ATHENS, GA – OCTOBER 01, 2016 – quarterback Josh Dobbs #11 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA. Photo By Craig Bisacre/Tennessee Athletics
Jimmy Hyams and I had a great visit with renowned quarterback coach Quincy Avery on SportsTalk recently on 99.1 The Sports Animal in Knoxville.
Avery’s clients include VFL Joshua Dobbs and Texans star Deshaun Watson.
I asked John McClain of the Houston Chronicle about Quincy Avery and Watson. He said after a loss last season, long after the game was over, he looked down on the field and Watson was throwing with Quincy Avery, who goes to all or most of his games. That’s the trust Watson has in him.
Here’s some of what we talked about with Quincy Avery.
-Working with client Deshaun Watson -How many tapes he gets in from QB prospects -Seeing Kaidon Salter (new Vols QB commit) at the Elite 11 camp -The evolution of the QBs that can extend and create with their legs -How he helps QBs throw better on the run -His incredible story developing into a quarterback trainer -Help from Trent Dilfer along the way
Avery on how he convinced Josh Dobbs to be his first client:
“Funny story how I got Josh Dobbs. At that time I didn’t have any clients. I told like ten guys in the Atlanta area that I was going to run an elite camp for the top quarterbacks so I invited them and that was a personal invite to come. I got the field at like at 6am on a Saturday because I couldn’t afford to rent field time. So, I get the field. None of those guys come. Josh Dobbs, being who he is, he follows up and says ’Hey coach, I missed the training session. Can we get some work in and you can compare me against the guys’ So I said, ‘Sure!’ We went out there for a private session. It was him, his mom came out there and watched the whole thing. It was really cool. That relationship spurred my career.”
Avery on Dobbs’ development and being coached by Butch Jones at Tennessee:
“You know, interesting to see him get thrown in there quickly as a true freshman and then go through all that different adversity It was difficult because I was watching Butch Jones run a program and I knew that he wasn’t putting Joshua in position to really be as successful as he should have. That was probably the hardest thing for me. Watching them, week in and week out, knowing how talented I thought Josh was and still is, and just how difficult they made it for him. It was so cool to still see him be so successful throughout his career in Knoxville. It was a pleasure to get to watch, see him improve, see how hard he worked and just what kind of person and man he is. It’s cool to see that evolution.”
Avery on why Jones made it difficult for Dobbs at UT:
“Yeah, just the use of some of the personnel. If you look back on it, they had a bunch of NFL guys on the team Josh was the quarterback on his senior year. Seeing Coach DeBord go to Indiana and open it up with quarterbacks who were lesser talented than Josh, you’re like ‘Ok, I know it wasn’t him.’ He wanted to put the ball in the air. But, them being so conservative, so focused on run-run-run and then throw when you’re behind the chains. You’re in third-and-long and trying to figure out a situation. It’s very difficult to play quarterback like that. You not only don’t get an opportunity to create a rhythm but you don’t ever get a chance to catch the defense off guard. It was just hard. You watched them play with a coach who was just scared to lose rather than really, really wanting to attack things and take the game by the horns.”
Those quotes are certainly consistent with what we saw and heard during Dobbs’ career on Rocky Top. But, it’s always more meaningful coming from someone who was so close to Dobbs.
The Grand Ole Opry tallied its 4,924th consecutive Saturday night broadcast on May 16 with a showcase featuring Opry members Keith Urban and Kelsea Ballerini, as well as Morgan Evans. The one-hour show aired live on 650 AM WSM and was broadcast live on Circle Television, as well as streamed on Circle’s Facebook and YouTube.
“I want to thank the Opry family here for the keeping the lights on, keeping the circle moving,” said Keith. “It means the world to us and to everybody out there watching and listening tonight.”
“I was really interested to see what it was going to feel like to be in here without these pews full,” said Kelsea. “It’s still magic, still sounds good, feels rich and feels special. That just shows how special this place is.”
Keith performed “Coming Home,” “God Whispered Your Name,” “Long Hot Summer,” “Somebody Like You,” “Wasted Time” and “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” Kelsea treated viewers to “A Country Song,” “Hole in the Bottle” and “Homecoming Queen,” while Morgan performed “Kiss Somebody” and “Try a Little Kindness.” For the past 10 weeks during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Grand Ole Opry has aired without an audience present. The Opry has aired every Saturday for more than 90 years.
Watch the Opry’s one-hour show with Keith, Kelsea and Morgan below.
