Road (Ala.) three-star interior offensive lineman Vysen Lang. However, Tennessee continued to show interest.
Offensive line coach Glen Ellarbee spoke with Lang daily, which led him to take an unofficial visit to Knoxville in March. During the trip, the Volunteers’ coaches and players made him feel welcome, so much so that he could “see myself playing with these guys.”
His official visit to Tennessee on Sept. 23 changed everything. Lang committed to head coach Josh Heupel and his staff before he left Knoxville. He made the news official on Tuesday.
“When they took over as No. 1, it was my official visit,” Lang told On3. “I just loved the atmosphere and all the fans, the crowd, the fanbase behind Tennessee. Going out with the players like Maurice Clipper Jr., that was my host, he showed me all the freshmen that came, all the o-linemen they have in the locker room. They treated me like I was family. I vibed with everybody, was hanging out with everybody. I was just like, ‘Yea, I can see me playing with you guys.'”
Lang was back at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 15 for the Volunteers’ win over Alabama. That night, Tennessee fans stormed the field and carried the goalposts out of the stadium. That environment only affirmed the Alabama native’s decision.
“I’ve been to LSU, been to Alabama, been to the Iron Bowl, been to the Swamp,” said Lang, the No. 625 overall prospect and No. 58 interior offensive lineman in the 2023 On3 Consensus. “There’s nothing like Neyland at night. I was sitting next to my friend and I couldn’t hear anything he said. The fans were loud the whole game. They’re in tune the whole game. Even when they made mistakes, like when they fumbled it and Dallas Turner scooped it up for the touchdown, the fans didn’t give up. They stayed in the game. Fans were just crazy, a whole bunch of love.”
Lang trusts Tennessee’s coaching staff
A key reason why Lang chose Tennessee is because of Heupel. He called him “the coolest coach” and an important part of the Volunteers’ inclusive environment.
Multiple people spoke with Lang about Heupel’s leadership of the locker room. All of their messages were positive.
“It’s not just, ‘Oh, you’re No. 72. You’re No. 2,'” Lang said. “He knows each of his players and he treats them like they’re his own sons.”
Regarding Ellarbee, Lang praised his ability to help offensive lineman improve. On one of his earlier visits to Knoxville, the Alabama native remembers seeing a freshman offensive lineman. Lang saw him again on his official visit and he was much better, giving him firsthand evidence of how Ellarbee develops his players.
“I love coach Ellarbee,” Lang said. “Development-wise, I’ve seen him do it with the drills, all the way from getting your feet right, getting your body position right, (knowing) what does it look like and what does it feel like when you’re taking the steps.”
Right now, the Volunteers are in the middle of one of their best seasons since 1998, the last time they won a national championship. As a result, Lang cannot wait to become a part of the Tennessee program.
“I’m super excited,” Lang said. “(I’m) a kid going from Alabama all the way to Tennessee. Every time I go down there, I see the crowds and everything… I went there for the Kentucky game and the Alabama game and I was like, ‘Dang, I’m really (going to) be playing here.’ I still couldn’t believe it. I’m super excited to be playing for the fans, playing for coach Heup, coach Ellarbee and playing alongside my future teammates.”