Congrats to Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde as their song “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” is named Music Event Of The Year at the 57th ACM Awards.
Photo Courtesy of Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Athletics will host “All Vol Weekend,” a fan-friendly spring weekend featuring multiple Volunteer teams in action and a fan fest tailgate, April 7-10 on campus.
Baseball welcomes Missouri for a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium with first pitches set for 6:30 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Fans will be treated to a postgame fireworks show on Saturday evening. All three contests are sold out.
Due to construction in Neyland Stadium and scheduling conflicts with other venues, the traditional Orange & White Game will not be played this spring.
However, Volunteer Village at Humanities Plaza will welcome fans and feature two big screens that will carry football’s 1 p.m. scrimmage on Saturday, April 9. In addition to live interviews with head coach Josh Heupel, VFLs and other guests on the screen, Volunteer Village will showcase food trucks, music and activities for all ages from noon-3 p.m. Saturday.
The football scrimmage will take place at the Anderson Training Center and be closed to the general public. There will be no live digital stream of the scrimmage.
Meanwhile, the Tennessee track and field teams host the Tennessee Relays April 7-9 at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium. Women’s tennis takes on Vanderbilt at noon Friday and Kentucky at noon Sunday. Soccer’s spring slate continues against Clemson at 1 p.m. Saturday at Regal Stadium.
Additional information on “All Vol Weekend,” including parking details will be announced soon.
Renovations are well underway in Neyland Stadium featuring two new videoboards on the north and south ends of the stadium, a lower-west premium club, enhanced chairback seating in multiple lower-west sections and a party deck social gathering space on the stadium’s upper north end.
Construction recently began at Anderson Training Center, which is undergoing a $30 million upgrade and expansion. Anderson Training Center has served as the exclusive home of Vol football since 2013. The student-athlete-centric project will include an additional 36,000 square-feet and renovate nearly 100,000 square-feet of existing space.
Existing season ticket holders can renew their tickets for the 2022 football campaign now by visiting AllVols.com. Deadline for renewals is May 1. Fans wishing to purchase new season tickets can do so as well at AllVols.com or by contacting the UT Athletic Ticket Office at (865) 946-7000.
“All Vol Weekend”| April 7-10
All times Eastern
Thursday, April 7
All Day – Track and Field, Tennessee Relays at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium
Friday, April 8
All Day – Track and Field, Tennessee Relays at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium
Noon – Women’s Tennis vs. Vanderbilt at Barksdale Tennis Stadium
6:30 p.m. – Baseball vs. Missouri at Lindsey Nelson Stadium
Saturday, April 9
All Day – Track and Field, Tennessee Relays at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium
12-3 p.m. – Volunteer Village Fan Fest open at Humanities Plaza in Circle Park
1 p.m. – Soccer vs. Clemson at Regal Stadium
7 p.m. – Baseball vs. Missouri at Lindsey Nelson Stadium (postgame fireworks)
Sunday, April 10
Noon – Women’s Tennis vs. Kentucky at Barksdale Tennis Stadium
1 p.m. – Baseball vs. Missouri at Lindsey Nelson Stadium
-UT Athletics
Assistant Coach Justin Gainey Transcript
On his impression of the SEC in his first year at Tennessee…
“I have been in the ACC, Pac-12, and the Big East as well. This year, in the SEC, has been as good as any league that I have ever been a part of. When you talk about the coaches, there is some high level and highly-respected coaches in this league, and the talent, it is high-end talent and the style of play and the physicality all make this league special and one of the best leagues in college basketball, if not the best.”
On being more encouraged by Saturday’s first half or more concerned watching the second half…
“That is a good question. I felt like, for around 32 minutes in that game, we played at a high level. That last eight minutes, credit to Arkansas they kept on competing and fighting. I think we did give them some opportunities with some turnovers, but they kept on coming. That is a good basketball team, arguably one of the best in the league. We knew they weren’t going to roll over and stop fighting, but yes we were very encouraged with 32 minutes of that game, and with the last eight, we saw some areas in film of where we need to get better and improve.”
