Darius Rucker’s new single, “For the First Time,” is all about taking chances and doing new things. Tonight (Sept. 20), Darius is planning to celebrate two important firsts in his life: meeting Vince Gill 25 years ago and being inducted into the Grande Ole Opry by Vince five years ago.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Butch Jones met with the media on Wednesday in the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio for the final time this week before the Volunteers take on the UMass Minutemen on Saturday.
Jones said he is impressed with UMass’ efficiency on offense.
“We know that they can throw the football,” Jones said. “They have a very controlled passing game. (Andrew) Ford, their quarterback, is outstanding in the way he manages the game.”
Jones also commented on the Minutemen’s defensive schemes and ability to blitz while talking about UT’s mental preparedness.
“These are things we have to be prepared for mentally,” Jones said. “I thought we had a good start of the week, but today is critical in the evolution in getting ready for Saturday at 12:01 in Neyland Stadium.”
The game will be aired on SEC Network with Taylor Zarzour, Andre Ware and Olivia Harlan providing game coverage.
Vols Moving Forward, Looking Ahead to Saturday
As preparation continues for Saturday, Tennessee is relying on experience and leadership to help Team 121 grow, mature and learn from last week’s loss at Florida.
“It’s unfortunate, but you have to move on and you have to forget about it,” Jones said. “I liked our approach on Monday. You have to let it motivate you and we’re playing a good football team whose record is no indication of how good they are.”
UMass enters this weekend’s matchup with an 0-4 record while Tennessee is 2-1.
“When you’re at Tennessee, it doesn’t matter who your opponent is, you’re going to get their best effort,” Jones added. “I believe in our football team and I love our players. We have to get the small details corrected, and that has been ongoing this week.”
1967 National Champions To Be Honored
The 1967 National Champion Tennessee football team will be honored at the end of the first quarter on Saturday as part of the 50th anniversary reunion weekend for the team. The 1967 Volunteers fell to UCLA in the season opener before winning nine straight, including victories over Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss. UT finished No. 2 in the final polls and was selected as the national champion by Litkenhous. Led by Head Coach Dough Dickey, the Vols earned a berth in the Orange Bowl and also won the SEC Championship with a perfect 6-0 mark in conference.
Vols Teaming Up with Curing Kids Cancer
For the third year in a row, the Tennessee Volunteers will team up with Curing Kids Cancer to promote that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month during their game on Saturday.
Teams from across the country will wear helmet stickers and wristbands while coaches wear wristbands, gold whistles and lanyards to represent their support for pediatric cancer awareness. Many of these teams are not only spreading awareness, they are helping their local children’s hospital receive funds to better provide innovative treatment at its pediatric cancer center.
Additional Quotes
Butch Jones, Head Coach
(Opening Statement)
“I’ll start off from an injury standpoint. The individuals that will be out for this game will be Evan Berry, Latrell Williams and Austin Smith. We got some great news today, Baylen Buchanan is going to be available. Baylen has done a really good job at getting himself back and ready to go. We will see how he looks today in practice. I really liked the way he ran around and did things yesterday in practice, so we are excited to get him going. Those will be the three individuals that will be out for this coming game.
“The more video that I watch on UMass, the more impressed I am. They are very efficient on offense. We know that they can throw the football. They have a very controlled passing game. (Andrew) Ford, their quarterback, is outstanding in the way he manages the game. He has a quick release. He is a NFL prospect and it shows. They have some really good wideouts. Their tight end is a very talented football player. They have a corner that will be one of the fastest corners we will face all year. Defensively, they pose many issues for opponents in terms of blitzes and schemes. These are things we have to be prepared for mentally. I thought we had a good start of the week, but today is critical in the evolution in getting ready for Saturday at 12:01 in Neyland Stadium.”
(On Todd Kelly Jr.’s injury status and the possibility of a redshirt)
“We are taking it one step at a time. Todd and I have spoken a lot and we would welcome him back with open arms into our football program. He has meant so much to us not only on the field, but also off the field. He has been a great representative of Tennessee football.”
(On Todd Kelly’s injury, possibly being season ending)
“As of right now, it’s ongoing with getting the second opinion and all of that stuff. I don’t want to speak too soon. It’s possible he could come back for a bowl game, so I don’t want to speak too early. With Cortez McDowell, we found out he could possibly return for the later part of the season or bowl game.”
