Last year, the disdain among Tennessee and Florida players surfaced on
twitter.
Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor basically said the only Jalen that matters in
the game is him.
Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin took
offense.
There hasn’t been much taunting prior to this season’s game. Much of the
focus has been on Hurricane Irma, the victims in Florida and where the game
will be played.
Tennessee redshirt sophomore defensive end Kyle Phillips said he didn’t pay
attention to the twitter war between the Jalens a year ago.
“No, I’m never one to talk,’’ Phillips said. “I just play.’’
But when Phillips was asked what he thinks of Florida, he was candid.
“I hate Florida,’’ he said with a smile.
When did that feeling set in?
“Growing up,’’ said the Nashville native, “I really didn’t pay any
attention to Florida that much. When I got here, I just knew how sharp of a
rivalry it is and how much they hate us. So I hate them, too.’’
Tennessee senior defensive tackle Kendal Vickers was asked if the Vols are
ready for Florida.
“Oh yeah, we’ll be ready,’’ Vickers said. “The season is really just
starting now. We know the rivalry between Florida and us. We don’t like them.
They don’t like us.
“They’re going to give us their best shot. We’re going to give them our
best shot. We’ll be ready for it.’’
Last year, Tennessee finally stopped Florida’s 11-game losing streak – it
seemed like 111 to some Tennessee fans – as the Vols rallied from a 21-point
deficit to win 38-28. It set off a wild celebration in Neyland Stadium.
But the year before, the Vols blew a 13-point fourth quarter led and lost to
Florida on a 63-yard fourth down pass, 28-27. That set off a wild celebration
for the Gators.
Blowing that game still sticks in the craw of many a Vol player.
“As a competitor,’’ said linebacker Cortez McDowell, “you never forget
that — the awful feeling that you had with a game like that. For myself and a
lot of older guys that took that trip down to Gainesville, you remember … the
emotion we felt after that game.
“It will help us bring that extra drive, extra fire to practice this
week.’’
Phillips shook his head when asked about that defeat to Florida in 2015.
In general, zone-read option teams need a mobile quarterback to have an efficient offense.
Pocket passers won’t get it done.
Tennessee’s Butch Jones has been an advocate of the spread option since he became a head coach a decade ago.
Four times, a quarterback has led his team in rushing – Josh Dobbs at Tennessee last year, Dan LeFevour for three seasons at Central Michigan (2007-09).
During most of Jones’ first two seasons at Tennessee, he had a non-running quarterback at the helm – Justin Worley. And the Vols offense struggled against Power 5 schools as UT went 2-7 against such opponents in 2013.
In 2014, the Vols started 0-5 against the Power 5 until Dobbs took over as the starter in Game 7. He led the Vols to a 4-1 finish.
The next two seasons, with Dobbs setting UT records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, Tennessee won nine games in back-to-back seasons. And last season, Tennessee led the SEC in offensive touchdowns (59) and scored more points than only one other team in school history.
Tennessee’s quarterback this season is junior Quinten Dormady, a decent athlete with a good arm. He can run, but he hasn’t. At least, not through two games. He has carried three times on zone reads thus far.
That won’t cut it against the better teams on Tennessee’s schedule. It certainly won’t cut it against Florida on Saturday.
If a quarterback isn’t a threat to run, then the offense can’t keep the defense honest. It allows a defense to stack the line and focus on the running backs. That was the case when Worley started for the Vols.
Nobody knows that better than Jones.
“To be successful, you have to be able to run the quarterback a little bit,’’ Jones said. “And he has to be able to make plays with his legs, particularly in this game (against Florida) because of their speed defensively.’’
Jones wants his quarterback to make efficient runs, that being a 4-yard gain or more.
Dormady knows he can’t be a reluctant runner for the offense to work at maximum efficiency.
“It’s just kind of taking what the defense gives you,’’ Dormady said. “I think, overall, I haven’t had to run as much this year. But if it presents itself, I’ll have to do so.’’
No one expects Dormady to run as much as Dobbs, who averaged 142 carries per year the past two seasons. Dobbs ran 104 times in 2014 in only five starts.
While some of Dobbs’ carries were sacks, more than 95 percent were off zone reads or designed runs.
