BALTIMORE — The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc., along with presenting sponsor A. O. Smith Corporation announced Tuesday afternoon that Tennessee redshirt senior quarterback Joe Milton III is one of 48 candidates for the 2023 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
The preseason Watch List, semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers and former players. The award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. This year’s watch list was selected based on career player performance and expectations heading into the 2023 college football season.
Tennessee’s strong-armed signal caller from Pahokee, Florida, has garnered several accolades heading into his sixth and final season of college football. A preseason All-SEC pick by the media and Phil Steele, Milton has been tabbed to preseason watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien Award and Maxwell Award in addition to Tuesday’s nod on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award preseason ledger.
Milton enters his third season at Tennessee in 2023 after serving as UT’s backup quarterback last fall. He was thrust into action as the starter in the final two games of the 2022 campaign and engineered the Tennessee offense to a 56-0 victory at Vanderbilt to close out the regular season before capping the year with an MVP performance in the Capital One Orange Bowl as the Vols took down No. 7 Clemson, 31-14.
Milton was marvelous in Miami Gardens, firing 19-of-28 passes for 251 yards and a career-high tying three touchdowns to lead UT to its first New Year’s Six bowl victory during the College Football Playoff era (2014-present). The win punctuated Tennessee’s first 11-win season since 2001 and first win in the Orange Bowl since defeating Oklahoma in 1939.
The veteran quarterback has made 17 appearances for Tennessee with four starts over the past two seasons, and he finished the 2022 campaign completing 53-of-82 (.650) passes for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions. Of the 114 FBS quarterbacks to throw 10 or more touchdowns last year, Milton was the only one to have zero picks.
The 2023 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas, Jr., as well as other notable attendees at the Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Thursday, December 7, 2023.
Sr. LB Aaron Beasley Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List All-SEC Second Team (Lindy’s) All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)
Sr. OL Cooper Mays Rimington Trophy Watch List All-SEC Second Team (Lindy’s) All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media) All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
Sr. WR Bru McCoy All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Coaches, Media, Phil Steele)
Sr. QB Joe Milton III Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List Davey O’Brien Award Watch List Maxwell Award Watch List Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Candidate All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
R-Sr. LB Keenan Pili Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List
Sr. RB Jabari Small Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidate List
Sr. OL Javontez Spraggins All-SEC Second Team (Lindy’s) All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – As the 2023 football season opener approaches, the Vols continue to pick up more accolades as the Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team was released on Tuesday afternoon with three Tennessee players on the list.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Bru McCoy landed second team honors after a breakout campaign last season. The California native started all 12 games he played in and ranked second on the team in receiving behind Biletnikoff Award winner Jalin Hyatt, totaling 52 catches for 667 yards and four touchdowns. McCoy averaged 12.8 yards per catch on the year and his 52 receptions ranked 12th in the SEC. He also posted three 100-yard receiving games. McCoy was tabbed a second-team preseason All-SEC selection by the media back in July.
Rounding out the Tennessee selections on the third team were senior offensive guard Javontez Spraggins and senior center Cooper Mays. The veteran duo returns to the offensive line with 49 combined starts between them. Both Spraggins and Mays were preseason All-SEC third team selections by the media, as well.
During the 2022 season, Mays started all 13 games at center and did not allow a sack in the final five games of the year. The Knoxville native has totaled 31 games played and 23 career starts with the Vols. Meanwhile, Spraggins proved to be one of the top offensive lineman in the SEC last year, starting all 13 games at right guard while paving the way for the nation’s No. 1 scoring and total offense.
The complete Preseason Coaches All-SEC team can be found at the SEC’s website by clicking HERE.
UT opens its 2023 season against Virginia at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Saturday, Sept. 2. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) on ABC. The game is being presented by Nissan.
Sr. LB Aaron Beasley Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List All-SEC Second Team (Lindy’s) All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)
Sr. OL Cooper Mays Rimington Trophy Watch List All-SEC Second Team (Lindy’s) All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media) All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
Sr. WR Bru McCoy All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Coaches, Media, Phil Steele)
Sr. QB Joe Milton III Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List Davey O’Brien Award Watch List Maxwell Award Watch List All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
R-Sr. LB Keenan Pili Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List
Sr. RB Jabari Small Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidate List
Sr. OL Javontez Spraggins All-SEC Second Team (Lindy’s) All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Athletics has announced its 2023 home football game designations in Neyland Stadium as the 10th-ranked Volunteers kick off the third season of the Josh Heupel era this fall.