(On coaching decisions affecting one possession games)
“There are a lot of variables that go into it with decisions, such as going for or it or focusing on field position and execution. I think it is a combination of a lot of different elements. We tell our team that a football game can come down to two or three plays. Unfortunately, no one knows what plays those will be. A season can come down to four to six plays, you just never know. I don’t believe that there are one or two plays that can cost you a football game, I think it is more of an accumulation of repetitions, whether is two to three or four to five that might be key turning points to the game. We always tell our players that we must play every play like it stands alone. You must have the mentality that this play could be the difference in winning or losing. There are no reset buttons; it’s not Madden out here. You have to take that approach to a play and we also take that approach to every situation in a game as well.”
(On the sledge hammer and how it is awarded)
“We need Trey to go back and earn that sledge hammer. That is something that has been a tradition here for a long time. It is awarded to the offensive lineman that meets certain criteria on the offensive front. I know that Trey was very proud to earn that. I did hear that he carried it around. What happens is, the player’s name goes on the sledge hammer then he has to bring it in the next week and try to earn it again. That’s something that has been going on in Tennessee football for many years. It has been one of our traditions.”
(On performance of the receiver group through three weeks)
“I really like their attitude and their mentality. I think that drive to get better each and every day is there. They communicate very well. They come out and they practice and they attack the day. I can see them progressing, and they’re all youngsters. They’re learning through trial and error, understanding what it is to play at an elite level and how you prepare yourself through the course of a week. There’s been so much that has gone into that. It is a very young room but a very talented room and I see a steady pace of confidence being born. I’ve really liked the way that group has progressed, but we can’t let youth be a crutch. Nobody cares about that. It comes down to the mental effort and the mental intensity, and you can’t beat yourself. It starts with missed splits and missed assignments. Playing receiver is one of the most difficult positions on the football field. Everyone thinks you just line up and go out there, and you run a rout and you catch a football. So much goes into it with pre-snap checklists and identifying the coverage. Is it free access cloud (coverage)? Is it bump and run? What’s my split in the run game? What’s my assignment in the pass game? Now I have to work a release at the line of scrimmage, or a second level release. Now I have to work a five-step slant or a 12-yard curl. Then I have to win in transition, then I have to catch the ball and then I have to turn into a runner after the catch. There’s so many things that go into the development of playing winning football at the receiver position. It’s really the ability to do two or three things at once.”
(On how he will handle UMass’s quick passing offense)
“It starts with the ability to challenge routs. Whether you’re in off coverage or press coverage, you have to have the ability to challenge routs. That’s something that we’ve worked very hard on this week. Obviously, it comes down to eye discipline. It comes down to your break and drive. It’s really going back and relying on your fundamentals and details. That’s an area that we have to improve upon. Then, your eye (discipline) is because double moves occur off of that. You have to have the ability to read splits of wideouts and read the hips or the hints that they give you that you study throughout the course of the week with your game study. There’s a lot that goes into it, but that’s an area that we have to take tremendous strides from last week to this week.”
(On decision not to use Ty Chandler on kickoff returns vs. Florida)
“Florida has not had one kick returned against them yet. We knew going into the game that they had a very talented kicker. I believe they’re No. 1 in the country in kickoff coverage because they haven’t had to cover a kick. We knew that he would kick it deep, so there were some things that went into that decision. He has gained valuable repetitions again this week. We have a number of guys that we feel very confident about in doing some different things in the return game.”
(On if Jarrett Guarantano will play against UMass)
“I think he has earned the right to play some. Every game is a mentality when you’re the No. 2 quarterback right now, but you’re one snap away from playing. It takes so much in preparation when you go into the game and you’re the No. 2 for that game because you have to have a starters’ mindset. You have to be mentally tough and you have to be ready because the difference is you never know when you’ll have to go into the game. Jarrett has worked very hard with that, but we need to get him involved in the offense this week. We would like to be able to have that opportunity to do that. Jarrett has had a very good week of preparation, and Quinten and I have been very proud of the way Jarrett has attacked this week.”
(On the team moving forward after the Florida loss Saturday)
“First of all, it’s a consistency in your approach. And I think that approach with everyone started in the locker room in Gainesville. You could see the hurt and you could see the disappointment, but you have to move on. It’s part of life and it’s unfortunate. Like I told you, we’re hurt. We suffered every emotion that you can. But you know what? It’s time to go, it’s go time. That’s what makes football. We live in a week-to-week season. We live in a week-to-week life. Every week is different, and I think what’s challenged in today’s world is the clutter and distractions of what’s out there. So when they come to the building, we have to make sure that they’re locked in and focused. You have to rely on the leadership of your older players and what they have experienced. It’s part of the growth and maturity of a long football season. There are natural adversities that occur. It’s unfortunate, but you have to move on and you have to forget about it. I liked our approach on Monday. You have to let it motivate you and we’re playing a good football team whose record is no indication of how good they are. And again, it’s respecting your opponent and understanding that when you’re at Tennessee, it doesn’t matter who your opponent is, you’re going to get their best effort. That’s part of your maturity of your football team as well. I believe in our football team and I love our players. We have to get the small details corrected, and that has been ongoing this week. If you’re a competitor, I can’t wait for 12:01 p.m. in Neyland Stadium on Saturday.”
