Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Area Transit, better known as KAT, will be offering free rides for Election Day.
KAT offers the service each election cycle. This year, all transit rides, from buses to KAT’s Lift service (for those with disabilities), will be fare-free.
Officials with KAT say the move is aimed at making sure anyone and everyone can get to the polls.
“Election Day is a critical moment for our community to come together and make their voices heard,” Director of Transit Isaac Thorne said. “By offering free rides across our system, we’re helping to make that process as accessible as possible for everyone. I encourage all Knoxville residents to take advantage of this opportunity to get to the polls and participate in our shared future.”
KAT will be running its regular routes and schedules; you can access those here.
It‘s a service that KAT offers each election. This year, all transit rides, from buses to KAT’s Lift service, will be fare-free. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Oakdale, TN (WOKI) A second man is sentenced in the death of a Roane County man.
District Attorney Russell Johnson says 44 year-old Shane Douglas Parks was convicted and sentenced in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough in 2020.
He is facing two concurrent 45-year sentences in the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
Parks joins 39-year-old Joshua Aikens, who was convicted in March. According to court records, Parks, Aikens and a third man — Nicholas Holloway — tied McCullough up using rope and zip ties while McCullough was at Holloway’s home then took him to a trailer and left him.
Johnson said Shane Douglas Parks, 44, was convicted and sentenced in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough in 2020. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Quincy Jones, a music mogul whose career in the industry spanned over seven decades, died Sunday night at 91 years old, his publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Jones was surrounded by his children, siblings and close family at his home in Bel Air, California. No further details about his death will be released at this moment, as the family requests privacy “in this time of great mourning,” Robinson said.
The following statement was provided from the Jones family:
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him. He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”
Jones, who was the first popular conductor-arranger to record with a Fender bass in the mid 1950s, worked with many iconic artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Ray Charles to Michael Jackson.
He produced and conducted the best-selling single of all time in “We Are The World,” and three of Jackson’s albums, including the all-time best-selling album, Thriller. He also worked with Sinatra for three years as a conductor and arranger, and created the famous arrangement of “Fly Me To The Moon.”
Jones began as vice president of Mercury Records in 1961, making him the first Black executive of a major record company, and held that position for a few years before entering the film industry, where he also became very successful. He co-produced “The Color Purple” in 1985 with Steven Spielberg, earning 11 Oscar nominations, and he helped launch the hit series “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” in 1991 as an executive producer.
Jones also formed Quincy Jones Entertainment, a co-venture with Time Warner, Inc., and the Quincy Jones Media Group during his decades in the entertainment industry.
Jones’ work earned him hundreds of awards, including an Emmy, seven Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, 28 Grammy Awards and 80 nominations, and N.A.R.A.S.’ prestigious Trustees’ Award and The Grammy Living Legend Award. He has also been awarded a variety of international awards and honorary doctorates.
He was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2001, recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master in 2008 and was bestowed the National Medal of Arts – America’s highest artistic honor – in 2010.
Old photo of Quincy Jones Jones was not only a titan in the music and film industries, but a best-selling author and known for his decades of humanitarian work. (A&M Records/Getty Images)
In 2016, Jones won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for the Broadway production of “The Color Purple” and joined a very exclusive club of artists who have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
Jones was also a best-selling author and longtime humanitarian, with notable charity work beginning in the 1960s.
He is survived by seven children and three siblings. (Story courtesy of Fox News)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for East Tennesseans affected by flooding from Helene.
The assistance was approved for homeowners and renters who had major or significant structural damage as a result of floodwaters, according to FEMA.
It will provide temporary housing for 18 months, ending on April 2, 2026. Additionally, it covers direct lease, multifamily lease and repair, and transportable temporary housing units.
For direct lease, FEMA said it leases existing, ready-to-occupy residential properties for use as temporary housing.
Under multifamily lease and repair, FEMA funds the repair or improvement of existing, vacant multi-family rental properties that eligible applicants can use for temporary housing.
Additionally, FEMA will also contact homeowners to determine if they would like a transportable temporary housing unit, which are furnished one-, two- or three-bedroom units provided at no cost to eligible survivors.
If needed, these units can also be modified or improved to be compliant with the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, providing accessibility for individuals with disabilities or access and functional needs.
Preliminary data from TEMA estimates that between 346 and 414 applicants may be eligible for FEMA direct housing.
