Tony Joe White, the songwriter behind such hits at “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia,” died on Oct. 24 at his home in Leiper’s Fork, Tenn., according to the Tennessean.
Over his 50-year career in genres spanning country, rock, and R&B, Tony Joe White penned a number of tunes for stars such as Elvis Presley (“Poke Salad Annie”), Brook Benton (“Rainy Night in Georgia”), Dusty Springfield (“Willie and Laura Mae Jones”), Eric Clapton (“Did Somebody Make a Fool Out of You”), Tina Tuner (“Steamy Windows”), Willie Nelson (“Problem Child”), Kenny Chesney (“Steamy Windows”), Robert Cray (“Don’t Steal My Love”) and more.
Tony Joe White scored a Top 10 hit in 1969 with his recording of “Polk Salad Annie.”
“He wasn’t ill at all,” said his son, Jody White via the Tennessean. “He just had a heart attack . . . There was no pain or suffering.”
In recent years, Tony Joe White performed at Nashville’s AmericanaFest, including a BMI rooftop show at this year’s event.
Tony Joe White is survived by his wife, Leann; children Michelle, Jim Bob and Jody; and several grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Dierks Bentley will hit the road in 2019 for his headlining Burning Man Tour.
The first leg of the tour kicks off on Jan. 17 in Hamilton, Ontario, making nine stops in Canada before hitting U.S. soil for 15 stops in Reno, Nashville, Omaha and more. Openers include Jon Pardi, Tenille Townes and Hot Country Knights.
“I talked to Jon Pardi last April about the idea of going back on the road together one last time, and I am so happy that I can finally let our fans in on this,” said Dierks. “We cannot wait to get back on the road. Who we bring with us on tour is so important to the band, crew and me and the addition of Tenille Townes is something we are all stoked about. Our hardcore fans are aware of ’90s country cover band, the Hot Country Knights, who have been following us around and opening shows. They talked us into having them on the actual billing for this tour . . . hope their van has snow tires for Canada!”
Opening statement:
“I have a big smile on my face. I love this basketball team. They are very gritty, they are very competitive, and for the most part, they work hard. They’ve done a great job in practice, been very coachable. It’s a really, really tight-knit group. They are tight, and we haven’t had that in a long time. Again, I really love this basketball team, and I enjoy coaching them.”
If the team will be a better 3-point shooting team this year:
“We have a chance. The kids – Rennia Davis and Evina Westbrook, Meme Jackson – they have been in the gym quite a bit throughout the summer and this fall. I think bringing in Zaay Green and Rae Burrell is going to help as well. I think we’ll have more options.”
On Rennia Davis adapting to a leadership role as a sophomore:
“Rennia is one of those kids that has gotten in the gym. She’s gotten stronger with our weight program. One thing I do believe is that Rennia has separated herself. She is taking the physical side of the game, she is becoming more physical. I thought last year she shied away from that, but she has really gotten stronger and is becoming a better ball-handler — just a complete player. We need her to be, she needs to be our go-to player.”
On why this group is so close:
“It’s a feel. They interact with each other, they help each other, they stay and work on their game together. It’s just a camaraderie that I feel that we haven’t had in awhile.”
On having a committee at the post position:
“We’re going to do it by committee. Kasi (Kushkituah) has done a great job getting in shape, working on her physical appearance, just becoming stronger. I’ve been really impressed with how she has progressed from last year to this year. Cheridene Green is healthy now, and then you throw in Kamera (Harris), who I think is improving on a daily basis. So we’re going to do it by committee. Mimi Collins has a chance; she can play inside and she can face up. We’ve got a lot of weapons for that spot. We might not pound the ball in as much as we did last year, but we’re still going to go inside. I think you’ll be pleased with how Kasi has progressed.”
On rebounding as a team this season:
“We’re going to have to. Rebounding has been the key for us. Last year we didn’t dominate the boards like we had in the past through our guards. You look at Cheridene Green, who rebounds outside of her area. She had big plays last year for us — second-chance points. Kasi and Kamera are going to have to move out of their area. We’re going to have to get a lot more rebounding production from our perimeter. We’re very capable. We’re athletic, we’re faster, we’re stronger. We’re very capable of doing that, it’s just a matter of making sure we control the boards.”