On the line between knowing what goes into winning and losing and how you coach that into players…
“Coach (Barnes) is absolutely right on that, there is a fine line. We have a mature, older group of guys that can balance both sides of that coin. With our group, we don’t feel any type of hesitation about talking about both sides of it, because of the strong leadership we have. For the guys that have been in the fire and through the battles, they know, because it’s real. With these guys, you have to be 100 percent real with them, because they see through the fake. We are dealing with some smart young men. It is not like back when I played, when whatever coach said I ran with. Now, guys can look stuff up and if I tell them this guy is a deadeye shooter, and he is only shooting 20 percent from three, they are going to look through the clips and do their own research. I think being completely honest with them and taking about both sides is key. You have got trust that you have a mature enough group, which we do, to be able to handle it, absorb it, and take it all in to be able to execute the gameplan and do what is needed to be done. To not only win the game, but also to become a better team and to continue to improve each game.”
On how challenging it is not knowing who your opponent will be while trying to perform scouting report in a tournament setting…
“That is what the early-season tournaments prepare you for. It prepares the team, and also the coaching staff on what we really need to focus on, and which points are important. The SEC Tournament is a little different because we are playing guys we have already played before, and teams that we watch on the regular. I think as you look ahead to the NCAA Tournament, it gets a little different because these are teams that might not even be in the same region that you are coming from. Scouting gets a little different and tricky there. We have a great staff, a big staff, we have an all-hands-on deck mentality, and we will have everybody from managers to GAs, whether it is gathering stats, looking at film, all those guys are able to have input and help us prepare a presentation for the guys. One that makes sense to them, and not too much information and one that gets directly to the point on what is important as far as trying to get a victory. I would say, for the SEC Tournament, it will be tricky, but we are facing teams we are familiar with. We are all familiar with each other.”
On what he saw the difference in rebounding was against Arkansas…
“I think for Arkansas, the last four minutes of the first half. They brought in Kamani Johnson, number 20. I felt like he came in with a certain energy level, a certain level of activity. To end that half, we didn’t get a body on him, for whatever reason. That gave them confidence going into the second half and his role kind of increased in that second half, and his activity continued. Then some long rebounds came out and so, I would attribute it to us not boxing out really and in some circumstances, not pursuing the ball. That’s we harp on, we talk a lot about rebounding the basketball. He’s different because he’s smaller, but a lot more slippery and really active. We didn’t do a good job of hitting him.”
On where he has seen Jonas Aidoo grow the most and what’s next for him…
“I think with Jonas, the biggest growth has come physically, with his body. He’s a kid that wasn’t highly recruited in high school, had a prep year, and saw his whole recruitment change. Up until he got here this summer, he had never consistently competed with someone his size, that was new to him. Our strength and conditioning program was totally new to him. Having to play in the paint for long stretches was new, because he’s kind of a hybrid-stretch five type of guy. So, all of that, with his frame, he came in around 200 to 205 pounds. Maybe a little heavier than that, maybe 215. Anyways, he was lighter so there was a lot of things happening with his body. The biggest adjustment I’ve seen from a physicality standpoint, he’s gotten himself in a lot better shape and he’s a lot stronger. He had a stretch early on where he was taking strides, but then he got sick, a knee issue, and all that stuff kind of set him back. Right now, I think we’re seeing a kid that has adjusted to the college game and that he’s put on some weight and understanding how physical the game is and he’s making that adjustment. I don’t he’s anywhere near where he’s going to end up. I think he has a lot of growth. He’s just scratching the surface, but he’s a willing learner and he works really hard. It’s exciting, it’s really exciting to see because he brings a different dynamic to our defense especially.”
On how he thinks the younger players will do in the tournament for the first time…
“You never know, right? You never know because this is their first SEC Tournament. You would hope that the Mohegan Sun event (Hall of Fame Tip-Off) kind of gave a little feel of what it’s like to play back-to-back games and in this situation, we’re hoping to go back-to-back-to-back, but that’s when we rely on the older guys to talk to them. We’ll prepare them as much as we can, and coach Barnes will have a plan in place to make sure everybody is prepared through conversations, practice, and video. I think they will understand the magnitude of it, but it’s totally different when you step foot on that court. Again, with our older guys and being able to lean on them, they’re good players. It won’t take long for them to be like, okay this is a normal game now. Up until that point, we will do everything we can to prepare them before and to make sure we’ve talked them through it and what’s at stake here.”