In July, UT unveiled plans for its second annual Champions Weekend in conjunction with the Sept. 30 game against South Carolina. That weekend, teams and individuals who won SEC and/or NCAA championships during specific years are invited back to Rocky Top to celebrate their achievements.
Tennessee will honor two-time unanimous first-team All-American Eric Berry with his National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute when the Vols host Texas A&M on Oct. 14. Berry and the 2023 class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas.
Berry earned unanimous first team All-America honors in 2008, and he repeated the accolade in 2009. He is the only player in school history to achieve that feat twice. In 2009, he became the first player in school history to claim the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back.
Homecoming is set for Nov. 4 when Tennessee hosts UConn. The two teams are meeting for the first time on the gridiron.
The annual Salute to Service game, which honors our nation’s service members, veterans and their families, is slated for Nov. 25 when Vanderbilt visits Neyland Stadium. The home finale against the Commodores will also serve as Senior Day.
Tennessee home games vs. UTSA, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Georgia are sold out. Limited tickets remain for the Vols’ contests vs. Austin Peay, UConn and Vanderbilt in Neyland Stadium. Single-game tickets for those contests are on sale now at AllVols.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football kicked off its fourth and final week of preseason camp on Monday morning. This week, the team will begin transitioning into preparation for the season opener against Virginia on Sept. 2 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Following practice, head coach Josh Heupel addressed the media to discuss the team’s progress throughout camp and its plans to move into game prep for the season opener.
“This is the end of our true training camp,” Heupel said. “We’ll push forward and get a lot of good work in but still move slowly towards more preparation for Virginia. I’ve loved what these guys have done through the practices that we’ve had.
“Good teams continue to get better throughout the course of the season, and we have to continue to push here. Twelve days until we kickoff. I’m excited about that opportunity. At the same time, we have a lot of ground to cover before we kickoff here in a couple of weeks.”
It has been a productive preseason camp for the Vols as the program prepares to enter the third season under Heupel’s leadership.
“I think their energy, their consistency, their work habits and competitive nature out on the practice field,” Heupel said. “I think the comradery and connection that they have, too. The leadership has been really good, really strong throughout the course of training camp.
“I’ve said it before, but when you get into the season it’s not going to be perfect for everybody. All of the goals individually that you set, at the end of the day, everybody’s got to sacrifice a little bit for the success of the team. It’s important that we continue to have that inside of our locker room and inside of our program.”
A full transcript of Heupel’s post-practice press conference can be found below.
Opening statement… “Good work today out on the grass with the guys. This is the end of our true training camp. We’ll push forward and get a lot of good work in but still move slowly towards more preparation for Virginia. I’ve loved what these guys have done through the practices that we’ve had. Good teams continue to get better throughout the course of the season, and we have to continue to push here. Twelve days until we kick off. I’m excited about that opportunity. At the same time, we have a lot of ground to cover before we kick off here in a couple of weeks.”
On how important the week before game week is… “Good teams get better throughout the course of the season. We are still in the very beginning stages of the season. There’s a lot of things that we have to continue to clean up. A lot of situational work that we are going to implement and get into. Our guys have to be ready for those moments throughout the course of the season. There’s still a lot of sharpening before we get to kickoff. It’s critical that we handle it the right way and continue to grow.”
On if anything has changed with the right tackle position… “Nothing yet. That will continue to unfold here until we get up until kickoff. I anticipate seeing multiple guys play. That’s true at the right tackle position, and true across the board.”
On if it is starting to feel like game week… “Yeah. We finish up tonight with some things that we’re intentional about, getting some situational work tonight in our walkthrough. After that, it will start feeling a lot more like game week. Like I said, there’s still a lot of good-on-good that we’re going to do to continue to sharpen and grow before we get to kickoff. But absolutely, our players can sense that you’re on the end of training camp and kickoff is right around the corner.”
On Jackson Ross saying he has the third-best arm on the team… “Now we know that Jackson will lie. He may be fourth, but not third.”
