KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee has announced that Trey Smith is cleared to play in the season opener on Saturday versus Georgia State.
“My family and I consulted with several of the best doctors in the country, and a plan has been developed that allows me to compete with my teammates on gameday,” Smith said. “My family and I are confident in that plan. The coaches and staff here at Tennessee have always had my best interests at heart and I can’t thank them enough. Thanks to all of the fans and my teammates for all of their support.”
Smith has started all 19 games he has played in during his career. He earned All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Freshman honors in 2017 when he became the first Vol true freshman to start at left tackle in over 30 years. He collected FWAA Freshman All-America honors in 2017 and nabbed preseason All-SEC First Team accolades in 2018.
“This is Trey’s decision and our medical staff has done a great job throughout this entire process,” head coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “The main priority has been and always will be Trey’s health. Our doctors have implemented a plan that will allow Trey to play, and we are excited for him.”
Smith has been an active speaker to youth groups and elementary schools during his time at Tennessee and spearheaded a coat drive for Knoxville Area Rescue Ministry (KARM) during the 2018 season, where over 1,000 coats were donated over five days because of his efforts.
He was named to the 2018 SEC Community Service Team and is a nominee for the 2019 AFCA Good Works Team as a member of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch List.
After nominations for the 53rd CMA Awards were revealed this morning, many country stars—including Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, and more—posted their reactions to the news via social media. Check out some of the responses below, as we continue to update the page.
Happy Gods Country is getting some CMA love but mostly happy for some of my favorite people getting nominated Scott Hendricks, Jenee Fleenor, Sophie Muller and Garth Brooks!!! I’m damn proud to work with each you. Congratulations! @CountryMusic
Thank you. Thank you to the fans, thank you to my team, my band, my family, my fiancé, my songwriting buddies, my peers, country radio, and @CountryMusic for the consideration. It’s a country boy’s dream come true. #CMAawardspic.twitter.com/SAQaWyvMPs
Might be the first and last time @billboard let’s us go live.. all good tho cause this boy has just been nominated for @cma’s New Artist of the Year! Feeling quite blessed this mornin #CMAawardspic.twitter.com/mIbYVnatsb
What a way to start the day!! Appreciate the love here @CountryMusic! 💛 Real excited about what we’ve accomplished together as a band so far and can’t wait to share what else we’ve been working on. #CMAawardshttps://t.co/CsyusiZlxq
will this is really wonderful and exciting and I can’t wait to be there and celebrate country music with my friends. thank you thank you thank you. ❤️ https://t.co/L5A7ch9ywe
Tennessee picked up its first win of the 2019 campaign before Georgia State even came to town – but could it get another right before kickoff?
Volunteer coach Jeremy Pruitt said offensive lineman Trey Smith (blood clots) will be a game-time decision. However, another major question surrounding the team was answered Tuesday evening.
After an eight-month waiting period, Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon has officially been granted immediate eligibility for the Volunteers. Needless to say, this is huge news for the defensive line and the defense overall.
Solomon is a former 5-star recruit from the class of 2017 and hails from Leesburg, Ga. where he attended Lee County High School. The now 6-foot-3, 299-pound defensive tackle played in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was ranked as the nation’s No. 2 defensive tackle prospect at the time.
The Georgia Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year was a welcomed addition into the defensive rotation at Michigan in 2017. As a freshman, Solomon managed 18 tackles, two for loss, in 13 games played. A lack of playing time and injuries hampered Solomon as a sophomore before deciding to transfer in December of 2018.
In January, Solomon picked Tennessee and arrived on campus – partially because of the connections made through recruiting by Jeremy Pruitt and members of his staff dating all the way back to Solomon’s freshman campaign in high school.
Cumulus Knoxville Staff Photos / Credit: Sam Forman
The new Vol went through winter workouts, spring practice and fall camp all while waiting his ruling from the NCAA on if he’d claim an immediate waiver to get on the field. Tuesday evening, Tennessee received the news it wanted as Solomon was officially cleared to suit up for the Volunteers four days before kickoff.
“I’m beyond excited to be playing football this season,” Solomon said through a UT release. “I can’t wait to suit up with my brothers.”
Solomon later added that, “I’m ready to roll. Go Vols.”
Tennessee lost its three starters on the defensive line from 2018 and graduated four seniors. It’s key returner, junior Emmit Gooden, was lost early in camp with an ACL injury. The Vols’ top returners in the group include only three players who registered a snap from last season in Matthew Butler, John Mincey and Ja’Quin Blakely.
Can Solomon, who can play every position on the defensive line, capture the promise he once held as a prospect? Time will tell. He has looked quick and athletic during media viewing periods of practice, but that often doesn’t tell the whole story.
Tennessee is thrilled to just have him on the field as he will likely be lined up for the first snap on defense.
But what about Trey Smith’s availability for Saturday and the upcoming season? His medical condition is nothing to scoff at and the program has taken the appropriate measures to protect Smith while attempting to find a plan to get him back on the field.
