Focused Vols Looking to “Finish Strong” in Music City Bowl Clash with Purdue

Focused Vols Looking to “Finish Strong” in Music City Bowl Clash with Purdue

Posted on December 27, 2021

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With game day quickly approaching, Tennessee has been focused and locked in as it looks to finish the 2021 season off the right way.

After Monday’s practice at Vanderbilt Stadium, multiple players emphasized that the team is taking Thursday’s contest against Purdue very seriously and that finishing the season with a win would be big heading into the offseason.

“I think it’s a big deal, just so people can get a glimpse of what we can be next year and starting off on the right foot for 2022,” sophomore running back Jabari Small said. “It’s just important, finishing off strong, just finishing what we started.” 

Senior offensive lineman Jerome Carvin feels that the Big Orange have a chance to make a statement with a victory over an extremely talented Boilermakers team.

“It’s like a statement game if that makes sense,” Carvin said. “We have to show what we can do, especially with this offense and the team that we’re playing against. We are playing a really good Big 10 team. It’s a statement game.”

Despite the long layoff between games, the Vols aren’t too concerned with the potential for rust on the offensive side of the ball heading into Thursday’s game.

“Not at all,” redshirt junior wideout Cedric Tillman said when asked if there were any concerns about rust heading into Thursday’s game. “We’ve been doing this for so long and we’ve still been practicing, and I think we’ll be fine.”

A big part of UT’s offensive success this season has been the chemistry between Tillman and quarterback Hendon Hooker. The dynamic duo has been deadly down the stretch with Tillman putting up three straight 100-yard games and six consecutive games with a touchdown catch to finish the regular season.

Vols QB Hendon Hooker / Credit: UT Athletics


The Las Vegas native enters Thursday’s contest needing just 69 yards to become Tennessee’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Justin Hunter 2012. Tillman acknowledged that reaching the 1,000-yard mark would be a significant accomplishment for him, but that helping the team win the game is the top priority.

“Honestly, it would mean a lot,” Tillman said. “It’s something that I really worked for this year and like I said, I’m going to do everything in my power to go get it, but also help my team win the game. So, if me getting 1,000 yards helps us win the game, I’ll be happy with that, if not and I got to do other stuff, then I’m cool with that too.”

Over the past few weeks, both Hooker and Tillman have announced their intentions to return to play for the Big Orange next season, which has their teammates extremely excited.

“It means a lot. It’s a lot of leadership and experience. They’re veterans. We can only get better,” Small said. “They’ll hold us to a standard, and we will try to follow that. Those guys are extremely talented, have bright futures and could make a lot of money one day, so the fact that they want to come back means a lot.”

Carvin attributes the environment that been cultivated by head coach Josh Heupel and his staff as a big reason for guys wanting to return for one more season on Rocky Top.

“It has to do with this staff, the culture, the locker room, just playing with our brothers again, our teammates,” Carvin said. “I’ve been a part of some rough times since I’ve been here, but we’ve got a bright future ahead of us and there’s a lot of things we can do.”

Kickoff for UT and Purdue is 2 p.m. CT on Dec. 30 in Nissan Stadium. Tickets for the game are on sale through the bowl at musiccitybowl.com. For more information on the bowl, visit UTsports.com/musiccitybowl.

Player Quotes

Hendon Hooker – QB – R-Senior

On getting back into action offensively …
“We are looking good. Everything if flowing smoothly. Everyone is coming in day-in and day-out, trying to work on getting better.”

On why they have had success early in games …
“It’s being locked in from the jump and attacking early. That’s what we push for and keeping it going throughout the game. That’s the ideal thing to do.”

On staying focused during bowl week …
“Everyone has come in with a great mindset and a great work ethic this week, so I am excited for game day.”

On expectations on him this game …
“It’s operate, be calm in the pocket. It’s making sure I am doing my routine plays. Nothing special, just playing my game.”

On how a game like this can create momentum for next season …
“It can definitely springboard us into next year with some rhythm, some confidence as well.”

On Purdue’s defense …
“They are really aggressive upfront. They are real strong, and they play fast on the back end. They have some big guys on the back end who are athletic and can move.”

On the success of his book …
“The process has been great. Going through this process with my family has been a blessing.”

On how he approaches the game …
“In a sense, I just feel like when I come out and I am relaxed, I just take care of business. I take care of my simple reads. It helps the offense move smoothly and move the ball a little bit better and operate a little bit better so it slows down my thinking.”

On getting back into action offensively …
“We are looking good. Everything if flowing smoothly. Everyone is coming in day-in and day-out, trying to work on getting better.”

On why they have had success early in games …
“It’s being locked in from the jump and attacking early. That’s what we push for and keeping it going throughout the game. That’s the ideal thing to do.”