On what’s encouraged him about this team so far throughout camp… “I think their energy, their consistency, their work habits and competitive nature out on the practice field. I think the comradery and connection that they have, too. The leadership has been really good, really strong throughout the course of training camp. I’ve said it before, but when you get into the season it’s not going to be perfect for everybody. All of the goals individually that you set, at the end of the day, everybody’s got to sacrifice a little bit for the success of the team. It’s important that we continue to have that inside of our locker room and inside of our program.”
On if the success on the field or just time in general has changed the culture of this program… “I think everything that you encounter continues to help build trust and understanding of who you are, what you’re about and what you want to be. There are always moments of growth in everything that you’re doing at the same time. The players have great trust in the culture that we want to have and have built. They understand the expectations on and off the field. We’ve developed stronger leadership. I think all of those things in year three play into being in a better situation than we were in year one and in a lot of ways year two, too.”
On how he would assess how the team is health wise… “The guys that were nicked up early in camp. We got most of those guys back. A couple of guys I think, as we finish up today and tomorrow, were back into practice mode and will head back on the grass. We should be pretty close to being completely healthy by the time we kick off.”
On how close they are to figuring out the defensive back rotation… “The guys that we have gotten back that were out early in training camp in the last three to four days have continued to increase their loads. We’ve gotten a lot of work with those guys. We feel like we have a pretty clear understanding of who those guys are and how they’ll play and compete. We’ll play a lot of guys on the backend. I feel like we are in a good spot over the next 12 days to be ready to roll.”
On how Joe Milton III has been able to develop his mechanics and situational awareness… “You put quarterbacks in tough situations, and in some situations during practice you put them in the harder spots that they can be in. He’s continued to grow in his understanding of football 101, understanding when can I hang in the pocket, when is the time to get rid of the football and make sure that in a certain situation, whether we’re backed up or in field goal (range), where you got three and you’re trying to get seven. Understanding the timing in how to play smart football in those situations. He’s continued to grow, and I love what he’s done. The other quarterbacks in the room have continued to grow as we’ve put them into a lot of situations. I think that’s one of the things that I’ve done as a head coach is try and create more situational awareness and get more reps in those situations. That’s been a part in helping not just those guys but all 125 of them in the locker room.”
On how Bru McCoy has embraced his role as a leader… “He’s somebody that this offseason—a year ago when he got here, coming off of the injury that he had come off of, he was just trying to figure out how to play and operate and practice inside of what we do offensively. Since January, he’s been on our leadership council, he’s been very intentional in how he’s grown. It’s been fun to see him take those steps. He owns it, he likes being in that role, and he’s got a really positive effect on everybody around him.”
On how close a non-starter has to be to a starter to get into the rotation… “If we don’t feel like you’re going to play at a championship level, you’re not going to be on the field. It’s real easy. Coaches have to be able to trust you.”
On his evaluation of the wide receiver position to this point… “The three guys that have a bunch of time in our offense played really well, done a great job of being in-sync with the quarterback. Dont’e Thornton has continued to really grow, love what he’s done. The two younger guys inside of our building, Chas (Nimrod) and Kaleb (Webb), they’ve taken great strides all offseason, but this training camp they were a different player than they were in spring ball too, in a positive way. Love what those guys are doing. That’s on the offensive side of the ball, it’s also on special teams.”
On Nico Iamaleava’s ability as a backup… “I think he’s ready to play at a really high level. All the young quarterbacks, it’s different when you get out there, it’s live bullets and you don’t have a red jersey on. Feel really good about where he’s at. Command of our offense, being a really sound decision maker, fundamentally being able to get himself in a good position to be consistently accurate with the ball. I like what he’s done.”
On what Nico Iamaleava has done off the field in terms of preparation… “As a young man coming into a program understanding the standards that we have here, but the demands of playing quarterback at this level. Being able to start to grasp and understand what’s going on from us up-front. Protections, defensive structure, being able to see and recognize, anticipate and see post-snap rotations from the backend. At the end of the day, controlling his job and having his eyes in the right spot. He’s a dramatically different player than he was in spring ball, love the steps that he took in the spring too. This football team has a lot of trust in him.”
