Dolly Parton has teamed with Christian pop duo for King & Country—comprised of brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone—for a remix of their hit song, “God Only Knows.”
The duo’s original version of the song reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart in 2019.
“I feel really blessed for ‘God Only Knows’ to have landed in my lap like it did,” says Dolly to The Tennessean. “It’s like it fell from the sky. When I heard it, I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, this is so good.’ When we got to singing it, oh it just sounded so good. And just working with them was such a blessing.”
Craig Morgan is sharing his first new music in more than three years with the release of “The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost.”
The new tune, which Craig penned and produced, honors his late son, Jerry Greer, who passed away after a boating accident in July 2016 at the age of 19.
“As difficult as this song was to write and as difficult as it is to sing, it gives me strength in my faith in God,” says Craig via Twitter. “My hope is it does the same for others.”
Craig has performed the new song on the Grand Ole Opry stage, most notably on the night of Luke Combs’ induction in July.
Listen to “The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost” below.
Here’s an updated list of University of Tennessee players in the National Football League, with stats from the fourth and final week of the 2019 NFL preseason. I’ve also included some notes, jersey numbers, unofficial depth chart positions, breakdowns by position and much more.
You will also see the list of players that were at UT at one time before transferring and others that have local ties to the Knoxville area that did not attend the University of Tennessee.
NFL rosters are expanded right now. However, NFL teams have until 4pm ET Saturday, August 31 to reduce their rosters down to 53 players. That means a maximum of 37 players per team will be released. That’s 1,184 players that must go. Some players will technically remain in the league when placed on the Physically Unable To Perform, Non-Football Injury or Reserve-Injured List. In addition, a few hundred players will get to return to practice squads.
I’ll update this list throughout the season here on my blog “Vince’s View.” Bookmark my blog page and check back often.
Most Recent News – Tennessee Vols/Local Non-UT Players in the NFL
-Colts signed DB Micah Abernathy
Numbers – Vols in the NFL
-Currently 39 U. of Tennessee players on NFL teams
-38 are on active 90-player rosters (Jordan Williams-IR-Titans)
-3 VFL rookies are in the NFL right now (none are draft picks)
-Pittsburgh has the most UT players with 4
-LB is the largest position of VFLs in the league right now with 6
-20 of the 32 teams have a UT player
-There are 7 players that were once at U. of Tennessee but then transferred
-There are 3 players that didn’t attend UT, but have Knoxville/East TN ties
Tennessee Volunteers On NFL Teams as of 8/30/19 (39) x = rookie
#Includes stats from last week and game results
Atlanta Falcons Luke Stocker (80) TE (2nd team TE) DNP Matt Simms (9) QB (4th team QB) DNP
*Win vs. Jaguars
Baltimore Ravens Morgan Cox (46) LS (starting LS) DNP
*Win vs. Redskins
Buffalo Bills Jason Croom (80) TE (4th team TE) 2 rec 27 yds
*Win vs. Vikings
Carolina Panthers Michael Palardy (5) P (starting P/H) 4 punts 46.5 yds per Rashaan Gaulden (28) DB (2nd team SS) Started at SS, 4 tackles, 1 TFL
*Win vs. Steelers
Chicago Bears Tyler Bray (9) QB (3rd team QB) Started at QB, 28-of-40 334 yds, 1 TD (8 yds) Cordarrelle Patterson (84) WR/KR (2nd team WR & starting KR) DNP
*Loss vs. Titans
Cincinnati Bengals Josh Malone (80) WR (2nd team WR) Started at WR, 2 rec 21 yds, 2 KOR 37 yds, 1 tackle
*Loss vs. Colts
Dallas Cowboys Jason Witten (82) TE (starting TE) DNP
*Loss vs. Buccaneers
Denver Broncos Alexander “AJ” Johnson (45) LB (2nd team ILB) Started at ILB, 1 tackle Ja’Wuan James (70) OT (starting RT) DNP