(On the kickers’ confidence and knowing when who will play)
“I think it’s them trying to have a clearly defined and articulated job description as possible. We ask everyone else in our football program to compete, and our kickers are no different. It’s a body of work throughout the course of August and September, but also through your consistency in practice every single day. You’re earning the trust of your teammates. You’re earning the trust of your coaches by the way you produce in practice which obviously leads to being successful on game day. I think we have two very, very talented kickers. So I’ll sit down and meet with them at the end of the week and say, ‘This is kind of what we’re thinking.’ Every time we’re getting in scoring range I want them to have the mentality that they’re kicking. I think the competitive aspect has helped both of those individuals.”
Jason Aldean announced that his annual Concert for the Cure will take place during his They Don’t Know Tour stop on Oct. 20 at KFC YUM Center in Louisville, Ky.
Jason will donate a portion of all ticket sales garnered throughout the year to Komen Kentucky. Since 2004, Jason has helped raise more than $3 million to benefit Susan G. Komen chapters across the country. Susan G. Komen organizations fund more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit, while providing real-time help to those facing the disease.
“As long as I have the chance, I will do my part and raise awareness for this cause,” said Jason. “My fans keep fighting the battle with this terrible disease along with us, and our dream is that nobody has to fight the disease anymore.”
Chris Young, Kane Brown and Dee Jay Silver will join Jason onstage for the Concert for the Cure on Oct. 20.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Derry deBorja, Chad Gamble, Jimbo Hart, Amanda Shires and Sadler Vaden) stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live last night (Sept. 19) to perform “Cumberland Gap,” a new tune featured on Jason’s 2017 album, The Nashville Sound.
Penned by Jason, “Cumberland Gap” finds the Alabama native returning to his rockin’ roots.
Earlier this month, Jason copped a CMA Awards nomination for Album of the Year for The Nashville Sound.
Singer/songwriter David Lee Murphy, who’s probably best known for his 1995 No. 1 hit, “Dust on the Bottle,” has been cranking out No. 1 tunes as a songwriter for more than 20 years, including Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor,” Blake Shelton’s “The More I Drink,” Kenny Chesney’s “Til It’s Gone” and more.
In fact, David Lee has become a frequent songwriting contributor on Kenny’s albums over the years, having co-penned tunes such as “Live a Little,” “Living in Fast Forward,” “Winnebago,” “Pirate Flag” and “Bar at the End of the World.”
Now, Kenny is returning the favor for all of David Lee’s hard work over the years.
(Clockwise from front left): David Lee Murphy, David Ross (CEO Reviver Records), Gator Michaels (Executive VP Reviver Records) and Kenny Chesney
Kenny and Buddy Cannon will co-produce David Lee’s upcoming album, No Zip Code, which will be released via Reviver Records.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get out here and do this again,” says David Lee about cutting a new album. “You focus on writing, and that’s its own kind of great. But Kenny and I got to talking, and it seemed like something worth doing. Then when we got in the studio, it felt so good, every day was more exciting than the one before.”
“David Lee is the original—and the last of—the hillbilly rockstars,” says Kenny. “His groove, the way he lays into a melody is so smooth, yet he uses the words for shaping the rhythm. He knows the life, and he bottles it up in song. Making this record showed us what country music can be in the 21st century.”
The drop date for No Zip Code has not been released yet.
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell issued a statement on social media yesterday (Sept. 19) in which he cancelled his remaining tour dates due to health concerns.
“Regretfully, I must cancel the remainder of the 2017 tour schedule,” Rodney wrote. “An impressive team of doctors have confirmed what for the past year I’ve instinctively known: dealing with the root cause of my health issues requires complete rest. For the foreseeable future, with expert medical guidance, my work will consist of quietly encouraging my body to return to its natural state. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Peace and love, Rodney.”