Dormady doesn’t have Dobbs’ wheels. He won’t outrun defensive backs. He won’t break a slew of tackles. He’s not as slithery of a runner. Heck, Dobbs is one of the best running quarterbacks college football has seen in the past decade.
Dobbs had seven games in his career in which he rushed for 100 yards.
Dormady won’t have any.
But if Dormady – and Tennessee – wants Jones’ offense to work, the quarterback has to carry at least four to six times a game against decent competition.
And that starts with Florida.
Otherwise, you’ll get the same result as if you’re trying to put a square peg in a round hole.
Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road” has cruised to another award: CMT Song of the Year.
The inaugural award will be presented to Sam and co-writers Zach Crowell, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne at the CMT Artists of the Year ceremony on Oct. 18.
Sam’s “Body Like a Back Road” has been “doin’ 15 in a 30” for 31 straight weeks atop Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, which shattered the 24-week record set by Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” in 2013.
Since its release in February, “Body Like a Back Road” has garnered 335 million on-demand streams and 1.6 million digital track sales, according to Nielsen Music.
“I wrote ‘Body Like a Back Road’ with my producer Zach Crowell, Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally,” said Sam to Nash Country Daily. “I connect music to the emotions that come from relationships, so most of the songs that I write are inspired by those circumstances, emotions, feelings, all that kind of stuff. ‘Body Like a Back Road’ is a lighthearted song that was a lot of fun to write. It sort of swings, and hopefully it’s easy to listen to and will put a smile on some folks’ faces.”
Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart All-Time Record
1. “Body Like a Back Road” – Sam Hunt — 31 weeks (2017)
2. “Cruise” – Florida Georgia Line – 24 weeks (2012)
3. “Walk On By” – Leroy Van Dyke – 19 weeks (1961)
4. “H.O.L.Y.” – Florida Georgia Line – 18 weeks (2016)
5. “Die a Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett 17 weeks – (2015)
At the upcoming ceremony, CMT will also honor its 2017 Artists of the Year: Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban.
The artists will be honored on Oct. 18 at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center in a televised special, CMT Artists of the Year. In addition to paying tribute to the honorees with live performances from other artists—including those from outside the country genre—the 90-minute TV special will also “honor the unwavering spirit of those impacted by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma and champion the many volunteers contributing to the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.”
CMT Artists of the Year airs live from Nashville on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. ET.
Dustin Lynch has had plenty of reasons to celebrate this week. The Tullahoma, Tenn., native recently scored his fifth consecutive No. 1 single as “Small Town Boy” ascended to the top of the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and he released his third album, Current Mood, on Sept. 8.
“This week has truly been one of the most amazing and humbling of my career,” said Dustin. “This album is incredibly personal . . . I can’t think of a better way to welcome Current Mood than with ‘Small Town Boy’ being in the top spot.”
Last night (Sept. 14), Dustin kept the celebration going as he performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live’s outdoor stage.
Watch Dustin sing “I’d Be Jealous Too,” a new track from Current Mood that he co-penned with Ross Copperman and Jon Nite.
The 11th annual ACM Honors is an evening dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 52nd ACM Awards.
When
The ceremony took place on Aug. 23 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
Watch
The show will air Friday, Sept. 15 at 9 p.m. PT/ET on CBS.
Performers
Kelsea Ballerini, Alan Jackson, Chris Janson, Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Thomas Rhett, Hillary Scott, Chris Stapleton and George Strait.
Presenters
Jason Aldean, Bobby Bones, Ross Copperman, Lady Antebellum, Jimmy Webb, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley and Hillary Scott.
Kelsea Ballerini (Gene Weed Milestone Award), Toby Keith (Poet’s Award), Bob Kingsley (Mae Boren Axton Service Award), Reba McEntire (Mae Boren Axton Service Award), Nashville (Tex Ritter Film Award), Dolly Parton (Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award), Shel Silverstein (Poet’s Award) and George Strait (Cliffie Stone Icon Award).
