The inaugural Nashville Songwriter Awards—taking place on Sept. 19 at Ryman Auditorium—will feature star-studded performances from Darius Rucker, Kip Moore, Jewel, Lanco and more.
Awards recognized throughout the evening will include Song, Songwriter, and Songwriter-Artist of the Year, as well as the “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” awards. Country legend Bill Anderson will receive the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Other artists participating in the first-ever event include Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Jamey Johnson, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Scotty McCreery, Bill Anderson and Brantley Gilbert. Tickets are on sale now.
The Nashville Songwriter Awards is presented by The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization that was established in 1967.
Coaches who have worked for Nick Saban talk about how complex his defense is.
They’ve said it takes two years to learn the scheme, the nuances, the intricacies.
But that’s not the impression you get from Tennessee’s defensive players. They’ve complimented the coaching staff on making them smarter and teaching them how to defend.
First-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt said he has taught the team five concepts and coaches will pick and chose from those concepts the best plan of attack based on what the players know and the opponent.
So how will a defense that ranked among the worst in school history last year respond in the season opener against an explosive West Virginia passing attack, led by preseason All-American quarterback Will Grier (3,490 passing yards, 34 touchdowns in basically10 games last year)?
No one knows for sure. But a sure bet is the Vols will be more aggressive and better coached on defense than a year ago, according to players.
The coaching staff hopes so.
“I think at first when you come in,’’ said UT co-defensive coordinator Chris Rumph, “it (scheme) can be intimidating because you’re looking at the entire thing.
“It’s like a pie. You just take it slice by slice and take your time to eat it. Eventually you’ll eat the entire pie. But if you try to eat the entire thing (at once), you’ll make a mess.’’
Which piece of the pie UT uses against West Virginia – and other opponents – could vary from week to week.
“It all depends on the team you’re playing,’’ Rumph said, “the situation, the personnel, what they like to line up in and who they have on the field.
“We’re going to try to match it as best as possible. A lot of times it’s, `How can I get my best players on the field?’ because if you’ve got a defensive front or a defense that has got your two best guys on the sideline, that’s not doing you any good.
“So we’ll mix and match and try to come up with the best combination to get the best people on the field and get the best defense possible.’’
Rumph said he’s comfortable coaching a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
“I don’t want to sound conceited, like I’m some super coach,’’ Rumph said, “but at Florida, we were a four-man, at Alabama, we were a three-man, at Texas, three-man. At Clemson we were a four-man and when I first got started at Memphis, we were a three-man. So I’ve been in and out.’’
What scheme is best at stopping the run?
“It depends on your talent and it depends on what the other team is doing,’’ Rumph said. “So we’ll be multiple in our fronts and the things we do.’’
Rumph believes UT players have gained confidence in the defensive scheme.
“It’s tremendous,’’ he said. “It’s almost like you’re looking in the mirror every day saying, `I’m not losing any weight,’ and all the sudden, someone looks at you and says, `Look at you, you’ve lost a lot of weight.’
“Then you see a before-and-after picture and say, `Man, I have lost some weight.’’’
At outside linebacker, Rumph said he’s looking for “a guy that’s multiple,’’ that can over a wide receiver, play zone, match up against a tight end or rush the passer.
Rumph said UT is teaching its outside linebackers both weakside and strongside positions so they are interchangeable.
“You may be a Sam but the Jack goes out,’’ Rumph said. “The Sam may be better than the second Jack. But if you pigeon hole him as a Sam, then he can’t go over there. So now instead of having your best people on the field, he’s on the sideline.
“So we’ll sort of cross train them so we can get the best people on the field.’’
What is Rumph looking for on defense?
“First thing is, we got to be smart,’’ he said. “We can’t have stupid penalties. We can’t go out there and act like a bunch of renegades. We got to be smart. We got to play with toughness. And we got to play with great effort.’’
Whether that will be enough against 10-point favorite West Virginia remains to be seen.
Kickoff for the season opener is 3:30 p.m. on CBS from Charlotte.
Florida Georgia Line will headline the World’s Biggest USO Tour on Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C.
The performance will be live-streamed via USO.org as well as featured at watch parties at USO centers around the world for service members and their families. Actor Adam Devine and chef Robert Irvine will also be featured during the World’s Biggest USO Tour.