On Sept. 13, Rodney’s “It Ain’t Over Yet” was named Song of the Year at the Americana Honors and Awards, but he was not feeling well enough to attend the ceremony.
Today (Sept. 20), Little Big Town announced they will launch The Breakers Tour in February 2018 with special guests Kacey Musgraves and Midland.
The 26-date run begins Feb. 8 in Oklahoma City, Okla., and will include stops in Austin, Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York City and more. Additional stops will be announced soon.
For a preview of The Breakers Tour, tune in to The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon tonight (Sept. 20) for a very special performance by Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves and Midland.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee assistant coaches and student-athletes spoke to reporters on Tuesday in the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio and discussed the team’s progress over its first three games.
Tennessee is one quarter through its 12-game regular season schedule and the Vols’ best football is still ahead of them.
UT’s offensive line has been very productive, paving the way for 402 yards per game and junior running back John Kelly, who leads the SEC with 349 rushing yards and 540 all-purpose yards.
“Every position on the field and the way they’re playing impacts play calling and how things are going, especially that group up front,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Larry Scott said. “We’ve done a really good job with all the moving pieces we’ve had to move around and shake up from week to week, all the way through camp, and a lot times right up until we’re getting ready to go out on the field. These guys have done a really good job.”
Offensive line coach Walt Wells said that his group is progressing and improving on its physicality and communication. Freshman offensive lineman Trey Smith, who has started all three games at right guard, has stood out in both the running game and the passing game, demonstrating why he was rated as ESPN.com’s No. 1 overall recruit for 2017.
“Trey is coming around and learning,” Wells said. “He came out and played well against Georgia Tech. Then he came back against Indiana State and learned that you have to work your craft every day in college football. You can’t let up even against certain teams because they will embarrass you. It is college football, and everyone was probably one of the best players on their high school teams. Whether it is FCS or FBS, it doesn’t matter because they are a good football player. He learned that in Week 2. In Week 3, he came out and played with one of the better 3-techniques that we have seen. He did a nice job against Florida.”
Smith echoed his position coach’s evaluation of his development, saying “there’s a lot of stuff I need to improve on.”
“Just being an offensive lineman, you’re never really going to have perfection,” Smith said. “There are a lot of people that play in the NFL for like 16 years and there’s still always something to work on. So I think that I’m doing an okay job right now.”
Kelly Is Spark of the UT Offense
Kelly leads the Vols and ranks 11th in the nation with 349 rushing yards. His five rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in the SEC and fifth in the nation. Kelly, who also leads Tennessee with 16 receptions, also ranks sixth nationally with 540 all-purpose yards.
Kelly’s tackle-shedding running style fueled Tennessee’s second-half rally against Florida last week, bringing the Vols back from 10-point deficits before the Gators took the win on the final play of the game.
“When you’re a running back you don’t want to get tackled, so I’m doing everything I can not to get tackled,” Kelly said. “Just trying to impose my will on people when I’m running the ball when I get opportunities to do so and that’s really just where it comes from.”
Kelly, who is also one of the most respected players on the team, has also won over teammates with his vocal leadership in practice and in games.
“My mom used to always say I talked too much anyways, so I guess it’s still going,” Kelly said.
Scott described Kelly simply as “a football player,” adding that “He’s prepared, he’s competitive, he wants to win, and you can’t have enough of those guys on your football team.”
Kelly’s ferocity on the field and genuine personality off it have made him a model teammate. Wells said that Kelly spoke to the offensive line on Monday and thanked the unit for paving the way for his success over the first three games.
“There are times when I just look at John and I’m like ‘wow,'” Smith said. “He was running over people, he’s a full-contact back, and that’s what I really love about him. JK gets me hyped in games just by the way he plays. The violence with which he plays, it really motivates me. If a guy’s going to run that hard, what is blocking for a couple seconds so I can help spring him free?”
Kelly Named to PFF College SEC Team of the Week
Kelly was named to Pro Football Focus College’s SEC Team of the Week on Tuesday, registering the highest grade of a conference player at 92.3. Kelly totaled 237 all-purpose yards at No. 24 Florida on Saturday, setting career highs in rushing yards (141), receiving yards (96) and receptions (six), while tying his career high in carries (19). Kelly leads the SEC in rushing (116.3 ypg) and is tied for second in receptions (16) through three games this season.
1967 National Champions To Be Honored Saturday
The 1967 National Champion Tennessee football team will be honored at the end of the first quarter on Saturday as part of the 50th anniversary reunion weekend for the team. The 1967 Volunteers fell to UCLA in the season opener before winning nine straight, including victories over Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss. UT finished No. 2 in the final polls and was selected as the national champion by Litkenhous. Led by Head Coach Dough Dickey, the Vols earned a berth in the Orange Bowl and also won the SEC Championship with a perfect 6-0 mark in conference.