On May 15, Brad Paisley and Lady Antebellum treated fans to a two-hour concert via the Bud Light Seltzer Sessions, a weekly live-streamed event during May that features artists with full bands and production. The concerts benefit the American Red Cross and the heroes on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lady Antebellum opened the show with a bevy of tunes from their catalog, including “I Run To You, “What If I Never Get Over You,” “You Look Good,” “American Honey,” “Need You Now,” “Champagne Night” and more.
Brad followed with a set list that included “Crushin’ It,” “Ticks,” “Perfect Storm,” “Water,” “This Is Country Music,” “Mud On the Tires,” “Last Time for Everything,” “American Saturday Night,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her,” “No I in Beer” and more.
“Tonight was amazing—it felt so good being back with the band and playing for our fans,” said Brad. “While I can’t wait to perform on a stage with a live audience again, I hope you all enjoyed the Bud Light Seltzer Sessions show and are staying safe.”
During the season finale of American Idol on May 17, a number of past Idol stars appeared on the show for a special rendition of “We Are the World.”
Idol alum Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Gabby Barrett, Alejandro Aranda, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Phillip Phillips and Ruben Studdard appeared in a new video for the iconic tune alongside Idol judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry.
Penned by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, “We Are the World” was recorded by an all-star group of artists in 1985 to benefit African famine relief. Vocalists on the Grammy-winning song included Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and more.
Watch the Lionel, Luke, Katy and past Idol stars perform “We Are the World” below.
photos: Scotty McCreery by NCD; Gabby Barrett & Lauren Alaina by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com; Kellie Pickler by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com
JaTarvious Whitlow (28) scores a touchdown in the second half. Auburn vs Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 in College Station, TX. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics
Jimmy Hyams reported last week, on SportsTalk on 99.1 The Sports Animal here in Knoxville, about one of the options the Southeastern Conference is considering for an abbreviated 2020 college football season.
The league has discussed, just as a potential option, a conference game only season with a twist. The SEC schedule would be 9 games. The 9th game to be added to this season’s schedule would be each team’s crossover matchup scheduled for the 2021 season. That crossover is the rotating opponent for the opposite division.
This is just one of many scenarios the SEC has likely discussed, but it is an interesting once that deserves a deeper dive into.
The crossover matchups in 2020 have the seven SEC East teams playing on the road at the 7 SEC West teams. Here’s how those 2020 crossover matchups are currently scheduled.
Tennessee at Arkansas Florida at Ole Miss Georgia at Alabama Kentucky at Auburn Missouri at Mississippi St. South Carolina at LSU Vanderbilt at Texas A&M
That reverses in 2021 with the West teams playing at the East teams. Here are those matchups that potentially could be added to the 2020 schedule.
Ole Miss at Tennessee Alabama at Florida Arkansas at Georgia Auburn at South Carolina LSU at Kentucky Mississippi St. at Vanderbilt Texas A&M at Missouri
Here are just some of my takeaways in “Vince’s View” from this 9-game SEC scheduling scenario of adding the 2021 crossover opponent to the 2020 football schedule.
An Ole Miss game at Neyland Stadium would mean the return of one-time Vols coach Lane Kiffin. He coached against the Vols as an assistant at Alabama, but this would be his first game back as the head coach of another program since leaving after one season at the helm at UT in 2009. That would spice things up even more. It would be a shame if a full stadium of Vols fans wasn’t there to enjoy that.
Texas A&M would absolutely draw the shortest straw in this 9-game SEC scheduling scenario. With the annual game with Arkansas in Arlington, Texas being a “home game” in 2020 and the additional game also sending the Aggies on the road, that means A&M would only play 3 of 9 total games at home at Kyle Field in College Station.
In addition, if the 9th game is added to where the open week is scheduled or where any of the non-conference games are currently slated to be, it would overload A&M, either way, with all but one of their games away from home being played before their first game in College Station November 7. That is wild. This season’s schedule has the Aggies’ SEC home games at Kyle Field all in the month of November. That extra game, with no non-conference games late in the season, would likely be added before November, unless the extra game was tagged on to the end of the season or the entire season is moved back or rearranged. We’ll see if any maneuvering could be done to help Texas A&M. If not, it’s just part of the imbalance and lack of fairness we’re going to see during this period of the initial return of sports.
It’s certainly possible that home atmospheres won’t be the difference-makers they typically would be if social distancing measures are in place, but that is still brutally difficult. Remember, Texas A&M had to deal with #1 ranked teams Clemson, Alabama and LSU last season.
Arkansas enters this season on a 19-game SEC losing streak. Arkansas already has to deal with the gauntlet of the SEC West plus UT at home and at Missouri. Then, they would add a trip to SEC favorite and college football playoff contender Georgia on top of that.