On staying focused during bowl week …
“Everyone has come in with a great mindset and a great work ethic this week, so I am excited for game day.”

On expectations on him this game …
“It’s operate, be calm in the pocket. It’s making sure I am doing my routine plays. Nothing special, just playing my game.”

On how a game like this can create momentum for next season …
“It can definitely springboard us into next year with some rhythm, some confidence as well.”

On Purdue’s defense …
“They are really aggressive upfront. They are real strong, and they play fast on the back end. They have some big guys on the back end who are athletic and can move.”

On the success of his book …
“The process has been great. Going through this process with my family has been a blessing.”

On how he approaches the game …
“In a sense, I just feel like when I come out and I am relaxed, I just take care of business. I take care of my simple reads. It helps the offense move smoothly and move the ball a little bit better and operate a little bit better so it slows down my thinking.”

Cedric Tillman – WR – R-Junior

On his decision to return to Tennessee next season…
“I’m excited to have it (the decision) in the past. One of the things that I really look forward to is not only improving as a football player – coming back and being part of this team, I felt like not only finishing strong the next couple days with the game – but next year we have a chance to be really good, so that’s some of the things that played a part in it.”

On what areas he is focused on improving in his game…
“Really just everything. Like I say, I like to be a master of my craft, so just everything, trying to get better at that – routes, releases, just trying to be the best receiver I can.”

On the importance of finishing this season off the right way in the bowl game…
“Yeah, I think it’s significant. We’re taking this game very seriously and I think it will be very important to kind of end the year off (right).”

On what it would mean for him to get to 1,000 yards receiving this season…
“Honestly, it would mean a lot. It’s something that I really worked for this year and like I said, I’m going to do everything in my power to go get it, but also help my team win the game. So, if me getting 1,000 yards helps us win the game, I’ll be happy with that, if not and I got to do other stuff, then I’m cool with that too.”

Jerome Carvin – OL – Senior

On having major contributors returning to Rocky Top next season…
“It has to do with this staff, the culture, the locker room, just playing with our brothers again, our teammates. I’ve been a part of some rough times since I’ve been here, but we’ve got a bright future ahead of us and there’s a lot of things we can do.”

On the feeling of the Music City Bowl since he is returning next season…
“It’s like a statement game, if that makes sense. We have to show what we can do, especially with this offense and the team that we’re playing against. We are playing a really good Big 10 team. It’s a statement game.”

On having the chance to play in an NFL stadium…
“We haven’t really thought about it too much. My first game as a freshman, we played in Carolina, so I don’t really think about it too much. We will play anywhere. If there is a field with lines, we’re good.”

Jabari Small – RB – Sophomore

On picking up where the team left off at the end of the regular season after a month off… 
“We’ve been preparing for the past three weeks. We’ve been actually doing the same routine that we’ve been doing, so we’ve just got to focus and then reboot. I think it’ll be a fun, fun game.” 

On finishing the season off the right way… 
“I think it’s a big deal, just so people can get a glimpse of what we can be next year and starting off on the right foot for 2022. It’s just important, finishing off strong, just finishing what we started.” 

On key Tennessee players returning and how that sets the tone for the future… 
“It means a lot. It’s a lot of leadership and experience. They’re veterans. We can only get better. They’ll hold us to a standard, and we will try to follow that. Those guys are extremely talented, have bright futures and could make a lot of money one day, so the fact that they want to come back means a lot.”

-UT Athletics

Hoops Preview: #14 Tennessee at #19 Alabama

Hoops Preview: #14 Tennessee at #19 Alabama

Posted on December 27, 2021

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 14th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team is set to open conference play, traveling to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 19 Alabama Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Vols G Santiago Vescovi / Credit: UT Athletics

Fans can catch Wednesday’s game on ESPN2 and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analysis) will have the call.
 
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp calling the action. The broadcast is also available on channel 85 on Sirius, channel 192 on SiriusXM and channel 963 on the SiriusXM app.
 
Tennessee (9-2) enters its SEC opener coming off of a home win over No. 6 Arizona last Wednesday, 77-73. Super senior John Fulkerson led the way for the Vols, scoring 24 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and drawing 13 total fouls in the win. The performance marked Fulkerson’s seventh career double-double and second of the season.
 
The Kingsport, Tennessee, native was named SEC Co-Player of the Week coming off of the performance and also tied Tennessee’s program record for career games played, making his 142nd appearance as a Vol in the win.
 
The win marked Tennessee’s sixth win over a top-10 opponent during the Rick Barnes era.
 