Vols Teaming Up with Curing Kids Cancer
For the third year in a row, the Tennessee Volunteers will team up with Curing Kids Cancer to promote that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month during their game on September 23 against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen.
Teams from across the country will wear helmet stickers and wristbands while coaches wear wristbands, gold whistles and lanyards to represent their support for pediatric cancer awareness. Many of these teams are not only spreading awareness, they are helping their local children’s hospital receive funds to better provide innovative treatment at its pediatric cancer center.
The campaign is becoming a staple for many of the teams as all of this year’s teams have participated before. Each team gives back on a national and local level by promoting childhood cancer awareness.
Taking on pediatric cancer and their opponents will be:
University of Alabama
Duke University
University of Georgia
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Kennesaw State University
University of South Carolina
University of Tennessee
With support from ESPN GameDay commentator Lee Corso, “Mr. College Football” Tony Barnhart from the SEC Network and the “Head Ball Coach” Steve Spurrier the campaign has continued to grow.
Additional Quotes
Larry Scott, Offensive Coordinator
(On Marquez Callaway taking responsibility for Florida’s interception return for touchdown)
“That’s what you hope you start to get with young players, is that they understand and they’re not willing to point the finger at anyone or say ‘it’s not my fault’. We talk all the time about accountability, and that shows growth in a young player right there. Now, there’s probably a better chance he won’t come back and do that again. And that’s just being accountable to your mistakes and how everything and all the pieces fit. And there’s not one person all the time whohas to take the blame or point the finger, it’s not that. We’re a unit, we’re a team. And part of that is guys accepting accountability for when they make a mistake.”
(On using two running back sets with some of the young running backs)
“I like to try to get all of our players the ball as much as we can when needed, when appropriate, and when it fits the structure of what we feel like we can go attack the defense with. The more you can keep those guys involved, the better off you’re going to be with the development of young players.”
(On the offensive line’s performance through three games)
“Every position on the field and the way they’re playing impacts play calling and how things are going, especially that group up front. We’ve done a really good job with all the moving pieces we’ve had to move around and shake up from week to week, all the way through camp, and a lot times right up until we’re getting ready to go out on the field. These guys have done a really good job. I think it’s just going to be a continuing scroll with that group as we continue to move forward and put the right pieces together because there’s going to be movement. I think it’s going to be a positon that we’re going to see, we’re going to have to be able to play some guy at different places at different times.”
(On having John Kelly in the offense)
“John Kelly is a football player. And that’s the ultimate compliment that you can give to a guy that you’re coaching and are around every day. He’s prepared, he’s competitive, he wants to win, and you can’t have enough of those guys on your football team.”
Bob Shoop, Defensive Coordinator
(On giving credit during being down in the fourth quarter to players)
“This week to be down two different times in the fourth quarter against Florida, I thought it was a tremendous credit to Coach Jones, to the staff, and to the players specifically to battle back and put us in a position to win the game.”
(On last play)
“Our strategy on the last play was watching him come out of the huddle, and if they come out of the huddle in a Hail Mary type formation call timeout and reset the defense. They did not do that. We took away the play that they ran which is the irony of the whole thing really.”
(On catastrophic plays)
“I can’t really say, but I think we need to all focus in as a defense so we don’t have those big plays happen on us at all.”
(On individual effort in fourth quarter)
“I give Justin Martin all the credit in the world, that was just a tremendous, tremendous, play. Rashaan Gaulden was all over the field, blitzing, had an interception, gave the offense the ball in field position to score at the end. So there is some really, really good individual efforts out there that are spoiled by obviously the finish of that game.”
Trey Smith, OL
(On his performance through three games)
“I think I’ve played okay. There’s a lot of stuff I need to improve on, a lot of stuff Coach Wells and I keep talking on. Obviously just being an offensive lineman, you’re never really going to have perfection, there are a lot of people that play in the NFL for like 16 years and there’s still always something to work on. So I think that I’m doing an okay job right now.”
(On John Kelly and how his running style helps the offensive line)
“I love watching his film. There are times when I just look at John and I’m like ‘wow.’ He was running over people, he’s a full-contact back, and that’s what I really love about him. JK gets me hyped in games just by the way he plays, the violence with which he plays, it really motivates me. If a guy’s going to run that hard, what is blocking for a couple seconds so I can help spring him free.”
