KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – It was another successful season for Tennessee’s crop of former players in the National Football League. In total, 21 former Vols saw action in the league this season while numerous others were on rosters throughout the year.
With the playoffs now in full swing, check out how all the former Vols fared this season below.
Four Vols Set to Compete in Divisional Round
On Saturday and Sunday, four VFLs will compete in the 2019 NFL Divisional Playoff Round.
For the Minnesota Vikings, punter Britton Colquitt saw action in all 16 games. He punted the ball 62 times for 2,802 yards, landing 24 punts inside the 20-yard line. The Vikings travel to San Francisco on Saturday to play the 49ers at 4:35 p.m. ET.
Emmanuel Moseley has been a mainstay in the 49ers secondary all season, appearing in all 16 games while starting nine. The VFL collected 50 tackles, defended eight passes and made one interception this season. San Francisco will host Minnesota on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. ET.
Punter Dustin Colquitt will represent the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs when they host the Houston Texans on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET. Colquitt appeared in all 16 regular-season games, punting the ball 48 times for 2,126 yards while landing 21 inside the 20-yard line.
Zach Fulton started 15 games at guard for Houston this year and helped pave the way for the NFL’s ninth-best rushing attack during the regular season, averaging 125.6 yards per game. Fulton and the Texans will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday.
Witten Shines in Return to the NFL
VFL and future Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten came out of retirement to join the Dallas Cowboys for a 16th season and did not disappoint. He amassed 529 yards on 63 catches, finding the end zone four times. Witten ends the season at No. 4 on the NFL’s all-time receptions list with 1,215, which ranks second among tight ends and active players. His 12,977 career receiving yards rank 19th all-time in the NFL’s 100-year history.
Alexander Johnson Has Breakout Season in Denver
Former UT linebacker Alexander “AJ” Johnson had a breakout season for the Denver Broncos. The second-year pro took over a starting role early in the season and finished second on the team with 93 tackles this year. Johnson also had seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Coleman and Moseley Both with Big Years
The Tennessee defensive back duo of Justin Coleman and Emmanuel Moseley both had extremely productive seasons for their respective teams.
Coleman had arguably the best season of his five-year NFL career, finishing with 54 tackles – one away from matching his career high that he set in 2018. During his first year with the Detroit Lions, Coleman led the team with a career-high 13 passes defended and also set a career high with three forced fumbles.
In his second year in the league, Moseley came out of nowhere to become one of the 49ers most reliable defensive backs. After playing in just one game in 2018, Moseley played in all 16 this year and finished tied for fourth on the team with eight passes defended. He also had 50 total tackles, two tackles for loss and intercepted a pass for San Francisco, who finished the regular season with a 13-3 record to capture the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs.
Kamara Puts Forth Another Productive Season
While his numbers were slightly down from the previous two seasons, Alvin Kamara was still one of the most versatile and productive players in the NFL this season. Despite missing two games because of injury, Kamara still led the Saints with 797 rushing yards and was third on the team with 533 receiving yards in the regular season. He also scored six touchdowns and helped lead New Orleans to a 13-3 record and NFC South Division title.
The Saints were eliminated from the playoffs by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card round, dropping a heartbreaker in overtime, 26-20. Kamara had seven carries for 21 yards and a touchdown while also making eight catches for 34 yards in the loss.
Regular Season Stats for VFLs
Tyler Bray, QB – Chicago Bears
Did not play Practice Squad
Derek Barnett, DE – Philadelphia Eagles
14 GP/14 GS, 30 tackles, 6.5 sacks
Justin Coleman, DB – Detroit Lions
16 GP/11 GS, 54 tackles, 13 passes defended, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles
Britton Colquitt, P – Minnesota Vikings
16 GP, 62 punts for 2,802 yards, 24 inside the 20-yard line
Dustin Colquitt, P – Kansas City Chiefs
16 GP, 48 punts for 2,126 yards, 21 inside the 20-yard line
Morgan Cox, LS – Baltimore Ravens
16 GP
Jason Croom, TE – Buffalo Bills
Did not play Injured Reserve
Joshua Dobbs, QB – Jacksonville Jaguars
Did not play
Jakob Johnson, FB – New England Patriots
4 GP/3 GS, 1 reception for 5 yards
Colton Jumper, LB – New Orleans Saints
Did not play Injured Reserve
Alvin Kamara, RB – New Orleans Saints
14 GP/9 GS, 171 rushes for 797 yards and five touchdowns, 81 receptions for 533 yards and one touchdown
Daniel McCullers, DT – Pittsburg Steelers
16 GP, 8 tackles, one pass defended
Khalil McKenzie, G – Seattle Seahawks
Did not play Practice Squad
Emmanuel Moseley, DB – San Francisco 49ers
16 GP/9 GS, 50 tackles, 8 passes defended, 1 interception
Michael Palardy, P – Carolina Panthers
16 GP, 75 punts for 3,452 yards, 25 inside 20-yard line
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR – Chicago Bears
16 GP/4 GS, 11 receptions for 83 yards, 17 rushes for 103 yards
Special Teams: 29 kickoff returns for 825 yards and one touchdown.
Kyle Phillips, DE – New York Jets
15 GP/4 GS, 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass defended
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 23/24 Tennessee (12-3, 2-1 SEC) is back home on Sunday to play host to Georgia (10-6, 1-2 SEC) in a 1:02 p.m. ET matinee at Thompson-Boling Arena. This will mark the 69th meeting between these programs, with the Lady Vols leading the all-time series by a 51-17 advantage.
Tennessee is coming off a dominating performance in Oxford, Mississippi, on Thursday night, flying past the Rebels, 84-28, at the Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Georgia opened SEC play with a 59-51 win at Ole Miss before dropping two in a row at home, including a 73-66 loss to No. 14 Mississippi State on Jan. 5 and a 63-55 setback vs. Vanderbilt on Thursday night.
Following Sunday’s tilt, Tennessee next plays at Florida on Thursday night (6 ET/SECN+), while Georgia hosts Auburn on Jan. 19 (2 ET / ESPNU).
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Sunday’s game will be televised on the SEC Network with Courtney Lyle (PxP) and Carolyn Peck (Analyst) handling the call.
The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Mickey Dearstone calling the action for the 21st season.
A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on Vol Network Affiliates in the black bar at the top of the page.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
SECN+ games are online broadcasts and are available only on WatchESPN via computers, smartphones and tablets.
All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) and the SEC Network will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
PROMOS
Gates open at noon ET on Sunday. Tickets start at just $10. Purchase yours today at AllVols.com.
The world-famous Red Panda returns to Knoxville to entertain fans with her thrilling halftime act.
There is free parking & shuttle service available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip-off.
Enjoy the pregame Kids’ Corner at Gate F. It opens one hour prior to tipoff. Fun includes free face painting, the Big Orange prize wheel, visits from Smokey and cheerleaders, crafts and more at the Kids’ Corner.
Want to be the Jr.Vol of the Game? Sign up for the Jr.Vol Club today and get the chance to see yourself on the video board. Members also receive free Jr.Vol swag, tickets to games for all sports and exclusive Jr.Vol events.