On why the team turned the ball over so much last year:
“That’s a combination of a lot of things. If I would say one thing, it’s that we have to cut down on turnovers. (We turned it over last year because of) youth, style of play, getting used to each other, but that’s got to change. Has it gotten better? Yes. Our first scrimmage, we had 23 turnovers. Our next scrimmage, we had 20. So it is going down, but we’re really putting an emphasis on it. We’re not going to win a lot of games if we continue to turn the ball over. Those are possessions that you don’t have a possibility of scoring the basketball. That’s been our Achilles heel, and that’s got to change.”
On whether most of the turnovers have come from the point guard position:
“Not all of them. It’s pretty much an equal opportunity from everyone. Trying to play too fast, throwing one-hand passes, rushing an outlet and throwing it out of bounds. I can’t tell you how much that frustrates me. I charted our 500 turnovers from last year, I watched every one of them. You look at them and you say, ‘Were they footwork? Did you walk? Did you charge?’ Those type of things. Were there a lot of unforced errors? And there were a lot of unforced errors – playing too fast, not communicating with a receiver, not making eye contact, such little things that we can correct. We don’t need to hit a home run every time, we just need to get a base hit. And a base hit is getting an easy pass to allow someone to take an easier shot.”
On how the team looks defensively:
“We’ve put a lot of emphasis on our defense. We’ve pressed a lot more, and we’re pressing all over the court. We’re not in game shape right now. We’re in good shape; we’re not in great shape, but that will come because of our style of play. We want to turn you over, and we want to get easy shots. The best way to do that is pressing and pressuring the ball. That is the style we want to play. We want to go up and down on offense obviously, but then we want to turn around and do that as well on the defensive end.”
On whether she’s concerned about foul trouble among the freshman:
“A little. I think (I’ll know more) once we get into games and see how the officials are calling it, how fast the tempo is. They’ve adjusted really well. In fact, some of them, they don’t know what they’re supposed to know and not know. They’re just going out and playing hard, and that’s what I love about this freshman group. Out of the recruiting classes I’ve had, they are, as a combined group, they’re the most competitive group I’ve ever been around. So, I think they can handle it, but it’s going to be how the game is played, and maybe they’re a little bit too aggressive. I’m sure adrenaline is going to kick in at first, but I know they understand what they can and can’t do. It’s a matter of will they do it.”
On how the seniors on the team have mentored the younger players:
“Meme Jackson has matured so much and has been a great leader on and off the court, and so has Cheridene (Green). Your seniors have to lead; they have to lead. But then you throw in Evina Westbrook who is a sophomore, and at times, I feel like she is a senior because of the load that she has carried from last year, the position she was put in as a freshman running a basketball team, which is extremely difficult. She handled it so well, and I look at her maturity. If I had to say one kid that has improved the most from last year to this year, I would say Evina, and that is just because she has committed to the practice end of the game. Last year she went in and out. This year, she has been an unbelievable leader on that, as you say lead by example, but also pulling kids aside, making sure they understand, putting her arm around her. She’s been tremendous. Seniors, yes, (and) Evina has done a heck of a job, and then Rennia Davis, who’s really not a natural-born leader, she has stepped up her game. So, we have a lot of people stepping up and doing it by committee, and they’re doing a great job.”
On whether she is surprised by how tight-knit this team is despite their youth:
“(I was) concerned about it, yes, at the beginning. Again, we have four freshman who are highly-competitive, but when you talk to them (and) you get to know them, it’s about team. It’s not about individual accolades. Sure, they want to do that, but that is never mentioned when I talk to them about what do you want to do for this team. That’s unusual. We’re sophomores and freshman, mainly. You’ve got a sophomore group that has gotten experience, but they’re still hungry. So, they are relaying that to these freshmen, and it’s just a feel. It’s like choosing a school where you want to go when you’re being recruited. You’ve got to feel it in your gut, and I just feel that. I see it on a daily basis. We’ll get after each other a little bit, but it’s a feel. I think if you watch us long enough, you’ll see it. You’ll feel it.”