Following its game at Alabama, Tennessee returns to Knoxville for its SEC home opener against Ole Miss on Wednesday, Jan. 5. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
 
THE SERIES
• Tennessee trails the all-time series with Alabama, 70-81, dating to 1914.
• When the series is contested in Tuscaloosa, Alabama owns a 45-19 advantage.
• The teams have split the last four meetings, but Alabama won both clashes last season—in Knoxville and Nashville.
• In the three meetings over the last two seasons, neither team has ever posted more assists than turnovers.
• True freshmen Kennedy Chandler of Tennessee and JD Davison of Alabama were rated by ESPN as the Nos. 1 and 3 point guard prospects nationally in the Class of 2021. Both were McDonald’s All-Americans.
• Rick Barnes was an assistant coach at Alabama during the 1985-86 season. See note below.
• The Vols are 3-3 in SEC openers during the Barnes era.
 
LAYUP LINES – TEAM
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank second in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 85.8 points per 100 possessions. College teams typically average close to 70 possessions per game.
• Entering SEC play, Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn lead all SEC teams in Quad 1 wins with two.
• The Vols rank among the Division I top 10 in turnover margin (+6.8, 5th), assist/turnover ratio (+1.71, 6th) and assists per game (18.6 apg, 8th).
• 44 percent of Tennessee’s points this season have been scored by first-year Vols (378 of 862).
• In four games away from home, Tennessee has held opponents—Villanova, UNC, Colorado and Texas Tech—to just 63.5 ppg.
• The Vols are attempting 8.1 more 3-pointers per game than they did last season (28.0 per game compared to 19.9). In wins, UT is shooting .386 from long range. In losses, that average drops to .164.
• UT’s scoring away from home dips to 65.8 points per game, while the team’s 3-point percentage dips to .234.
 
LAYUP LINES – PLAYERS
• Freshman All-America candidate Kennedy Chandler has scored or assisted on 33.6 percent of Tennessee’s points this season.
• Chandler’s 5.3 assists per game rank second in Division I among true freshmen.
• Wednesday will be John Fulkerson’s 143rd career game as a Vol. He will pass Wayne Chism (142 from 2006-10) to stand alone atop Tennessee’s all-time games played list.
• The SEC record for career games played is 152, held by Kentucky’s Darius Miller (2008-12).
• Santiago Vescovi made 18 total 2-point field goals in 27 games last season. He’s already made 21 2-point field goals through 11 games this year—many of them layups.
• In 187+ minutes of action this season, guard Justin Powell has committed only three turnovers—that’s one every 62.3 minutes.
 
ABOUT ALABAMA
• In his third season at the helm of Alabama’s program, head coach Nate Oats has compiled a 51-25 record in his time with the Crimson Tide.
• Alabama enters Wednesday’s game coming off a neutral-site upset loss to Davidson just before Christmas in Birmingham, 79-78.
• In addition to its loss to Davidson, Alabama also dropped games a neutral site contest to Iona and a road game at Memphis.
• Despite its trio of non-conference losses, Alabama also notched two impressive wins prior to the start of SEC play. The Crimson Tide defeated No. 3 Gonzaga in Seattle on Dec. 4, 91-82, and No. 14 Houston at home on Dec. 11, 83-82.
• Alabama is a perfect 6-0 at Coleman Coliseum this season, most notably with a win over No. 14 Houston. Dating to last season, the Crimson Tide have won 15 straight home games.
• Junior guard Jaden Shackelford leads the Tide in both scoring (16.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg). With 1,129 career points, Shackelford ranks 42nd in program history in career scoring despite being only in his third season.
• Shackelford, along with fellow junior guard Jahvon Quinerly, were both named Preseason First Team All-SEC.
• Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White hired Oats to his first collegiate head coaching job. After serving on Bobby Hurley’s staff at Buffalo as an assistant from 2013-15, Oats was named the Bulls’ interim and then permanent head coach by White after Hurley left to take the head coaching position at Arizona State. Oats then served as the head coach at Buffalo for four seasons before becoming the head coach at Alabama.
 
LAST MEETING WITH ALABAMA
•  Productive offensive outings from freshmen Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer were not enough, as Tennessee fell to No. 6 Alabama in the SEC Tournament semifinals at Bridgestone Arena, 73-68, on March 13, 2021.
•  Tennessee’s SEC All-Freshman Team duo of Johnson and Springer led the way offensively for the Vols with 20 and 18 points, respectively. Santiago Vescovi added 11 points with three made 3-pointers.
•  SEC Player of the Year Herbert Jones led the way for the Tide (23-6), pouring in 21 points—15 of which came in the second half—and grabbing 13 rebounds. Jahvon Quinerly contributed 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting.
•  After jumping out to an early lead, Tennessee was in control for much of the first half and built its lead to as many as 15 points early in the second half at 48-33 on a Vescovi three-pointer.
•  Facing its largest deficit of the game, Alabama responded immediately with a 14-0 run that cut the Vols’ lead to one. The teams went back and forth until Alabama took its first lead since the opening minute of the game at the 5:26 mark.
•  Trailing by four points with less than a minute to go, a three from Yves Pons brought Tennessee back within one point at 69-68. On the ensuing possession, Davonte Gaines blocked Jones’ shot at the rim, got the rebound and was fouled, but was unable to convert his two free throw attempts.
•  The Tide closed out the game with free throws from Quinerly and Keon Ellis on the other end.
•  After shooting 47.1 percent from the field and forcing 12 Alabama turnovers in the first half, Tennessee took a 40-31 lead into halftime. Johnson was the story of the first half, totaling 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
•  After the Tide scored the game’s opening basket, Tennessee went on a 13-2 run to build an early nine-point lead. Alabama cut the lead down to as few as two points at 23-21, but the Vols immediately responded with a 13-3 run that put them in control heading into the second half.
 