There will be postgame lay-ups on Sunday. Kids 12 and younger can shoot a lay-up on the court after the game.
Come High-Five the Lady Vols. Kids 12 & younger can pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame High-Five Tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865-946-7000.
You can be a part of the Lady Vols’ electric introductions. Make sure to download our light show app courtesy of Coca Cola. The “Hoops Hype” app is available free of charge from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store.
RECAPPING OUR LAST GAME
No. 23/24 Tennessee picked up its second SEC win of the season on Thursday night, rolling past Ole Miss, 84-28.
Junior Rennia Davis led the Lady Vols (12-3, 2-1 SEC) with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Freshman Jordan Horston narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Freshman Jessie Rennie also was in double figures with 11 points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Ole Miss (8-8, 0-3 SEC) was paced by Dominique Banks with 12 points and Jayla Alexander who had nine.
Tennessee shot a season-high 62.5 percent from the floor in the first half and every active member of the UT roster scored at least two points by halftime.
NOTES FROM THE LAST GAME
Rennie Finding Her Groove: Over the first eight games, freshman Jessie Rennie hit just 3-of-15 of her 3-point attempts, but over the last seven games she’s managed a sizzling .632 from behind the arc, going 12-of-19. She’s 15-of-34 on the season for a team-high 3-point average of .441.
The Run Game: The Lady Vols reeled off their second-longest run of the season against Ole Miss, holding the Rebels scoreless for eight minutes and 23 seconds spanning the first and second quarters while pouring in 19 points on offense. That run is second only to the 20-0 run the team had against Ark.-Pine Bluff. UT also had an 11-0 spurt (3Q-4Q).
Cleaning The Glass: UT out-rebounded the Rebels, 56-23. Tennessee has now won the battle of the boards against 13 opponents and boasts a rebounding margin of +16.9.
Fast Start: Tennessee held Ole Miss to just six first quarter points, the fewest UT has allowed in an opening period this season. UT’s 19-point first quarter lead tied for the largest opening period advantage this season with the 19-point lead they held against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 26.
Lockdown Defense: Tennessee held Ole Miss to just 28 points on the night, tying for the third-lowest point total by an opponent in Lady Vol history and the fewest ever by an SEC foe. The 14 points Ole Miss scored in the second half ties for the sixth-fewest all-time, and the two points UT allowed in the fourth quarter ties for second fewest points scored in a quarter by an opponent.
Big-Time Bench Points: More than half of Tennessee’s total points came from the bench, which finished with 43 on the night. That is the second-highest total bench points the team has managed this season, ranking behind only the 45 points scored by the reserves against Howard.
Improved At The Line: Tennessee is hitting 63.6 percent from the free-throw line for the season, but it has improved its shooting over the past two games. UT was 12 of 13 vs. Ole Miss and now is 29 of 34 over the past two contests for 85.3 percent.
TENNESSEE TOPICS
The Lady Vols average 51.1 rebounds per game, which is No. 2 nationally. That rate stands above the school record threshold, a 46.9 average in 1992-93.
After hitting 13 of 14 at Ole Miss Thursday night, UT is 39 of 49 on free throws in three SEC games for a 79.6 percentage. UT struggled to a 61.6 percentage during the non-conference schedule.
The Lady Vols are shooting 48.4 percent from the field and scoring 79.0 per game in SEC play. They shot 44.3 percent and tallied 74.5 ppg. vs. non-conference foes.
UT ranks No. 1 in the SEC in field goal percentage defense (33.7) and No. 2 in scoring defense (58.0 ppg.) in league games.
Rennia Davis has scored in double figures in 13 straight games and in 14 of 15 contests this season. Including last year, she has hit 10 or more points in 27 of her past 28 games.
Rennia Davis ranks second in the SEC in scoring (21.0 ppg.) in league games. She is second in double-doubles this season with seven and is third among active SEC players with 25 career double-doubles.
Freshman Jordan Horston and sophomore Jazmine Massengill are racking up the assist numbers. Horston is tied for the SEC lead at 4.9 apg., while Massengill is fourth at 4.6. Massengill is first in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0 to 1).
Jaiden McCoy (8) and Emily Saunders (8) combined for 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting off the bench vs. Ole Miss.
Freshman Tamari Key had a career-best six blocks vs. Ole Miss, tying for the third-best ever by a Lady Vol freshman. She now has 37 for the season and pushed UT to 103 for the year. That total in 15 games already has surpassed last year’s 95 blocks.
Freshman Jordan Horston has scored in double figures in five consecutive games and is averaging 14.2 ppg. during that span.
Ole Miss’ 28 points Thursday night vs. UT were the third-fewest ever by a Lady Vol opponent and the fewest ever scored by a league foe.
Over the past five contests, Tennessee is shooting 49.1 percent from the field and averaging 82.6 points per game.
Tennessee has recorded 15 or more assists in every game but one this season (Stanford, 7) and has tallied 20 or more on five occasions.
The Big Orange women have won the opening tip in all 15 games, with Lou Brown leading the Lady Vols with four game-opening buckets for her team.
Brown also leads UT with five charges taken.
UT-UGA SERIES NOTES
UT enters Sunday’s contest with a 51-17 advantage in the series. Tennessee has won 19 of the past 22, but Georgia has been victorious in two of the past three.
The Lady Vols are 22-4 in Knoxville and 15-3 at neutral sites all-time vs. the Lady Bulldogs. UT is 14-10 vs. Georgia in Athens, including losses there in 2017 and 2019.
Tennessee is 1-3 vs. UGA in overtime games.
The Lady Vols have a 14-3 postseason record against Georgia after winning in the 2015 SEC quarterfinals.
These programs have met 54 times when both teams were ranked and twice with neither team ranked. This is the 13th occasion when only one squad is ranked.
This is Kellie Harper‘s first meeting with UGA as a head coach. She was 6-2 vs. the Lady Bulldogs as a player from 1995-99.
Tennessee and Georgia met in the 1996 NCAA Championship game in Charlotte, with the Lady Vols prevailing, 83-64, in the first of three straight national championship seasons.
Tennessee and Georgia rank No. 1 and No. 2 in SEC regular season championships, with the Lady Vols owning 18 and the Lady Bulldogs having seven.
Dawn Marsh dished out a Lady Vol record 18 assists vs. Georgia on March 6, 1988.
ABOUT GEORGIA
Georgia was picked 10th by the coaches and media in the SEC preseason polls.
The Lady Bulldogs returned four starters and nine letterwinners from an 18-12/9-7 squad in 2019-20.
Guard Gabby Connally leads UGA at 12.8 ppg., while center Jenna Staiti tosses in 10.1 ppg.
RECAPPING UGA’S LAST GAME
The Georgia Lady Bulldogs fell to Vanderbilt, 63-55, Thursday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
UGA led 15-12 after the first quarter but was outscored 37-22 over the next two frames. The Lady Bulldogs took the fourth period, 18-14, but it wasn’t enough to overtake VU.