On Lou Brown and how she has battled through injury and adversity:
“Well, it was devastating to us and to me. I knew when she went down it wasn’t good, and what a great kid who had to jump through hoops to get here. We had a lot of people in the state of Tennessee help us, and it was very unfortunate. But we’re going to try to petition for another year for her, but her maturity is something that we just so desperately need, and she’s going to help us. She’s helping us in practice, watching, she’s helping us on the bench, talking to players. She’s a kid that we’re going to use and she’s going to make an impact regardless of if she’s on the court or sitting on the bench or on the sideline. She’s just a super, super kid, I really almost physically got sick, for her. That’s the kind of kid she is, and she’s never experienced this before, but we’re going to try to get her there, and hopefully she’ll be able to show her talents next season.”
On the point guard rotation:
“Well, it’s Evina’s (Westbrook) right now. I think Jazmine Massengill is a special kid; she’s going to be a leader. I didn’t put her in that leadership category right now because she’s a freshman, but you can see it. She’s very knowledgeable of the game. (I’m) very confident that she can come in, and she and Evina can split time. She’s got a calming effect to her, which we need. She knows when to slow the ball down, she knows when to pick it up. I knew what I was getting when I sat down and talked with her and watched film. She’s a special kid.”
On who has stood out among the newcomers:
“Well, they’re so different. Zaay Green is that slasher, three-point shooter we haven’t had. She’s an attacker. She would probably stand out to you, just because of her speed and her quickness, especially with the ball. Then you have Jaz (Massengill), who’s in that leadership role, which I just talked about. Mimi Collins is kind of a utility player for us that we haven’t had. She’s unbelievably physically strong, she can play inside, can play out and shoot the three if needed. She’s just got a high basketball I.Q., and she’s one of those kids that you’ll think, “What did Mimi do?”, and you look down and she’ll have ten points, six rebounds – that type of kid. Probably the sleeper of that group is Rae Burrell. She got on the AAU circuit late. I thought she could score the basketball, and she is a much better scorer than I had anticipated. Watching her practice, she’s just highly competitive. She’s not very fearful of a lot of things. So, all of them have a great chance. They all have a great chance, and I anticipate all of them getting an opportunity to play.”
On having a prominent role on the team as a sophomore:
“As a sophomore, I kind of already know, especially being a point guard on the team, that this is my team. My leadership role is more powerful than ever, especially this year, and really stressing that I have to be a leader. I can’t take days off or plays off, so I’ve really got to pull through for my team in any type of way.”
On how she handles the responsibility of knowing she has a starting position:
“I really embrace it. I love that my teammates look for me and count on me for plays or whatever they need. I fell like I’m that person they can always count on. I love every bit of it, and that’s why I know I can’t take plays off. I always have to work hard and continue to be that fire on the team and encourage people to do what they’re supposed to do at all times.”
On the advice she has given the freshmen:
“I really stress to them that I was in their shoes last season and know how they feel – to be confused with the plays and to not know what to expect for games – but if you come in every day for practice and work hard each and every possession, you’re going to be fine.
“Great. Especially her, but I think anyone else on this team can have the most success that anyone can have, but her especially. Her game has just taken off, and I know what she wants to do, and what she has in mind is going to be great this year.”
On her motivation to return this program to where it once was:
“That was a big reason why I committed here, the whole Lady Vol brand and name. Having our alumni come back like Candace (Parker), (Cheryl) Littlejohn, Shannon Bobbitt, and having Nicky Anosike as our grad assistant… the culture is all there. You can see it by how they talk, walk, and talk about the game to us. To have them come back and watch us, for me, it’s the most beautiful thing to have them come back and mentor us. We’ve really got to take care of our tradition this year.”
On what it has meant having Dean Lockwood on the coaching staff:
“What I love about Dean is I’ve never seen him have a bad day. If he’s having a bad day, you’ll never be able to see it. He has the most energy all the time. That can get a little too much for us sometimes (Westbrook laughs), but I think especially for this team, when we’re kind of in a slump, he’ll be that person to say, ‘Come on! Let’s go!’ Him being on the staff is very helpful for everyone.”