Industry Awards
The evening will also honor winners of the Industry and Studio Recording Awards, along with Songwriter of the Year, Lori McKenna.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 23 Tennessee opens SEC play against conference rival No. 24/25 Florida on Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Brad Nessler (play-by-play) and Gary Danielson (analyst) will be in the booth and Allie LaForce will report from the sidelines. Vol Network radio affiliates will have a live audio broadcast with Bob Kesling, Tim Priest and Brent Hubbs. Sirius Channel 138 and XM Channel 191 will also carry a live audio broadcast.
Hurricane Irma has affected some road conditions in Florida. Fans planning to attend the game in Gainesville should plan ahead and stay up to date with news from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
Tennessee is coming off a 42-7 win over Indiana State on Sept. 9. Junior quarterback Quinten Dormady completed 13 of 18 passes for 194 yards, two scores and one interceptions. Junior running back John Kelly rushed 18 times for 87 yards and sophomore Carlin Fils-aime had three carries for 41 yards and two scores. Freshman Ty Chandler returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a score and earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors
The Gators canceled their Week 2 matchup against Northern Colorado due to Hurricane Irma. Florida fell to Michigan, 33-17, in its season opener on Sept. 2.
The Vols are ranked No. 23 in the Week 3 Amway Coaches Poll and AP Top 25. Florida is No. 24 in the Amway Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the AP Top 25.
Tennessee-Florida Rivalry
Florida leads the all-time series 26-20 and the Gators hold a 13-5 edge in the series when the game is played in Gainesville. In 2016, Tennessee snapped an 11-game losing streak to Florida with 38 unanswered points to take a 38-28 win at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee is looking for its first back-to-back wins against Florida and back-to-back 3-0 starts to a season since 2003-04.
For the second-consecutive season, both programs enter the matchup ranked in the top 25. This marks only the third occasion since 2007 that this has happened.
A win in Gainesville would be UT’s first on Florida’s home field since 2003, when Jabari Davis earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for a pair of touchdowns to lead Tennessee to a 24-10 win in the Swamp.
Saturday’s game marks the 20th time over the last 22 meetings that the Tennessee-Florida game will air on CBS.
Kelly’s Strong Start
Tennessee junior running back John Kelly is the only player in the SEC who leads his team in rushing (208 yards) and receptions (10). The Detroit native is averaging 151.5 yards from scrimmage through two games.
Kelly is also tied for second in the league in scoring with 24 points (four rushing touchdowns).
Games With A Rushing TD: 30-Straight
With a pair of rushing touchdowns from sophomore running back Carlin Fils-aime in last Saturday’s win over Indiana State, the Vols extended their school record streak of games with a rushing touchdown to 30.
The streak began Nov. 24, 2014, in a 24-17 win at Vanderbilt. Quarterback and VFL Joshua Dobbs rushed for two scores that day.
Tennessee had 24 consecutive games with a rushing touchdown from the 1937-1939 seasons, a school record that had previously stood alone for 77 years.
Super Special Teams
True freshman running back Ty Chandler returned the opening kickoff vs. Indiana State 91 yards for a touchdown to put the Vols up 7-0 just 14 seconds into the game.
Chandler became the first Vol to return an opening kick for a touchdown since Oct. 3, 2015, when Evan Berry did so vs. Arkansas. He is the first Tennessee true freshman to accomplish the feat since Leonard Scott returned one for 100 yards against Georgia in 1999.
Chandler’s score marked the 11th kick or punt return touchdown of the Butch Jonesera (since 2013). The Vols had a one kick return score and one punt return score in 2016, three kick return TDs and three punt return TDs in 2015, one punt return TD in 2014 and one punt return score in 2013.
Redshirt senior punter Trevor Daniel ranks 10th in the nation with a 47.3-yard average. Daniel has punted 10 times this season with, pinning eight inside UT opponents’ own 20-yard line. Five of his punts have resulted in fair catches and four were for 50 or more yards.
Today (Sept. 14), Chris Young dropped a new video for his single, “Losing Sleep,” which is currently No. 22 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after 18 weeks. The tune is the title track to Chris’ upcoming sixth studio album that is set to be released on Oct. 20.
Penned by Chris, Josh Hoge and Chris DeStefano, “Losing Sleep” falls into Chris’ sexy-song wheelhouse a la “Gettin’ You Home” and “I’m Comin’ Over,” mixing an up-tempo beat with PG-13 lyrics—and the video follows suit as Chris rendezvous with a lady friend for a little late-night get-together at a hotel.