Redshirt junior Jenna Staiti led Georgia in both scoring and rebounding, recording her fourth career double-double and third of the season, with a season-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Juniors Maya Caldwell and Que Morrison registered 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Koi Love fired in 22 points to lead Vandy.
The Commodores connected on 42.3 percent of their shots from the field while holding the Lady Bulldogs to 33.3 percent shooting.
THE LAST TIME WE MET THE LADY BULLDOGS
Sophomore Evina Westbrook poured in 10 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a third-quarter UT shooting slump and Georgia’s second-half rally, as the Lady Vols fell at Stegeman Coliseum, 66-62, on Jan. 13, 2019.
There were five ties and 10 lead changes in that game.
Westbrook led Tennessee (12-4, 1-3 SEC) in scoring with a game-high 23 points, logging her eighth 20+ point performance of the season. Rennia Davis had six points and 12 rebounds, while Cheridene Green added six points and 10 rebounds.
Caliya Robinson was Georgia’s (12-5, 3-1 SEC) high scorer with 16. Gabby Connally had 13, while Taja Cole and Jenna Staiti each had 12.
LAST TIME IN KNOXVILLE
Mercedes Russell collected the 1,000th rebound of her fantastic career, leading No. 11/11 Tennessee to a 62-46 victory over No. 18/18 Georgia on Feb. 11, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The 6-foot-6 senior center became the sixth Lady Vol to reach the 1,000-rebound mark, finishing with 13 points and a game-high 15 boards to help UT (21-4, 9-3 SEC) move into a tie for second place in the SEC standings.
The Lady Vols put on a stellar defensive performance in holding Georgia to a season-low 46 points and 29.5 percent shooting (18-of-61) from the field. UT dominated on the glass throughout the game, finishing with a 50-30 rebounding advantage and forcing UGA into 20 turnovers.
Six-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark will drop her third studio album, Your Life Is a Record, on March 6.
The 11-song set, which was produced by Jay Joyce, features special guest appearances from Randy Newman (“Bigger Boat”) and guitarist John Osborne (“Bad Car”). Brandy released the album’s lead single, “Who You Thought I Was,” on Jan. 10.
“The seed of the song came from something that John Prine said a couple of years ago at the Americana Awards,” said Brandy. “He walked out onstage at the Ryman and everyone stood up and clapped for what felt like five minutes. When everyone sat down, he said with a little laugh, ‘Well, I’m John Prine, but I’d like to go back to being who you thought I was.’ Man . . . that hit me. The songwriter in me instantly knew it was a song and the heart in me knew it was how I had felt in my own life many times. I mean who of us hasn’t let somebody down or wanted to be the version of ourselves that someone who loved us thought we were?”
After teaming with Justin Bieber to record their current Top 5 single, “10,000 Hours,” Dan + Shay—and wives Abby and Hannah—were guests at Justin and Hailey Baldwin’s star-studded wedding in September.
In a sit-down interview with Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown, the duo revealed that the extravagant celebration was definitely a “good time,” but confessed that they were thankful to have already tied the knots with their respective wives—Dan to Abby Law in May 2017 and Shay to Hannah Billingsley in October 2017—because the Bieb’s wedding is one shindig you don’t want to compete with.
“That was a fun wedding, man. It was a good time,” said Dan. “We got to sing a couple of songs there, and a bunch of good people there. It’s always fun to go to a wedding, especially when it’s not yours and you don’t have the stress of having to plan it . . . Once you’ve had your wedding, you’re like, ‘Thank, God, I only had to do this once,’ and you can go enjoy it on somebody else’s dime. It was a lot of fun.”
“It’s a good thing also that we already had our weddings,” added Shay. “I feel like it’s a really dangerous thing to take your fiancée or your girlfriend to a wedding before you’ve had your wedding ’cause then they get all of these ideas. The worst wedding you could possibly [go to] is when its Justin Bieber’s wedding [laughing]. You don’t want to take ’em to that one. I felt bad for like all the single people there ’cause that was their expectation, like, ‘Oh, it’ll probably be this way,’ which, for the people that were there, it probably will be that way [laughing].”
OXFORD, Miss. – No. 23/24 Tennessee picked up its second SEC win of the season on Thursday night, rolling past Ole Miss, 84-28.
Junior Rennia Davis led the Lady Vols (12-3, 2-1 SEC) with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Freshman Jordan Horston narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Freshman Jessie Rennie also was in double figures with 11 points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Ole Miss (8-8, 0-3 SEC) was paced by Dominique Banks with 12 points and Jayla Alexander who had nine.
UT shot a scorching 73.3 percent in the first quarter, fueled largely by Davis who went 4-of-5 for nine points. Tennessee got out to a quick start with Davis, Horston and Lou Brown combining for eight points on UT’s first four possessions while holding Ole Miss scoreless for nearly three and a half minutes. Deja Cage ended the drought for the Rebels, knocking down a three to bring the score to 8-3 with 6:38 remaining in the first quarter. The Lady Vols answered by going 4-of-4 for a 9-0 run to lead 17-3 less than three minutes later. Alexander scored Ole Miss’ only basket in the closing minutes of the period, and Tennessee closed out the quarter with an 8-0 run to lead 25-6 to start the second quarter.
The Lady Vols kept their run going in the second stanza, scoring 10 additional unanswered points to extend the run to 19-0 and lead 36-6 before Banks scored on back-to-back possessions to put the Rebels in double digits with 3:51 remaining in the half. Four different Lady Vols knocked down baskets while holding Ole Miss to just four points, closing out the quarter with a 46-14 lead.
Tennessee shot a season-high 62.5 percent from the floor in the first half and every active member of the UT roster contributed at least two points by halftime.
Horston kicked things off in the third quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play. Davis and Tamari Key followed that up with layups to put Tennessee up 53-14 by the 7:02 mark. The layup was the first of seven-straight points by Key, giving UT a 58-17 lead with 5:26 remaining in the quarter. Bryn Parker hit a layup for the Rebels just before the media timeout, but multiple Lady Vols made it to the free-throw line following the break, going a perfect 6-of-6 to lead by 45 points with 3:33 remaining in the stanza. Torri Lewis and Banks then combined for five quick points for Ole Miss, but Tennessee outscored UM 5-2 in the closing minutes to lead 69-26 heading into the final stanza.
The Lady Vols opened the fourth with eight unanswered points, holding the Rebels scoreless until Alexander hit a jumper with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Rennie hit one final basket for the Lady Vols, knocking down her third trey of the game as Tennessee seized an 84-28 victory in Oxford.
Up Next: Tennessee returns home to face Georgia at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Rennie Finding Her Groove: Over the first eight games, freshman Jessie Rennie hit just 3-of-15 of her 3-point attempts, but over the last seven games she’s managed a hot .632 from behind the arc, going 12-of -19. She’s 15-of-34 on the season for a team-high 3-point average of .441.
The Run Game: The Lady Vols reeled off their second-longest run of the season against Ole Miss, holding the Rebels scoreless for eight minutes and 23 seconds spanning the first and second quarters while pouring in 19 points on offense. That run is second only to the 20-0 run the team managed against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Cleaning The Glass: UT out-rebounded the Rebels 56-23. Tennessee has now won the battle of the boards against 13 opponents and boasts a rebounding margin of +16.9.