On the differences that having that chemistry in games can make:
“We have a huge advantage trying to nail this into especially our younger players minds early. Not only the chemistry within the team, but also the style of play that we want this year and just the whole dynamic of our style of play and what really that means in the Lady Vol tradition and what that name means for our young players.”
On her role on helping the team cut down on turnovers:
“My role plays a big part in that, being a point guard and having the ball in my hands pretty much most of the time. So, I have to do a better job myself, protecting the ball but also holding my teammates accountable for taking care of the ball and really valuing the ball each and every possession.”
On the biggest thing she learned from her freshman season and what she has worked on this summer:
“From last year I really just learned how long the season is. It’s your freshman year, (and) you just really don’t understand. And especially me and Re (Rennia Davis), we really hated the name “freshman” and being called a “freshman”, but now that is out of the way. I have a year underneath my belt, so I have a lot more experience and will be able to stress to our freshman what it is going to be like. For me personally, I have really developed my shot over this summer, just taking the time to really understand the little things that I need to do, and really just trying to improve any aspect that I can and become a better leader for this team.”
On being one of two seniors on the team and the role she is looking to build upon:
“Being a veteran, this year I’m working on being more vocal. Also leading by example, like working hard and doing as I can. But I’m really focusing on being vocal, like telling my teammates they’re doing a good job and what they’re not doing, echoing what the coaches are saying. If I don’t understand something, I’m not hesitant, and I repeat exactly what the instructions are. I may get it wrong sometimes, but now I’m more confident in myself with what I’m supposed to be doing. So, I think that’s the role I’m taking on this year is being more vocal with things.”
On how much stronger she is this season since she had time in the weight room:
“Well, I feel stronger. I feel very bouncy. I think I have done a great job with being in the weight room, and I’ve also controlled my eating habits. I just feel great, to be honest.”
On what leadership looks like on the team this season after losing seniors:
“This year, I feel like everyone leads. It’s not just one person, which is good. Everyone doesn’t just look to one person. Everyone feels comfortable enough to tell someone something. Everyone feels comfortable enough to speak, which I think is really good on a team because that means we take accountability for ourselves, not just the coaches.
On what it has meant having Dean Lockwood on the coaching staff:
“As a person, he’s a great guy. He’s very helpful to me, and we’ve bonded. He really understands my thought process and how I can retain information. In general, he’s a very good asset to me and he’s very trustworthy, so I love him.”
On the tight-knit relationships the team has built:
“I think you can tell from… even outside of basketball we hang out with each other. We high-five each other a lot. We encourage each other; we also hold everyone accountable. We are always goofing, but also serious when we need to be, but we are very much, sort of, cool.”
On how she sees her role expanding and replacing Mercedes Russell:
“I don’t really see it as replacing Mercedes Russell, because we play differently. I may be able to play the five or the four, but I really am just focusing on my skill and what I can bring to the team and how they’re going to need me this year. So, I am really focused on being effective in any aspect.”
On what she has worked on during the offseason:
“During the offseason I have worked on trying to be consistent. I have worked on my shot a lot, facing up, and also being more confident in myself and not overthinking and just playing.”
The Tennessee men’s basketball team earned its second No. 6 preseason ranking this week, as USA Today released its annual preseason coaches poll Thursday afternoon.
On Monday, Tennessee earned an identical No. 6 ranking in the preseason AP Poll. The No. 6 preseason coaches poll ranking is the Vols’ highest preseason slot since USA TODAY Sports took over administering the poll in the 1991-92 season.
Tennessee most recently received a preseason ranking in the poll prior to the 2010-11 season, when the Big Orange started the season ranked No. 20. This season’s poll marks the fourth time ever in which the Vols have started the season in the top 10 of the coaches poll.
The Vols last started a season in the top 10 of the coaches poll during the 2007-08 season at No. 7, their previous high preseason ranking in the coaches poll. During that season, UT ascended all the way to a No. 1 ranking – the first time in program history that the Vols accomplished that feat.