BARNES WAS A ‘BAMA ASSISTANT
• Rick Barnes spent the 1985-86 season as an assistant coach at Alabama under Wimp Sanderson. It was Barnes’ first taste of “major” college basketball.
• The Crimson Tide went 24-9 (13-5 SEC) that year and finished third in the conference. Bama earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and defeated Xavier and Illinois before falling to Southeast No. 1 seed Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen.
• That Alabama team featured 15-year NBA veteran Derrick McKey, eventual Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried, five-year NBA veteran Jim Farmer and seven-year NBA veteran Buck Johnson (team’s top scorer).
• After Barnes’ lone season in Tuscaloosa, he moved on to Ohio State to work as an assistant coach under Gary Williams.
• As a head coach, Barnes is 8-9 against schools at which he once worked (he’s 3-5 vs. Alabama, 1-1 vs. Ohio State, 2-0 vs. Providence, 0-1 vs. Clemson, 2-2 vs. Tennessee). He’ll face Texas on Jan. 29.
 
A WIN WITH “SHELF LIFE”
• In the words of ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes, Tennessee’s 77-73 triumph over No. 6 Arizona is a win that has “shelf life.”
• Arizona entered the Dec. 22 showdown boasting the No. 1 scoring offense in Division I at 91.0 ppg, but the Vols were the first team all season to hold the Wildcats to fewer than 80 points.
• Tennessee forced Arizona into turnovers on 22.7 percent of its possessions (17 total). UT also held the Wildcats below 1.0 points per possession (0.97 ppp).
• Arizona scored just 21 points in the first half, its lowest output in any half this season.
• Vols super senior John Fulkerson drew 13 fouls in the win. Projected NBA Draft picks Azuolas Tubelis and Christian Koloko combined for almost as many fouls (9) as points (10).
 
THINK HE REMEMBERS?
• Tennessee never trailed during its win over No. 6 Arizona on Dec. 22. It was the first time Tennessee never trailed in a victory over a top-10 opponent since a 96-78 upset at No. 6 Texas on Dec. 17, 2005. Can you guess who coached those Longhorns?

-UT Athletics

Rick Barnes and Olivier Nkamhoua Media Availability

Rick Barnes and Olivier Nkamhoua Media Availability

Posted on December 27, 2021

Head Coach Rick Barnes 

On the SEC changing its forfeit rule when it comes to teams not being able to compete due to COVID…
 
“I still think really right when you think about it, if you have enough guys—that number is probably seven or eight—that you can play a game, I think you should go play. I think it speaks volumes to your team when you know that, ‘hey yeah, we might not ever full deck with us, but we believe in you guys, you’re on scholarship and so we will always try with everything that we do to go play a game, whether it’s here or on the road. That’s how we feel about it. I just think that if you have enough, I think you owe it to everybody involved to do the right thing, for one people that bought tickets for the games. I’ve seen enough in my lifetime in this sport to know that anything can happen during a basketball game. But it goes back, mainly to the fact that if you have enough, you owe it to them to go play.”
 

Vols HC Rick Barnes / Credit: UT Athletics


On what he’s seen from Alabama on film…
 
“Obviously they’re an outstanding team. Like all of us at certain times during the year, they’ve been through the ups and downs of it, but you know, when you think about it, you know what they like to do in terms of attacking the basket or the 3-point shot, and so you have to certainly know personnel as much as anything going into this game, because they’re going to work hard and get you in the rotation. Like in every game, I think rebounding is a key. But it’ll take a great effort. You think about some of their wins and how they’re capable of playing, and we know they’re explosive and can put up some numbers. They can come in flurries and we have got to do a good job on the other end of taking care of the ball and making sure we get the shots that we want.”
 
On if he was concerned with players traveling over the holiday break when it comes to COVID…
 
“I think you’re always concerned this time of year with what you see going on in the country, but I do think our guys really do try to be responsible as much as they possibly can when they leave. I’ve always said I think it’s important to, if you can at all possibly be with your family at Christmas, I think that’s the right thing to do. But then, when you get outside of the bubble that we have created here, yeah, you’re always concerned about it, but we’ll always do the right thing. Those that we felt needed to be tested we did that and, and we’ll see what the results are.”
 