Fast Start: Tennessee held Ole Miss to just six first quarter points, the fewest UT has allowed in an opening period this season. UT’s 19-point first quarter lead tied for the largest opening period advantage this season with the 19-point lead they held against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 26.
Lockdown Defense: Tennessee held Ole Miss to just 28 points on the night, tying for the third-lowest point total by an opponent in Lady Vol history. The 14 points Ole Miss scored in the second half ties for the sixth-fewest all-time, and the two points UT allowed in the fourth quarter ties for second fewest points scored in a quarter by an opponent.
Big Time Bench Points: More than half of Tennessee’s total points came from the bench which finished with 43 on the night. That is the second-highest total bench points the team has managed this season, second only to the 45 points scored off the bench against Howard.
Improved At The Line: Tennessee is hitting 63.6 percent from the free-throw line for the season, but it has improved its shooting over the past two games. UT was 12 of 13 vs. Ole Miss and now is 29 of 34 over the past two contests for 85.3 percent.
Congrats Vol fans. It’s been one helluva good week.
If turning a 1-4 record to 7-5 with six-straight wins to end the regular season didn’t get you excited, I’m sure the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl ending did something for you.
That one time when the Vols erased a 22-9 deficit with less than five minutes left to storm back with a pair of touchdown runs, sandwiched around a successful onside kick, to spark victory.
You know, that time when the Tennessee football team finished the 2019 campaign with an 8-5 overall record and a bowl win.
You good now? Cool. Let’s keep going.
Wednesday – Cade Mays Comes Home
Now into the second week of the new year, the Tennessee football team got bigger. Literally, it added over 630 pounds – depending on how you look at it.
Wednesday, the news broke that former Tennessee commit and current Georgia offensive lineman Cade Mays entered the transfer portal. It didn’t take long to connect the dots.
Cade Mays / Credit: ESPN Images – Allen Kee
The 2018 Freshman All-American is a Knoxville Catholic product. His father Kevin, played for UT and his brother, Cooper, just signed with the Vols in December. Following Matt Zanitz’s (AL.com) initial portal report, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported the move was to Tennessee.
Jimmy Hyams was soon to confirm – as was Volquest’s Brent Hubbs.
Then things got interesting.
Reports began to swirl of an incident regarding the severing of Kevin May’s (Cade and Cooper’s father) pinky finger during a recruiting visit to Athens in 2017. The family has decided to act against both the school and the chair manufacturer (the incident involved a folding chair).
Tom Mars, who is widely known for his success in representing players in eligibility cases and coaches in a further range of cases, was hired on to represent Cade in his eligibility case to both the NCAA and SEC for the 2020 season.
As an undergraduate – the rule is for players to sit one year following a transfer. The NCAA will review the case sent in for immediate eligibility and determine a ruling before next season. The SEC also has to play a part in this as its an intraconference move.
Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way. If I was advising Trey Smith, he would have made a different announcement Thursday afternoon. He would have declared for the NFL Draft. Heck, he wouldn’t have even played in the bowl game.
But Trey has other motives.
Trey Smith / Credit: WNML Images
In a shocking turn of events, Tennessee’s All-SEC performer announced his intent to return to Knoxville for his senior campaign in 2020. He even capped his speech as Peyton Manning did 23 years ago.
“I made up my mind and don’t expect to ever look back. I’m going to stay at the University of Tennessee.”
Trey has been through it all while in Knoxville. Coming in as one of the nation’s top recruits, the bulldozer started at both guard and left tackle as a true freshman in an abysmal 2017 campaign.
"When I knew I was going to come back, I wanted to pay homage to the GOAT."
Trey Smith on quoting Peyton Manning during his announcement to remain in school. #Vols
He endured a coaching change and two extended periods watching from the sidelines as the lineman was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. He sought medical advisement and accumulated an intelligent team around him.
They found a unique plan and he fought back. He made it back on the field. And he was Trey Smith again in 2019.
We all know the story. We all know the risks. So, why, is Trey not sprinting towards OTAs?
He made a promise to his late mother, Dorsetta, to finish his degree plan. An emotional 6-foot-6, 320-pound bruiser described his way to honor is mother in front of a packed media room that included UT brass and some players.
The comeback kid also said he left a lot on the field. He said he can still improve and that it was a simple, ‘business decision.’
Trey Smith was, simply, Trey Smith Thursday afternoon. You now what I mean.
Now What?
So, we know Trey is back. We know Cade is here.
If Trey continues to follow is plan and progress the way he has over the course of the past year – there’s no reason to believe he won’t be right back at left guard opening day next season.
Cade has a steeper path. He’ll have to win his appeal from the NCAA and gain the SEC greenlight to play next season. There’s still work there to be done by attorney Tom Mars. A lot of work.
But, let’s imagine this offensive line next season. (L-to-R)
This OL should be good even if Cade Mays fails to gain eligibility in 2020. But if he does – things change.
Though Trey Smith and Cade Mays are seasoned veterans in the SEC, Jeremy Pruitt’s biggest gets this recruiting cycle is none other than the two in-state products.
Trey Smith / Credit: ESPN Images – Donald Page
The Vols added a pair of wide receivers over the course of the week as well.
GoVols247 reported Nebraska’s Miles Jones is heading to Tennessee as a walk-on while USC’s Velus Jones Jr. announced on social media Thursday afternoon he will transfer to Rocky Top as a graduate transfer.
Oh, and it’s worth mentioning Farragut native Joe Doyle (punter) entered the transfer portal as well. Take the good with the bad. Best of luck to the former Freshman All-American.
It’s been a wild ride this week, Vol fans. And as Trey Smith said to our own Jimmy Hyams, ‘if you can’t see Tennessee is on the rise, you’re blind.’
Have fun with it as the momentum rolls on into year No. 3 of the Jeremy Pruitt era.
Eric Cain produces The Startling Lineup and acts as the UT Football beat reporter for Cumulus Knoxville. Follow ‘Cainer’ on Twitter at @_Cainer.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee men’s basketball team returns to home to Thompson-Boling Arena for a Saturday matinee matchup with South Carolina. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Saturday’s game can be seen on SEC Network, online through WatchESPN and on any mobile device through the ESPN App. Fans can access WatchESPN at espn.com/watch. Mike Morgan, Pat Bradley and Ryan Yocum will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertlekamp describing the action.
Last time out, the Vols used a balanced attack to battle past Missouri, 69-59, on Tuesday night. Tennessee had six players score in double-figures, with senior Jordan Bowden leading the way with 13 points and four huge defensive rebounds that capped off multiple stops on the defensive end. Freshman Josiah-Jordan James put in an all-around performance, scoring 11 points and pulling in a team-high seven rebounds. Junior John Fulkerson matched James’s 11 points, while bringing down six rebounds of his own.
With the score tied with just over five minutes to play, freshman Santiago Vescovi scored all 12 of his points over those final five minutes to propel the Vols during their final run to close the contest and cement the final score.
Tennessee is currently riding a four-game win streak against South Carolina, with both victories in 2018-19 coming in double-figures.