“I know for us to start with, everybody is always going to ask about Trey Smith,” Pruitt said in Monday’s game week press conference with the media. “The plan has not changed with Trey. Our doctors and medical folks will continue to work hard to try and find a way to allow him the opportunity to play. He has had a chance to participate in a couple of practices this camp and we’ll just kind of stay the course there and it’ll really be a game time decision with that.”
Smith has been in full pads, gone through weights and conditioning, as well as drills throughout fall camp. During sessions of full-contact, Smith usually sits out or goes against a dummy pad while the media is in attendance.
Some members of the media have been in the belief for some time that Smith will play this season and start as early as Saturday. Pruitt even (on Monday) went as far as to call it a ‘game time decision.’ I know Smith wants to play. The coaches want him to play and the fans want him to play.
Hear Austin Price of Volquest chat Trey Smith on Producing The Facts Podcast (37 min mark)
His safety and health will always be the main criteria.
If Tennessee found the plan it’s been searching for, I believe Smith will be out there on Saturday. Not only would the junior be the team’s best offensive lineman and starting left guard – Smith would be a calming presence for an unstable group that will mix in true freshmen at the tackle positions.
As a former player, you can only lead your teammates so far from the weight room and the sidelines. Being on the field makes a world of difference. We’ll see if Smith gains that opportunity once again. If he does, the process will have been checked out and been cleared by the medical staff. Judging by Smith’s participation in camp and comments from Pruitt on Monday, I believe they are close.
Tennessee got better this week with the Solomon news, it took a hit with the Bryce Thompson indefinite suspension and we’ll have to wait and see if and when Smith plays.
One thing is for sure. It’s Football Time in Tennessee once again.
The nomination for the 53rd CMA Awards were announce on Aug. 28, and there were a few questionable omissions—as well as surprising inclusions—in the nomination process.
Here are 9 snubs and surprises—off of the top of my head sans any deep research—from the 53rd annual CMA Awards nominations, which recognized artists’ works from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.
Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Eric Church
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Snub – Maren Morris: You don’t lead all artists with six nominations—in six different categories—without deserving at least a mention for Entertainer of the Year.
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
Looks right.
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Looks right, but you could make a case for Blake Shelton or Chris Young.
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Surprise – Brooks & Dunn: Kudos to voters for recognizing Brooks & Dunn for their accomplishments over the past year. It’s a well-deserved nomination. Iconic artists are often excluded from receiving nominations for no apparent reason.
New Artist of the Year
Cody Johnson
Ashley McBryde
Midland
Carly Pearce
Morgan Wallen
Surprise – Cody Johnson: The Texan, who released his seventh album in July, ain’t new . . . but I guess he did gain “greater recognition” in the time frame. But come on, I’ve got a three-inch pile of his CDs on my desk.
Snub – Jimmie Allen: Jimmie joined Darius Rucker as the only African-American country artists to hit No. 1 with their debut singles. Jimmie’s “Best Shot” was No. 1 for two weeks in November/December 2018.
Single of the Year (Awarded to Singer, Producer and Engineer)
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley Feat. Brothers Osborne – Producers: Ross Copperman, Jon Randall, Arturo Buenahora, Jr. – Mix Engineer: F. Reid Shippen
“Tequila” – Dan Smyers, Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds
Surprise – “Tequila,” Dan Smyers, Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds: The tune was nominated in the Single of the Year category in 2018, but earned a Song of the Year nomination this cycle based on its longevity on the charts. It’s deserving . . . it’s just a little surprising.
Musical Event of the Year
“All My Favorite People” – Maren Morris feat. Brothers Osborne
“Brand New Man” – Brooks & Dunn feat. Luke Combs
“Dive Bar” – Garth Brooks feat. Blake Shelton
“Old Town Road” (remix) – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
“What Happens in a Small Town” – Brantley Gilbert feat. Lindsay Ell
Looks right.
Music Video of the Year (Awarded to Artist & Director)
“God’s Country” – Blake Shelton – Director: Sophie Muller
“Rainbow” – Kacey Musgraves – Director: Hannah Lux Davis
“Some Of It” – Eric Church – Director: Reid Long
Snub – “I Don’t Remember Me Before You,” Brothers Osborne: Another great video from the Bros. and directors Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver.
Musician of the Year
Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Mac McAnally, Guitar
Ilya Toshinsky, Banjo/Guitar
Derek Wells, Guitar
Snub – Dann Huff, Guitar: Off the top of my head, I know Dann lent his guitar chops to Kane Brown’s Experiment, Thomas Rhett’s Center Point Road and Brooks & Dunn’s Reboot.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn – Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt announced on Wednesday that junior defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon has been granted immediate eligibility for the 2019 football season.
He will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning this fall.
“I’m beyond excited to be playing football this season,” Solomon said. “I can’t wait to suit up with my brothers. I want to thank my mom, Coach Pruitt, Coach (Tracy) Rocker and the Tennessee administration and compliance staff for helping me throughout this process. I’m ready to roll. Go Vols.”
Solomon transferred to UT in December after spending two seasons at Michigan.