On what he likes about Joe Milton III and Nico Iamaleava’s dynamic with each other and how it compares to Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton III’s dynamic… “I think it’s a little bit different in the amount of time that Nico has spent here. At the end of the day for him, being very supportive, helping him on the sidelines, being able to talk about what happened on previous plays, previous series. I think that’s important. Joe was such a great leader for us a year ago long before anybody saw him step onto the field. His growth, how intentional he was in his work was a big part of why everybody believed he would play at a really high level when he got his next chance. For Nico, this year, right now in the backend of training camp, getting prepared for week one and throughout the course of the season. As it’s true for every guy that’s not the first guy out there, it’s about continued growth and putting yourself in the position to play at your highest level when you get your opportunity. Nico has operated that way, he’s been intentional in the way that he’s worked. Joe being able to see things and communicate to Nico, never it being personal. It’s a really positive relationship that exists between those two, but all the guys inside that quarterback room. It’s a really unique dynamic.”
On if coaches enjoy the week before game week… “I think coaches have great urgency in correcting the things that aren’t where they need to be yet. There’s a lot of those things, that’s just the nature of this game and trying to be perfect in what you’re doing, understanding that perfection in this game is not obtainable either. Constant growth, there’s great urgency, we have 12 days to get ready to go play our best football week one.”
On how Jacob Warren has taken the next step during the offseason… “I just think fundamentally he’s continued to grow, that room has continued to grow. Coach Abeln has done a phenomenal job. That’s in the core, pass protection, running game, and it’s out on the perimeter, being involved in the pass game, understanding leverage, being more disciplined and playing with better technique with some of their route running, Those guys have all functioned, Jacob has functioned at a really high level in the pass game.”
On if Joe Milton III got him a bobblehead from the Tennessee Smokies game and if it was autographed… “Yeah, I got a pack of four for my two kids, and my nephew and niece too. He did not (sign it). Kids were disappointed in that.”
Here’s an updated list of University of Tennessee players on NFL rosters before roster cutdowns to 53 players and before practice squads are announced. I’ll have another update after releases are official next week and practice squads are set.
I’ve included depth chart listings from either the team’s “unofficial” depth chart or Ourlads’ reported depth charts.
Tennessee Volunteers In The NFL as of 8/27/23 (34) x = rookie AFC East (3) DT – Kendal Vickers (93) Buffalo Bills (3rd team LDT) DB – Bryce Thompson (42) Miami Dolphins (4th team SS) LB – AJ Johnson (59) Miami Dolphins (3rd team LILB) NONE – New England Patriots, New York Jets
AFC North (2) RB – John Kelly (41) Cleveland Browns (4th team RB) WR – Cedric Tillman (89) Cleveland Browns (2nd team SWR)-x NONE – Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South (1) LS – Morgan Cox (46) Tennessee Titans (LS) NONE – Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars
AFC West (6) WR – Marquez Callaway (11) Denver Broncos (2nd team LWR) OL – Jerome Carvin (67) Kansas City Chiefs (3rd team RG) OL – Trey Smith (65) Kansas City Chiefs (Starting RG) WR – Joshua Palmer (5) Los Angeles Chargers (2nd team RWR) FB – Jakob Johnson (45) Las Vegas Raiders (FB) DL – Matthew Butler (73) Las Vegas Raiders (3rd team LDT)
NFC East (3) TE – Princeton Fant (48) Dallas Cowboys (7th team TE)-x WR – Jalin Hyatt (84) New York Giants (2nd team LWR)-x DE – Derek Barnett (96) Philadelphia Eagles (2nd team RDE) NONE – Washington Commanders
NFC North (7) WR – Velus Jones Jr. (12) Chicago Bears (2nd team LWR/Starting PR/starting KR/PR) OL – Darnell Wright (58) Chicago Bears (starting RT)-x QB – Hendon Hooker (12) Detroit Lions (4th team QB/NFI list)-x CB – Emmanuel Moseley (4) Detroit Lions (PUP list) DB – Cameron Sutton (1) Detroit Lions (Starting RCB) LB – Jalen Reeves-Maybin (42) Detroit Lions (3rd team WLB) DB – Theo Jackson (25) Minnesota Vikings (3rd team FS) NONE – Green Bay Packers
NFC South (7) WR – Cordarrelle Patterson (84) Atlanta Falcons (3rd team RB/starting KR) DB – Micah Abernathy (29) Atlanta Falcons (3rd team SS) OL – Cade Mays (66) Carolina Panthers (2nd team RG) DT – Shy Tuttle (99) Carolina Panthers (Starting DE) RB – Alvin Kamara (41) New Orleans Saints (SUS list) CB – Alontae Taylor (1) New Orleans Saints (Starting LCB) DL – Kyle Phillips (91) New Orleans Saints (4th team LDE) NONE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West (5) QB – Joshua Dobbs (–) Arizona Cardinals (TBD QB) LB – Byron Young (0) Los Angeles Rams (Starting LOLB)-x DE – Darrell Taylor (52) Seattle Seahawks (Starting LOLB) DL – LaTrell Bumphus (77) Seattle Seahawks (Injured List) WR – Jauan Jennings (15) San Francisco 49ers (Starting SWR) NONE – Arizona Cardinals
Vince Ferrara and Joshua Dobbs / Credit: UT Athletics
A photo of the items seized during a traffic stop on I-75 on August 20. Items shown include a handgun, a bag of fentanyl pills, money, and drug paraphernalia. (Courtesy: Loudon County Sheriff’s Office)
Loudon, TN (WOKI) A traffic stop late Sunday night, August 20, on I-75 in Loudon County results in a big drug bust for the sheriff’s office.