On Tennessee’s rebounding in the win over Arizona…
 
“It’s something that we that we really want to be good at, and I think we have the ability to do that. I think now it gets down to are you willing to do it on nights when people are so conscious of trying to keep you off the glass or trying to get to the glass. Can you do it? And that takes it to the next level, consistency. Reliability on rebounding I think can carry you a long way, but as you get a reputation for being an offensive rebounder early in the game and certainly people are going to try to keep you from there and try to discourage you from coming in. On the other end, they look at you and if you’re not a guy that blocks out or doesn’t take care of that end, they’re going to come at you. That’s something we’ve talked a lot about and something that we have to continue to get better with.”
 
On Nate Oats’ consistent success at each coaching stop…
 
“I think like any coach, he believes in what he’s doing. I think he recruits to his system and you know he’s been around the game and he does a really good job of teaching what he believes in.”
 
On how important the Christmas break was for players to re-gather themselves and recharge physically and mentally…
 
“I think guys always look forward to being able to be with their families and have a short break. I thought last night they came back and had a great spirit about them. With that said, obviously they were able to rest a little bit and maybe for those that were had those nagging injuries that you always have this time of year and throughout the year, certainly those days would help with that. But I think being away for a couple days was good for all of us.”
 
On Olivier Nkamhoua’s influence on the Arizona game through things other than offense…
 
“I think that’s where he has matured a lot really in the last couple weeks, where he now knows he can affect the game in a lot of ways, whether he scores a basket or not. He had three blocks, really four, the fourth one he got called for a foul, he literally blocked it with his forearm and it was just a spectacular play. And when you think about that he also blocked a jump shot, that’s taking eight to 10 points off the board that somebody has the possibility to get. But I think Olivier is just scratching the surface to what he can be. I know that as he continues to just play the game and not put pressure on himself to do anything but be who he is and understand that there’s so much more to the game than scoring and he can affect it on nights when sometimes he’s not getting looks. But again, I think his future is extremely bright and the impact that he’s made and will continue to make is what we need. I can make a case that what we need from him what we need from him and (John Fulkerson) and Uros (Plavsic)—we need those three guys night in and night out to do a lot in with Olivier leading the way.”
 
On how Tennessee’s tough non-conference schedule has prepared it for SEC play…
 
“I think we are. We tried to prepare our team with a tough non-league schedule, trying to hit as many different variables as we could with the schedule. I think our guys have responded, I do think that we’ve learned from our mistakes and I think we’ve learned from other teams and what they how they go about it. So yeah, I think we’re ready. The fact is, we have to be and I’m just hoping for our whole league that we can have the kind of year where we don’t have a lot of shut downs and let these guys do what they love to do, which is to go out and play and compete.”
 
On Brandon Huntley-Hatfield’s limited playing time against Arizona…
 
“In a game like that the other night, we knew, even when we got up early on them, that they were going to make a push to get back. It was a back and forth game and it was going to be a possession game. The truth behind that was his preparation two days out and one day out, we didn’t feel like he had had to kind of prep that we needed him to have. A game like that is not a chance to say, ‘Let’s see what he can do,’ based on what he had done in prior two days. I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t learn from that, because he would tell you himself that he didn’t have two very good days leading into it and when you have an opponent like we’re getting into now to. The preparation is so important. But we know that he can help us, and he’s going to help us. I do think last night he came back and he had a great mental mindset coming back last night because as coaches we had conversation with him about why he didn’t play, and it was all based on prep leading into it. I think all freshmen go through that. I think that’s not unusual, but I mean I think he would be the one to tell you that he wants to do it, and this is a whole new thing for him. But he has made great strides and he’ll continue to do that and like I said, he’s going to help us win some games this year.”
 
On Tennessee’s SEC schedule having numerous tough road games in the first couple weeks…
 
“I don’t even look at it like that. I don’t care. You have to play who you have to play and fact of the matter is, we’re going to do our work, we’re going to do our preparation and we’re going to trust it and we’re going to believe in it. The schedule is what it is. You just have to embrace it and go with it.”

Junior Forward Olivier Nkamhoua Quotables

On having a big impact on the Arizona game despite not scoring as much…

“It felt really good for me to be able to help my team without being a focal point on offense. It’s just bringing some grit on and defensive end and energy, and I think whenever I can bring that, I can help us a lot, so I think it’s a big part for me to keep doing that.”

