The Southeastern Conference today announced the appearance schedule at its annual SEC Football Kickoff Media Days presented by Regions, set to take place July 17-20 at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Nashville, Tenn.
This will be the first time for the event to be held in Nashville and the third time for the event to travel outside of the Birmingham metro area. Atlanta has previously hosted the event in both 2018 and 2022.
A more detailed daily schedule with full television information, rotational breakdown and student-athletes attending will be available prior to the event in early July.
SEC Network will once again bring the four-day event to a national audience.
Names below are listed alphabetically by school and not an indicator of actual order of appearance. Media registration for the event will begin in early-May.
2023 SEC FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS SCHEDULE
MONDAY, July 17 LSU – Brian Kelly Missouri – Eliah Drinkwitz Texas A&M – Jimbo Fisher
TUESDAY, July 18 Auburn – Hugh Freeze Georgia – Kirby Smart Mississippi State – Zach Arnett Vanderbilt – Clark Lea
WEDNESDAY, July 19 Alabama – Nick Saban Arkansas – Sam Pittman Florida – Billy Napier Kentucky – Mark Stoops
THURSDAY, July 20 Ole Miss – Lane Kiffin South Carolina – Shane Beamer Tennessee – Josh Heupel
PHOENIX, Ariz. – No. 2 Tennessee opens its highly-anticipated 2023 campaign at the MLB Desert Invitational this weekend with three games in the greater Phoenix area.
The Volunteers kick things off with a challenging weekend slate against the likes of Arizona, Grand Canyon and UC San Diego in three different venues.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for this weekend’s MLB Desert Invitational can be purchased HERE.
BROADCAST INFO
UT’s contests against Arizona and Grand Canyon on Friday and Saturday will be televised on the MLB Network and all three games will also be streamed on MLB.com, free of charge.
Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson call the action for all three games via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday vs. Arizona – 8 p.m. ET (MLB Network) Venue: Salter River Fields at Talking Stick (Scottsdale, Ariz.) Projected Starters: RHP Chase Dollander vs. RHP TJ Nichols
Saturday at Grand Canyon – 8 p.m. ET (MLB Network) Venue: Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark (Phoenix, Ariz.) Projected Starters: RHP Chase Burns vs. LHP Connor Markl
Sunday vs. UC San Diego – 2 p.m. ET (MLB.com) Venue: Sloan Park (Mesa, Ariz.) Projected Starters: RHP Drew Beam vs. RHP Michael Mitchell
SERIES HISTORY
Vols vs. Arizona Overall: First Meeting in Knoxville: 0-0 in Tucson: 0-0 at Neutral Sites: 0-0 Last Meeting: N/A
Vols vs. Grand Canyon Overall: Vols lead, 3-1 in Knoxville: 2-1 in Phoenix: 1-0 at Neutral Sites: 0-0 Last Meeting: W, 25-8 in Phoenix (Feb. 26, 2016)
Vols vs. UC San Diego Overall: First Meeting in Knoxville: 0-0 in San Diego: 0-0 at Neutral Sites: 0-0 Last Meeting: N/A
NOTABLE
Preseason Hype After posting one of the most dominant regular-seasons in college baseball history and coming up one win short of a return trip to the College World Series, Tennessee enters the 2023 season with lofty expectations. The Vols are ranked No. 2 in five of the six major college baseball polls, marking the highest preseason ranking in program history. In 2022, UT was ranked No. 1 in at least one poll during 12 weeks of the season and spent 10 weeks as the nation’s unanimous top-ranked team. The Big Orange were picked to finish atop the SEC Eastern Division after winning the SEC Regular Season and SEC Tournament titles last year.
The Big Orange also boast a program-record seven preseason All-Americans, including a pair of unanimous preseason first-team All-Americans in starting pitchers Chase Dollander and Chase Burns. Tennessee had four players earn preseason All-SEC honors and had four players named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, as well.
Fast Starts & Early Season Success During Tony Vitello‘s tenure as head coach, the Vols have gotten off the fast starts on a consistent basis and have had unprecedented early-season success. The Big Orange had one of the best starts in NCAA and SEC history last season, going 31-1 in their first 32 games. During that stretch, the Vols won a program-record 23 consecutive games, which was also tied for the second-longest win streak by an SEC team in a single season.
