Congrats to Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter as they make it 3-weeks at number-one on the Billboard country airplay chart with “Thinking ‘Bout You”!
Dustin originally wrote the hit thinking that it would be the perfect collaboration type song he’d wanted to sing on for years. Little did he know that it would become one of the biggest hits of his career, and end 2021 with a multiweek run on top of the chart!
Although, with the journey “Thinking ‘Bout You” has taken, it has opened Dustin to the advantages of not being a solo artist…“What I realize is…it’s fun to do it with someone else. I kinda get the duo thing now. Usually you reach these milestones and accolades and it’s like, alright ‘Go, me’ (laugh). You can’t really communicate that with anybody else…maybe your band members. But to have MacKenzie along for the ride, and to have someone to text and celebrate the highs…and here we are reaching the top.”
Dustin is ending 2021 on a high note, and will start the new year in a big way as well, as he’ll be a part of Luke Bryan‘s Crash My Playa at the end of January in Riviera Cancun, Mexico.
Fans who make the trip will be looking for this one…Dustin Lynch’s “Thinking ‘Bout You.”
Photo Courtesy of Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter
As Dolly Parton wraps up her 2021, first she was named one of People Magazine‘s People of The Year.
Now people at the Guinness World Records have shared that Dolly set 3 new records in 2021.
Dolly set the new mark for the most decades on the US Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist (7 decades), and the most number-one hits on the US Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist (25).
With the third new record, Dolly was simply besting an accomplishment that she already set. Dolly set a new record, breaking her old one, for the most hits on the US Country Songs Chart. Her 109th hit was her collaboration with Reba McEntire “Does He Love You.”
Dolly talks about her 3 new Guinness World Records…
Thomas Rhett is a music making machine in 2021…and he’s carrying it over to 2022.
Earlier this year he released Country Again: Side A, and everyone thought Country Again Side B would be his next project…nope!
Thomas recently released his single “Slow Down Summer” and shared that it’s from his next album to come out, called Where We Started, which will arrive in early 2022, with Country Again: Side B making an appearance later in the year.
Now, Thomas headed to social media to share a new song with fans called “Years Are Short.” Thomas record the song about being a parent with just an acoustic guitar and the perfect accompaniment…his daughter trying to get his attention. The video perfectly illustrates the songs message, and the life of a parent.
Watch it here…
Check out the music video for Thomas’ current single at country radio, “Slow Down Summer.”
KNOXVILLE – Digital billboards celebrating the #eVOLution22 Tennessee football signing class are now on display in cities throughout the Southeast until Dec. 22.
Head coach Josh Heupel and his staff signed 20 new players on Wednesday as part of a class that was ranked as high as No. 11 nationally by Rivals.com.
The billboards are running in Knoxville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis and Atlanta.
The full #eVOLution22 class, including profiles on each signee, is available at UTsports.com/evolution22.
Existing UT 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 campaign can submit a request by clicking HERE.
Vols Signing Class billboards / Credit: UT Athletics
#eVOLution22 Billboard Locations
Atlanta
I-285 westbound traffic just before the GA 400 interchange
I-85 northbound traffic heading towards Buckhead, near the Buford Highway Exit 86
Chattanooga
On the west side of I-75, just past Exit 1
I-24 just prior to the Knoxville/Atlanta split to I-75
I-24 near the Market Street exit
Knoxville
In and around Knox County
Memphis
I-40 between Appling Road and Germantown Parkway
Located in the heart of Beale Street, at the corner of BB King Blvd/Beale Street
I-240 just east of the Getwell Road exit
I-40 north loop, just west of Warford Street exit
I-40 (Loop) just west of Second Street exit, on the Hernando DeSoto bridge
Nashville
East side of the Nashville Loop (1-24 East), near Shelby Avenue Exit
I-24 just west of I-440 Exit, located just after the 440/I-24 merge
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 7/9 Tennessee (9-0) and No. 3/3 Stanford (7-2) face off this weekend for the 38th time, including the 27th clash featuring both teams ranking among the nation’s top 10 in at least one of the major polls.
The Lady Vols and defending NCAA champion Cardinal, who didn’t play last season due to travel restrictions put in place for Stanford because of the COVID-19 pandemic, renew their annual rivalry at 5:15 p.m. Saturday in Thompson-Boling Arena.
The contest marks the second of five consecutive home games during the month of December for UT and is stop number one for Stanford on a cross-country swing that also takes it to No. 1/1 South Carolina on Tuesday.
Lady Vols vs. Stanford / Credit: UT Athletics
Tennessee comes into the contest on the heels of a runaway 84-60 victory over Georgia State last Sunday in Knoxville that saw five Big Orange players score in double figures and both Tamari Key and Jordan Horston register double-doubles.
The Lady Vols have opened a campaign at 9-0 for the first time since 2017-18, the sixth occasion in the past 20 years and third time in the past 10.