Florida adding Alabama is tough on its own, but the Gators already have to deal with LSU as well, as its permanent crossover.
Alabama adding Florida on the road would mean no complaints about an easy schedule for the Crimson Tide this season. In addition to the West foes, Bama would have to play the expected three best teams in the East as well, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.
South Carolina would play Auburn in addition to already having to play at Florida, at LSU, home to Georgia and Tennessee.
Fan bases will be in full throat and full posting-mode on social media to vent about how unfair things are against their team (insert conspiracy theories here.) If we get college football back, in any way this season, that should void all outrage. Just be thankful that our beloved sport is back, please.
In what shape will opponents be in when they play the Tennessee Volunteers in football in the 2020 season?
I understand the possibility, and even likelihood, that there will be changes to the 2020 college football season, but it’s still worth looking ahead to see how the schedule could unfold.
Does the opponent have a tough physical game just before facing the Vols? Is the UT game at the end of a long stretch without an open week? Could UT’s opponent have a rival awaiting for them to look ahead to? Is the opponent coming off of a coveted open week (teams are scheduled for just one this season) when they play the Vols?
Those answers for the 2020 season are below in the UT football schedule listed. I’ve listed what each team has the week before and the week after playing Tennessee. I’ve also included team and series informations along with my summary of each game.
Sept. 5 | vs. Charlotte | Knoxville
2019: 7-6 (5-3 CUSA)
Lost to Buffalo 31-9 in Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 2018 in Knoxville (Tennessee 14 Charlotte 3)
Week Before: None – Start of Season Week After: vs. Norfolk St.
Vince’s View: There’s no factor with this being the opener. UT typically takes care of home non-conference opponents. Let’s just hope this game is played, because it would be an indicator that the rest of the season is largely in-tact.
Sept. 12 | at Oklahoma | Norman, OK
2019: 12-2 (8-0 Big 12 & Conf. Champ)
Lost to LSU 63-28 in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Peach Bowl
All-Time Series Record: Oklahoma leads 3-1
Last Meeting: 2015 in Knoxville (Oklahoma 31 Tennessee 24 in 2 OT)
Week Before: vs. Missouri St. Week After: at Army
Vince’s View: No schedule factor for Oklahoma or Tennessee. Both teams have light openers before this Week 2 matchup. Redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler, a former 5-star recruit, is expected to be this year’s star QB for OU. Despite some questions on defense, this should still be an elite team. This game will be a massive opportunity for Tennessee to alert the college football world that the momentum of the program with recruiting, and a likely 7-game win streak coming in, is legit under Jeremy Pruitt in his third season. At least a competitive game would be useful for UT.
Sept. 19 | Furman | Knoxville
2019: 8-5 (6-2, Southern)
Lost at Austin Peay in 1st Rd of FCS Playoffs
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 2-0
Last Meeting: 1942 in Knoxville (Tennessee 52 Furman 7)
Week Before: at Charleston Southern Week After: vs. Western Carolina
Vince’s View: Tennessee will have the tougher lead-in with the Oklahoma game to recover from, but with it being an FCS opponent the schedule should not be a factor.
Sept. 26 | Florida | Knoxville
2019: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)
Defeated Virginia 36-28 in Capital One Orange Bowl
All-Time Series Record: Florida leads 29-20
Last Meeting: 2019 in Gainesville (Florida 34 Tennessee 3)
Week Before: vs. South Alabama Week After: vs. South Carolina
Vince’s View: Neither team has a challenge before this battle of rivals, so the schedule shouldn’t be an advantage or an excuse for either side. This is a little more likely of a marquee win opportunity than the Oklahoma game for Jeremy Pruitt and Tennessee. Getting the Gators at home will raise the confidence level of the fan base that the Vols will win this game. UT has closed the gap on the Gators and Bulldogs, largely because of where the Vols came from when Pruitt took over. If the expected (by some) progress on the field has been made by UT, then this is a must-have game with tiebreaker implications. Florida should once again be stout on defense, The Gators look to have one of the better QBs in the league as well in Kyle Trask.
Oct. 3 | Missouri | Knoxville
2019: 6-6 (3-5 SEC)
No postseason
All-Time Series Record: Missouri leads 5-3
Last Meeting: 2019 in Columbia, MO (Tennessee 24 Missouri 20)
Week Before: vs. Eastern Michigan Week After: at BYU
Vince’s View: UT has the tougher opponent to bounce back from entering this game than Missouri. This will be the first time these two have met this early in the season, before November. Eli Drinkwitz takes over the Tigers program that was average a season ago. Missouri was last in the SEC in sacks last season. Unless former TCU transfer Shawn Robinson or junior Taylor Powell develop into above average QBs, Missouri should be similar to last season or slightly worse.