Following in the footprints of country stars like Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis and more, Little Big Town was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame today (Sept. 14) by fellow member Keith Urban.
The Music City Walk of Fame—created in 2006—is a tribute to artists of all genres who have contributed to the world through song and made a significant contribution to the music industry with a connection to Music City. Sidewalk medallions line the one-mile stretch with the names of the inductees etched in a star and guitar design. Past inductees include Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Hank Williams, Trisha Yearwood and more.
Over their 18-year career, Little Big Town—consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman and Jimi Westbrook—has earned multiple No. 1 hits, including “Pontoon” and “Girl Crush,” and won multiple Grammy Awards, CMA Awards and ACM Awards.
In addition to LBT, Tom Ryman and Lula C. Naff were inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame for their central roles in creating and developing the Ryman Auditorium. Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show inducted Tom Ryman, while Jeannie Seely inducted Lula C. Naff.
Ray Stevens is streaking into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sept. 22 as part of the ongoing exhibit Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music.
Items on display in Sing Me Back Home provide a closer look at a particular person or special anniversaries. Recent Sing Me Back Home displays have featured Bob Moore, Keith Whitley and John Anderson.
Ray’s display, which is titled Ray Stevens: Everything Is Beautiful, will celebrate his 60 years in country music. Over the course of his career, Ray has earned two Grammy Awards, sold more than 40 million albums and recorded hit songs such as “The Streak” and “Everything Is Beautiful.”
“I am very flattered that the Country Music Hall of Fame has chosen to display some items from my career,” says Ray. “I can hardly wait to see the items on exhibition myself.”
Items features in Ray’s new exhibit include:
Spinet keyboard used by Ray to compose “Everything Is Beautiful”
Handwritten studio chart for “Everything Is Beautiful,” with musical notation for rubato, piano, and voice
1970 Grammy for Best Contemporary Male Vocal Performance for “Everything Is Beautiful”
1975 Grammy for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists for “Misty”
Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame induction award
Rhinestone-embellished “Coy” fez used in Ray’s video for “Shriner’s Convention”
STATEMENT FROM TENNESSEE VICE CHANCELLOR/DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS JOHN CURRIE
“Thank you very much for being here today.
“Since I returned to Knoxville last spring, hardly a week has passed that someone has not asked me or shared their personal feelings, insight or opinions on the 2014 decision to minimize the use of the Lady Vols logo and moniker in favor of an emphasis on the official logo and symbol of the University of Tennessee, the ‘Power T.’
“Since our respective appointments, Chancellor Davenport and I have been very deliberate about finding opportunities to listen to the different perspectives and opinions on the subject while also endeavoring to understand the reasons for, and ramifications of, that decision on all UTAD constituencies.
“I wanted to gauge the feelings of current Tennessee students and student-athletes as well as the university community and alumni, Lady Vol alumni athletes, donors, fans, colleagues throughout intercollegiate athletics and gender equity experts. I sought perspectives from local and national media who closely follow women’s athletics.
“What I’ve learned is that this topic isn’t nearly as simple as I thought it might be, and that it certainly can’t be addressed in a 140-character tweet. I appreciate you bearing with me today as I share with you background on the thoughts and process that have led to the actions the Chancellor and I are proud to announce today.
“First, for those who don’t understand why this was such a big deal to many upset by the 2014 announcement, it’s important to try to see this issue through their lens and realize that for some, the Lady Vol name and logo is just as meaningful and sacred as the checkerboard end zones are for others.
“How would the most passionate Tennessee football fan react to a drastic diminishment of our checkerboard end zones? What emotions would be felt if the checkerboards were removed from Neyland Stadium?
“My guess is that they would be similar to the emotions felt these past few years, for instance, by a former Tennessee swimmer who competed with the Lady Vols logo on her swim cap, or a women’s golfer who was part of our inaugural Lady Vol team 25 years ago.
“We will not allow for the Lady Vol brand to disappear from our athletics department or university. And today, Chancellor Davenport and I reaffirm our commitment to restore the official visibility of the Lady Vol name, logo and brand.