Tennessee has started the season at least 6-0 in each of the past four years and have posted two of the best starts in program history in that span, going 15-0 in 2019 and 13-0 to start the 2020 campaign.
All-American Weekend Rotation The Vols enter the 2023 season with the nation’s top weekend rotation, returning three All-American arms in Dollander, Burns and Drew Beam. The trio of right handers combined for a 26-3 record last season over 43 starts while totaling 273 strikeouts. All three were tabbed first-team preseason All-Americans by at least one outlet and were named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.
Non-Con Domination Tennessee has been extremely successful against non-conference opponents since the start of the 2019 season, posting a 94-17 record in that span. In 2022 and 2021, the Vols posted a 53-10 record against out-of-conference opponents, going 28-4 a season ago after posting a 25-6 non-conference record in 2021. Since, 2019, UT has faced just one opponent from the three conferences it will face at the MLB Desert Invitational (Pac-12, WAC, Big West), defeating Stanford, 7-2, at the Round Rock Classic in 2020.
OPPONENT SCOUT
Arizona Wildcats
2022 Record: 39-25 (16-14 Pac-12)
2022 Postseason: NCAA Coral Gables Regional
2023 Big 12 Preseason Poll: 4th
Head Coach: Chip Hale (2nd season)
Preseason All-Conference Selections (4):
OF Chase Davis, INF Nik McClaughry, RHP TJ Nichols, RHP Trevor Long
Grand Canyon Lopes
2022 Record: 41-21 (25-5 WAC)
2022 Postseason: NCAA Stillwater Regional
2023 WAC Preseason Poll: 1st
Head Coach: Gregg Wallis (1st season)
Preseason All-Conference Selections (4):
SS Jacob Wilson, RHP Daniel Avitia, INF Elijah Buries, LHP Connor Markl
UC San Diego Tritons
2022 Record: 24-32 (13-17 Big West)
2022 Postseason: N/A
2023 Big West Preseason Poll: 8th
Head Coach: Eric Newman (12th season)
Preseason All-Conference Selections (1):
INF Jalen Smith
ON DECK
The Vols return to Knoxville for their home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 21 against Alabama A&M at 4:30 p.m., kicking off a 15-game homestand prior to the start of SEC play in mid-March.
Tickets for non-conference home games can be purchased at AllVols.com.
Below is a list of VFLs, former University of Tennessee football players, that are on opening day rosters for the rebirth of the XFL.
The XFL is now owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The season begins Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 3pm on ABC. See the full schedule of games and get more info on the XFL here.
The list also notes one-time Vols that transferred out and finished their careers at different schools.
There are 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on XFL rosters to start the season. Look for them with jersey numbers provided.
KNOXVILLE, TN – March 25, 2021 – Bryce Thompson during 2021 Pro Day on the Robert E. White indoor field in the Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Below is a list of VFLs, former University of Tennessee football players, that are on opening day rosters for the rebirth of the XFL.
The XFL is now owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The season begins Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 3pm on ABC. See the full schedule of games and get more info on the XFL here.
The list also notes one-time Vols that transferred out and finished their careers at different schools.
There are 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on XFL rosters to start the season. Look for them with jersey numbers provided.
KNOXVILLE, TN – March 25, 2021 – Bryce Thompson during 2021 Pro Day on the Robert E. White indoor field in the Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
You have often heard this season that Tennessee was a Final Four caliber team.
You heard it from Tom Izzo of Michigan State and Mark Few of Gonzaga after a scrimmage and exhibition game.
You heard it after Tennessee clobbered Kansas 64-50 and mauled Mississippi State 87-53.
You heard it after the Vols tamed Top 10 Texas 82-71 as recently as Jan. 28.
But there was the home loss to a slightly above average Kentucky team on Chris Lofton Day.
There was the 13-point loss at Florida.
There was the 46-43 win over Auburn in which UT shot less than 30% from the field for the fourth time this season.
Then came the 3-point buzzer beater losses to unranked Vanderbilt and Missouri.
Will the real Tennessee team stand up?
Maybe it did against top-ranked Alabama before a sold-out crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee took charge in the second half and outlasted Alabama for an impressive 68-59 victory that pinned the first SEC loss of the season on the Crimson Tide and fortified UT’s NCAA Tournament resume – not to mention a double bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
It was a terrific bounce back after two gut–wrenching defeats.