A win would leave coach Rick Barnes just two wins shy 100 career victories as head coach of the Vols. A victory would also halt the Vols’ two-game home losing streak and give them a 2-1 mark in SEC play.
Up next, Tennessee hits the road for the first of two consecutive SEC contests away from home, when they take on Georgia on Wednesday night. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 46-27, dating to 1927. The Vols are riding a four-game win streak against the Gamecocks.
• The Vols have a 27-9 edge when the series is played in Knoxville.
• The Vols and Gamecocks meet again in Columbia on Feb. 15.
A WIN WOULD…
• Halt the Vols’ two-game home losing streak.
• Leave Rick Barnes just two wins shy of recording his 100th victory as Tennessee’s head coach.
• Extend UT’s win streak over South Carolina to five games.
STORYLINES
• Tennessee ranks third in the nation in average home attendance, drawing 18,950 at Thompson-Boling Arena this year.
• The highly popular Red Panda is performing during halftime Saturday. Who will toss her bowls? Mystery… intrigue… it just means more.
• In its five games during the month of December, Tennessee shot .228 from 3-point range. In UT’s two games this month, the Vols are shooting .480 from long range. See note below.
• The Vols have won their last regular-season meeting against 11 of their 13 SEC opponents (all except Auburn and LSU).
• Mid-year enrollee Santiago Vescovi is shooting .667 from 3-point range through his first two collegiate games (8 of 12). That percentage leads the SEC thus far in league play.
LAYUP LINES
• Tennessee’s 16.0 assists per game leads the SEC during league play. But it’s 17.5 turnovers per game also are the most in the league.
• Tennessee ranks second in the SEC and 14th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 59.6 ppg.
• Junior John Fulkerson is shooting a team-best .653 from the field while averaging a career-best 11.1 points per game this season.
• Junior forward Yves Pons has blocked at least one shot in every game this season and ranks second in the SEC and 24th nationally with 2.4 bpg.
• True freshman Josiah-Jordan James leads the Vols with 6.0 rebounds per game. He is the SEC’s second-leading rebounder among freshmen.
• Fifth-year senior and preseason All-SEC guard Lamonté Turner announced on Dec. 21 that he will no longer suit up for the Vols due to thoracic outlet syndrome. The Vols are 1-2 without him.
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
• South Carolina is coming off a loss in its SEC opener Tuesday night, as the Gamecocks fell to Florida, 81-68, at home. The loss dropped South Carolina to 8-6 and 0-1 in conference action.
• The result against Florida followed an up-and-down non-conference schedule that saw the Gamecocks upend nationally ranked Virginia (70-59) on the road before falling at home to Stetson (63-56).
• Following a season that saw the Gamecocks finish 16-16 overall and in the middle of the pack in the SEC, South Carolina looks to avoid missing the Big Dance for a third consecutive season. The last time the Gamecocks found themselves in March Madness, they advanced all the way to the 2017 Final Four, knocking off Duke, Baylor and SEC rival Florida along the way.
• Despite an inconsistent season thus far, the Gamecocks have seen consistent production from sophomore guard A.J. Lawson, who leads the team in scoring, with 15.2 ppg, and ranks second in assists with 2.4 apg.
• The huge bright spot for South Carolina has come from senior forward Maik Kotsar. Kotsar ranks second for the Gamecocks in scoring (10.3 ppg) and first in rebounding (6.1 rpg), blocks (0.9 bpg) and steals (1.5 spg). His 10.3 ppg are a 3.3 points jump from his average last season, showing his improvement and efficiency on the offensive end.
• The University of South Carolina is a public research institution that was founded in 1801 in an effort to promote harmony between the Lowcountry and Backcountry of South Carolina. Its current total enrollment of 52,000 students makes it the largest university in the Carolinas.
LAST TIME VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
• Fueled by five double-figure scorers, No. 1 Tennessee continued its winning ways on Feb. 13, 2019, defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks, 85-73, in Thompson-Boling Arena to complete the season sweep.
• The victory marked the ninth time in 2019 SEC play that the Vols won by double digits and the second time they did so against South Carolina.
• Admiral Schofield led the way with a game-high 21-points while grabbing a team-high 10 boards for his fourth double-double of the season.
• Tennessee extended its winning streak to a record 19 games while pushing its win streak in SEC regular-season games to 15. The win also gave UT its best start to SEC play, starting 11-0 to best the 1976-77 team’s 10-0 conference start.
• The Vols had a balanced offense throughout the game, as every player who played more than three minutes scored and had at least one assist. Consensus All-American Grant Williams led the team with seven assists to go along with eight points and nine rebounds.
• After taking a 13-point lead into the second half, the Vols maintained their double-digit lead throughout the rest of the game. Tennessee started out the second half on fire from the field, knocking down five of its first six shots to build the lead out to 62-46 at the 15:16 mark.
• After being up by as many as 18 points in the first 20 half, UT took a 49-36 lead into halftime.
• Schofield scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, scoring eight of the team’s final 10 points in the game to put away the Gamecocks.
• Tennessee dished out 22 assists (on 34 made baskets) as a team against South Carolina, surpassing 20 assists for the 12th time on the season.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA
• On Dec. 6, 1969, unranked Tennessee strolled into Columbia and upset the No. 1-ranked Gamecocks, 55-54, thanks to 20 points from Jimmy England, and double-doubles by Don Johnson (18 pts, 12 rebs) and Bobby Croft (12 pts, 13 rebs).
• A two-overtime thriller in Columbia saw South Carolina pull out a 111-107 win on Feb. 10, 1993, despite 20-point efforts from Allan Houston (29), Lang Wiseman (26) and Corey Allen (22).
• Wayne Chism scored 23 points, JaJuan Smith added 19 and Tyler Smith had 13, but it was Chris Lofton’s 25-footer with 12.0 seconds remaining that lifted the Vols to an 89-87 win over South Carolina in the 2008 SEC Tournament in Atlanta on March 14, 2008.
• 2011 first-team All-SEC guard Scotty Hopson had a bright career against South Carolina, owning a sterling 6-0 record against the Gamecocks. Hopson threw down a posterizing dunk in the 2011 Knoxville win that placed fourth in the CBS Dunk of the Year Contest.
FORMER BIG 12 RIVALS BARNES, MARTIN NOW UNDER SEC BANNER
• Tennessee coach Rick Barnes and South Carolina headman Frank Martin meet for the 16th time as conference rivals Saturday and the ninth time under the SEC banner.
• The two squared off seven times as coaches in the Big 12 Conference, when Barnes was with Texas and Martin was at Kansas State.
• Barnes holds an 8-7 edge in head-to-head meetings.
• The 53-year-old Martin went 117-54 in five seasons at Kansas State, taking his 2009-10 squad to the Elite Eight and winning the Big 12 Coach of the Year award that same season. Barnes was one of the top coaches in the Big 12 during his 17-year tenure at Texas, winning four Big 12 Coach of the Year awards.
• Martin accepted the head coaching position at South Carolina in the spring of 2012.