On educating younger players about the shift to a demanding conference schedule…

“You have to lock into another level, but honestly I think we’ve done a good job of just having a full year—especially this year—a whole intense year. We’ve been pretty consistent this whole time. I think we’ve done a really good job and making non-conference play kind of similar to conference play, but it’s going to pick up in speed a little bit. But really, whenever I talk to the young guys I just tell them to enjoy it. We’re going to be playing two games a week. That’s what we’re here for, we’re here for basketball, especially right now since we’re out of school too. We’re really just living life, playing basketball and going home, relaxing and doing whatever we want to do. I think a big message from me will be just enjoy this time, because it’s going to go by pretty quick.”

On Rick Barnes preaching that he doesn’t have to score to affect the game…

“He’s been trying to emphasize that for my game for a long time. A person he always likes to bring up for me is Yves (Pons) and how he was always able to affect the game regardless of how he was doing on the offensive end. He says that especially now that I’m kind of stepping into the role and he’s not here anymore. Now we need somebody to be a defensive presence, so he’s been bringing that up, especially this year a good amount. And I’m doing my best.”

-UT Athletics

Fulkerson Named SEC Co-Player of the Week

Fulkerson Named SEC Co-Player of the Week

Posted on December 27, 2021

Fresh off of recording a double-double on his way to leading Tennessee to a win over a top-10 opponent, super senior forward John Fulkerson has been named the SEC’s Co-Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday.
 

Vols F John Fulkerson / Credit: UT Athletics


The award marks the Kingsport native’s first career SEC weekly honor and the first SEC Player of the Week distinction by a Tennessee player since Jordan Bowden on Nov. 18, 2019. Fulkerson shared the weekly honor with Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe.
 
In Tennessee’s lone game during last week, Fulkerson scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and drew 13 total fouls in the Vols’ win over No. 6 Arizona. The performance marked Fulkerson’s seventh career double-double and second of the season.
 
The super senior also tied Tennessee’s program record for career games played, making his 142nd appearance as a Vol in the win.
 
Eleven games into his sixth season in a Tennessee uniform, Fulkerson is averaging 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His 1.5 blocks per game also rank fifth in the SEC.
 
Fulkerson is just 26 points away from becoming the 53rd member of Tennessee’s 1,000-point club.

-UT Athletics

Tennessee Athletics Collecting Items for Tornado Disaster Relief

Tennessee Athletics Collecting Items for Tornado Disaster Relief

Posted on December 27, 2021

Tennessee Athletics is partnering with agencies managing tornado disaster relief efforts in Marshall County, Kentucky, and will collect donations on the UT campus on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

Volunteers from Tennessee Athletics and UT’s Jones Center for Leadership and Service will staff a donation drop-off site between the Tennessee softball and soccer stadiums in the campus River District off Neyland Drive from 10 a.m. ET – 6 p.m. ET on Jan. 5.

Credit: UT Athletics

Items sought by relief agencies include garbage bags, shelf food, cleaning supplies, sanitizing wipes, diapers, formula, paper products (plates, cups, utensils), shoes, new socks, coats and toiletries.

All donated items will be delivered directly to a staging warehouse in Benton, Kentucky, for need-based distribution to families in surrounding communities impacted by the recent tornadoes throughout the region.

-UT Athletics

Vols Wrap Knoxville Bowl Prep Before Holiday Break

Vols Wrap Knoxville Bowl Prep Before Holiday Break

Posted on December 27, 2021

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel took the podium Wednesday morning and spoke with members of the media after the Vols’ 10th bowl practice wrapped up inside the Anderson Training Center. The team will take a couple of days off for the holiday before heading to Nashville to begin on-site preparations for the TransPerfect Music City Bowl matchup against Purdue, set for Thursday, December 30 at 3 p.m. ET from Nissan Stadium.

Vols HC Josh Heupel / Credit: UT Athletics


 
When UT takes the field in Nashville, it will have been more than a month since the team’s regular season finale victory over Vanderbilt. Heupel praised his team’s focus and mentality over the course of 10 bowl practices in Knoxville and how his staff has prepared to keep the team engaged heading into the postseason clash.
 
“You watch bowl games, turnovers and penalties rear their head in those games,” Heupel said. “Rust is a part of that. I think that’s why you got to do a good amount of good-on-good work while you’re here at home, too. Make sure they understand the speed and tempo of the football game. Bowl games are unique in that you got to have some fun and enjoy being around each other, but when you’re in the building, that’s football time and you have to be able to lock in. These guys have had really good practices here at home. When you get to the bowl site, you have to be able to manage that in the same way.”
 
The Vols have ramped up their preparations for Purdue in the last five or six practices. UT will face a Boilermaker squad who posted an 8-4 record and claimed multiple victories over top-5 opponents in 2021, and Heupel shared his thoughts on the opponent in his comments to media on Wednesday.
 