Tennessee’s top-ranked defense returned to form as the Vols scored 26 points off 19 Alabama turnovers. The Vols held Bama to 35.4% shooting from the field and 9 of 24 on 3-point tries.
And Tennessee won despite shooting 36.5% from the field and only 6 of 23 from beyond the arc.
Was this performance worthy of Final Four speculation? Did it make you think the Vols are capable of making a run in the NCAA Tournament?
Yes. But this is a team that still hasn’t shown much consistency – except on defense.
Offense is the main culprit, but UT has won twice against ranked opponents when shooting less than 30%. It has is 10-4 when shooting less than 44%. It beat the No. 1 in the nation shooting less than 40%.
But as we all know, one bad shooting night can ruin an NCAA run.
Tennessee assistant Rod Clark said he was glad UT played Alabama last night because, after two touch losses, it’s not hard to get up play the No. 1 team in the country.
He also said point guard Zakai Ziegler would be ready, saying he would take Ziegler “over anybody in the country.’’
Clark: “He’s electric. He’s a competitor. He’s tough. He’s gritty.’’ He said the Vols must pulls the reigns on him sometimes because he’s like a caged dog a lot of times. He just wans to go out and bite everybody.’’
Ziegler took a bit out of Alabama, and so did his teammates.
UT is now 5-15 against teams ranked No. 1 in the nation.
The Vols hit all four of my keys entering the game.
Defend the 3-point line. UT allowed Vanderbilt to hit 10 treys and Missouri was 14 of 26 from beyond the arc. Alabama hit 37.5% (9×24).
A big defensive effort from center Jonas Aidoo. Aidoo blocked three shots, effected others and added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Contain the SEC’s leading scorer, Brandon Miller (18.8 points per game). Miller scored 15 on 4 of 11 shooting with Jahmai Mashack as the primary defender.
A strong performance from Ziegler. The sophomore had 15 points and eight assists.
Will Tennessee play like a Final Four caliber team this Saturday at Kentucky?
Nobody knows for sure. But we do know they are capable of an outstanding performance.
Two Knox County School students are arrested for making threats at two schools.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Crimes Unit took a student at Gibbs Middle School and Powell High School into custody yesterday (Wednesday) for “threats of mass destruction.
Both students were taken to the Juvenile Detention Center and officials reiterated that parents should talk to their kids about the seriousness of making threats in an effort to prevent them from happening.
Tennessee’s Hands-free law may come with harsher penalties if a new bill proposed by some Lawmakers becomes law.
It will establish a number of points that may be charged to a person’s driving record after two or more violations of the Hands Free Law.
Lawmakers say adding more consequences to distracted driving will help save lives.
Currently, for the first violation of the Hands Free Law, you can receive a fine of up to $50. With this proposed bill, drivers that accumulate 12 or more points on their driving record within any 12-month period could lose their driving privileges for a period of six to 12 months if they don’t request a hearing.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Behind a dominant defensive effort and a second-half scoring run, the 10th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers bested No. 1 Alabama, 68-59, Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Vols (20-6, 9-4 SEC) earned their sixth win over the Associated Press No. 1 team in program history and its second win over the top-ranked team at Thompson-Boling Arena. The victory also marked UT’s second top-five win of the year after defeating No. 3 Kansas at the Battle 4 Atlantis in November. For head coach Rick Barnes, he has now toppled 10 top-five opponents at the helm of the Vols, including the last five tries in a row.
Sophomore Jonas Aidoo was fantastic for Tennessee, recording his first career double-double and providing a spark in his second rotation of the second half. After coming back on the court, Aidoo drained both of his shots, secured three rebounds and stuffed Noah Clowney at the rim with 8:18 on the clock, leading to two points on the other end which helped the Vols finish off an 11-3 run in the middle of the period that provided the distance UT needed to win. For the game, the sophomore had 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Offensively, Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi led the way in scoring, each tallying 15 points. Both did so in near identical ways, as they both made three 3-pointers, four free throws and a field goal. Zeigler was spotless in spreading the rock, dishing out eight assists without committing a turnover. Vescovi, on the other hand, made noise on the glass, tying his season-high in rebounds with eight.
Tennessee and Alabama traded blows for nearly the entirety of the game. After going into the half tied at 29, the Big Orange began the second half with a bang, drawing up an alley-oop from Zeigler to Olivier Nkamhoua just eight seconds into the period. The jam brought the sold-out crowd to its feet early, energizing the 21,678 fans in attendance to feed the floor for the coming run.