On how he has seen Kennedy Chandler use his long wingspan on defense to his advantage…
“He does. He has a really long wingspan. I would say he uses it to make an impact defense because he takes certain risks—reaching, hands in passing lanes, and I know earlier in the season he was getting blocks from behind. All of those things impact our defense. For him, we like to pressure the ball and because of his length, he doesn’t have to be as close to the ball since he has active hands and how long he is. I think it makes it tougher for guys to go by him and he’s able to keep guys in front of him a little bit better. But no, it does help. And having him at the head of your defense, being able to disrupt and be disruptive, making entry passes tough, making offense tough, is always a good thing.”
On the progression of Brandon Huntley-Hatfield…
“It’s been a fun process with him as well. From a physical standpoint, he wasn’t in the best shape that he could’ve been. I don’t know if he thought the college level of basketball would be as hard as it is—not necessarily the games themselves, but the day-to-day grind of what it takes to be good. He continues to work, and the thing I love about Brandon is that he wants to be great. He’s going to work, absorb everything you say to him, try to emulate what you’re saying, and do it. What we’re seeing now is the work that he’s put in from the beginning and it’s all starting to come together for him. There are some things where he needs to be better just like anyone, but I’ve seen the biggest growth in his intensity level and his preparation for games. Now, he’s asking questions to the scouting coach like who he needs to guard, what he needs to watch out for, and what certain players like to do. Those are all things that mature players start to ask. It’s fun to see his progress.”
On Tennessee’s freshman guards…
“They have a lot of weight on their shoulders. I can relate to them because my path was similar. Like them, I had older guys to help me, and I think Kennedy and Zakai will be the first to tell you that they wouldn’t have had the success they had, if it wasn’t for Santi, Josiah, and VJ coaching them up and taking pressure off them at times. Both Kennedy and Zakai are talented young men. They possess elite basketball skills but also have this confidence and toughness about them that allow them to compete in this tough league. There have been nights where both guys haven’t gotten the best out of their matchup, but they don’t hang their heads, they keep working and rely on coaches and their teammates. Both of those guys are super talented, and the older guys have allowed them to do what they do and run the point guard position for our team at a high level.”
On Jordan Gainey being named the Big South Co-Freshman of the Year…
“It was awesome. As a dad, it was great to see. I know he was excited, but I might’ve been the most excited about it. Seeing his progress through the year and where he came from, leaving high school and not having a Division I offer; he didn’t want to walk on anywhere and told me, ‘Dad, I want to play.’ He went to prep school during COVID, nobody really got to see him play other than on video but USC Upstate took a chance on him. To see that whole progression makes me proud of him, his toughness, and his love for the game. It makes me feel good. I watch every one of his games and try to be a dad and not coach. When he asks me a question, I am ready to give him my input on it.”
Freshman Zakai Zeigler Quotables
On what the GoFundMe created raise money for his family meant to him…
“It meant everything. I didn’t even expect the support to be that much. I knew everybody had love for me, but after that, it just blew me and my family away. Nothing but great words for Vol Nation.”
On what the experience has been like playing at Thompson-Boling Arena and going undefeated at home…
“The best experience ever. A couple years ago, I never would have thought that I’d be playing in this situation or sitting in this situation right now. Every night that I go out and play, whether I’m playing good or bad, I leave saying what a blessing it is playing in front of all these people.”
On how tough the conference schedule has been and if he was happy about the five-day break…
“(The break) is really good. We know that we need to rest our bodies and that we have some really big, really important games coming up. It’s money time right now. March is the biggest time of year, so we know we’re going to need our bodies and rest our bodies, and just get locked in.”
On how he’s helped Kennedy Chandler and how Chandler has helped him…
“I think we’ve helped each other with our speed. I’m not sure if he’s guarded someone as quick as I am, but I definitely have never guarded anyone as fast as he is. So, he has helped me in a tremendous way. Nobody has ever put that much pressure on me coming downhill. When we’re in practice, I think about how hard it is to guard him in transition. Just for him to run at me full speed, it’s one of the hardest players I’ve ever had to guard in that situation, seriously.”