VESCOVI LOCKED IN FROM DEEP
• In his first two collegiate games, Vols freshman Santiago Vescovi is shooting a red-hot .667 (8 for 12) from 3-point range. That leads the SEC in league play.
• Despite his slow, lefty release, Vescovi made six of nine attempts vs. LSU and then—in his first-ever road game—he hit two of three attempts at Mizzou.
• His accuracy from beyond the arc has helped him post a team-best 1.76 points per shot.
• Josiah-Jordan James on Vescovi: “He has a slower jump shot. But if he gets it off, it’s going in. It is so methodical.”
N3W Y3AR’S R3SOLUTION
• What a difference a flip of the calendar makes! The Vols didn’t shoot the ball well from long range during the month of December, but they must have made a New Year’s resolution to remedy those woes.
• In league games, Tennessee’s 12.0 3-point makes per game ranks second in the SEC.
UT ROSTER FEATURES SEVEN LEFTIES
• While most studies estimate that 10 percent of the population is left-handed, lefties make up nearly half of this Tennessee basketball team. Seven current Vols are “southpaws.”
• Tennessee’s left-handers include: Victor Bailey Jr., John Fulkerson, Davonte Gaines, Josiah-Jordan James, Jalen Johnson, Yves Pons and Santiago Vescovi.
• Tennessee has more left-handed players than any other team in the SEC this season.
• During the season-opening win vs. UNC Asheville (11/5/19), UT had five lefties on the court for a stretch.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt announced the addition of transfer offensive lineman Cade Mays on Thursday.
Mays made 18 starts and played in 25 games over two seasons at Georgia, capturing Freshman All-America honors in the process.
“We are excited to welcome Cade to the University of Tennessee,” Pruitt said. “Cade is a great fit because of his familiarity with Tennessee and Knoxville. He will get to play with his brother, Cooper, at the school where his dad, Kevin, played. As a guy with multiple years of starting experience on the offensive line in the SEC, Cade is a tremendous addition to our program. He’s tough and he’s powerful, and he is a versatile player, who can line up anywhere on the offensive line. He will have an impact on the field, and he will also have a positive effect on our team and in the offensive line room with his leadership ability. We added a lot of great young players in December and it’s exciting to also add a veteran like Cade to the Vols.”
Listed at 6-6, 318 pounds, Mays saw action in all 14 games for Georgia in 2019, playing at every position on the offensive line and earning 11 starts. He was the co-winner of the Charley Trippi Award for versatility, given at the team’s post-season awards gala.
Mays started at left tackle for the Bulldogs in the 2020 Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
As a freshman in 2018, he was voted to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team after playing in 11 games with seven starts.
A former five-star prospect out of Knoxville Catholic High School, Mays was selected to represent the East in the 2018 Army All-America Bowl. He was the No. 3 rated offensive tackle and No. 22 overall prospect nationally.
His father, Kevin, was an All-SEC offensive guard and a team captain for Tennessee in 1994.
His younger brother, Cooper, will be a freshman on Rocky Top this fall after signing with the Vols in December.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football junior offensive lineman Trey Smith announced on Thursday that he will return to the Volunteers for his senior season during a press conference at the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.
In an homage to Peyton Manning, who famously returned to Tennessee for his senior season in 1997, Smith said: “I’ve made up my mind and don’t expect to ever look back. I’m going to stay at the University of Tennessee.”
During his speech at the podium, Smith stated that he promised his late mother, Dorsetta Smith, he would play in the NFL and also earn his degree and it has been his mission to accomplish those goals.
“In the end, I didn’t get my degree yet,” said Smith, who is scheduled to complete his bachelor’s degree in sport management this May. “It is just one of the things she emphasized while growing up. I have to get an education. It is something nobody can ever take away from me. That is something that has always stuck with me. It is one of my goals in life – to get an education, get my degree and play in the NFL.”
Smith’s father, Henry, his older sister, Ashley, and other relatives and friends were also in attendance at the press conference that also featured statements from Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and Tennessee Athletics head physician Dr. Chris Klenck, who gave an update on Smith’s health.
“Trey is a guy that is a really good student of the game,” Pruitt said. “He is going to continue to grow and develop. We are excited that he is coming back. He is a huge piece of our football team. He is a great leader and a great player. Once he decided to do this, you heard him, there is no looking back. He is ready to get started and we are too.”
Smith has etched out one of the more memorable careers in recent Tennessee football history for his impact both on and off the field.
The Jackson, Tenn., native started 11 games at left guard in 2019 en route to All-SEC First Team honors from the coaches and media. He was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice this fall. After missing the final five games of the 2018 season and a comeback to football questionable, Smith returned to his dominant ways and spearheaded Tennessee’s six-game win streak to end the season. SEC Network analyst and offensive line expert Cole Cubelic named Smith to his All-America First Team.
“We’re building something special here at Tennessee,” Smith said. “I believe in this coaching staff. I believe in the players we have coming. We’re building something special. We have unfinished business this next season.”
Smith is one of three finalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award given to the nation’s top all-around student-athlete, which will be awarded to the winner on Feb. 18. Smith is an active speaker to youth groups, elementary schools and organizations across the state and led coat drives for Knoxville Area Rescue Ministry (KARM) during the 2018 and 2019 seasons where over 1,000 coats were donated each year because of his efforts.
Smith came to his home-state school in 2017 as the nation’s No. 1 recruit according to ESPN and quickly lived up to the hype, becoming the first Vol true freshman to start at left tackle in over 30 years en route to consensus Freshman All-America honors and All-SEC Second Team accolades.
Smith was diagnosed with blood clots in February of 2018, but returned to play for the Vols in 2018. Another setback occurred in October of 2018 and Smith missed the final five games of the season. He again fought back to return to football. A plan was developed by the Tennessee medical staff, in collaboration with specialists, which minimizes Smith’s risk for recurrent blood clots, while allowing him to play football.
The plan was implemented for the 2019 season, allowing Smith to perform at an All-SEC level on the football field.
“We implemented that plan this past season and Trey did an outstanding job and was able to excel,” Dr. Klenck said. “Now that we have a season’s worth of experience, we plan to fine tune his treatment plan and continue it into the spring and 2020 season.”
Smith is now ready to get back to business for a Tennessee football team that will return several playmakers, and all of the offensive line starters, from a 7-5 squad that capped the season as one of the nation’s hottest teams, winning six consecutive games, including a tremendous 13-point comeback in the final five minutes of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Jan. 2.
“I wanted to come back here and be great,” Smith said. “I want to leave a legacy at Tennessee. I love this university and I love the people.”
Full Statement from Dr. Chris Klenck, Tennessee Head Team Physician:
“Trey was diagnosed with pulmonary emboli or blood clots in his lungs in February 2018. He was initiated on a course of anticoagulation and was cleared to return to full participation in football in August of 2018. In October of that year, Trey presented during practice with signs and symptoms worrisome for recurrent blood clots. Tests at the hospital that evening were also worrisome and Trey was immediately restarted on anticoagulants and removed from participation. Subsequently, we consulted with multiple specialists who reviewed Trey’s case and studies. Based on those consultations, we feel very confident that Trey’s studies from October were suboptimal and more consistent with lung changes from his prior blood clots and not a second episode of blood clots. In collaboration with our specialists, we developed a treatment plan that we felt would minimize Trey’s risk for recurrent blood clots but still allow him to play football. We implemented that plan this past season and Trey did an outstanding job and was able to excel. Now that we have a season’s worth of experience, we plan to fine tune his treatment plan and continue it into the spring and 2020 season.”