Those looking to apply must live in one of the following counties:
Carter
Cocke
Greene
Johnson
Unicoi
Washington
Additionally, assessments are still ongoing for Hamblen and Hawkins counties.
Applicants must first apply for FEMA Individual Assistance before Monday, Dec. 2 to be eligible for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.
Following intense flooding brought by Hurricane Helene, FEMA inspectors are checking in with those affected to determine if they qualify for federal assistance. (Courtesy: DHS.gov)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating after a device is found underneath a car in Tellico Plains.
Investigators with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office went to a home in the 400 block of Shadden Road yesterday (Sunday) afternoon and found a device underneath a car on the property, the Knox County Bomb Squad in addition to fire and EMS crews were called to the scene.
An evacuation of a 100 yard area around the device, impacting two homes, was in place while crews took four hours to dismantled the device.
This, after authorities received a call of a suspicious fire in the garage of this home last week. MCSO says it is possible the suspicious fire could be connected to the device found, but that has not been determined at this time.
November 5, 2024 Election:Absentee Ballot Information andImportant Reminders Before Voters Head to the Polls
Knoxville – As Knox Countians head to the polls on Tuesday, the Election Commission wants to issue a few reminders.
ABSENTEE BY MAIL BALLOTS
For voters that have requested but have not received their absentee ballot by Election Day, they can go vote at their Election Day precinct and request a provisional ballot to cast. Polls are open from 8 am to 8 pm.
For voters that have received their ballot, but fear that they won’t be able to mail the ballot in before the close of polls on Tuesday, the voter can take their ballot to either:
Downtown Post Office’s front counter
501 West Main Street
Knoxville, 37902
or
Weisgarber Road Post Office’s front counter
1237 Weisgarber Road
Knoxville, 37950
By 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 and have the ballot hand-stamped with postage at the front counter.
The Election Commission will proceed to pick up any ballots that are received by the USPS at both of these locations in the late afternoon.
TIMES FOR VOTING
POLLS ARE OPEN ON TUESDAY FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM. Any voter in line by 8:00 pm will be allowed to vote.
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION
A photo ID issued by the State of Tennessee (such as a driver’s license) or the Federal Government (such as a passport) is required to vote, unless an exemption applies. Election workers are trained to ask for your photo identification prior to issuing a ballot. Driver licenses from other states are not acceptable forms of ID for voting in the state of Tennessee.
WHERE DO I VOTE?
On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned precinct. For voters that are unsure where they vote, they can visit www.knoxvotes.org and click on the “Where Do I Vote?” box on the front page and enter their residential address. The website will match the voter’s address with the correct polling place.
NEW POLLING PLACES
For voters in eight precincts across Knox County, their polling place changed (prior to the March 2024 Election).
PRECINCT 12 – YWCA, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, 37914
(This replaces the Boys and Girls Club, 381 McConnell Street – Boys & Girls Club is no longer a polling place).
(UPDATE 11/3/24 9 p.m.) The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly crash that happened on I-75, which killed a Tellico Plains High School star cross country runner.
TDOT says the crash, which happened on I-75 South at mile marker 80, shut down the southbound side of the interstate for several hours after Saturday afternoon’s crash.
Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones confirmed to WVLT that Darrah Wiseman, a senior, that made the entire county proud was killed in the crash.
She qualified for the state championship last week and is a six-time state champion in events dating back to 2022.
Grief counselors are expected be available to students at Tellico Plains High School.
Original story: The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly crash that happened on I-75.
TDOT says the crash, which happened on I-75 South at mile marker 80, shut down the southbound side of the interstate and caused a miles-long traffic delay for several hours after the crash Saturday afternoon.
The Knoxville Police Department is investigating after a man either jumped or fell from the 11th Street Parking Garage on Saturday night.
At around 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024, KPD officers responded to the area of the 11th Street Parking Garage, where a 21-year-old man was critically injured after falling from an upper floor of the parking garage. The victim was transported to the UT Medical Center and remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
It is unknown at this time if the victim intentionally jumped or accidentally fell. Based on witness statements and the findings of the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the victim was intoxicated. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Seventh-ranked Tennessee outscored visiting Kentucky by 17 points over the final 35 minutes Saturday night at a sold-out Neyland Stadium, treating the 101,915 fans in attendance to a 28-18 triumph.