Tennessee could potentially play six games against teams ranked in the coaches’ preseason poll this season. Those include: No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Kentucky, No. 4 Gonzaga, No. 12 Auburn, No. 13 West Virginia and No. 19 Mississippi State.
After winning the regular-season championship last year, the Big Orange was picked to finish second in this year’s SEC race by a panel of SEC and national media members.
Tennessee returns 14 players from last year’s SEC Championship team that finished 26-9 and 13-5 in SEC play, including 2017-18 SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams. Reigning SEC Coach of the Year Rick Barnes enters his fourth year with the Vols needing only four wins to ascend past the legendary John Wooden into 26th place on the all-time Division I wins list.
Season tickets remain available, and single-game tickets are moving fast. Tennessee’s home games against West Virginia (Jan. 26) and Kentucky (March 2) are already sold out, and fewer than 100 remain available for the home game against Florida on Feb. 9.
Tickets can be purchases at AllVols.com or by calling 1-800-332-8657.
Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt announced on Thursday that sophomore left tackle Trey Smith will be out indefinitely after physicians discovered blood clots in his lungs on Wednesday.
Smith will continue to receive care under the guidance of the University of Tennessee team physicians and he is expected to make a full recovery.
“The most important thing is for Trey to be able to get healthy,” Pruitt said. “He has been an outstanding student-athlete during my time here on and off the field. Our sole focus for Trey is on his recovery. We are thankful that our medical staff discovered this and is getting him the proper treatment.”
Smith was cleared by doctors to play football in 2018 after being diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs last February. He was treated for his condition with a six-month course of anticoagulants, and he returned to full participation in practice in August.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Tennessee will look to earn its second straight road victory this Saturday night when it travels to Columbia to take on South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Saturday’s game will feature a primetime broadcast at 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Jordan Rodgers (analyst) will have the call in the booth while Cole Cubelic will be reporting from the sidelines. Vol Network radio affiliates will have a live audio broadcast with Bob Kesling, Tim Priest and Brent Hubbs. Sirius (Channel 103) and XM satellite radio (Channel 191) will also carry the game.
Need to Know
Chandler Makes History
With a 10-yard touchdown reception last Saturday against No. 1 Alabama, sophomore Ty Chandler became the first Tennessee running back in program history to record a receiving touchdown in three consecutive games. Chandler also had touchdown catches of 42 and 35 yards against No. 21 Auburn and No. 2 Georgia, respectively. Virginia’s Olamide Zaccheaus is the only FBS running back with more touchdown catches (six) than Chandler this season.
Phillips Continues to Make Plays on Defense
Vols’ senior defensive end Kyle Phillips has been a play-making machine over the past two weeks. In UT’s upset win on the road over No. 21 Auburn two weeks ago, Phillips led the team with a career-best nine tackles and forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone for the Tennessee touchdown. Last week against top-ranked Alabama, Phillips made his first-career interception – snagging a deflected pass by Jalen Hurts in the third quarter – and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown, breaking numerous tackles on his way to the end zone.
Jennings Leading Receiving Corps
UT wide receiver Jauan Jennings continued his run of recent success in last week’s loss to No. 1 Alabama, becoming the first opposing wideout to post a 100-yard receiving day against the Crimson Tide this season (6 catches, 102 yards). The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native was named to the PFF College SEC Offensive Team of the Week for the second consecutive week on Tuesday.
Jennings’ 62.5 receiving yards per game ranks sixth in the SEC in conference play and the junior wideout leads the Vols with 23 catches this season. Over the past two games, Jennings has hauled in 11 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown. Eight of those 11 catches have gone for first downs.
Series History vs. South Carolina
Saturday will mark the 37th meeting all time between the Volunteers and Gamecocks. Tennessee leads the series with a 25-9-2 record, including a 9-6-2 mark in games played in Columbia.