-UT Athletics
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 3 Tennessee returns to Lindsey Nelson Stadium after its weekend trip to Houston to kick off a 10-game home stand with a pair of midweek games against James Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
The Vols are coming off a 2-1 showing at the Shriners Children’s College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, where they finished with a pair of wins over Baylor and Oklahoma after opening the tournament with a loss to top-ranked Texas.
For the most updated gameday information related to Tennessee baseball, please visit our Gameday Central page by clicking HERE. The baseball Gameday Central page contains info in regard to tickets, parking, stadium policies and more.
Season tickets and single-game tickets for SEC contests are SOLD OUT. Single-game tickets for all remaining non-conference home games can be purchased at AllVols.com or by calling the Tennessee Athletic ticket office at 865-656-1200.
Single-game tickets can also be purchased through Vivid Seats, the exclusive resale marketplace for Tennessee Athletics, by clicking HERE.
In order to keep Lindsey Nelson Stadium as full as possible, we are encouraging season ticket holders who are unable to use their tickets for a game(s) to either transfer your tickets to someone else (Instructions HERE).
Tuesday and Wednesday’s games will be streamed on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app with Andy Brock calling the action. The online broadcast can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.
Fans can also listen to the live audio call by John Wilkerson and Vince Ferrara on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
Overall: Tennessee leads, 3-2
In Knoxville: JMU leads, 2-1
In Harrisonburg: 0-0
Neutral Sites: UT leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: L, 21-2 (March 7, 2018)
The Vols and Dukes split a two-game midweek series in Knoxville the last time the two programs met back in 2018.
Climbing in the Polls
After another successful week, the Vols continued their climb in the national polls. Tennessee is ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation this week (Collegiate Baseball News) in the polls that have been released. UT rose seven spots to No. 10 in the D1Baseball.com Top 25 and climbed five spots to No. 11 in Baseball America’s poll.
Vols Love the Long Ball
After blasting six more home runs last week, Tennessee enters Week 4 of the season with a NCAA-leading 30 long balls through 11 games. The Vols have had 12 different players go deep this season, including 11 who have hit multiple homers. UT also leads the country in slugging percentage (.721) entering play this week.
Another Day, Another Shutout
With Sunday’s 8-0 blanking of Oklahoma, the Vols posted their fourth shutout of the season, which is the most in the country entering this week. Tennessee posted just three shutouts all of last season and had just one in the regular season.
Heading into Tuesday’s game, UT’s pitching staff ranks seventh nationally in ERA (1.69), first in hits allowed per nine innings (5.06), fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.68), fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.3) and second in WHIP (0.85).
The Kids Can Play
While Tennessee has gotten contributions from nearly its entire roster so far this season, its freshman class has been outstanding to start the year. The Vols’ pair of freshman weekend starters Chase Burns and Drew Beam have been lights out in each of their three starts this year.
Burns held the top-ranked Longhorns to just two hits and one run in five innings while setting a career high with 10 strikeouts on Friday night while Beam also allowed just two hits and had a career-high six strikeouts over five shutout innings in UT’s 8-0 win over Oklahoma on Sunday. Beam has yet to allow a run in three starts (11.1 IP) this season while Burns have given up just one earned run in 15.0 innings.
True freshmen position players Christian Moore and Blake Burke provided some highlights over the weekend. Moore got the start at DH and went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs in Sunday’s win over Oklahoma. Moore also hit an inside-the-park home run, the first since Zach Daniels had one in a win over Texas Tech on Feb. 21, 2020 at the Round Rock Classic. Burke hit a pinch-hit home run late in Sunday’s victory over the Sooners, his second long ball of the year.
James Madison Dukes
Gameday promotions for all Tennessee athletics home events can be found on the UT Fan Experience page by clicking HERE.
Fans are encouraged to download the My All App for their phones and devices this season. The app is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and will allow fans to participate in in-game trivia, the custom filter selfie cam and more throughout the year.