“Defensively, they’re extremely physical,” Heupel said. “They play hard. Front-seven is physical at the point of attack and we have to do a good job. You look at them, they do a good job in red zone areas, and we have to do a good job of creating some explosive plays, staying out of third and long with them.
 
“Offensively, their ability to throw the football around is something that we’ve got to do a great job of being able to manage. Your front four or your pressures, you have to get home and make it uncomfortable for the quarterback. (Have to) do a good job of getting it out of his hands, screen game as well. To do that, you have to be able to get your hands up and affect the throwing lanes, as well.”
 
Tickets for the TransPerfect Music City Bowl can be purchased via TicketMaster. Fans can visit UTSports.com/musiccitybowl for more content and information leading into the postseason matchup.
 
Existing season ticket holders can renew their tickets for the 2022 season now by visiting AllVols.com. Fans wishing to purchase new season tickets for the 2022 season can submit a request by clicking HERE.
 
A full transcript of Heupel’s Wednesday presser can be viewed below.

Bowl Practice No. 10 | Dec. 22, 2021
Josh Heupel Press Conference

Opening Statement…
“Merry Christmas to absolutely everybody in Vol Nation – fans, players, staff here on campus. The last 11 months have been absolutely fantastic for myself, and my family and we’re so blessed to be here and just appreciate everything that you guys have done and wish you a Merry Christmas.
 
“Finishing up our bowl practice here this morning as far as here in Knoxville and excited about what our guys have done. Last five or six days (we’ve) gotten more into the preparation for Purdue and I think we’re in a great spot. Excited for a couple days off for these guys. They get a chance to go home and then meet up on Christmas day with them back at the bowl site. Looking forward to that and ready to go play some ball here on the 30th.”
 
On the competition at corner during the bowl practices…
“Bunch of guys that have repped at it. Have a chance to see multiple guys play there. You know, you’ve seen during the course of the season guys be down and the next guy steps up and has performed really well, so I expect good things from the guys that are out there on the 30th.”
 
On starting tight ends Princeton Fant and Jacob Warren returning next year…
“Both of them are just beginning their journey as players. I really believe that their physical development will be critical this offseason. That will be a big part of them continuing to take another jump in their play. They’ve done that already in the 11 months that we’ve been here. I think both of them have been playing their best football middle half of the season on. They’ve got a lot better understanding on how to execute and do the things that we need them to in the run game and the pass game and protections. Those two guys coming back will be a big part of us moving forward next year and (we’re) excited to have those guys back. They represent what’s good inside of this program, too. They’re two great young people, on and off the field.”
 
On how unique the working relationship between the tight ends is…
“Extremely selfless. They don’t care who starts, they don’t care who gets the ball. If you watch one of them have success during the drive, they come off (and) the other guy is the first guy to high-five them and tap them on the helmet. They truly help each other out. They’re great teammates and great leaders inside of our program.”
 
On if rust is a concern in bowl games, especially on offense…
“Yeah, for sure. You watch bowl games, turnovers, penalties rear their head in those games. Rust is a part of that. I think that’s why you got to do a good amount of good-on-good work while you’re here at home, too. Make sure they understand the speed and tempo of the football game. Bowl games are unique in that you got to have some fun and enjoy being around each other, but when you’re in the building that’s football time and you got to be able to lock in. These guys have had really good practices here at home. When you get to the bowl site, you got to be able to manage that in the same way.”
 
On what he expects from Purdue…
“Defensively, extremely physical. They play hard. Front seven is physical at the point of attack and we got to do a good job. You look at them, they do a good job in red zone areas, and we got to do a good job of creating some explosive plays, staying out of third and long with them.
 
“Offensively, their ability to throw the football around is some that we’ve got to do a great job of being able to manage. Your front four or your pressures, you got to get home and make it uncomfortable for the quarterback. (Have to) do a good job of getting it out of his hands, screen game as well. To do that, you got to be able to get your hands up and affect the throwing lanes, as well.”
 
On Cade Mays’ injury status and the teams current COVID protocols…
“Cade continues to get better. (He) hasn’t gotten a ton of work here at home. We’ll see where he’s at when we get to the bowl site. He continues to get better.
 
“COVID protocols, it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, obviously there’s been a spike just in our general population. You’re always concerned about that because it deals with just the safety of your football team. I think our vaccination rate is up above 90 percent. Some guys have gotten boosters – I don’t know the number of guys that have – but we’re in a good spot right now. Really haven’t had many issues with it, but as you disperse and players go home and they come back, all of those things, you’re concerned about all of them.”
 
On how he learns of players’ statuses pertaining to COVID-19… 
“The guys that are not vaccinated will continue to get tested, and if somebody tests positive, that’s when you find out … Your first concern when you’re in this position is just the health and safety of your team as a whole, so that’s the thing that you’re most concerned about. You try to educate them consistently throughout the entire year, not just during the football season or not just because of a bowl game. You make them aware of what’s going on in the general public, as they will be in that area more—just more time during bowl preparation, plus they’re going back home (for Christmas)—and try to make sure that they’re taking care of themselves.” 
 
