FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. —On Tuesday, the Wuerffel Trophy named Tennessee senior defensive back Todd Kelly Jr. as one of a record 109 players on its 2017 preseason watch list from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
In May, Kelly was named to the watch list for the 2017 Lott IMPACT Trophy. He was also named as a nominee for the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® on July 10. As a Knoxville native, Kelly takes a lot of pride in serving the local community. His community service activities have centered on helping children. From cheering on patients at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to mentoring local fourth-graders at Lonsdale Elementary to serving others via the Emerald Youth Foundation and Read Across America, Kelly is committed to inspiring local youth. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of Knoxville, which serves as a catalyst to empower minority youth to reach their full potential. He has also served as a speaker at local churches and elementary schools.
Prior to the 2016 season, Kelly changed his jersey number from No. 6 to No. 24 in honor of the late Zaevion Dobson. Dobson was a local high school football star who died heroically shielding his friends from gunfire in December of 2015. Kelly is close with the Dobson family and also took part in Zaveion Dobson Day of Service and Project Elevate’s Hero Day on Jan. 24, 2016, which promoted serving others and acts of kindness.
In addition to Kelly’s work in the community, he is also a standout in the classroom. Kelly is majoring Biological Science with a concentration in Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology. He earned CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 honors in 2016. Kelly was named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll in 2015 and 2016 and he was also named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll for the 2014-15 school year.
On the field, he is coming off the best year of his career. As a junior in 2016, he posted a team-high 71 tackles (49 solo) in 12 games at safety. He also had one sack, 2.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble and four passes defended. Kelly’s eight career interceptions are the most among all players on the current roster.
Nine players return to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List from 2016. They are: Blaise Taylor (Arkansas St.), Daniel Carlson (Auburn), Zack Golditch (Colo. St.), Alec Eberle (Fla. St.), Jeb Blazevich (Georgia), KeShun Freeman (Georgia Tech), Ryan Yurachek (Marshall), Drue Tranquill (Notre Dame) and Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma St.).
Voting for the Wuerffel Trophy is performed by a National Selection Committee that includes college football television and print media, industry notables, former head coaches and prior Wuerffel Trophy recipients.
Chris Stapleton stopped by NYC to take part in the TodayShow’s Summer Concert series. In addition to treating the fans gathered at the plaza to a number of his most well-known tunes, including “Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris also sampled a few songs from his new album, From A Room: Volume 1, including “Broken Halos” and “Second One to Know.”
Check out Chris’ performances from Today’s Summer Concert Series below.
As his party-flowing, summer single, “Fix a Drink,” continues to climb up the Billboard Country Airplay chart (currently No. 26), Chris Janson has announced that he will release his sophomore album, Everybody, on Sept. 22. As the follow-up to his 2015 debut album, Buy Me a Boat, the upcoming record will include all of the songs from his recent EP, Fix a Drink, as well as additional tunes.
“I’m excited about it,” says Chris to Nash Country Daily. “I’ve had time to write this record. I put songs on this thing—it’s been a very strenuous process, in a good way. I’m generally the kind of person who goes, ‘Hey, let’s [make a record] real quick,’ and everyone around me has really opened my eyes up to, ‘Yeah, let’s hurry up and do it, but let’s also take the time to pick the best songs and pick what you want to put on this album. You have time, breathe, do it.’ And that’s what I’ve done, and it’s been awesome.”
Chris will continue his stint on Sam Hunt’s 15 in a 30 Tour through September, before joining Tim McGraw and Faith Hill on their Soul2Soul Tour in October.
Kenny Rogers’ 60-year career will be capped with a farewell concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 25.
The showcase, dubbed All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration, will feature the final duet by Kenny and Dolly Parton, one of country music’s most beloved tandems.
The concert will also feature performances by Little Big Town, Alison Krauss, The Flaming Lips, Idina Menzel, Jamey Johnson, Elle King and more guests to be announced soon.
“As I’m bringing this chapter of my career to a close, this will be an unforgettable way to celebrate with my talented friends, who I’m so grateful to have crossed paths with,” says Kenny. “It means so much that they would feel compelled to do this for me. Of course, the night would not be the same without Dolly Parton being part of it. We’ve enjoyed a special friendship for decades, and I’ll forever look back fondly on the many collaborations, performances and laughs we’ve shared as some of the most extraordinary moments of my career. I know it will be a moving experience for us standing on that stage together for one last time.”