Oct. 10 | at South Carolina | Columbia, SC
2019: 4-8 (3-5 SEC)
No postseason
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 26-10-2
Last Meeting: 2019 in Knoxville (Tennessee 41 South Carolina 21)
Week Before: at Florida Week After: Open
Vince’s View: The schedule around this game could favor Tennessee. This will be the 6th straight game for South Carolina before their open week that follows. SC will come in with two straight games on the road. Will the Gamecocks be limping to that open week? This game has also been moved-up on the schedule, as it’s the earliest the two teams have played since 2003. Will Muschamp’s seat has warmed-up after an underachieving season in 2019. He made a ton of staff changes, so that adds to the unknown of what the Gamecocks will look like. QB Ryan Hilinski needs to take the next step. South Carolina finally landed a big-time RB in recruiting in MarShawn Lloyd, a 5-star signee. He’s the elite back the Gamecocks have been looking for since Marcus Lattimore.
Oct. 17 – Open Week
Oct. 24 | Alabama | Knoxville
2019: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)
Defeated Michigan 35-16 in Vrbo Citrus Bowl
All-Time Series Record: Alabama leads 57-38-7
Last Meeting: 2019 in Tuscaloosa (Alabama 35 Tennessee 13)
Week Before: vs. Mississippi St. Week After: Open
Vince’s View: The schedule around this game favors Tennessee. Alabama faces the most opponents in the SEC with open weeks before their meeting, 3, and UT is one of them. Alabama’s open week is the next week, which means this will be the 8th straight week with games for the Crimson Tide. Then again, this isn’t the first time the scheduling advantage has been there for UT but it hasn’t changed the results. The losing streak in the series for the Vols goes back to 2006, totaling 13 games. Will Pruitt be the first former assistant to defeat Nick Saban? Kirby Smart and Lane Kiffin get their shots before Pruitt’s turn on the schedule.
Oct. 31 | at Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR
2019: 2-10 (0-8 SEC)
No postseason
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 13-5
Last Meeting: 2015 in Knoxville (Arkansas 24 Tennessee 20)
Week Before: Open Week After: at Auburn
Vince’s View: The schedule coming in clearly favors the Razorbacks. Arkansas will be coming off the open week. UT will have the typical challenge of bouncing back after playing Alabama, which is never easy for anyone. However, the Vols beat the Gamecocks the week after playing Alabama in 2019, so it can be done. If Arkansas is as bad again this year as it has been, the schedule won’t matter. How down has the Razorbacks program been? Arkansas enters the 2020 season on a 19-game SEC losing streak. Arkansas’ schedule is at MSU, vs. TAM in Arlington, vs. Bama and vs. LSU before UT comes to town. The Razorbacks could very well be on a 23-game conference losing streak when this game happens. The last SEC home win for Arkansas was November 5, 2016 vs. Florida. This will be UT’s first game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville since 2011. Former Vols assistant Sam Pittman has his hands full, in his first season, with the Arkansas rebuilding project.
Nov. 7 | Kentucky | Knoxville
2019: 8-5 (3-5 SEC)
Defeated Virginia Tech 37-30 in the Belk Bowl
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 81-25-9
Last Meeting: 2019 in Lexington (Tennessee 17 Kentucky 13)
Week Before: Open Week After: vs. Mississippi St.
Vince’s View: Kentucky will be rested coming off it’s open week while UT be coming off the road game at Arkansas. UT has defeated UK 17 consecutive times in Knoxville dating back to 1984. Mark Stoops will have another competitive team that no one believes in. SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic told Jimmy Hyams and me on 99.1 The Sports Animal that he thinks UK and UT will be right there competing for the second-best offensive line in the SEC behind Alabama, with a chance to get to number one. The questions for Kentucky are how to the replace their quarterback, leading rusher and leading receiver…Lynn Bowden Jr and who will be their QB this season? Will Auburn transfer Joey Gatewood be granted immediate eligibility and win the job? Will Terry Wilson be healthy, win the quarterback job and, if so, be effective?