NEW TO LINDSEY NELSON STADIUM
With a palpable excitement surrounding the program, Lindsey Nelson Stadium has added some new and improved seating areas and fan amenities to increase capacity and provide a better fan experience this season.
One of the first things fans will see upon arriving is an additional deck of porches behind the left-field wall as well as new chair-back bleacher seating down the left-field line.
All porches for the 2022 season are sold out, however, the left-field bleachers will be sold as general admission seating. Additional food and beverage options will be located next to the new bleachers throughout the year. For SEC games, a VolShop location and food trucks will be located in that area, as well.
UT has removed the playground down the right-field line and re-branded the area as “The Deck”, which will feature a standing room only area for UT’s students while also providing additional concessions options to help negate congestion throughout the main concourse. In order to enhance the gameday experience, a Petro’s Chili & Chips, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Gameday Sausage kiosk and a new beer kiosk have been added to the deck area.
Vol fans can look for Coca-Cola, popcorn and beer at kiosks on the Plaza located down the first-base line. The VolShop will have hats and merchandise available on the Plaza, as well. The Fan Experience Hub, your one-stop shop for game programs, posters, schedule cards, contest info and more, will also be located in the Plaza area.
Tennessee’s MVP season-ticket holders will also be greeted with a brand new, completely renovated MVP Room this season.
Friday SEC Fan Fest
Starting with the SEC opener on March 18 against South Carolina, an exciting new area will be in place for fans this season. “Friday SEC Fan Fest” will take place for ticketed fans on Pat Head Summitt Street for every Friday SEC contest.
Friday Fan Fests will feature music, giveaways, food/beverage options, VolShop sales locations and Vol Network Sponsor activations. Additionally, VFL Sterl the Pearl will join various SEC weekend games to add to the electricity in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Vols host Rhode Island for a three-game series this weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET. All three games will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
Tickets all three of this weekend’s home games are available at AllVols.com.
-UT Athletics
Maren Morris‘ new album Humble Quest arrives March 25th
“Circles Around This Town” – the first single from Maren’s 3rd album is at country radio now, and a Top-25 (and climbing) hit.
Fans can not only look forward to the new music from Maren, but they can also plan to see her perform it live!
Maren announced the Humble Quest tour – a 40-plus run of shows that starts June 9th in Raleigh, and works its way throughout the U.S. before it wraps on December 2nd in Nashville.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 11th.
HEADLINE Photo credit: Harper Smith
Additional Photos Courtesy of Maren Morris
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –Kelsey Pope, who played a key role on Tennessee’s record-setting offensive staff in 2021, has been named the Volunteers’ new wide receivers coach, head coach Josh Heupel announced on Monday.
Pope, a native of Sylacauga, Alabama, worked closely with the wide receivers last season as an offensive analyst. He takes over for Kodi Burns, who recently accepted a similar role with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.
“Kelsey was a natural fit for this role and someone our players trust and have the utmost respect for,” Heupel said. “He has a clear understanding of what it takes for our wide receivers to be successful in this offense. He knows how to connect with people and cultivate relationships, and he’s going to be a tireless recruiter.”
“I am excited to help continue the momentum we established last season,” Pope said. “I have seen firsthand just how much Tennessee football means to people year-round. It’s a special place, and the players in our locker room are eager to take the next step in their development. They have worked extremely hard thus far this offseason. I can’t wait until the start of spring practice, and I look forward to making an impact in recruiting. I am grateful to Coach Heupel for this opportunity.”
Pope was instrumental in the holistic development of a wide receivers room that featured multiple players with 60+ receptions for the first time in school history. The Volunteers were one of only two SEC programs with multiple players with seven or more receiving touchdowns in 2021. Meanwhile, Tennessee led the SEC in 30+ yard receiving plays (30), 40+ yard receiving plays (18) and 70+ yard receiving plays (4).
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman entered the 2021 season with just eight catches for 124 yards and no touchdowns in his first three seasons combined. Tillman finished the year with 64 catches for 1,081 yards and 12 scores, becoming the Vols’ ninth 1,000-yard receiver all-time and first since 2011. He finished sixth in the SEC in receptions, good for eighth in single-season school history.
