There is no doubt that rival recruiters were using the Martin investigation against UT, telling prospects that the Vols would be found guilty of ''extra benefits'' violations and hit with some sort of NCAA penalty.
Now that UT has been cleared of all wrong-doing in the case, Tennessee no longer is operating under the handicap of an NCAA investigation. The disappearance of this dark cloud should help Phil Fulmer & Company in the weeks ahead. And, now that Fulmer knows the NCAA won't be taking away any more scholarships, he can be a little more aggressive on the recruiting trail.
Bottom line: Resolution of the Martin case doesn't mean UT will suddenly get everyone it wants, but it should bolster a recruiting year that has been lagging a bit. There are still some quality prospects out there, and the Vols should start reeling in some of them pretty soon.