The series has been closely contested in recent years with 13 of the last 18 contests being decided by one score, including the last six games between the two programs. South Carolina has won the previous two meetings, including a down-to-the-wire finish last season at Neyland Stadium. Redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Guarantano – who was making his first-career start – led the Vols on a 73-yard last-minute drive to the USC 2-yard line, but the Gamecock’s defense was able to hold UT out of the end zone to hang on for a 15-9 victory.
About South Carolina
South Carolina comes into Saturday’s game with a 3-3 overall record and a 2-3 mark in SEC play after falling at home to Texas A&M, 26-23, in its last game. However, the Gamecocks are coming off a bye, giving them an extra week to prepare for this week’s matchup.
Junior quarterback Jake Bentley leads the Gamecocks’ offense, averaging 230.2 passing yards per game, which ranks sixth in the SEC. The three-year starter has thrown 10 touchdown passes but also leads the league with seven interceptions. Bentley’s top target is explosive redshirt senior wideout Deebo Samuel, who leads the team with 33 catches for 382 yards to go along with four touchdowns. Bryan Edwards is also having a solid season with 28 receptions for 351 yards and a team-best five touchdown catches. Junior Rico Dowdle leads the rushing attack with 351 yards and two touchdowns on 83 carries.
South Carolina ranks 10th in the SEC in total defense (387.3) and scoring defense (25.8), but has been very stingy on third down, holding opponents to just a 25 percent conversion rate, which ranks second in the conference and fourth nationally. Junior linebacker T.J. Brunson leads the team with 35 tackles to go along with 3.5 tackles for loss while fellow linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams leads the Gamecocks with 9.5 tackles for loss and also has a pair of sacks. Junior defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum, who led the team with 13.0 tackles for loss and six sacks last season, is expected to return from injury this week as well. In the secondary, senior Rashad Fenton is having a very good year with 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and two pass breakups.
After Hurricane Michael destroyed her home in Mexico Beach, Fla., earlier this month, LeClaire Bryan—Luke Bryan’s mother—shared a video message on Luke’s Instagram page on Oct. 24, thanking well-wishers for their prayers and vowing to rebuild.
“Hey, this is LeClaire Bryan—we just want to thank you, thank everybody for all of their prayers and concerns,” says Luke’s mom in the video. “This community has come together like you could not imagine. We are a family. We are rebuilding. We love you. We know you are thinking about us and praying for us. Love Mexico Beach. It’s our heart and we’re gonna survive. Thank you all so kindly. We love y’all. Keep praying and we are gonna be strong. Mexico Beach strong.”
In addition, Luke shared a message of thanks within the Instagram caption, saying: “Thank you so much for all the outpouring of concern for my mama over the past couple of weeks. She and her friends are sticking together and helping each other in their communities during this devastating time. Many continued prayers for those along the gulf coast and South Georgia. Love y’all.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt said the Volunteer football team had one of its best weeks of practice on Wednesday as UT has turned its focus to this weekend’s road test against South Carolina.
“I think our guys have had a really good week of practice for three days,” Pruitt said. “There’s been a lot of energy and you see guys practicing with a purpose. I think we’ve improved in three days, which we need to.
“There’s really but one place to go for us right now and that’s up, and that’s good, but if we practice like that every single day, we’re going to continue to improve. I appreciate our guys’ effort and intensity that we’ve had and we’re looking forward to this weekend.”
This is the 37th time these two teams have met as the Vols look to snap a two-game losing streak to the Gamecocks. Tennessee’s last win at South Carolina came in 2014 when the Vols won a 45-42 thriller in overtime. Then-sophomore quarterback Josh Dobbs threw for 301 yards and ran for 166, while the team rushed for 344 yards as a whole. The Vols trailed 42-28 with under five minutes left, but battled back for the win.
The Gamecocks are 3-3 this season and are coming off a bye week. South Carolina dropped its last game to Texas A&M, 26-23, on Oct. 13.
“They’re very balanced, they’re multiple in their formations and they can beat you a bunch of different ways,” Pruitt said.
Saturday’s game will be played under the lights at Williams-Brice Stadium at night for the fifth time in series history. Tennessee is 2-2 in those games. This weekend’s game will be broadcasted live on the SEC Network with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. Tom Hart and Jordan Rodgers will be on the call with Cole Cubelic on the sideline.