Kellie Harper has forged her career-best start at 9-0, surpassing a 7-0 opening during her first year leading the Lady Vols in 2019-20.
Stanford comes to Rocky Top on a three-game winning streak, having defeated No. 2 Maryland, Pacific and UC Davis in succession. The Cardinal toppled the Aggies, 68-42, at Maples Pavilion on Wednesday night before making the trek to Tennessee.
Head coach Tara VanDerveer’s squad suffered its only losses this season to No. 25 Texas on Nov. 14, 61-56, and to No. 18 South Florida on Nov. 26, 57-54. Those are teams that the Lady Vols defeated in back-to-back games by scores of 52-49 and 74-70 (OT), respectively, on Nov. 15 and 21.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Beth Mowins (play-by-play) and Debbie Antonelli (analyst) will be on the call for the ESPN2 broadcast.
All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Mickey Dearstone behind the microphone. Now calling the action for his 23rd season, Dearstone is joined by studio host Bobby Rader.
SiriusXM Ch. SEC Radio (374) also will pick up the call.
A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on Vol Network Affiliates.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
GAME PROMOTIONS
Holiday Hoops: Get $5 tickets for all price zones (excluding courtside), available in advance or on game day. Plus, $1 tickets are available for kids 12 & under.
Ooh, We Got It: Hot chocolate, that is, for $1.
Kids Day Out: Package includes two tickets, two t-shirts and a pregame event.
Free parking and free shuttle service from the Ag Campus (Lot CF near Brehm & Food Science Bldgs.).
For additional details and information, please call 865-974-1734 or visit the Fans tab on UTSports.com and click on the Fan Experience link.
UT IN TOP 10 IN BOTH POLLS
Tennessee has climbed to its highest position in the AP Poll and stayed the same in the USA TODAY/WBCA Coaches Polls, checking in at No. 7/9 on Dec. 13 and 14.
That’s the highest combination of ranking positions since the Lady Vols were No. 6/7 the week of Jan. 18 in 2018.
If you are wondering when UT was last in the top five, that was in week three of the 2015-16 polls, when the Lady Vols were ranked No. 4/5 on Nov. 23 and 24. UT was No. 4/4 in the preseason polls.
In various preseason polls in 2021-22, Tennessee was ranked No. 12 in the USA TODAY/WBCA Coaches Poll, No. 15 by AP and Sports Illustrated, No. 16 by USA TODAY Sports and College Sports Madness, and No. 19 in the Lindy’s Sports Preseason Top 25.
The Lady Vols were picked second in the SEC Preseason Media Poll and No. 3 in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll, marking their best positions since 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively.
ACTIVE STREAKS VS. RANKED TEAMS
Tennessee is looking for its third straight win over a ranked team, following Ws over No. 23/22 South Florida and No. 12/21 Texas earlier this season.
The Lady Vols are looking for their second consecutive victory over a top-five-ranked squad, as they beat No. 2/3 South Carolina, 75-67, in Knoxville on Feb. 18, 2021.
Kellie Harper had one win over a ranked foe in her first season at Tennessee, four last year and two already in 2021-22. She is 5-3 vs. ranked teams at home as head coach of the Lady Vols.
TOP-10 MATCH-UPS FOR TENNESSEE
This is the first top-10 match-up (both teams in the top 10) for Kellie Harper as a head coach.
This is Tennessee’s first top-10 match-up since Dec. 18, 2018, when No. 8/9 Stanford defeated No. 9/8 UT, 95-85, in Knoxville.
The Lady Vols are looking for their first win in a top-10 clash since Jan. 14, 2018, when No. 6/6 Tennessee defeated No. 9/8 South Carolina in Columbia, 86-70.
UT is looking for its first home win in a top-10 battle since Jan. 8, 2015, when No. 7/9 Tennessee took down No. 9/8 Texas A&M, 81-58, in Knoxville.
ABOUT THE LADY VOLS
The Lady Vols are one of the nation’s biggest stories of 2021-22, remaining unbeaten even after losing returning starters Rae Burrell and Marta Suárez to injuries and opening the season with Jordan Horston on the sideline for a game.
Tennessee is among the nation’s best at rebounding and defending, but its offense is emerging with different members of the team stepping up each game.
Eight different players have scored in double figures this season, including seven who have done so in multiple games.
The Lady Vols have had at least one player record a double-double in every game this season.
UT has shown itself to be a tough, gritty team, coming from behind in the fourth quarter four times this season to win games (Southern Illinois, South Florida, Texas, Va. Tech).
Tennessee is led by 6-2 junior guard Jordan Horston, who paces the team in scoring (15.6 ppg.) and assists (3.9 apg.), while ranking second in rebounding (9.5 rpg.) in a breakout season.
Horston is second on the team with four double-doubles and has topped UT in scoring five times.