Nov. 14 | at Georgia | Athens, GA
2019: 12-2 (7-1 SEC, won East Division)
Defeated Baylor 26-14 in Allstate Sugar Bowl
All-Time Series Record: Georgia leads series 24-23-2
Last Meeting: 2019 in Knoxville (Georgia 43 Tennessee 14)
Week Before: at South Carolina Week After: at Kentucky
Vince’s View: The lead-up schedule is pretty much a wash. The most interesting scheduling aspect is that these two teams are playing so late in the season. This will be the first time they’ve met in the month of November since 1969 and only the second time they’ve played in November since 1925. Georgia is still loaded with 5-star and high 4-star talent, even if you may not recognize the names yet. Georgia will have one of the best defenses in the league and the country. If this has SEC East implications, with UT still having a shot in the East entering this game, then the season will be going pretty well for the Vols.
Nov. 21 | Troy | Knoxville
2019: 5-7 (3-5 Sun Belt)
No postseason
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 2012 in Knoxville (Tennessee 55 Troy 48)
Week Before: vs. Coastal Carolina Week After: at Appalachian St.
Vince’s View: UT obviously has the tougher lead-in game playing at rival Georgia. Troy has defeated Power 5 schools before and nearly did so when these two teams met in 2012. That was the insane Big 12-ish game where both teams had over 700 yards of offense. Thankfully for Vols fans, UT has a much better defense these days, so an upset here would be surprising.
Nov. 28 | at Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN
2019: 3-9 (1-7 SEC)
No postseason
All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads 76-32-5
Last Meeting: 2019 in Knoxville (Tennessee 28 Vanderbilt 10)
Week Before: vs. Louisiana Tech Week After: None – End of Season
Vince’s View: The schedule is not a factor in this one. The recent success that Vanderbilt had been enjoying is also likely no longer a factor. Vandy has questions all over the place on both sides of the ball. Depending on the Commodores record entering the game, Derek Mason could be coaching to keep his job.
Keith Urban treated more than 200 doctors, nurses and healthcare workers from Vanderbilt Health to a private, surprise concert at the Stardust Drive-In Movie Theater in Watertown, Tenn., (40 miles east of Nashville) on May 14.
More than 100 automobiles filled the theater for the show, which lasted more than an hour. The concert was a show of appreciation for healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a load of fun,” said Keith on the Today show on May 15. “We also really wanted to take the opportunity to not only do the first one but do it for the healthcare workers because that’s what this is all about right now. They did an amazing job as an audience and I had a great time.”
Collin Raye is set to headline a free concert at Barnes Park in Kaysville, Utah, on May 30 that would openly defy the state’s ban on gatherings of more than 50 people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The concert is being organized by the Utah Business Revival and supported by Kaysville Mayor Katie Witt (Rep.), who is also running for Congress in Utah’s 1st District.
“Hopefully, this concert will inspire similar events in other states around the country as we try to unify and start pushing back against the effects of this pandemic,” said Collin in a statement. “We will be utilizing the recommended sensible safety precautions, and I’m confident it will be a huge success for small businesses, and hopefully, the country at large.”
While much of the state is moving from “orange” (moderate risk) to “yellow” (low risk) per Governor Gary Herbert’s announcement on May 14, gatherings of more than 50 people are still prohibited.
“Come support our local businesses, listen to country music, and be a pioneer and a patriot with us,” said Mayor Witt in a statement.
The outdoor event will also feature booths allowing nonessential businesses to sell their goods and services.
Lee Brice addresses the current COVID-19 pandemic in a hopeful new song, “Hey World.”
The new tune was penned by Lee, Dallas Davidson and Adam Wood in late March after the guys found themselves inundated with a negative news cycle regarding the pandemic.
“We wrote this song from an introspective, truthful place and probably what most people are actually feeling right now,” says Lee. “With everything that is happening in the world currently and how fast paced we are as a society in general, sometimes you just want everything to stop—just to appreciate what we do have. People are suffering and it can’t be ignored.”
Lee dropped a new video for “Hey World,” which was filmed at his home in Nashville.
Runaway June announced the news via Twitter, saying: “Everyone meet the newest member of Runaway June, Natlie Stovall!! We couldn’t be more excited for the future and we can’t wait to perform again soon. We love you all more than words could ever express and we thank you for the outpouring of kindness, love and support in these wild, crazy times. It has kept us going, kept up positive and motivated to give more, go further, push harder. We are ecstatic to share this new chapter with Natalie and cannot wait for you all to adore her as much as we do. See you all soon as possible and in the meantime please stay home and healthy! We miss and love you!! – Runaway June.”
Fiddle-playing Natalie fronted her own band, Natalie Stovall and the Drive, for more than 10 years. She also appeared on The Voice in 2017 as a member of Team Blake Shelton.
![Lee Brice Releases New Video for Hopeful Song, “Hey World” [Watch]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2020/05/15122145/Lee-Brice-TA.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