Banks & Fils-aime Make Moves
At the start of the week the Vols saw a couple of players make position changes. Freshman Jeremy Banks has made the move to linebacker from running back while junior defensive back Carlin Fils-aimehas made the move back to running back for the Big Orange this week.
“Well, I think he’s (Banks) a runner and a hitter and he’s physical, he likes ball. He’s practiced for three days on defense, so he probably doesn’t have a whole lot of knowledge on what we’re trying to get done, but I think he’s a guy that can play there,” Pruitt said.
Banks, has played in all seven games for the Vols and has 41 carries for 161 yards and three touchdowns at running back this season. Fils-aime played running back for the Vols during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and has recorded 45 carries for 273 yards and four touchdowns during his career.
“I think if we’re going to move Jeremy to linebacker we need to have a fourth running back and Carlin is a guy that played snaps here before,” Pruitt said. “He’s a fast guy. He’s got good change of direction, so just trying to manage the roster and create possibilities for everybody.”
Could Be a Close One
The last six meetings between Tennessee and South Carolina have been decided by one possession, with the average margin of victory being 3.3 points. In last season’s contest at Neyland Stadium, the Gamecocks stopped the Vols on the 2-yard line as time expired, and escaped with a 15-9 win. In 2016, Tennessee kicker Aaron Medley’s 58-yard field goal attempt fell short as time expired to give the Gamecocks a 24-21 victory. In 2015, Malik Foreman forced a fumble by South Carolina tight end Jerell Adams inside Tennessee territory with under a minute to play, which was recovered by linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin. The Vols held on to win, 27-24.
Extra Time
The Vols are 13-7 in overtime games and their 20 overtime appearances are the most in FBS history. The Gamecocks have accounted for three of those overtime games, with Tennessee winning all three of those contests and all three being decided by a field goal.
Defense Making Plays
The Volunteer defense has stepped up the last two games. For the first time since 2007, Tennessee has scored a defensive touchdown in back-to-back games. Alontae Taylor recovered a fumble in the end zone at Auburn for a score and a week later Kyle Phillips picked off a pass from Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. UT has scored three defensive touchdowns on the season. The other one came on a 33-yard interception return by Darrin Kirkland Jr. against ETSU on Sept. 8.
“We have a lot of guys that are obviously new to the system. The more they’re around it, obviously the more knowledge they’ll get, they gain confidence,” Pruitt said.
Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt Post-Practice Press Conference Transcript (Oct. 24)
Opening statement:
“I think our guys have had a really good week of practice for three days. There’s been a lot of energy and you see guys practicing with a purpose. I think we’ve improved in three days, which we need to. There’s really but one place to go for us right now and that’s up, and that’s good, but if we practice like that every single day, we’re going to continue to improve. I appreciate our guys’ effort and intensity that we’ve had and we’re looking forward to this weekend.”
On if Trevon Flowers is close to playing:
“No, he’s not ready yet. It will probably be a couple more weeks before he’s out there, but it’s good for him to get around. He’s itching to do it, so I was glad to see him out there.”
On Jeremy Banks moving to linebacker:
“Well, I think he’s a runner and a hitter and he’s physical, he likes ball. He’s practiced for three days on defense, so he probably doesn’t have a whole lot of knowledge on what we’re trying to get done, but I think he’s a guy that can play there. He hasn’t had any carries in the last couple of games. Not that he couldn’t be a running back and a good running back, and he still might go back there, but it’s been good for him. The first day he thought he was about to die out there because he took a bunch of reps. I told him it’s a little different over there then it is sitting there and swapping out. You know, there’s only one ball, so you’ve got four running backs and they sit there and kind of rotate through, but he got a bunch of reps the last few days.”
On if the team has thought of changing pregame routines to help with slow starts:
“No, I bet you we did the same pregame routine as the last team we played, but they haven’t had a problem. It’s not the routine, I can assure you.”