“Because I was living and working almost 1000 miles away in 2014, the Lady Vols never really went away for me. And on my second day on the job, as I was chatting on the phone with my wife about my plans for the day, I told her, ‘I’m going to the Lady Vol softball game.’ It was the first of many games I attended at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium this past spring. I loved the energy and enthusiasm of the ‘Locos’ and the interactive Lady Vols chant between our student-athletes and fans.
“In the awesome bag of new official Tennessee apparel our equipment staff gave me on my first day, I found several pieces of Lady Vol apparel. In fact, my go-to ball cap for my morning jogs in our beautiful downtown this spring was my Nike Lady Vols cap.
“Several years ago, the ‘Power T’ became the official mark of our entire campus. Yes, our university has decided on one official mark and brand. But that does not mean that all other brands iconic to our history and tradition must cease to exist. Similarly, while the achievements of our current student-athletes are what we focus on today, we’ll never stop honoring the legacy of those who were once in the spotlight our current student-athletes now occupy.
“Over these last five or six months, a few themes have emerged in regards to how people feel about the decision to dramatically reduce the visibility of the Lady Vol brand. Perhaps the most disconcerting is the impression among some of our most passionate supporters that the history and heritage of the incredible national leadership and accomplishments of UT in women’s athletics had been intentionally erased from our department and culture. While I don’t believe that was anyone’s intent, I understand that the perceived devaluation of the Lady Vol brand caused pain.
“Throughout Tennessee nation, I’ve heard a wide variety of opinions, all of which are heartfelt, and in many cases deeply personal, but often contradictory. For some, ‘Lady Vols’ is a brand, not an identification of gender.
“We sought honest input from our current student-athletes. They are like other constituencies in that there is no unanimous opinion. Some female student-athletes do voice a desire to be known as Lady Vols. Others are vocal about wanting to be Vols—to compete under the same brand as their male counterparts. Some student-athletes, say they love wearing the ‘Power T’ but they want to be called Lady Vols, too. Nearly all prefer to just focus on their sports and studies.
“We need to respect that, and as people and supporters of Tennessee student-athletes, regardless of our personal opinion on the subject, we need to get behind our student-athletes and support them in their competitions.
“As I stated earlier—and unlike my previous tenures here at Tennessee, when the old UT logo that incorporated the shape of the state was the official mark of the university—the ‘Power T’ is now the primary mark not just of Tennessee athletics, but of our entire campus. It is undeniably our most universally recognized brand image locally, regionally and worldwide.
“I do believe it’s important to give our female student-athletes the freedom to compete wearing the official brand and logo of their university while also taking deliberate action to ensure the preservation and celebration of the Lady Vol brand and logo, which has for decades—and still does—possess great meaning and evoke incredible pride among supporters of this university.
“I’m proud that the University of Tennessee is viewed as a trailblazer and leader in women’s athletics. I’m proud to have personally benefited from the mentorship of Joan Cronan, a Hall of Fame administrator in intercollegiate athletics who has provided visionary leadership here for more than 30 years.
“I’m proud that UT has the highest percentage of female head coaches among all SEC schools. I’m proud that current Director of Track & Field, Beth Alford-Sullivan, is the first woman in the storied history of the Southeastern Conference to serve as head coach of a male team, because she leads both our men’s and women’s track and field programs. And I’m proud that our new senior leadership team includes multiple incredibly talented and forward-thinking women who have lead roles in shaping the future of Tennessee Athletics.
“I’m proud of the legacy of the iconic Pat Summitt and consider it a blessing that I was able to work in support of her efforts during my previous UT tenure. She is a true Tennessee treasure. The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame is here in Knoxville largely because of what she and the Lady Vols mean to women in sport. The Hall will begin its 20th anniversary celebration next year, and we need to use that occasion to honor Coach Summitt and the Lady Vol legacy of excellence—that legacy of excellence, though, extends to all our sports.
“It includes names such as softball’s Monica Abbott, swimmer Catherine Byrne, soccer standout Keeley Dowling and volleyball’s Beverly Robinson.
“We will honor, celebrate and always remember what these women—along with so many others—accomplished under the Lady Vol banner. Several of our venues already have Lady Vol signage, and others that don’t, will.