*Win vs. Cardinals
Detroit Lions Jalen Reeves-Maybin (44) LB (2nd team OLB) DNP Justin Coleman (27) DB (starting CB) DNP
*Loss vs. Browns
Houston Texans Zach Fulton (73) OL (starting RG) DNP Trevor Daniel (8) P (starting P/H) 3 punts 44 yds per
*Loss vs. Rams
Indianapolis Colts Micah Abernathy (36) DB (4th team SS) 4 tackles
*Win vs. Bengals
Jacksonville Jaguars Ethan Wolf (46) TE (4th team TE) no stats
*Loss vs. Falcons
Kansas City Chiefs Dustin Colquitt (2) P (starting P/H) 2 punts 44 yds per Kahlil McKenzie (66) OG (2nd team LG) no stats
*Loss vs. Packers
Los Angeles Rams John Kelly (42) RB (3rd team RB) Started at RB, 4 car 1 yd
*Win vs. Texans
New England Patriots Jacob Johnson (47) FB/TE (3rd team TE) 1 tackle
*Loss vs. Giants
New Orleans Saints Alvin Kamara (41) RB (starting RB/2nd team KR) DNP Shy Tuttle (74) DT (4th team DE)-x 2 tackles, 1 QBH, 1 PD Colton Jumper (51) LB (4th team WLB) Started at LB, 2 tackles
*Loss vs. Dolphins
New York Jets Kyle Phillips (98) DE (3rd team DE)-x 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QBH Matt Darr (3) P (2nd team P) 3 punts 47.3 yds per
*Win vs. Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles Derek Barnett (96) DE (starting DE) DNP Malik Jackson (97) DT (starting DT) DNP Alex Ellis (48) TE (6th team TE) Started at TE, 2 rec 19 yds, 2 tackles
*Loss vs. Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers Ramon Foster (73) OG (starting LG) DNP Daniel McCullers (93) NT (2nd team NT) Started at DT, 1 tackle Cameron Sutton (20) DB (2nd team NCB & CB) Started at RCB, 4 tackles, 1 INT (2 yd ret), 1 PD Joshua Dobbs (5) QB (2nd team QB) Started at QB, 3-of-5 for 21 yds, 1 car 11 yds, 1 fumble, 1 FR (own)
*Loss vs. Panthers
San Francisco 49ers Emmanuel Moseley (41) CB (4th team CB) DNP
*Loss vs. Chargers
Tennessee Titans LaTroy Lewis (45) LB (3rd team OLB) Started at OLB, 5 tackles, 2 QBH Quart’e Sapp (40 ) LB (4th team ILB) 2 tackles, 1 TFL Jordan Williams (40) DE/OLB (reserve list) Injured List
*Win vs. Bears
One-Time Vols That Transferred (7) x = rookie
Buffalo Bills Lee Smith TE (85) *Powell HS/Tennessee/Marshall (2nd team TE) DNP
*Win vs. Vikings
Miami Dolphins Preston Williams (82) WR *Tennessee/Colorado St (3rd team WR)-x DNP Dewayne Hendrix (73) DE *Tennessee/Pittsburgh (4th team DE)-x 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL< 1 FF, 1 QBH
*Win vs. Saints
Oakland Raiders Nathan Peterman (2) QB *Tennessee/Pittsburgh (3rd team QB) 30-of-27 for 158 yds, 3 car 8 yds, 2 sacls, 1 FR
*Loss vs. Seahawks
San Francisco 49ers Jalen Hurd (17) WR *Tennessee/Baylor (2nd team WR)-x DNP Daniel Helm (43) TE *Tennessee/Duke (5th team TE)-x 2 rec 16 yds
*Loss vs. Chargers
Tennessee Titans D’Andre Payne (28) CB *Tennessee/Iowa State (5th team CB)-x 2 tackles
*Win vs. Bears
Knoxville Area Players That Didn’t Play At U. of Tennessee (3) x = rookie
Dallas Cowboys Randall Cobb (18) WR *Alcoa HS/Kentucky (starting WR) DMP Chris Jones (6) P *Carson-Newman (starting P/H) no stats
*Loss vs. Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings Harrison Smith (22) S *Catholic HS/Notre Dame (starting SS) DNP
*Loss vs. Bils
Recent Free Agents From Late Last Season That Played at U. of Tennessee
Eric Berry S
Justin Hunter WR
James Stone OL
Justin Martin DB
Alexis Johnson Jr. NT
Keller Chryst QB
Kendal Vickers DE (CFL) 5 tackles, 1 sack in 10 GPs
Jonathan Kongbo (CFL) 8 tackles in 4 GPs
Teams Without Any Players On Current Expanded Rosters From UT (10)
Arizona Cardinals
Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New York Giants
Oakland Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Redskins
UT Players In The NFL By Position (39)
QB – 3
RB – 2
WR – 2
TE – 5
FB – 1
OL – 4
DL – 5
LB – 6
DB – 5
P – 5
PK – 0
LS – 1
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After a long offseason it’s finally Football Time in Tennessee as the Volunteers welcome Georgia State to Neyland Stadium on Saturday for the much-anticipated 2019 season opener.