Alabama knotted the game at 40 with 14:09 left in the game, but once Tennessee kicked off its aforementioned 11-3 run, it never looked back. After the Vols built a lead as large as nine, the Tide were unable to threaten again, as Vescovi, Zeigler and Aidoo were quick to stop any Bama momentum, hitting a layup or knocking down a clutch free throw.
The suffocating defense was on display from the jump, as Tennessee pressured Alabama for the entire 40 minutes. In the first half alone, UT had seven steals while conceding only four turnovers. The Big Orange outscored Alabama 17-0 in points off turnovers in the first half and finished the night with a 26-2 margin. In total, the Vols forced Alabama to turn the ball over 19 times, stealing 11 of those, while giving away just eight turnovers themselves.
For the game, Alabama made just 17 field goals, its fewest of the season. The team shot 35.4 percent, its second-lowest percentage of the season, and National Player of the Year candidate Brandon Miller was held to just four made baskets on 11 attempts–lsrgely thanks to the relentless defense of Vols sophomore Jahmai Mashack, who pestered and frustrated the projected NBA Lottery Pick throughout the game.
UP NEXT: Tennessee hits the road, taking on Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, Saturday at Rupp Arena. The game tips off at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS.
DOWN GOES NO. 1: Wednesday’s victory over No. 1 Alabama marked Tennessee’s sixth all-time win over an AP No. 1 ranked team.
Along with a 76-73 win over No. 1 Gonzaga on Dec. 9, 2018, Tennessee has now won two straight games against top-ranked teams. The Vols are also now 2-1 against top-ranked teams in Thompson-Boling Arena, with the other win coming over No. 1 Kansas on Jan. 10, 2010.
TOP-FIVE WIN STREAK GROWS: With Wednesday’s win over top-ranked Alabama, Tennessee has now won five straight games over AP top-five opponents.
The Vols defeated No. 4 Kentucky, No. 3 Auburn and No. 5 Kentucky (SEC Tournament) last season before taking down No. 3 Kansas and No. 1 Alabama this season. Not included in that streak is a 99-80 exhibition win over No. 2 Gonzaga on Oct. 28 in Frisco, Texas.
Wednesday’s victory marked Tennessee’s 10th win over a top-five opponent during the Rick Barnes era.
ANOTHER TOP-10 TBA TAKEDOWN: Wednesday’s victory also marked Tennessee’s sixth straight home win over an AP top-10 opponent.
Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Tennessee and No. 1 Alabama marked just the third men’s top-10 matchup in the 36-year history of Thompson-Boling Arena, but was the second this season.
The Knox County Health Department released the 2022 Knox County High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which is designed to track behaviors that negatively affect the physical and mental health of high schoolers. The survey, which is also conducted on a state and nationwide level, focuses on issues such as self-harm and violence, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, and weight control and diet. The full report can be found here.
“As one of only a few counties who conduct their own YRBS, we know how important it is to get a glimpse into the major health concerns that affect students in our community,” said KCHD Senior Director Kevin Parton. “With the information from this report, we, along with our partners, can assess current efforts and better determine the resources that students and their families need.”
Several of the findings included in the analysis reflect improving outcomes, such as declines in cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and riding in a vehicle without a seatbelt. However, several of the findings are concerning, especially regarding physical activity, feelings of sadness of hopelessness, and illegal drug use. Several of these key findings can be found in the YRBS “At A Glance”, attached to this media release.
“Supporting the social and emotional well-being of students is an essential part of our work, and this report provides important insight into some of the challenges they face,” said Jason Myers, Assistant Superintendent of Student Success for Knox County Schools.
The 2022 Knox County YRBS was administered in March 2022 and included a sample of ninth through 12th grade students in Knox County Schools. This report is a joint effort between KCHD and Knox County Schools, with support from the Metro Drug Coalition. The YRBS is designed to assist local agencies in planning and policy formation to improve overall health in the county, especially the health of adolescents.
The 2023 Knox County YRBS will be based on input from middle school students; these two age groups are assessed in alternate years.
Knoxville Police are investigating a fatal shooting in West Knoxville.
Officers responding to Badgett Drive near Goins Drive last night (Tuesday) and found 21 year-old Rahleik Garcia, of Johnson City suffering from at least one gunshot wound, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police believe there are multiple possible suspects who ran from the scene.
Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.