Tennessee Offensive Lineman Trey Smith Statement & Quotes
Opening Statement:
“First and foremost, I want to give all the honor, praise and glory to God for allowing me to be here in this situation. I want to thank you all for coming out today. I have a long list of thanks before I begin.
“I want to thank my family and friends for being by my side. I want to thank coach Mickey Marley, coach (Nick) Stamper, coach (Jim) Hardegree, coach (Bryce) King, the Bradley’s and Artis Hicks for helping me in high school and seeing potential in my abilities. I want to thank coach (Jeremy) Pruitt, coach (Phillip) Fulmer, coach (Will) Friend, coach (Craig) Fitzgerald, coach Mike Farrell, coach Cameron Clemmons and the entire coaching staff for their wisdom, guidance and support. I want to give a special thanks to Dr. (Chris) Klenck, Jeronimo Boche, Jason McVeigh and the entire medical staff at the University of Tennessee. I want to thank all of my teammates from past and present, who I’ve grinded with (and) struggled with while playing football. I want to thank all of Vol Nation for the continual love and support for not only myself but also my entire team throughout the years.
“My story begins in West Tennessee in a city named Jackson. Ever since I was a child, I’ve dreamt of playing SEC football. I used to pray and ask God he would make me 6-5 so I would be big enough to play the game I love. Fast forward my sophomore year in football, and now I was 6-5 and big enough to play the game that I love. Shortly after I began receiving offers to play division one football, I received numerous scholarships to major SEC universities. Life was great. Everything was great. However, the stark reality of life struck at an early age. My mother, Dorsetta Smith, fell sick and died soon after, which completely crushed my world. From that point since, I’ve been on a mission to fulfill my promise to her. I had to decide what institution was for me. Ultimately, I had to choose home. I fell in love with this university. From watching Jauan (Jennings) score the game winner at UGA, to breaking the streak in Neyland against Florida, when it was time to sign my papers and make a decision, I knew my home was in the state of Tennessee at the University of Tennessee. Tennessee is where I was raised, where I belong. I arrived on campus a wide-eyed freshman, nervous, anxious, about the task I faced. I played well my first year. However, adversity struck. I was diagnosed with blood clots in 2017 near the end of the season. I fought back again and had another setback in 2018. I persevered and came back this season and fought for everything I could. Now, as we sit here today, I’m faced with a life-changing decision. You see, when my mom was sick, I promised her I would receive my degree and diploma and I would play in the NFL one day. I want to be 100 percent sure of my decision. With that being said, I will honor my mother, Dorsetta Smith. I’ve made up my mind and don’t expect to ever look back. I’m going to stay at the University of Tennessee.”
On how difficult of a decision it was to return for his senior season:
“I think I left some money on the field, some would say. There are many things I can increase and get better at, be a lot more consistent on my game. I want to attack those areas and be better.”
On how much he relied on his family when making his decision:
“We’re a spiritual family. We took a lot of time to pray and think about it. We did our proper research to make sure it was the right decision. We came together and made a decision.”
On if playing in his senior season will give NFL teams more to look at:
“Yes, absolutely. I think it will.”
On when he knew this was the right move for him:
“Just thinking about it. We sent my film off and got it evaluated by the college advising board. They recommended that I came back. After thoughtful prayer and consideration, I decided it was the best option.”
On if he had a certain number, in terms of NFL draft projection, that he needed to hear from the NFL that would have convinced him to enter the draft:
“I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a number. You just want your stock to be as high as it can be. I just feel like, as a player, I have a lot more things that I need to fix in order to get at a higher level, play the game the way I know I can play.”
On if there is a plan for him to get back on the practice field, ahead of next season:
“We have a great plan here at the University of Tennessee. We have a great medical staff. Talking with Doctor Klenck, we have a great plan. Anything he feels comfortable with, we’re going to stick to it.”
On if he spoke with teammates before his announcement:
“I didn’t really tell anybody the truth. I just left them in the grey a little bit.”
On where he believes he can improve his game during his senior season:“Where do I start? Balance, body control, over-extension, being too aggressive at times, which I think is just a timing thing. I’ve just got to play the game under control. Sometimes I get really over aggressive and just want to kill everybody when I’m out there. It’s playing with controlled violence.”
On how close he is to graduating:
“I should be able to graduate in May.”
On if he spoke to Peyton Manning or anyone else that went through a similar situation, while making this decision:
“I just think it’s sort of a different situation. It’s my decision at the end of the day. It’s going to be my life, so I felt like I could rely on the information I was getting. I was confident in it and I’m confident in my abilities. I had a good plan, a proper plan to come back better.”
On when he made the final decision, and if he thought about it during the bowl game process:
“I was thinking about it the whole time, honestly. Just making decisions, when people know what they’re talking about, together, we made a better decision and a conclusion, essentially.”
On if the team’s success down the stretch of this season impacted his decision to return for his final season with the Vols:
“I wouldn’t say it impacted me, but I definitely want to be a part of it. We’re building something special here at Tennessee. I believe in this coaching staff. I believe in the players we have coming. We’re building something special. We have unfinished business this next season.”
On if he is at peace now that the decision is out of the way:
“Yes. I am definitely relieved. I can go back to hiding now. I can chill out and get my body better to get ready for the season.”
On if it was tough to go through this process:
“I just tried to put my mind off it for a little bit. I just played some NCAA games at Riley Locklear’s house and chilled out pretty much.”
On him quoting Peyton Manning and when he decided to do that:
“When I made my decision on coming back, I wanted to pay homage to the GOAT. That is how we do it here. He is one of the best to ever play obviously. I just wanted to bring that little piece of legacy and bring that back to Tennessee.”
On why coming back to school was the biggest promise he made to his mom:
“In the end, I didn’t get my degree yet. If I did make the decision to go to the NFL, I thought when I was done playing, I would come back the day after to come get my degree. It is just one of the things she emphasized while growing up. I have to get an education. It is something nobody can ever take away from me. That is something that has always stuck with me. It is one of my goals in life – to get an education, get my degree and play in the NFL.”
On what his degree will be in:
“Sport management.”
On what he thinks his mom would say to him today:
“She would be proud. She would be really proud. She would be nervous with all the medical stuff, but she would be very proud.”
On if he feels like he answered some questions that the NFL would’ve had:
“Yes. There are still some questions. Obviously, you want to leave when your stock is highest. There are a lot of concerns, so in my mind it wasn’t a good decision (to leave for the NFL). I am going to stay this year to improve myself and worth and prove that my health is good. That is ultimately why I decided for my family.”