Kickoff for Tennessee’s opener is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on ESPNU as Clay Matvick (PxP), Ryan Leaf (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sideline) have the call.
Fans can also listen to Tennessee’s radio broadcast on the Vol Network (WIVK-FM 107.7) as well as satellite radio (Sirius Ch. 37, XM Ch. 192, Internet Ch. 963). Bob Kesling (PxP), Tim Priest (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action all season long.
Need to Know Vols Dominant in Home Season Openers
The Big Orange have been dominant when opening the year at home. UT has won 20 straight season openers played at Neyland Stadium and is unbeaten in the last 22 home season openers dating back to 1984.
UT Coaching Staff Among Nation’s Best
Head coach Jeremy Pruitt has assembled one of the country’s top coaching staffs as he enters his second year in charge of the program. The Vols’ on-field coaching staff have combined to win 16 National Championships and 29 conference titles while coaching 66 All-Americans and having over 200 players selected in the NFL Draft.
New to the staff this year are some familiar faces as Tee Martin, Jim Chaney and Derrick Ansley have all returned to Rocky Top to join Pruitt’s coaching staff. Martin, who was the starting quarterback for UT’s 1998 BCS National Championship team, will coach the wide receivers and serve as passing game coordinator. Chaney, who led record-breaking offenses during his first stint with the Vols from 2009-12, is back as offensive coordinator after a successful stint at Georgia (2016-18) where he helped lead the Bulldogs to the National Championship game in 2017. Ansley, who coached defensive backs for Tennessee in 2012, takes over as defensive coordinator after spending last season as the Oakland Raiders defensive backs coach.
Pruitt and his staff led Tennessee to a pair of upset victories over ranked opponents in 2018, defeating No. 21 Auburn on the road and taking down No. 11 Kentucky at home. Pruitt was named National Coach of the Week by the Dodd Foundation following UT’s win over the Tigers, which was the program’s first upset victory on the road since a 51-33 win over No. 10 Georgia in 2006.
Taylor Back for More
Tennessee outside linebacker Darrell Taylor opted to forgo the NFL Draft and return for one more season on Rocky Top after leading the Vols with eight sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss in 2018. The redshirt senior’s eight sacks last season were the most by any returning player in the SEC.
Taylor had two games with three-plus sacks, joining Derek Barnett (2014) and Leonard Little (1996) as the only players in Tennessee history with multiple games of at least three sacks in the same season.
The Hopewell, Va., native was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, the Bednarik National Player of the Week and the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after posting four sacks in an upset victory against No. 11 Kentucky on Nov. 10, recording just the third four-sack game in Tennessee football history. Taylor joined Reggie White (1983 vs. Citadel) and Corey Miller (2013 at Kentucky) as Vols with four sacks in a game.
Returning Talent
The Vols return quite a bit of production from last year’s team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Led by redshirt junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and senior wideouts Marquez Callaway and Jauan Jennings, Tennessee brings back 10 offensive starters. The Orange and White return 98.5 percent of their receiving yards and 86.5 percent of their rushing yards from a year ago.
UT also welcomes back some important playmakers on the defensive side, led by the aforementioned Taylor, senior linebacker Daniel Bituli and senior defensive back Nigel Warrior. Bituli has led the team in tackles in each of the past two seasons while Warrior has started more games (25) than any other player on UT’s roster.
Preseason Accolades
UT had 12 players named to preseason watch lists (full listing below). The trio of OL Wanya Morris, OL Darnell Wright and LB Henry To’o To’o were also included on the ESPN Preseason True Freshman All-America team.
Series History: Georgia State Vols lead series, 1-0 Past Meetings:
9/8/12 Knoxville W, 51-13
Tennessee won the only prior meeting between the two programs with a 51-13 victory over the Panthers at Neyland Stadium in 2012. Vols’ quarterback Tyler Bray recorded his eighth career 300-plus yard passing performance, finishing 18-of-20 for 310 yards and four touchdowns.