On balancing bowl festivities and bowl practice next week… 
“It’s different for us. We don’t have afternoon meetings. We elongate our morning meetings a little bit to cover up what happened in the previous practice and our situations that we’re going into that day. When it’s football time, we’ve got to be dialed in and be into that moment, truly focus on what’s important in that moment. When you’re done with the football side of it, your players have to enjoy that bowl experience, too. Enjoying it is a part of being ready to go play and do it the right way at the end of the week, too.” 
 
On his general impressions of the early enrollees taking part in bowl practice and his thoughts on what those players gain from the experience… 
“First of all, they’re getting thrown right into the middle of it. We’ve been working with our players for 11 months for them to be where they’re at in understanding our scheme, right? The great benefit for them is they get introduced to the team, get introduced to what the culture is on the football side of it in the meetings and on the practice field. They get a ton of individual work. To me, in these four days—or maybe it’s six days, depending as they all kind of came in at different times—they get great exposure. Now they have three and a half weeks to go back home. They’ll work out a little bit. They get accustomed to what we’re doing in the weight room, so they have a chance to take some of that back home with them. When they come back, I think it just creates great comfort in coming here. They’ve already been introduced into their position groups. They know all the guys and surely have sat in the meeting room with them, hung out with them. I think it just eases the transition when they get back as well.” 
 
On his favorite Christmas gift he has received and any Christmas traditions he looks forward to… 
“Probably a set of lockers when I was like five years old. I felt like my bedroom had turned into a locker room. I thought that was pretty cool. Purple and gold. Big Vikings fan back in the day, so was pretty excited about that. Christmas traditions? Man, major Christmas tradition is this afternoon I’ll take my daughter—potentially my son, but definitely my daughter—and we’ll go do some shopping for my wife. That’s the No. 1 checklist item I have to get done before we get to the 25th.” 
 
On quarterback Hendon Hooker returning…
“Excited for him because he made a choice, based on the information that he was provided, that’s going to help him in the long-run. He’s excited and wants to (come back), his heart is here at Tennessee, he wants to be a part of this football team moving forward. Extremely excited for him, his family, and for our football team. (He’s a) great leader and I just believe that he is still becoming the best version of himself as a player. (He) has an opportunity to change some things fundamentally, continue to grow. Last year, you’re so worried about getting your scheme in that, some of the global view things, you don’t get a chance to touch on in year one. We’ll be able to do that with him and really excited to have him. Obviously, the way that he’s played, you look at it like a football game, each quarter of the season he’s continued to get better and better. That speaks to what he (will be) able to do next year, too.”

On the growth of Warren Burrell…
“I think that’s the challenge for any young player coming into our program is to have that mentality and approach every day and everything that you do. It’s a challenge for our guys coming back to elevate their stock at the next level. I think Theo Jackson is a perfect example of the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. That’s happened for Theo this year. He’s got a great future ahead of him because of it. Warren is a young player that is only going to continue to get better. Physically for him, the strength and conditioning, the nutrition, everything that you are doing. Understanding that every decision you make takes you closer or further away from your goals, is something that is going to be big for him this offseason. Being a pro in the meeting room – understanding his spot but all 11 others and how that effects his job, I think is how he continue to elevate his game. As he does that, he’s going to gain inches every single day. You look back on it when it’s time to go kickoff next fall, he will have come a long ways.”

On the growth the team has in bowl practices…
“To me, it’s like anything inside of this game. I’ve got two kids. I watch them and see them every single day. During the offseason you don’t notice it, until you see a picture from two months prior. In some ways, football is that way. You’re making incremental inches every single day that you’re gaining. You look back a month or two or at the end of an offseason or a strength and conditioning period and you see the distance that you’ve traveled. Young guys got a ton of development in the practices here at home. Individual, group work and a bunch of team work too. So, you become way more accustomed and grow in a really quick way and I think that can speed up, accelerate, channel their focus when they come back the following semester and understand the gains that they need to make before they get into a spring practice. For some of the early enrollees I’d say the same thing. The speed of the game, the fundamentals, everything is happening so fast for them. They get a chance to get exposed to it. Man, it can accelerate their urgency when they come back here in January as well.”

On Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm and their similarities on offense…
“I don’t know Jeff really. He’s been in the pass game throughout his career, everywhere he’s been. I’m not going to say pass-heavy, but it’s a major part of what they do. When he was playing, early in his career, they were one of the first teams in the spread (offense), similar to my background.”

-UT Athletics

Country News

Weather

  • Forecast
  • Currents
  • Planner