ESPN.Com’s Chris Low takes Lane Kiffin to task in a round-about way, calling the supposed commitment of 13-year-old Evan Berry — younger brother of Tennessee Heisman Trophy candidate Eric Berry — “absurd.”

Low doesn’t specifically say that Kiffin offered Berry, but might as well have, suggesting that Tennessee was seeking publicity with the Berry commitment, which of course implies that Kiffin actively sought the commitment. He goes on to say that Kiffin has been a master at generating publicity, then adds: “But a 13-year-old kid?” He wraps up his column by asking, “What’s next, though? Staking out recess at elementary school playgrounds.”

There’s only one problem. Tennessee hasn’t offered Evan Berry a scholarship. And they couldn’t if they wanted to, because NCAA rules prohibit offering scholarships before a prospect’s junior year in high school . . . which won’t be for another three years.

In fact, it turns out that this story about Berry’s “commitment” to Tennessee — which became nationwide news when Rivals.Com and ESPN each ran stories — was nothing more than a reporter sticking a microphone in his face and asking him where he wanted to go to school.

But, you know, it’s absurd and a say-anything-for-publicity stunt by a coach who will stake out playgrounds for young talent if you believe the incredible spin applied to the story by Low.

I wish I could say that Low simply made a mistake and jumped the gun with this story. But it seems that the guy who used to be one of the best reporters on the UT beat during his tenure with The Tennessean has become nothing more than another ESPN tool who could just as easily have a last name like Fowler or Herbstreit.

But it’s Kiffin, the great satan of the SEC East. So I guess that makes it okay, if you’re a columnist who isn’t interested in facts.