(On the physicality he brings to the offensive line)
“We all bring something to the room. My high school coach, my mentor, has always told me to be the most physical guy out there. A lot of times I want to bring good physicality, and I learned that from Jashon, just watching the way he practices. Coach Wells talks about how we have the same mentality at times to sort of destroy people. So I really learn that from him.”
Darrell Taylor, DL
(On how quickly they were able to put Florida game behind them)
“We went over to film Sunday, and then we talked about it a little on Monday and then we were ready to focus on UMASS.”
(On seeing seniors possibly going down with season ending injuries)
“It is pretty tough because they are veterans, they know a lot of stuff on the field and off the field. We need them. It’s pretty tough, but we are going to get through it.”
(On fatigue contributing to losing edge in fourth quarter)
“I don’t think it’s a fatigue thing. I think it’s a matter of we need to focus the whole game, and make sure that we sustain that focus throughout the whole game.”
(On Coach Shoop talking about catastrophic plays)
“I can’t really say, but I think we need to all focus in as a defense so we don’t have those big plays happen on us at all.”
John Kelly, RB
(On how he developed his running style)
“It’s just like playing football, when you’re a running back you don’t want to get tackled, so I’m doing everything I can not to get tackled. Just trying to impose my will on people when I’m running the ball when I get opportunities to do so and that’s really just where it comes from.”
(On the run game opening up after his long run late in the first half)
“It was just like a man check for us. We just had to get in our huddle and basically establish that we have to be playmakers, whether that was the o-line or any running back that touched the ball, we just had to be playmakers. The running game kind of opened up a little bit because I felt as if the defense was kind of gassed and we were just taking it to them, so it ended up opening up some lanes later on in the game.”
(On what he says to motivate the team in practice and during games)
“Just as far as talking to my guys, I try to motivate them and let them know that we’re still in it and we’re fighting together. That’s really just what it is. My mom used to always say I talked too much anyways, so I guess it’s still going.”
(On what he’s seen from Trey Smith as a freshman so far)
“He’s a fierce competitor and he’s dominant. He wants to try to dominate his guy every chance he gets. I definitely love that about Trey’s game is that he wants to dominate his player. That’s really how I try to run the ball as well but with Trey having that big body, it’s evident and you can see it when he does it.”
(On the ability for the team to stay focused for this week’s game)
“Well it just goes back to the whole snap and clear mentality. Honestly, we shouldn’t treat any game any more or any less. Every opponent is just another opponent for us. Honestly, we just have to make sure the maturity of our team stays up to par and everybody is ready to play for this early game because this is probably the earliest game we have on the schedule, so it’s going to be different for a lot of guys as far as the body clock.”
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Tennessee football team will start the 2018 season in Charlotte against West Virginia at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 1 and wrap up the regular season at Vanderbilt on Nov. 24, as the SEC announced the 2018 schedules for all 14 conference schools on Tuesday.
The Vols face the Mountaineers for the first time in school history and will begin the year in a neutral site game at an NFL stadium for the second straight year after defeating Georgia Tech 42-41 in double-overtime to start the 2017 season.
Following WVU, Tennessee will host ETSU (Sept. 8), UTEP (Sept. 15) and Florida (Sept. 22) at Neyland Stadium before traveling to Athens, Ga., to face Georgia (Sept. 29).
The Vols will meet the Buccaneers for the first time, and the clash with the Miners will be the third meeting and first since 1990.
UT’s bye week falls on the weekend of Oct. 6.
After the break, Tennessee will travel to Auburn on Oct. 13 to face the Tigers for the first time since 2013.
The Vols host Alabama on Oct. 20 before traveling to South Carolina on Oct. 27.
Tennessee opens November with a three-game homestand starting with the Vols’ first-ever game against Charlotte (Nov. 3) before welcoming Kentucky (Nov. 10) and Missouri (Nov. 17). UT ends the regular season at Vanderbilt on Nov. 24.
The SEC Championship Game will be played on Dec. 1 in Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
TENNESSEE 2018 SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 vs. West Virginia (Charlotte)
Sept. 8 ETSU
Sept. 15 UTEP Sept. 22 FLORIDA Sept. 29 at Georgia Oct. 6 Open Date Oct. 13 at Auburn Oct. 20 ALABAMA Oct. 27 at South Carolina Nov. 3 CHARLOTTE Nov. 10 KENTUCKY Nov. 17 MISSOURI Nov. 24 at Vanderbilt