FGL’s Brian Kelley shared that the Tour is very near and dear to his heart, as he comes from a family of military service members, including his grandfather who was a POW and two-time Purple Heart recipient.
Check out the clip below to hear Brian and Tyler share the details.
JUST ANNOUNCED!!! This one is very near and dear to us. Excited to be a part of the “World’s Biggest USO Tour” 🤘 @the_USOpic.twitter.com/dEmHcHppip
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (August 28, 2018) – The Southeastern Conference will implement the use of a visible television timeout countdown clock on the field at all 14 SEC on-campus football venues for the 2018 season the conference announced on Tuesday. The on-field display will allow fans, game officials and both teams to view the remaining time during each television commercial stoppage from anywhere in the stadium.
“The use of a visible timeout countdown clock will provide fans in particular an opportunity to know when a game will re-start after a television timeout and hopefully give some definition to the perceived delays in a game,” stated SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “The clock will also give teams, game officials and event administrators more definitive information for time management in their respective areas of the game.”
The display is operated by the TV timeout coordinator, or ‘Red Hat,’ on the field during television commercial breaks and is turned off during routine game action. The time shown on the TV timeout countdown clock will be the official time remaining in a timeout. When the display reaches zero, the game officials will make the ball ready for play. This will require both teams to be ready on the field and the television production to be back from its commercial break.
The TV timeout countdown clock will also be utilized at three off-campus Southeastern Conference games played during the regular season including Georgia vs. Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., Arkansas vs. Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas and Ole Miss at Arkansas in Little Rock, Ark., as well as the SEC Championship Game on December 1, in Atlanta, Ga., at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The clock will not be used at neutral site games involving non-conference opponents, such as games to be played on opening weekend in Houston, Arlington, Atlanta and Orlando.
The SEC worked with Victory Game Clocks to develop the TV timeout countdown clock for the upcoming football season. The countdown clock is a variation of the company’s eDown digital product currently utilized at several SEC schools, the SEC Football Championship Game, and a number of bowl games. Both projects are a by-product of the Auburn University Economic Development Administration (EDA) program, where prototypes and final design were completed by a group of 16 Auburn students in the program.
Tennessee’s VOLeaders Academy Class of 2018-19 began its year-long leadership curriculum recently with its annual retreat.
This fourth collection of VOLeaders comprises 19 current student-athletes who represent every one of UT’s varsity sports programs.
Those student-athletes are: Caylan Arnold (softball), Matthew Butler (football), Ana Celaya Hernandez (women’s swimming & diving), Spencer Cross (men’s golf), Owen Devine (men’s swimming & diving), Cheyenne Labruzza (football), Luc Lipcius (baseball), Tenika McGiffin (women’s tennis), Stanzi Moseley (women’s swimming & diving), Maya Neal (soccer/women’s track & field), Josh Palmer (football), Ana Pelic (rowing), Andrew Rogers (men’s tennis), Kaitlin Staines (women’s tennis), Emily Sykes (women’s swimming & diving), Haley Wagner (women’s golf), Derrick Walker (men’s basketball), Evina Westbrook (women’s basketball) and Callie Williams (volleyball).
“We could not be more excited to welcome our fourth cohort of student-athletes into the VOLeaders Academy,” said Dr. Joe Scogin, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Assistant Provost and Director of the Thornton Center. “We have so many amazing student-athletes, that it continues to get more and more difficult to select our class. Our student-athletes and coaches have embraced the opportunity provided through VOLeaders and continue to ask for an even greater reach.
“This institution is grounded in servant leadership and it means something special to be a Volunteer. Our student-athletes continue to amaze and inspire us through the way they use their platform in sport to positively impact their sport teams, our athletic department, our institution, our community, and our world.”
Next summer, the VOLeaders will conclude the year-long program with a service trip to the Republic of Rwanda in Central Africa. Over a span of 10 days, the Tennessee contingent will make its way from the capital city of Kigali northwest to the Musanze district in the Northern Province.
During their time in Africa, the VOLeaders will team up with an additional partner in the UTIA Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture, which leads a UT-Rwanda partnership to support Musanze households in small-scale broiler chicken enterprises. The partnership links UT with a Rwandan private agribusiness, Zamura Feeds Ltd., and is funded by the US Agency for International Development and the African Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) Foundation.
ASAP is chaired by UT alumnus Donnie Smith, who, together with his wife, Terry, and family, endowed the Smith Center and helped to establish the VOLeaders Academy endowment within UT athletics.