The Volunteers (7-1, 4-1 SEC) scored 21 of the game’s 29 second-half points, en route to defeating the Wildcats (3-6, 1-6 SEC) for the fourth time in as many tries under head coach Josh Heupel.
A staunch Tennessee forced three turnovers, two of which led to second-half touchdowns, helping the team post a second-half comeback victory for the third consecutive outing.
Junior running back Dylan Sampson totaled a career-high-tying 27 carries for a career-best 142 yards, as well as notched a pair of rushing touchdowns to give him a school-record 19 this season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava went 28-of-38 through the air, setting career highs in attempts and completions. He threw for 292 yards, his second-most as a collegian, and one touchdown.
On the opening drive, the Tennessee defense came up with a fourth-down stop at its own five-yard-line to keep the Wildcats off the board. However, following a missed 43-yard field goal, the Volunteers allowed a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, culminating with a 27-yard pass from Brock Vandagriff to Josh Kattus with 5:28 on the timer.
Neither team scored the remainder of the session, as the teams flipped sides with the Wildcats holding a 7-0 lead. Tennessee did, however, make another big defensive play late in the frame, as defensive back Andre Turrentine, with 1:28 to go, caught a deflected pass for his first interception of the season and the first of his career against an SEC foe.
The Volunteers, on their fourth trip inside the 25-yard-line, leveled the score with 4:45 left in the opening half. Running back Peyton Lewis hit paydirt for the first time as a collegian, finishing a 14-play, 65-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown carry. The Wildcats responded with a 10-play, 61-yard drive to regain the advantage, doing so on a 32-yard field goal by Alex Raynor with 30 seconds left in the half.
Despite the narrow deficit, Tennessee outgained Kentucky, 254-196, in the opening 30 minutes and held the visitors to a 2-of-7 mark on third down, plus stopped the Wildcat’s lone fourth-down attempt.
The Tennessee defense made another game-changing play on its first series of the second half, as defensive lineman Joshua Josephs drilled Vandagriff to force a fumble, which linebacker Jeremiah Telander recovered at the Kentucky 28-yard-line with 10:05 to go in the third quarter. The turnover led to a five-play scoring drive that took just 97 seconds and ended with a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Sampson. For the junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the score made him the first Volunteer ever to score a rushing touchdown in eight straight games in a single campaign.
Defensive back Will Brooks tallied Tennessee’s third takeaway of the contest late in the third quarter, this one with the Wildcats at the Vols’ 24-yard-line. The redshirt senior jumped Gavin Wimsatt’s first pass of the game and returned it 67 yards to the Kentucky 10-yard-line with just 1:01 to go before the final session. Two plays and 28 seconds later, tight end Miles Kitselman caught a six-yard strike from Iamaleava to put Tennessee ahead, 21-10.
Kentucky countered with a six-play, 75-yard drive in just 2:02, with Ja’Mori Maclin catching a 32-yard pass from Wimsatt to end it. The Wildcats then converted a two-point conversion to pull within three, 21-18, with 13:31 remaining.
After punts by each team, Tennessee used a 13-play, 91-yard drive to go back up by double digits, 28-18, with 4:55 to play. The drive ended with a six-yard carry by Sampson, his 19th rushing touchdown of 2024, breaking the single-season school record of 18 set by Gene McEver in 1929. It also moved him into a tie with Joshua Dobbs (2013-16) for third on the career leaderboard with 32.
The Volunteers forced a turnover on downs on Kentucky’s next drive, effectively icing the game with 2:19 to go. Linebackers Arion Carter (10) and Jalen Smith (nine) each set career highs in tackles to pace a Tennessee defense that amassed seven quarterback hurries and allowed just 11 points in the final 50 minutes.
Additionally, the Vols held Kentucky to just 14-of-27 passing for 192 yards, while registering a pair of interceptions. The Wildcats finished 4-of-14 on third down and 0-of-2 on fourth down.
Offensively, nine Tennessee players caught a pass in the game, with seven logging multiple grabs. Kitselman, who had the lone receiving score, led the team with six catches for 97 yards, both career highs.
The Vols, who improved to 5-1 all-time in black uniforms, racked up 476 total yards, 292 through the air and 184 on the ground, their highest total in SEC play this season and fourth time eclipsing 450 in 2024. They had 29 first downs and conceded only 19.