On how much he thinks he can improve his stock:
“I think one of the reasons why I came back is because I didn’t play as well as I wanted to this year. I think I left a lot on the table and made a lot of mistakes and a lot of bad plays. I want to stay consistent. I could have 20 plays that I am on somebody, but on about five I am getting beat. I am on the ground or losing balance. In my mind that is not a good game. That is not where I want to be in that level of play.”
On what the plan will be this year to improve his stock now that he knows how to manage his health:
“To get my body at the best level and best it has ever been. Make sure I am losing weight and eating correctly and getting stronger in every facet that I can. I think the main piece that we are missing is the mental process and just staying in the film room and meeting with coach Jim Chaney. This will be the first year I will be in the system on offense for two years in a row. That is a big benefit and plus. We will see where that leads. At the beginning of the season, I was still trying to figure out what to do on plays and relying on Brandon Kennedy as a crutch a lot of times. This year I am coming in and I can make the clearance as well. It is just a development thing. Just like coach Pruitt mentioned. It is just a developmental position and it is a mental process. It just has to be that much higher.”
On if he was able to find out if the medical plan here at UT would’ve been the same in the NFL:
“Essentially it would be the same plan. Whatever team decides (to draft me), if that opportunity presents itself, that (plan) is what I would go through with. Once again, this year is going to prove myself. Just speaking of that, it is one of those things that we will cross the bridge when we get there.”
On if he told any of his teammates about his decision:
“I really don’t think so.”
On if he told his teammates that he wouldn’t tell anybody his decision:
“Yeah. Pretty much everybody didn’t know. The people that knew were the immediate people that helped me. I wanted to give a special thanks to them, because without them this would be very hard.”
On how much this decision weighed on him throughout the season:
“Not at all. My high school coach, Mickey Marley, was a wise man. He is a great figure in my life. When I was getting recruited in high school, he used to tell me to not worry about all that stuff because I still had to play on Friday night. So why would I worry about the NFL on Sundays when I am still playing on Saturdays? That is the sort of mentality I always got from him. Worry about what is in front of you, a fool is going to only worry about the future and not what is in front of you in the present.”
On when he was able to finally come to a decision:
“About three or four days ago is when I officially decided, I guess. I wanted to come back here and be great. I want to leave a legacy at Tennessee. I love this university and I love the people. But coming back it was ultimately a business decision. You have to take that into account. It is business at that level.”
Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt Statement & Quotes
Opening Statement:
“First off, I just want to thank everybody for coming out. I know this is a huge day for Trey and his family and something that he’s really worked hard for throughout his career. I want to say a little bit about him. First off, as a student athlete representing the University of Tennessee, I’ve had the privilege of coaching a lot of outstanding young men throughout my career. I would say that Trey is as good a student, as good a representative (and) as good a teammate as any that I’ve been around. The circumstances that have kind of been presented to him over the last 24 months have been very unusual. The fact that he’s been able to overcome them and become the type of player that he has become without the opportunity to participate every day in practice; I can’t say enough about his work ethic (and) his commitment to excellence on and off the field. Really, he’s probably one of the better football players in this entire country, and he’s done that without being able to practice each week. If you know anything about the game of football, it’s a developmental game, especially the position he plays. You’re sitting there relying on three or four guys beside you. The fact that he’s been able to plug in there on Saturdays and be able to produce and play at the level that he’s been able to play at speaks volumes of him and his commitment to excellence. With that, I’m going to let Trey come up here and talk.”
On his response to Trey Smith returning:
“First off, the way that Trey and his family handled this, they did everything exactly the way you should do it. You could probably write a book on how to handle this situation and it would be something that you could pass down for the next 100 years when it comes down to taking the information that they gathered, focusing on school, practice and the bowl game. When it was over with, they came back and sat down. I can’t say enough about the time and effort his family put in to meeting with folks and gathering the information that they wanted to get to make a decision with Trey. Our medical staff, when you look at Dr. Klenck and the guys that work with him and what they have done over the last 24 months to number one, give Trey an opportunity to play football. They were able to keep him safe and manage it throughout the year and the things they have planned moving forward.”
On the NFL saying what round they projected Trey to be drafted if he declared for the draft:
“It’s kind of an unusual circumstance. Trey is one of the best players in college football. He knows what his value is. With the circumstances that were presented to him he was not able to practice. I don’t know how anyone can go play at the level that he has played and not practice, but he has been able to do that. Hopefully with the plan moving forward it will give him the opportunity to continue to improve as a player and improve his draft stock.”
On how much it will help going into next season after a year of following this plan:
“That is with the medical staff. I think Trey is wanting to be able to participate one day a week. That is something they are working hard to be able to do. That is something that looks like it is going to be possible when you talk to Dr. Klenck and his staff.”
On what the return of Trey Smith means for the Tennessee offense:
“It starts with leadership. You saw the type of person he is, the family that he comes from and his values and all his intangibles while he was standing at the podium. Take away the athletic ability, which is phenomenal. I’m just talking about his makeup and who he is. It is contagious and it’s going to give him an opportunity to finish what he has started and that is something that he is looking forward to doing.”
On his advice that he gave Trey Smith during his decision:
“Well, I’m not an NFL coach so I have no idea what round anyone is going to get drafted in. I coach at Tennessee. We do have connections in the NFL, and we put him with general managers, owners and head coaches or whoever to help them (Trey and his family) decide on this decision.”
On when he found out what Trey’s decision was going to be:
“I think Tuesday.”
On if he was expecting to have Trey on his team in 2020:
“We are always going to support our student-athletes. If Trey decided to enter the draft, we would all be behind him. That is between him and his family. We are here to help them grow as student-athletes and players while they are under our care. We will put them around the right folks that will help them make decisions that will affect them for the rest of their life.”
On areas where Trey can improve on next season:
“Consistency. I think that Trey would be the first to tell you that you could watch the course of a game and there is 10-17 plays in a game where he is playing as good as anyone in the country. He plays at a high level the rest of the game. There is probably about six to 12 plays in a game where you may ask, “where did that come from?” It comes from the fact that he did not get to experience it at practice. You’re talking about two padded practices in the last 12 months. When you look at game six or seven, you are talking about one week of practice he has had in live contact football.”
On his statement of himself being over aggressive and whether or not he likes that from a coaching perspective:
“Well, he kind of has the itch because he doesn’t have the chance to hit anyone during the week, so he is ready to hit them on Saturday. Trey is a guy that is a really good student of the game. He is going to continue to grow and develop. We are excited that he is coming back. He is a huge piece of our football team. He is a great leader and a great player. Once he decided to do this, you heard him, there is no looking back. He is ready to get started and we are too.”
On Brandon Kennedy and Trey Smith both returning:
“They are two guys that have been around for a while. They are very mature. They have a professionalism around them when it comes to how they handle their business, whether it is on the field or off. They both have the chance to be really good football players and we have them both coming back. We have great leadership in that room and these guys will affect not only that room but the offense and the rest of the team.”
On when the contact practice would be if Trey gets cleared for contact practices:
“We have not gone down that road yet. That is something that we would talk about when we get closer to that point.”
Vols HC Jeremy Pruitt meets with reporters in a group setting after Trey Smith announces at the press conference his decision to return to The University of Tennessee for his senior season.
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