All-SEC senior Velus Jones Jr. caught 62 passes — 10th in school history and 10th in the SEC — for 807 yards and seven scores. Jones Jr. was tabbed the SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and earned Reese’s Senior Bowl All-America honors.
Pope possesses a firm knowledge of Heupel’s up-tempo offense, which averaged a nation-best 2.99 offensive plays per minute. The unit was the nation’s most
improved scoring offense, skyrocketing from 108th in the FBS a season prior to his
arrival to seventh in 2021 at 39.3 points per game. Pope was part of an offensive staff that saw Tennessee shatter eight single-season records, including points (511), total offensive yards (6,174), touchdowns (67), point after touchdowns made (67), total first downs (316), rushing first downs (164), fewest interceptions thrown (3) and passing efficiency (167.10).
Pope was the pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Gardner-Webb for one season prior to joining Heupel’s staff. He previously served as the wide receivers coach at Tennessee Tech in 2019, a season that saw the Golden Eagles post the second-best total offensive output in school history.
Pope mentored freshman wide receiver Metrius Fleming, who was an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection and a four-time OVC Newcomer of the Week recipient. Fleming hauled in 47 passes for 629 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for two more scores and adding a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown. He averaged 26.5 yards per return and finished with more than 1,200 all-purpose yards.
Meanwhile, senior Darrius Stafford added 41 catches for 515 yards and three scores as Tennessee Tech averaged over 380 yards of total offense per game and put up 29.0 points per contest.
Pope spent a season as an assistant receivers coach at Shorter (Georgia) University on the Division II level in 2018. He helped guide a group of receivers that accounted for more than 2,000 yards and saw three of his pass catchers post seasons of 400 yards apiece.
Pope got his coaching start at Ohio Northern in 2017 where he worked with the running backs. He oversaw a run game that tallied 195.5 yards per game on the ground and a stellar 435.7 offensive yards per contest. Running back Christaan Williams rushed for 1,623 yards and 11 touchdown on his way to All-OAC honors and second-team All-America accolades.
A standout receiver himself, Pope starred at Samford from 2010-13, finishing as the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in career receptions (250) and single-game catches with 17 against The Citadel in 2011. He led the squad in receiving for three straight seasons and amassed 2,385 receiving yards and 13 scores during his career.
A three-time All-SoCon selection, Pope spent time in the NFL as a player with the Arizona Cardinals.
He earned his degree in public administration from Samford in 2014.
-UT Athletics
Erin Kinsey‘s is set to release her debut EP, 40 East later this month on March 25th.
The title of the project has a special connection for Erin when it comes to her journey to where she is now, “Highway 40 East is the road that gets me most of the way from Texas to Nashville, and it’s a road I’ve driven many times since I started coming to town with my family, my boyfriend, my friends, and Chewy (my dog). All of these songs, and this project, are a reflection of my life up until now, and one of the biggest parts of my story is chasing this crazy dream of mine. What I didn’t know, is that 40 East was taking me to so many of my dreams coming true, including this EP.”
The 6-track EP includes “Just Drive” which is Erin’s debut single at country radio – and with an EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE The Country Daily present’s the acoustic version of the track – right here…
Headline Photo Credit: Robby Stevens
Additional Photo Courtesy of Erin Kinsey
Chris Young is the leading nominee at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards…
When Chris found out he had 7 nominations he admitted, “I’m having trouble wrapping my head around it a little. And just like blown away. This is a whole new ACM experience for me, for sure. “
Then Chris realized he might have some good karma going into tonight’s ACM Awards as there seems to be a lot of natural connections to his lucky number, “So my lucky number is seven. It’s the 57th ACM Awards, seven nominations, and it’s on the 7th. So, I’m gonna count those 3 sevens as good luck, ’cause in Vegas that pays out pretty good.”
While Chris is nominated with his buddy Kane Brown for Single, Video and Music Event Of The Year for their hit “Famous Friends” – Chris will also be performing “At The End Of A Bar” with Mitchell Tenpenny – his latest single from his ACM nominated album, Famous Friends.
Check out Chris and Mitchell’s performance, along with the presentation of all the trophies at the 57th ACM Awards on Amazon’s Prime Video!