On his relationship with South Carolina offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon:
“B-Mac is a phenomenal recruiter, really good coach and very detailed. He got an opportunity to be an offensive coordinator and has done a really good job. They’re very balanced, they’re multiple in their formations and they can beat you a bunch of different ways. He’s a great guy to work with, has a great family and does an outstanding job.”
On generating big plays in the passing game:
“We have some guys that can compete for the ball and our quarterbacks, when they have time, can put the ball on them. I think our offensive coaches have done a really good job finding ways to get some of these guys the ball. We have to be more consistent. Lots of times creating explosive plays is the hard thing to do. We’ve been able to do that some, we have to continue to do that and we need to create more, but we need to have more consistency and we’ve had way too many negative plays.”
On the outside linebackers position group:
“We have a lot of guys that are obviously new to the system. The more they’re around it, obviously the more knowledge they’ll get, they gain confidence. If you don’t know exactly what to do, sometimes you don’t play fast, but I think the longer we go I see guys that are improving every day.”
On when Jeremy Banks asked to move to linebacker:
“He asked me to move to linebacker in the fourth quarter of the Georgia game. I told him that I didn’t think now was the time to talk about it. He’s just looking for an opportunity to play, and I think he’s a guy that has the skill set to do it.”
On if he was concerned how the team would practice after Alabama:
“We actually had really good practice last week too, and our guys have really for the last several weeks since the bye week. There’s very few days that we don’t improve as a team. We have to put it all together. I see it every day. We had a few injuries along the way and we had some guys that have played for the first time. We have to come together a little bit offensively where we don’t have negative plays. Defensively, obviously we can’t give up explosive plays, but there’s lots of guys last week that played really good. Unfortunately, it takes all 11 and if you give up negative plays on offense or you give up explosive plays on defense, the way the score gets, a lot of people don’t realize how well some guys actually play.”
On Carlin Fils-aime moving back to running back:
“Well, I think if we’re going to move Jeremy (Banks) to linebacker we need to have a fourth running back and Carlin is a guy that played snaps here before. He’s a fast guy. He’s got good change of direction, so just trying to manage the roster and create possibilities for everybody.”
On if Carlin Fils-aime is up to speed on the offense:
“I would say he’s like Jeremy (Banks). It’s tough to transition during the middle of the year. It’s something that you’d probably want to do maybe during an off week, or you would really never want to do it, but both guys have a lot of football ahead of them. Carlin has worked really hard at being a defensive back and I think that he feels more natural playing running back. Just like with him and Jeremy, I would never move a guy unless that’s what they wanted to do. After a couple years, you know hey, if it wasn’t working out for them and we said, ‘hey, maybe we think you might be better [here]’, but it’s not going to do us any good as a program if we move guys to positions they don’t want to play. Both of those moves were really instigated by the players.”
On the job the medical staff has done getting players healthy:
“You know, I saw Brandon (Kennedy) today and he kind of was bouncing down the hall, so I asked him if he was ready to play. I went in there and sat down in my office and I’m looking at the calendar just trying to see, and I think he’s maybe seven or eight weeks out of surgery. Riley (Locklear) is back really fast, so that’s good. These guys come here to get a degree and to play ball and unfortunately, because it’s a physical game sometimes there are injuries along the way, so you want to have a medical staff that can get them out there as fast as possible as long as they’re fine, and I think our guys do a fantastic job and I think it’s showing.”
On what goes into the team getting better every day:
“I think we’re kind of creating the right habits. I think that we have guys that really want to be good football players and they’re starting to demand it from their teammates. If you’ve got positive energy it can be contagious and if you’ve got negative energy it can be contagious. I think our guys are liking to come to work. They’re working hard out there at improving and we are improving. We got to play better on Saturdays. We got to be more efficient and stay away from negative plays and explosive plays on defense.”
On the status of Dominick Wood-Anderson for Saturday:
“When you have a pulled hamstring, it’s kind of day-to-day. Sometimes it depends on the severity of the injury and some guys heal faster than others. He’s practiced this week every day, so he’ll be a guy that’ll be questionable and we’ll have to make a game time decision.”