The three previous VOLeaders Academy classes concluded their time in the program with trips to Brazil (2016), Vietnam (2017) and Ecuador (2018).
The Miami Heat announced Tuesday that former Tennessee standout Jarnell Stokes has returned to the franchise and signed a contract.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. This is Stokes’ second stint with the Heat, as he was a member of the organization during a portion of the 2015-16 season. Toward the end of that 2015-16 campaign, Stokes helped propel the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, to the 2016 G League Championship and was named the G League MVP for both the regular season as well as the Finals.
One of the most prolific rebounders in Tennessee basketball history, Stokes earned All-SEC honors while helping lead the Volunteers to the 2004 Sweet Sixteen as a junior. Following that season, he was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the NBA Draft (35th overall) and immediately sent to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a draft-day trade.
A Memphis native, Stokes has appeared in 28 career NBA games with the Grizzlies, Heat and Denver Nuggets.
He spent last season with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 25.0 points and 13.9 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game.
In Miami, Stokes is reunited with Tennessee teammate Josh Richardson. Richardson has spent his entire three-year NBA career in Miami and started all 81 games in which he appeared last year.
Lee Brice hosted the second concert of his three-show Analog series at Nashville’s Hutton Hotel on Aug. 27.
Lee was joined onstage by Liz Rose, Victoria Shaw and Maddie & Tae to help raise funds for Nashville’s Thistle Farms.
“I’m so grateful for the influence of these women in my life—they’re like family to me,” said Lee. “Every one of these Analog shows has a meaningful theme. With this show in particular, I wanted to shine a bright light onto the incredible artistry brought to country music by so many women, and honor their fearless, pioneering spirits and creative contributions. To say I was honored to be onstage with Liz Rose, Victoria Shaw and Maddie & Tae last night is an understatement. Their talent is just mind-blowing.”
Thistle Farms aids female survivors of trafficking, prostitution and addiction by providing safe and supportive housing, the opportunity for economic independence and a strong community of advocates and partners.
In July, Lee and his musical friends—Jake Owen, Dallas Davidson, Rob Hatch, Tyler Farr and Chuck Wicks—performed to benefit Folds of Honor, an organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service-members.
On Oct. 1, Lee will pay tribute to the one-year anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest Festival during the final installment in his three-part series at Hutton Hotel. The event is already sold out.
Here’s a breakdown of the the artists leading the pack.
Chris Stapleton: 5 Nominations
Entertainer of the Year
Single of the Year (“Broken Halos”)
Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 2)
Song of the Year (“Broken Halos”)
Male Vocalist of the Year
Stapleton leads this year’s CMA Awards nominations with five, adding to his previous 11 nominations and seven wins. He lands his third consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year in addition to nominations in the Single and Song of the Year categories for “Broken Halos,” produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton, mixed by Vance Powell, and written by Mike Henderson and Stapleton. Stapleton earns his third nomination for Album of the Year for From A Room: Volume 2, produced by Cobb and Stapleton. He previously won Album for his first two solo albums, Traveller, awarded in 2015, and From A Room: Volume 1, awarded in 2017. Stapleton also receives his fourth consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, a category he remains undefeated in, having won the past three years.
Jason Aldean: 3 Nominations
Entertainer of the Year
Single of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”)
Musical Event of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”)
Jason Aldean adds three nominations to his 14 career nominations. His Entertainer of the Year nomination is his first since 2015 and his fourth nomination in the category. This year, Aldean lands two nominations alongside Miranda Lambert for Single of the Year, along with producer Michael Knox and mix engineer Jeff Braun, and Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration “Drowns the Whiskey.” Aldean has two previous nominations for Musical Event, having won in 2011 for his song “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson, as well as two nominations for Single.
Dierks Bentley: 3 Nominations
Album of the Year (The Mountain)
Male Vocalist of the Year
Musical Event of the Year (“Burning Man”)
Dierks Bentley earns his sixth career nomination for Album of the Year, alongside producers Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, and Arturo Buenahora Jr., while also marking his fifth consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. He also lands a nod alongside Brothers Osborne for Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration “Burning Man,” Bentley’s third nomination in the category. He won Musical Event in 2016 for his song “Different For Girls” (Feat. Elle King). With this year’s nominations, Bentley collects 24 total career nominations.