About Georgia State
Georgia State is entering just its 10th football season and seventh at the FBS level after starting the program back in 2010. The Panthers will be looking to rebound from a tough 2018 campaign that saw them finish 2-10. They are led by third-year head coach Shawn Elliot, who led GSU to a win over Western Kentucky in the AutoNation Cure Bowl in 2017.
Much like the Vols, the Panthers bring back a lot of production from last season with nine offensive starters and seven defensive starters returning. Georgia State returns All-Sun Belt selections in senior quarterback Dan Ellington, left tackle Hunter Atkinson, left guard Shamarious Gilmore and defensive end Terry Thomas. Ellington led the Panthers in passing yards (2,119) and rushing yards (625) in 2018 and scored 17 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions.
Miranda Lambert dropped a dirty new video for her current single, “It All Comes Out in the Wash.”
Directed by frequent collaborator Trey Fanjoy, the mud-slinging clip was filmed outside Nashville and features Miranda behind the wheel in an off-roading adventure and a subsequent trip to the car wash.
The new tune, which was co-penned by Miranda, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey, is the lead single from Miranda’s upcoming seventh studio album, Wildcard, which is set to drop on Nov. 1.
“I wrote ‘It All Comes Out in the Wash’ with the Love Junkies, some of my favorite people to write with—Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey,” says Miranda. “And I had the title for a while written down in my phone. We like to talk about girly things and things going on in life when we write together, so I feel like the song is just kind of a mix of scenarios that all of us have either been a part of or seen or, ya know, something that’s happened in all of our lives, and realizing that when you have something in your life that’s a little unclean at times or hurtful or a moment that you wish would pass, it does all pass and it all comes out in the wash. That’s something that all of our moms would say to us when we were little—let’s not worry about a stain. I’m really proud of it. It’s a really fun song.”
Dierks Bentley is gearing up for his second annual Seven Peaks Music Festival in Buena Vista, Colo., on Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 30–Sept. 1). Artists joining Dierks this year include Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Jon Pardi, Mitchell Tenpenny, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Ryan Hurd, Steep Canyon Rangers, The War and Treaty, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and more.
To get the party started on Aug. 30, the festival curated a lineup of artists who inspired Dierks’ love of ’90s country, including Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Diamond Rio and Deana Carter, with a special performance by Dierks’ own Hot Country Knights.
As the Arizona native told Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown, there’s nothing else like his “unique” festival, which combines elements of current country, ’90s country, Texas country, bluegrass and more.
“I’m from out West—that’s kind of where my heart always will be, and so I’m trying to find as many excuses to get out there as possible, so starting a festival in the mountains of Colorado was definitely a little bit selfish, but it’s just a great hang,” says Dierks. “And it’s just a great place to be even if there was no music. This is where I would spend every Labor Day, just sitting in a lawn chair. But you add Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Mitchell Tenpenny, Jon Pardi, Tenille Townes, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band—we have a whole night devoted just to ’90s country because, you know, I love ’90s country. It’s a very unique festival. There’s nothing else out there like it. And, we also have great bluegrass and some Texas country, so there’s a lot going on. All the things I love are incorporated into this festival.”
Trey Smith has been cleared to play Saturday on UT’s offensive line, but what will that line look like now that the 2017 Freshman All-American is back in the mix?
Watch as Cainer breaks down what could be the new-look offensive line for the firsts series against Georgia State.
Eric Cain / Credit: Cumulus Knoxville Staff Photos
(This is the first in a two-part series on Tee Martin. The first part, how he got into coaching.)
By Jimmy Hyams
Tee Martin brought home a national championship to Tennessee in 1998.
And now, a decade after he began his college coaching career, he comes home to coach as a Vol assistant.
Martin makes his debut as UT’s receivers coach and pass game coordinator this Saturday against Georgia State at 3:30 p.m.
The long and winding road home took him to Atlanta, New Mexico, Kentucky and USC. And it wasn’t until his fourth interview at Tennessee that he became a Vol again.
Martin interviewed for a Tennessee job in 2009 when UT hired Kiffin, in 2010 when Derek Dooley was hired, and after Butch Jones’ second year in 2015. Twice he didn’t get hired. The third time he turned down Jones.
“The timing was not right,’’ Martin said. “It didn’t work out.’’
The timing is right now, Martin said, because of head coach Jeremy Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer, the coach of that 1998 national championship team.