“Kenny is like a family member to me,” says Dolly. “We have been friends for over 30 years and made musical magic together. Since 1983, when we released ‘Islands in the Stream,’ everyone has had an expectation to see Kenny everywhere I go and me with him wherever he goes. Well, I guess for many of those fans that wanted to see us together, this will be that night. Performing with Kenny for the last time ever on October 25 is going to be emotional for both of us, but it’s also going to be very special. Even though Kenny may be retiring, as he fades from the stage, our love for each other will never fade away.”
Tickets go on sale July 21 at 10 a.m. CT at Ticketmaster, by phone at 800-745-3000 and the Bridgestone Arena box office. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation and the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center.
Kacey Musgraves and her gal pals headed to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., over the weekend (July 15) to celebrate her bachelorette party.
According to Kacey’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, the troupe enjoyed a bevy of activities, including a fireworks show, candle making, roller coasters and drinking games, as well as custom-made fanny packs and t-shirts.
Kacey, who is engaged to singer/songwriter Ruston Kelly, noted that is was the “best weekend ever” and Dollywood was the “#LastRideForTheBride.”
Check out some pics of the excursion, courtesy of Kacey’s Twitter page, as well as a video of one of her roller coaster rides.
On Sunday night (July 16) in Buffalo, N.Y., Miranda Lambert made a surprise appearance during Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour.
After coming onstage earlier in the evening to sing “Happy Birthday” to opener—and boyfriend—Anderson East, Miranda joined Chris and wife Morgane onstage to sing “Fire Away.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —On Monday, the Louisville Sports Commission named Tennessee senior defensive back and kick returner Evan Berry to the 2017 Watch List for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse.
Berry is one of 46 multi-talented college football student-athletes on the Watch List. The Paul Hornung Award, now in its eighth season, is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission, and football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award Banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville on March 8, 2018. This will be The Paul Hornung Award’s second year as an associate member of the prestigious National College Football Awards Association.
On July 14, Berry earned 2017 Preseason Media Days All-SEC honors as a return specialist. He is also an Athlon Preseason All-American and in 2016 was a Coaches Second Team All-SEC pick after averaging 32.9 yards on 14 kick returns. In the Vols’ win against Georgia, Berry returned a pooch kick 20 yards to the Bulldogs’ 48-yard line and, along with a UGA offsides penalty, helped set up Dobbs’ 43-yard Hail Mary to Jennings. Berry had a 100-yard return for a touchdown at South Carolina on Oct. 29. In 2016, he also tallied 12 tackles and one tackle for loss. As a sophomore in 2015, he ranked first in the NCAA and first in the SEC with a 38.3-yard kickoff return average and was named a First Team All-American by Walter Camp, Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. For his career, Berry has returned 49 kicks for 1,677 yards, a UT-record 34.2-yard average and four touchdowns. His 34.2-yard career kickoff return average is the best mark of any current player in the NCAA, regardless of division.
“We have a terrific Watch List again this year,” said Paul Hornung, namesake of the Award, who legendary Coach Vince Lombardi called “the most versatile man ever to play the game.” “I love the fact that we recognize players who have the skill and the right mind set to play anyplace on the field to help their team win games.”
The 2017 Watch List is comprised of one graduate student, 23 seniors, 19 juniors, and three sophomores who play a total of nine different positions. They represent 45 universities in 28 states coast-to-coast across the 10 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The ACC leads the conferences with 10 players, followed by the SEC with eight players, and the Big Ten with five players.
Players on this year’s Watch List accounted for 10,724 rushing yards, 16,853 receiving yards, 13,548 kickoff return yards, 4,092 punt return yards, and 394 total tackles in 2016. Reminiscent of Hornung during his playing days, members of the Watch List demonstrated a knack for scoring numerous ways. Last season the Watch List players combined for 291 total touchdowns in six different ways – passing, rushing, receiving, punt return, kickoff return, and interception.
The 2017 Watch List was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on a combination of 2016 statistics, career performance, SID recommendations, and expectations heading into the 2017 season. Profiles of each player and information about the Award can be found at www.paulhornungaward.com. Players will be added to the Watch List during the 2017 regular season based on performance.
In addition to talking about the long-running joke surrounding reported claims of his death (“I’ve been killed several times throughout the years”), Willie dished about his health (“I haven’t really got anything to bitch about”), his “wild and crazy” days in Nashville, the “truth” in songwriting, paying off his debt to the IRS (“It’s kind of funny when you think about it”), his affinity for marijuana (“It keeps me from going off and doing crazy things”), continuing to tour (“What, do you want me to quit?”) and more.
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — 
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