Dan + Shay: 3 Nominations
Single of the Year (“Tequila”)
Vocal Duo of the Year
Music Video of the Year (“Tequila”)
Adding to their four career nominations, Dan + Shay receive three nominations this year, with two first-time nominations for “Tequila” in the Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories. “Tequila” lands the song’s producers, Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers along with Scott Hendricks, as well as mix engineer Jeff Juliano, nominations for Single, while director Patrick Tracy earns his first nomination for Music Video. Dan + Shay also land a nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year, their fifth consecutive nomination in the category. Smyers earns a second nomination for Song of the Year for co-writing “Tequila” alongside Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds. A win in any category this year would mark Dan + Shay’s first-ever CMA Award.
Florida Georgia Line: 3 Nominations
Single of the Year (“Meant to Be”)
Vocal Duo of the Year
Musical Event of the Year (“Meant to Be”)
Florida Georgia Line becomes six-time Vocal Duo of the Year nominees this year in addition to landing nominations for Single of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for “Meant to Be,” their collaboration with Bebe Rexha. “Meant to Be” also earns Single nominations for producer Willshire and mix engineer Serban Ghenea. Florida Georgia Line previously won in the Single category in 2013 for their song “Cruise.” This year marks Rexha’s first-ever CMA Awards nominations.
Chris Janson: 3 Nominations
Song of the Year (“Drunk Girl”)
Music Video of the Year (“Drunk Girl”)
New Artist of the Year
With three nominations this year, Chris Janson ties Midland for the top earning first-time nominee. His song “Drunk Girl” lands nods for Song of the Year, alongside co-writers Scooter Carusoe and Tom Douglas, and Music Video of the Year, directed by Jeff Venable. Janson is also up for New Artist of the Year.
Miranda Lambert: 3 Nominations
Single of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”)
Female Vocalist of the Year
Musical Event of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”)
Not only is Miranda Lambert the most-awarded female in CMA Awards history with 13 total wins, but she’s also the reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, earning her 12th consecutive nomination in the category this year. Lambert collects two nominations with her Jason Aldean collaboration “Drowns the Whiskey” for Single of the Year, along with producer Michael Knox and mix engineer Jeff Braun, as well as for Musical Event of the Year, bringing her total career nominations to 47.
Midland: 3 Nominations
Single of the Year (“Drinkin’ Problem”)
Vocal Group of the Year
New Artist of the Year
Midland ties for the top earning first-time nominees, matching Chris Janson’s three nominations this year. The trio lands a Single of the Year nomination for “Drinkin’ Problem” along with producers Huff, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne, and mix engineer Justin Niebank. Midland also receives nominations for Vocal Group of the Year and New Artist of the Year.
Thomas Rhett: 3 Nominations
Album of the Year (Life Changes)
Male Vocalist of the Year
Music Video of the Year (“Marry Me”)
Thomas Rhett collects his second consecutive nomination in the Male Vocalist of the Year category this year. His album Life Changes earns his first-ever Album of the Year nomination, which he shares with producers Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Huff, and Joe London. Thomas Rhett also receives a nomination for Music Video of the Year for his song “Marry Me,” directed by TK McKamy.
Keith Urban: 3 Nominations
Entertainer of the Year
Album of the Year (Graffiti U)
Male Vocalist of the Year
This year marks Keith Urban’s 14th nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, 11th nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category, and his sixth nomination in the Album of the Year category for Graffiti U, bringing his career nominations to 45 with 11 total wins. Urban shares the nomination with the album’s producers Dan McCarroll, J.R. Rotem, Josh Kerr, Jason Evigan, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins, Oscar Holter, Matt Rad, Eric Valentine, Ian Kirkpatrick, Mike Elizondo, Captain Cuts, Copperman, Huff, and Peter Karlsson. Urban is the reigning Single of the Year winner for his song “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” which he also produced.
photos: Chris Stapleton by Tammie Arroyo; Miranda Lambert & Thomas Rhett by Jason Simanek
The 2018 CMA Awards nominees were announced today (Aug. 28)
Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay and Sugarland announced many of the nominations on Good Morning America live from Luke’s new Nashville restaurant, 32 Bridge Food + Drink. Additional nominations were revealed via the CMA.
The CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 14 on ABC.
Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean Luke Bryan Kenny Chesney Chris Stapleton 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
Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line Maddie & Tae Sugarland
New Artist of the Year
Lauren Alaina Luke Combs Chris Janson Midland Brett Young
Single of the Year (Awarded to Singer, Producer and Engineer)
“Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert)
Producer: Michael Knox
Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Willshire
Mix Engineer: Serban Ghenea
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks, Dan Smyers
Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano
Album of the Year
From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian, Kacey Musgraves
Graffiti U – Keith Urban
Producers: Keith Urban, Dan McCarroll, J.R. Rotem, Josh Kerr, Jason Evigan, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins, Oscar Holter, Matt Rad, Eric Valentine, Ian Kirkpatrick, Mike Elizondo, Captain Cuts, Ross Copperman, Dann Huff, Peter Karlsson
Life Changes – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
The Mountain – Dierks Bentley
Producers: Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Song of the Year (Awarded to Songwriters)
“Body Like A Back Road” – Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Broken Halos” – Songwriters: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Songwriter: Brandon Kinney, Jeff Middleton, Josh Thompson
“Drunk Girl” – Songwriter: Scooter Carusoe, Tom Douglas, Chris Janson
“Tequila” – Songwriter: Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
Musical Event of the Year
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley feat. Brothers Osborne
“Dear Hate” – Maren Morris (Feat. Vince Gill)
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert)
“Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” – David Lee Murphy (with Kenny Chesney)
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
Music Video of the Year (Awarded to Artist & Director)
“Babe” – Sugarland (Featuring Taylor Swift)
Director: Anthony Mandler
“Cry Pretty” – Carrie Underwood
Director: Randee St. Nicholas
“Drunk Girl” – Chris Janson
Director: Jeff Venable
“Marry Me” – Thomas Rhett
Director: TK McKamy
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Director: Patrick Tracy
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas, Dobro
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Dann Huff, Guitar
Mac McAnally, Guitar
Derek Wells, Guitar
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt cannot wait to step on the field at Bank of America Stadium and face No. 17/20 West Virginia on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The first-year head coach has been on the jobs for nine months, and his closest thing to coaching game action was the Vols’ annual DISH Orange & White Game in the spring.
UT began official game week preparation for the season-opening Belk College Kickoff on Monday at the Anderson Training Center.
“I can think back to my earliest memories of being with a football program when my dad was a high school coach,” Pruitt said. “I was just a manager on the team, but I can remember the excitement and anxiety of the first week of the season. You work so hard in January and February all the way through spring training and summer conditioning. Then its game week, and you do all that for one guaranteed opportunity. As a coaching staff, everybody in our program is excited, and I am sure people are all over the country.”
The Mountaineers finished 7-6 a year ago, but they are receiving plenty of preseason hype. West Virginia is led by redshirt senior quarterback Will Grier, who tossed for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns a year ago after transferring from Florida.
WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen has always employed an explosive offensive attack. The Mountaineers will rely on returning receivers David Sills (18 touchdowns in 2017) and Gary Jennings (97 catches) as well as four returning starters on the offensive line.
“Defensively, we will have our hands full trying to slow these guys down,” Pruitt said. Make no mistake, Pruitt will do everything he can to slow West Virginia down.
Competitiveness comes second nature to the coach.
“My emotions are probably the same way before I tee off on the golf course,” Pruitt said. “If you’re going to play, you’re going to win. That’s why we do what we do. I’m excited to have an opportunity to see what our team is going to be like because it really doesn’t matter what has been done in the past anywhere. You hit the reset button each year, and what you have put on the field as a coach is really who you are right now. This is a really great challenge for us, our staff and everybody associated with our program. We are really looking forward to it.”
Six Vols Return to Home State
Led by senior defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (Midway, N.C.), six Vols from North Carolina will play a collegiate game in their home state for the first time at the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium.
“I mean it’s pretty cool … I’m from North Carolina, a bunch of my family and friends are going to be there so I’m excited,” Tuttle said.
Vols joining Tuttle from Tar Heel State include: Keller Chryst (Charlotte), Elijah Medford (Burlington), Marquill Osborne (Cornelius), Matthew Butler(Raleigh) and Joe Keeler (Tryon).