UP NEXT Tennessee is back in action Nov. 9 against Mississippi State at 7 p.m. for its SEC home finale and its last of four straight games at Neyland Stadium. The contest will be televised on ESPN.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As the calendar turns to November, the seventh-ranked Tennessee Volunteers begin a stretch of five games in five weeks to round out the regular season, starting this Saturday night against border rival Kentucky in front of another sellout crowd at Neyland Stadium.
The Big Orange will play their sixth night game of the season on Saturday when they host the Wildcats at 7:45 p.m. and will look to remain unbeaten at home this year.
NEYLAND STADIUM, PRESERVED BY PILOT
Earlier this year, Tennessee Athletics and Pilot broke new ground in college sports by entering a multi-year partnership that preserves the iconic venue’s name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field remain unchanged. Pilot is designated as the presenting partner of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics.
Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
BROADCAST INFO
Saturday’s game will be televised on the SEC Network with Tom Hart (PxP), Jordan Rodgers (analyst), Cole Cubelic (sideline analyst) and Tori Petry (sideline reporter) on the call. Coverage is slated to begin at 7:45 p.m.
Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 65 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 158 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 961), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App. Vol Network celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2024.
Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff at 5:45 p.m. The pregame show is hosted by John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, VFL Jayson Swain and a rotating VFL special guest each week.
The Spanish broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and VFL Fuad Reveiz on the call. That version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.
Saturday’s contest is also the ESPN Radio National Game of the Week with Marc Kestecher (PxP), Kelly Stouffer (analyst) and Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline reporter) slated to call the action.
The gameday timeline as well as other important information is listed below.
Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 3:45 p.m. Truly’s Tailgate Opens – 3:45 p.m. Vol Village Opens – 4:15 p.m. Vol Walk – 5:30 p.m. Gates Open – 5:45 p.m. Pride of the Southland Band March – 6:05 p.m. (Pedestrian Bridge) Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 7:41 p.m. National Anthem – 7:44 p.m. Vols Run Through the T – 7:52 p.m. Kickoff – 7:55 p.m.
NEW NEYLAND STADIUM FAN ENHANCEMENTS FOR 2024
A host of new fan enhancements are in place at Neyland Stadium this season.
RockyTopWiFi, Neyland Stadium’s Wi-Fi system, debuted during the 2023 season and is fully functional throughout Neyland Stadium for the 2024 campaign. Fans are encouraged to utilize the network and stay connected on their mobile devices during the game.
Other fan enhancements include but are not limited to upgraded speakers, new televisions, trading cards, commemorative tickets and various concession upgrades throughout the stadium.
For more information on all the new Neyland Stadium fan enhancements for this season, click HERE.
TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets for Saturday’s game are officially sold out. Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including football, are digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.
Fans will gain admission into Neyland Stadium via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!
Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue. The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.
Fans are encouraged to download the new and improved Tennessee Athletics App, which houses the GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in stadium light shows and much more.
Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this LINK to download.
GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Champions Weekend: Tennessee Athletics will host its third annual Champions Weekend in conjunction with Saturday’s game. Teams and individuals who won SEC and/or NCAA championships during specific years will be invited back to Rocky Top to celebrate their achievements.
This year’s celebration includes all championship winners—both team and individual/relay—from the following calendar years:
Vol Village Presented by Toyota: Vol Village presented by Toyota, serves as the ideal spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Admission is free to all fans with or without a game ticket. Located across from Circle Park, Vol Village features live music, food trucks and beverage stations, interactive displays and fun activities for all ages.
Vol Village will highlight a new artist or band during each home game with a pregame concert series, providing Vol fans with the ultimate pregame atmosphere. September Song will be this week’s featured band. Vol Village opens at 4:15 p.m. for Saturday’s game.
Truly’s Tailgate: Located outside Gate 9, fans can stop by for food and drinks at Truly’s Tailgate. Fans may enter Truly’s prior to gates opening without having a ticket scanned. When gates open, fans will need to scan their ticket to enter Truly’s.
New to Truly’s this season is the addition of the Vintage Volunteer Shop, where fans can purchase classic gameday merchandise with all their favorite marks and logos.