“We will continue to welcome positive, fan-driven support of our student-athletes—including Lady Vol chants, like those I love hearing at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
“We will enable our female teams and student-athletes to be referred to as Lady Vols, and Vols, in materials produced by internal departments such as Fan Experience and Media Relations. Coaches who wish to refer to their student-athletes as Lady Vols are welcome to do so. But it’s not a mandate, and we certainly aren’t going to take away the ‘Power T’ from teams and student-athletes competing for the University of Tennessee.
“Our female teams’ apparel options beginning in 2018-19 will include items featuring the Lady Vol logo and color scheme.
“We also will continue to work to ensure that official campus Vol Shops, including the one at Gate 21 in Neyland Stadium, offer more Lady Vol retail items available for fans.
“I mentioned above the absence of consensus on this sensitive issue. I’m aware that we won’t satisfy everyone regardless of the stance we take on this matter.
“Sports have the unique ability to overpower disunion and unite those whose viewpoints differ. Our vision for Tennessee Athletics is to stand as America’s Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program. I’m sure those of you who bleed orange share this vision. Whether we cheer for our teams as Vols or Lady Vols, our collective yearning to see them thrive and achieve their dreams can bring us all together.
“By committing to restore the visibility of the Lady Vol brand, and showing it the reverence it deserves, our Tennessee family can move forward, more united, to blaze new trails of excellence.
“I’ll be happy to entertain any questions.”
(On what led to the decision to bring back the Lady Vols)?
“This day has really not been just a day. It’s been a process, and a thoughtful process. When the chancellor sat at my breakfast table back in Manhattan, (Kansas), she talked about this as one of the issues that we had to figure out the right way to move forward with. I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to have excellent conversations with lots and lots of people and arrived at a moment where we can move forward together.”
(On whether or not all of UT’s women’s sports teams will now be officially known as Lady Vols)?
“Well, we’re the Tennessee Volunteers at the University of Tennessee – 27,000 students. What we’re saying is that our student-athletes and our coaches have the freedom to refer to themselves as Lady Vols. And some of our student-athletes don’t necessarily want to do that. So, for instance, our student-athletes can choose if they want their senior ring to have a Lady Vol insignia on it instead of a ‘Power T,’ then they certainly can do that. And I think you’ll see great recognition of the Lady Vol brand and logos in our facilities. I was at the aquatic center the other day with my daughter—I’m trying to get her interested in diving—and there’s already Lady Vol banners (in that facility); they never came down in the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center. There’s Lady Vol signage in a lot of facilities, and you’ll be seeing more.”
(On potential changes in uniform designs)?
“Most of our uniforms say Tennessee, and that’s what we’ll continue to be. The Tennessee (wordmark) and the ‘Power T’ continue to be the official symbols of the University of Tennessee, and that might be the most standard uniform. In terms of our student-athletes, they talked about wanting to put their hands in the circle and say, ‘Go Lady Vols!’ when they ran out on the field or the court. And they should be able to do that.”
(On how important input from the current student-athletes was in making a decision)
“Well, certainly our student-athletes are at the center of everything that we do, and as we went forward deliberately, we really wanted to make sure that we were thorough in considering all the different perspectives. And there are lots of different perspectives. Ultimately, as I said earlier, there may be unanimity among certain groups, but there’s not unanimity across the board. We think this is a great way to recognize and acknowledge and restore the visibility of our Lady Vol brand and move forward and give our student-athletes the ability to express themselves as Lady Vols.”
(On the possibility of alternate uniforms with the words ‘Lady Vols’ on them)
“I suppose we might see some stuff like that.”
(On when any potential uniform modifications may appear)
“We’re always about 16 months ahead on uniforms and stuff like that, so (the 2018-19 academic year) is correct. But, you might go out to the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate Golf Tournament at Cherokee Country Club on Monday and Tuesdayand you might see our golf team wearing Lady Vol caps with a Power T on their shirt. The most important thing here is that we’re moving forward.”
(On the change having any impact on Tennessee’s deal with Nike)
“Nike is a great partner for the University of Tennessee. We have great relationships, and obviously we’ve communicated and had a great dialogue. And this has no negative bearing on that partnership.”