The last time the Vols played in North Carolina was 57 years ago. Tennessee fell to North Carolina, 22-21, on Nov. 4, 1961 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Junior wide receiver Marquez Callaway On where the team is with their mental toughness:
“Like you say, Coach [Jeremy Pruitt] has talked about a lot of mental toughness and that’s exactly what we’re going to have to have. West Virginia is a great team. There’s going to be ups and downs throughout and we’ll have to keep mentally – we have to be focused so we can overcome.”
On how this will be an improved team over the year:
“The way we approach things, I feel like we approach them a lot more seriously and that we’re ready for it. You know, like, we’re actually ready when we come in and wanting to get better and work.”
On what he’s seen from both quarterbacks:
“Well both of them – obviously, they both want to start and they’ve both done a tremendous job. They bring the other quarterbacks. The other quarterbacks help them and overall we all help each other really so I think whichever one starts is going to be confident.”
Redshirt junior tight end Eli Wolf On managing the football and trying to keep it away from West Virginia’s offense:
“Yeah, West Virginia has a very explosive offensive and obviously we always want the ball in our hands. I haven’t talked with anybody much about what our plan is for that, but when we have that, we have to take care of that.”
On whether or not he wants to know who the quarterback will be before gameday:
“The starter doesn’t matter to me. I’m just going to play my style of football and whoever it is, is going to be great for us. We have a lot of confidence in those guys.”
On what he’s seen from the quarterbacks this week:
“From all our quarterbacks, I’ve seen them working hard and getting coached hard and taking that coaching to the field. I think they’re going to be ready when their numbers are called.”
On when Tennessee started diving into West Virginia prep:
“West Virginia prep has been – it’s vague when we really just dove into it but we’re obviously strapping down hard with it being game week and trying to get to know the ins and outs of their scheme defensively, so we can play at our best.”
On what it feels like to get ready to go into this first game healthy:
“Yeah, for sure. I’m excited to get to play in the first game of the season. It’s the first time since my freshman year so I’m excited. I’m sure the team is too.”
On how much going to Charlotte, N.C. adds to how he’s feeling right now:
“I mean it’s pretty cool, you know. I’m from North Carolina, a bunch of my family and friends are going to be there so I’m excited.”
On if he senses more intensity out of head coach Jeremy Pruitt with it being game week:
“Well, since he got here he’s always been intense. He’s pretty much kept the same intensity since the spring so no, I haven’t seen a change. He’s always intense.”
On what he remembers of Will Grier, if anything, and what he’s seen on the film:
“He was pretty good back then and he’s only gotten older so I’m sure he’s – he’s a good quarterback. I’m excited to play him.”
On finally being game week:
“Yeah, it is really exciting. Everybody in the program is excited. It’s been a long offseason, we’ve worked hard, and we’re just trying to get ready.”
On Pruitt’s intensity:
“Every week is going to be the same regardless. Consistency is something we proud ourselves on. We’re going to practice hard regardless of who we are playing, whether it’s a bye week, or regardless of the opponent that week, we’re going to practice hard that’s what we do.”
On Bryce Thompson and Alontae Taylor:
“It has been everybody in the defensive back room honestly. We’re all trying to get better. We’re all working hard to get better on the field, film room, and just trying to get better every day.”
On answering younger players energy:
“That’s with anybody in the program. We’re all competitive, so if one person makes a play, we all try to be the next person to make the play to spark up energy especially on defense. We like to feed off each other.”
On facing WVU offense:
“They are a good offense. They do a lot of things well, running, passing. Regardless of who it is we are going to prepare as hard as we can and practice as hard as we can.
On the excitement of game week:
“I think we’re excited to play this weekend. We can’t be excited enough.
On West Virginia’s ‘explosive’ offense and if that will make Saturday more fun:
Yeah, they’re a really good offense, and as the competitor I think it does make it more fun. It’s a bigger challenge for us and we’ve just got to make sure we execute our game plan.
On having played at neutral site games for the past two years and how it has helped prepare the team for this weekend:
“Yeah I think it’s pretty cool playing at a neutral site. In some regard, guys get to go back home to North Carolina and I think it’s going to be a pretty exciting game.”
On what impresses him about West Virginia:
“I think their whole offense is really good; they’ve got a decent offensive line and a nice quarterback, so I think if we do our job and prepare like we’re supposed to, we’ll be just fine.”
On the excitement of freshmen potentially getting play time early on:
“It is exciting because they came in with the right mindset and ready to attack.”
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