Truly’s will open at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday and remain open for the majority of the game, giving fans in the south concourse a variety of food, drinks, television entertainment and additional restroom options. Truly’s will close at the end of the third quarter.
Dark Mode Activated Saturday will mark the return of Tennessee’s “Dark Mode” uniforms, which will be worn for the fifth time since their introduction in 2021. The Vols are 3-1 in their previous four contests when wearing the “Dark Mode” uniforms, posting victories over South Carolina (2021 & 2023) and Kentucky (2022).
UT is 4-1 overall when wearing black jerseys after also defeating the Gamecocks on Halloween night back in 2009 when the team came out in surprise black jerseys following warmups.
Sampson Record Watch Star running back Dylan Sampson enters Saturday’s game tied with Reggie Cobb (1987) for second in program history in single-season rushing touchdowns with 17 and has a chance to tie or surpass Gene McEver’s record of 18 rushing scores this weekend, a record that has stood since 1929.
The Louisiana native is the third Vols’ running back in the last three seasons to score double-digit rushing touchdowns in a single campaign – joining Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright who had 13 and 10 in 2022, respectively.
The Neyland Effect Neyland Stadium is once again one of the nation’s most electric environments and toughest places to play for visiting teams. Over the past two seasons, the Vols are 17-1 inside of its confines, outscoring opponents 827-314. In the Josh Heupel era (since 2021), UT is 22-4 at home and has outscored its opponents 2,048-475 with 17 of those wins coming by double digits. Tennessee’s 17 home wins since the start of the 2022 season are tied for fifth in the nation.
Neyland Stadium will be sold out for 18th consecutive game on Saturday. UT has ranked in the top five nationally in attendance in each of the last two seasons, ranking No. 3 in total attendance (713,405) and No. 4 in average attendance (101,915) while leading the SEC in attendance in 2023.
Holding Opponents Down The Vols have been dominant on the defensive side of the ball all year long, having yet to allow more than 19 points in a game this season. UT has held opponents to under 20 points in eight straight games dating back to last season’s 35-0 Citrus Bowl shutout of Iowa.
Tennessee has surrendered just 81 combined points this season through seven games, which is its fewest points allowed through the first seven games of a season since giving up 64 in 1972. The 81 points allowed by the Vols this year are also the fewest in the FBS. Ohio State is second, having given up 83.
SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee leads series, 83-26-9 (NCAA) | 84-26-9 (On Field) The Vols and Wildcats will meet for the 81st consecutive season, dating back to 1944, when they square off on Saturday night. Tennessee has played (119 times) and beaten Kentucky (84 times on field) more than any other opponent. The Vols’ 84 (on-field victories) / 83 (NCAA wins) over the Wildcats rank as the fifth most victories for one side in a head-to-head matchup in the FBS.
UT has won 18 of the last 19 meetings against UK in Neyland Stadium, including a 44-6 victory the last time the two sides met in Knoxville on Oct. 29, 2022, a game in which the Vols’ also wore their “Dark Mode” uniforms.
ABOUT KENTUCKY
The Wildcats are coached by Mark Stoops, who is in the midst of his 12th season as the head man in Lexington, leading the program to unprecedented success in that span. Kentucky has struggled this season, however, entering Saturday’s contest with a 3-5 overall record and a 1-5 mark in SEC play after dropping each of its last three conference games.
Brock Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt have both seen time behind center in recent weeks. Vandagriff leads the team with 1,236 passing yards and six touchdown passes but has also thrown five interceptions. Wimsatt provides more of a running threat for the Wildcats, ranking third on the team with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye has been the team’s leading rusher with 92 attempts for 419 yards and four touchdowns.
The dynamic wide receiver duo of Dane Key and Barion Brown have been UK’s top targets with 39 and 23 receptions, respectively. Key ranks seventh in the SEC with 587 receiving yards while Brown’s three touchdown catches lead the team. Brown is also dangerous in the return game, averaging 27.2 yards per kickoff return, including a 99-yard touchdown return at Florida a few weeks ago.
Defensively, safety Jordan Lovett leads the Wildcats with 44 tackles while outside linebacker J.J. Weaver leads the team and is tied for ninth in the SEC with five sacks. Fellow linebacker Alex Afari Jr.’s 7.5 tackles for loss are tied for 12th in the league. Cornerback JQ Hardaway has also had an impressive season with 34 tackles and a team-leading two picks.