Officials with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office report four people were arrested after deputies found over 2 lbs. of pressed fentanyl pills and approximately $8,000 in cash during a probable cause search of the suspects’ vehicle following a traffic stop on the highway.
LCSO says the pills have a street value of $275,000. They say Richard Allen Jr., Jayden Jennings, Krista McDaniel, and Seneca Gentry were arrested and are facing drug charges.
Loudon County Drug Trafficking Suspects, left to right: Richard Allen Jr., Seneca Gentry, Jayden Jennings, Krista McDaniel (Courtesy: LCSO)
Additionally, when McDaniel entered the Loudon County Detention Center, LCSO said she “introduced approximately 80 pressed fentanyl pills and 1 oz of fentanyl powder.” Along with drug charges, McDaniel faces charges of assault, introduction of contraband into a penal facility, identity theft, and tampering with evidence.
The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees on Friday approved Tennessee Athletics’ request to increase the budget for phase 1 of the historic Neyland Stadium renovation project by $49 million to $337 million.
The project aligns with Tennessee Athletics’ stated goals of modernizing the fan and visitor experience through enhanced amenities and diversified seating options, improving fan safety and security and aligning stadium features and aesthetics with campus architectural standards.
Last fall, guests at Neyland Stadium observed a totally new state-of-the-art videoboard in the stadium’s north upper deck, enhanced video components in the existing south videoboard and the introduction of two new premium amenities in the lower-west club and upper-north social deck.
Future updates feature necessary upgrades to the south side and perimeter of the stadium, including the widening of concourses, construction of expanded gates and entryways and additional restrooms and concessions areas. The delivery of this component will dramatically improve fan comfort and safety, reduce wait times and allow for more food and beverage offerings.
(Courtesy: Tennessee Valley Authority Facebook Page)
Chattanooga, TN (WOKI) Electricity will soon cost more in East Tennessee.
Tennessee Valley Authority’s directors approved a 4.5% electricity rate increase Thursday in addition to $15 billion in investments for building additional electricity generation capacity and upgrading its power grid.
TVA officials say the agency expects demand to increase by 30% over the next 10 years and are working to add 3,800 megawatts to the system.
The rate increase amounts to an average of $3.50 a month on a typical monthly residential energy bill. Prior to this increase, TVA’s base power rates had remained flat for four years.
For the complete news release from TVA and to learn more, click here.
(Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones’ Facebook page)
Madisonville, TN (WOKI) A local fentanyl distribution network is disrupted after a late night drug bust in Monroe County.
Officials with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office say Andrew Wayne Pierce was arrested late Wednesday night following a traffic stop on Highway 411 in the Gudger area; they say Pierce is a “key individual” in the local trafficking of fentanyl.
Andrew Wayne Pierce (Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones’ Facebook page)
MCSO reports a search of Pierce’s vehicle revealed “a staggering haul of 196 pressed fentanyl pills,” commonly known as ‘fen balls’ along with cash and other contraband.
Pierce was taken into custody without any incident and transported to the Monroe County Jail.