Headline Photo Credit: Jeff Johnson
Additional Photo Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music
By Jimmy Hyams
Tennessee gave fans plenty to cheer about Saturday afternoon.
Then the Vols gave fans plenty to be concerned about.
No. 13 Tennessee led by 24 points in the first half against 14th-ranked Arkansas, thanks to blistering shooting from 3-point range.
UT led by 19 with eight minutes to play but then went into a tailspin due to turnovers, poor shot selection, lack of rebounding and losing focus.
Next thing you know, Arkansas had closed to gap to three points with two minutes left.
“We knew they would make a run,’’ UT coach Rick Barnes said.
The Vols made 5 of 8 free throws in the final 1:42 to finally put away the Hogs 75-72 in a microcosm of UT’s up-and-down season.
Tennessee has consistently won at home (16-0) but they’ve been inconsistent in doing so.
The Vols blew all but two points of a 24-point lead against Arkansas.
They trailed Auburn by 11, led by 11, then held on for another close win Feb. 26 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Within the same game, you see the good, the bad, the ugly for the Vols.
Yet, Tennessee (23-7, 14-4) finds itself as the No. 2 seed heading into the SEC Tournament this week. UT plays Friday night at 6 pm in Tampa, Fla.
The Vols are projected by bracketologist Joe Lunardi to be a N. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. One win in the SEC tournament could ensure a three seed.
But can you trust UT to win its first SEC tourney game?
Can you trust the Vols to make a run in the NCAA Tournament?
Can you even trust them to beat a much lower seed?
Tennessee ranks among the nation’s top three in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com ratings.
But they rank in the 50s in adjusted offensive efficiency.
The streak shooting and lack of a consistent inside scorer has led to numerous droughts that have proven costly – or near costly – in several games.
Tennessee’s second-half collapse against Arkansas wasn’t simply a matter of missed shots. In fact, UT outshot Arkansas in the last 20 minutes, making 41% from the field to the Hogs 38% and converting 3 of 6 on 3s to the Hogs 6 of 19.
The second-half difference was due to UT turnovers and Arkansas rebounding. The Hogs outscored UT 15-2 off turnovers in the second half, had a 24-14 rebound margin and outscored UT on fast break points 16-0.
That’s how Arkansas won the second half 45-28.
After the game, Barnes thanked the crowd for being “the best basketball fans in the country.’’
Then he led a chorus of “It’s great to be a Tennessee Vol.’’
That joy would not have existed had Arkansas completed the comeback, with an assist from UT.
It’s wonderful to build a 24-point lead over a quality opponent. And, yes, it can be hard to hold huge leads. But to be an elite team, a team that can make a run in the SEC Tournament or NCAA Tournament, you can’t have mounting turnovers, poor decisions, balky free-throw shooting and the inability to score around the rim.
Once again, UT shot poorly on two-point attempts: 11 of 32. They were 14 of 45 on 2s against Auburn. And in five of seven defeats this year, they have shot an average of 41% on their 2s.
In SEC play, UT is third in 3-point shooting at 34.5% but last in two-point shooting at 45.5%.
That’s a reflection of a lack of inside scoring and the inability of driving guards to consistently finish at the rim.
What was Barnes’ take on Arkansas’ second-half rally?
“Turnovers,’’ Barnes said. “Turnovers got us back on our heels. … But we’ll learn from it.’’
Barnes also wanted to credit the opponent.
“Arkansas is an outstanding team,’’ Barnes said. “A great road team, too. They can beat anybody on any given night.’’
BARNES GETS 750
The victory was the 750th of Barnes’ storied career.
“That just means I’m old,’’ Barnes said. “I’ve had a lot of great players and a lot of great (assistant) coaches.’’
TALE OF TWO VOLS
Walk-on Brock Jancek, son of former UT defensive coordinator John Jancek, went through senior day but said he plans to transfer to another school so he can get playing time.
Victor Bailey, Jr., who began his college career five years ago at Oregon, did not go through senior day. He has another year of eligibility due to Covid.
Barnes said it was Bailey’s decision not to go through senior day. Barnes also said he would love for Bailey to stay at UT but that he does have the option to transfer.
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