“It’s really cool and it’s a unique situation,’’ said Martin. “I’m back at my alma mater and I have nothing but positive memories. It’s nostalgic, surreal.
“With that being said, this means more to me than any other job I’ve had.’’
It means a lot to the Vol Nation, which is thrilled to have Martin back on Rocky Top.
And it means a lot to the UT players, many whom respect Martin for the simple fact he was a national title ring.
The coaching bug bit Martin when he was a 10-year old, organizing an informal youth league in Mobile, Ala.
The community was Birdsville, where every street was named after a bird. Team names were Eagles, Ravens, Cardinals.
“I was the organizer and coach,’’ Martin said. “I knew I only wanted to play quarterback if I played football because quarterback challenged me. I don’t know if I’d like football if I played any other position than quarterback.’’
Other sports intrigued him as well. Mobile is the home of Hank Arron and his exploits rubbed off on Martin.
“Baseball was my favorite sport growing up,’’ said Martin, who was a pitcher, shortstop and centerfielder. “I played way more baseball than football.’’
He was a sprinter in track, a forward in basketball.
“Mobile, Alabama was a big hub for sports,’’ Martin said. “Whether it was basketball, football or baseball. During that time, a lot of guys were going to college and making it to the pros.’’
There was also the influence of the Senior Bowl held in Tee’s home town. Martin would sit in the lobby of the local hotel and watch guys like Jimmy Johnson and Dan Marino stroll by.
“It was like living a dream,’’ Martin said, who ran into Mean Joe Greene.
“I couldn’t speak to him,’’ he said. “I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth.’’
Martin lived the dream of playing quarterback at a major college. But his pro career was short lived. He was in Philadelphia when the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb. He was in Oakland when the Raiders acquired Rich Gannon.
In the pros, though, he engaged some bright offensive minds like Kevin Gilbride, Andy Reid, Norv Turner, Marc Trestman, Jim Harbaugh.
“Jim Harbaugh was one of my favorite quarterbacks growing up,’’ Martin said.
Martin applied the knowledge he learned from those coaches to enter the profession.
And now, he’ll apply it as a Tennessee assistant coach.
Dylan Scott and wife Blair welcomed baby girl Finley Gray to the family on Aug. 28.
Finley Gray joins older brother Beckett Scott Robinson, 20 months, in the Scott household.
“Beckett loves his little sister and so does momma and daddy,” said Dylan via Instagram. “Everyone meet Finley Gray. Born today, 8 pounds 3 ounces and 20 inches long! I’ve watched my wife do this twice now and she is a rockstar!!!”
A post shared by Dylan Scott (@dylanscottcountry) on
Dylan and Blair were married in 2016, and as Dylan told Nash Country Daily, the couple has known each other for more than 10 years.
“We started dating at 15, so she’s known since then exactly what I wanted to do,” said Dylan. “She’s never once given me a hard time. There were times when we were dating and I’d tell her, ‘I just don’t know if this is what I’m really supposed to be doing. It’s just so tough. All these other guys are coming on the scene and going straight to the top.’ And she’d just tell me, ‘You have the best job, you’re there, you’re doing it, it will work.’ She was just a great motivator. She still is.”
Dylan scored hits “My Girl” and “Hooked” in 2016 and 2017, respectively. He recently released a new EP, An Old Memory, which features covers of Keith Whitley songs.
Rodney Atkins and wife Rose Falcon welcomed baby boy Scout Falcon Atkins to the family on Aug. 26.
Scout joins big brother, Ryder, 20 months, in the Atkins household. Rodney also has a son, Elijah, 17, from a previous marriage.
Rodney and Rose were married in November 2013.
Rodney scored a handful of No. 1 hits in the 2000s, including “Watching You,” “These Are My People,” “It’s America” and more. His recent single, “Caught Up in the Country,” featuring the Fisk Jubilee Singers, peaked at No. 21 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Rose has penned songs for a number of artists, including Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum and more.
![Dolly Parton Teams With for King & Country on New Remix of “God Only Knows” [Watch Video]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2019/08/20163000/Dolly-Parton.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
![Craig Morgan Remembers Late Son in Heartfelt New Song, “The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost” [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2019/08/30085837/Craig-Morgan-NCD.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
![Miranda Lambert Drops Dirty New Video for “It All Comes Out in the Wash” [Watch]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2019/08/29135025/MIranda-Lambert-TA.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