“We found out yesterday that Aubrey Solomon will be eligible to play for us this year,” Pruitt said. “I’m excited for Aubrey and his family. He’s a great person. I know this has been tough for him kind of waiting on this the last six or seven months here. He’s stayed the course, done really well in school. I’m glad he’s getting an opportunity to play.”
The 6-3, 299-pounder had a standout prep career at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Ga., where he was rated a five-star recruit and a consensus top five defensive tackle product in the 2017 class.
He appeared in 18 games at Michigan, totaling 24 tackles and two TFLs. He had 18 tackles and two TFLs while appearing in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2017 before being limited by injury in 2018.
Solomon tallied 77 tackles, 16 TFLs, 12 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries as a senior at Lee County in 2016, leading his prep team to the Georgia Class AAAAAA playoffs. He collected All-USA Georgia First Team honors as a senior and was recognized as the Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2016 in addition to first-team All-America honors from MaxPreps.
Solomon played in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was ranked as the nation’s No. 23 overall recruit, No. 2 defensive tackle prospect and No. 2 player in Georgia in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Solomon and the Vols open the 2019 season when they host Georgia State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Neyland Stadium.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – All of the hard work in the summer, the countless time in the weight room and the several hours on Haslam Field during fall camp were all for this week, as the preseason preparation culminated with the first game-week practice on Monday afternoon.
Head coach Jeremy Pruitt and the rest of the Tennessee Volunteers are excited for Week 1 to begin.Tennessee hosts Georgia State at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
“It’s that time of year again and I know everyone is excited,” said Pruitt. “I know that we are as a football program. Talking to our staff this morning, there’s a lot of time and effort that you put in to prepare for your one guaranteed game. It’s the first game where you get to see the time you put in with your players in January, February, spring ball, summer conditioning and fall camp. To me, one of the most important things is that you have to enjoy it.
“That’s why these kids play the game,” said Pruitt, who recalled his own memories of starting football in Pisgah, Alabama. “And, lots of times we’re coaching them and telling them they have to do things this way or that way, but you think back to the purity of the game when you first started and that’s why we do play the game.”
Pruitt will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline as Shawn Elliot, who was a South Carolina assistant coach from 2010-16, opens his third year at the helm for the Panthers.
“Shawn Elliott is a guy that I’ve coached against over the years,” Pruitt said. “He was a fantastic offensive line coach. When you watch this team play, you see the same things that I’ve always seen going against his offensive line. They’re tough, they’re smart, they play hard, they’re very well coached and they do lots of things on offense.”
The Vols last faced the Panthers on Sept. 8, 2012 when Tennessee came away with a 51-13 victory.
Looking For the Perfect Game
While the Vols mixed things up in the offseason, highlighted by positional changes and finding the team’s identity, Pruitt said that the variables of the game are what keep football exciting.
“Well I think us as coaches we are always looking for the perfect game,” Prutt said. “The number one maxim is the team who makes the fewest mistakes will win. So, first what you got to do is don’t beat yourself…There are lots of unknowns and that’s the excitement about college football… We’re going to be simple on both sides of the ball and give our kids a chance to play fast and try to win each play in itself.
“So, first what you got to do is don’t beat yourself up. I don’t think you sit there and say hey we tolerate mistakes, but they happen. So when they happen, you got to be able to keep your poise and minimize them and learn from them and don’t let them happen again.”
Bituli Game-Time Decision
Pruitt said that starting middle linebacker Daniel Bituli will likely be a game-time decision due to a minor knee injury.
“I think Daniel will be pushing to be ready this week, but he’s not going to be able to practice today,” Pruitt said. “He’s right there but we’ll make sure we do what’s in the best interest of him.”
Bituli led the Vols in tackles for the second-straight season, finishing with 79 stops in 2018. A season ago, the now-senior ranked third on the team with 6.5 TFLs and added one sack and a pass breakup.
Here is Jeremy Pruitt’s released statement on Bryce Thompson after his arrest over the weekend via UT Athletics.
Statement from Tennessee Football Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt
“Bryce Thompson is suspended indefinitely while the process continues. We hold our student-athletes to a high standard. The safety of all students is our first priority here at Tennessee.”
Pruitt declined further comment when asked during Monday’s press conference.
We have and will continue to discuss and monitor this story as it develops.
Vols CB Bryce Thompson / Credit: 99.1 The Sports Animal
Final nominees for the 53rd annual CMA Awards will be revealed Aug. 28, with select categories announced live on ABC’s Good Morning America by Jimmie Allen and Ashley McBryde in the 8 a.m. hour (local time). Following the Good Morning America broadcast, Morgan Wallen and Midland will visit Billboard to reveal final nominees in the remaining CMA Awards categories.
Hosted by Carried Underwood with special guests Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire, the CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 13 on ABC.
NCD will post nominations as they are announced.
Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Eric Church
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
New Artist of the Year
Cody Johnson
Ashley McBryde
Midland
Carly Pearce
Morgan Wallen
Single of the Year (Awarded to Singer, Producer and Engineer)
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley Feat. Brothers Osborne – Producers: Ross Copperman, Jon Randall, Arturo Buenahora, Jr. – Mix Engineer: F. Reid Shippen