Tamari Key, a 6-6 junior center, is putting up 9.7 ppg. and 10.2 rpg. to go along with 4.0 bpg. She had a triple-double of 10 points, 18 rebounds and 10 blocks in UT’s 74-70 OT victory over No. 12/21 Texas and her block average currently ranks No. 1 all-time among Lady Vols in a season and No. 2 in the nation. Key leads Tennessee with six double-doubles thus far, including in the past four games and six of the last seven.
Alexus Dye, a 6-0 forward, is third among active UT players in scoring at 9.2 ppg. She is third in rebounding at 8.2 rpg.
Freshman guard/forward Sara Puckett, graduate guard Jordan Walker, graduate forward/center Keyen Green and sophomore guard/forward Tess Darby average 8.0, 7.2, 6.4 and 4.8 ppg., respectively, with Walker and Darby starting alongside Key, Horston and Dye.
Freshman point guard Brooklynn Miles is UT’s eighth active player averaging double-figure minutes at 23.3, and she was effective as a ball-handler and defender before becoming a scorer in game nine. She hit for a season-high 11 points vs. Georgia State last Sunday, hitting three of five field goal attempts.
UP NEXT: ONE MORE BEFORE THE BREAK
Tennessee is in a stretch where it plays five in a row at home during the month of December, and the next one is the final game before the team gets a holiday break.
The Lady Vols will play host to ETSU on Monday at 6:30 p.m. (SECN+) before the players head home.
The post-break slate features Chattanooga on The Summitt at 6:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 27, and Alabama opening SEC play vs. UT in Knoxville at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 30.
UT-STANFORD SERIES NOTES
This is the 38th all-time meeting between these programs, and the Lady Vols own a 25-12 record vs. the Cardinal in a series that dates back to Dec. 18, 1988.
This will mark the 36th time these teams have played when both schools are ranked in the top 25 of at least one of the polls and the 27th occasion when both were in the top 10.
Tennessee is 13-3 in Knoxville vs. Stanford, 6-0 at neutral sites and 6-9 at Maples Pavilion.
One of those neutral site wins for Tennessee, came in the Lady Vols’ run to NCAA Championship trophy number eight, when the Lady Vols defeated Stanford, 64-48, on April 8, 2008, in Tampa, Fla.
The programs have combined for 11 National Championships (UT 8, SU 3), 32 NCAA Final Fours (UT 18, SU 14) and 2,566 victories (UT 1,410, SU 1,156), with the late UT legend Pat Summitt and Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer responsible for much of the growth the game of women’s basketball as enjoyed through the years.
The Lady Vols and Cardinal have split their last six meetings, with UT taking two of the past three on The Summitt.
Tennessee won 11 games in a row over their West Coast foes from 1997-2006, but the series has tilted 8-6 in Stanford’s favor since then, with UT, though, posting a 4-2 mark at home.
UT and SU have needed overtime to settle scores in six contests, with the club from Rocky Top holding a 4-2 record. Tennessee is 2-0 in OT games played in Knoxville, 1-2 at Stanford and 1-0 at neutral sites.
UT is 68-23 all-time vs. schools currently in the Pac-12 Conference, falling at Stanford, 78-51, on Dec. 18, 2019, in the Lady Vols’ last match-up with an institution from that league.
ABOUT STANFORD
Stanford returned 12 letterwinners and four starters from last season’s NCAA Championship and Pac-12 winning squad, which finished 31-2 overall and 19-2 in league play.
Stanford has four players on preseason watch lists for positional awards announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Lexie Hull (Ann Meyers Drysdale Award), Haley Jones (Cheryl Miller Award), Fran Belibi (Lisa Leslie Award) and Cameron Brink (Katrina McClain Award).
Brink, Hull and Jones were also named to player of the year watch lists for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, while Brink and Jones garnered attention for the Wade Trophy.
Leading Stanford in scoring and rebounding is Brink at 15.3 ppg. and 8.3 rpg. Jones and Hull put up 10.4 and 9.9 ppg.
ABOUT THE HEAD COACH
The Cardinal is directed by Tara VanDerveer, who is in her 36th season at the school (980-206) and in her 43rd year as a head coach (1,132-257).
VanDerveer already is a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2011) and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2002).
She is a five-time national coach of the year (1988, 1989, 1990, 2011, 2021) and 16-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, leading Stanford to NCAA titles in 1990, 1992 and 2021).
LAST TIME STANFORD PLAYED
Hannah Jump had 17 points, six rebounds and three steals, and No. 3 Stanford overcame a slow offensive start to run away from UC Davis for a 68-42 victory Wednesday night in its final home game of the non-conference schedule.
Cameron Brink, coming off a career-best 25 points in Sunday’s 91-62 win against Pacific, added 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Lacie Hull finished with 10 points.
WHEN UT AND SU LAST MET
The No. 23/24 Lady Vols suffered their second loss of the season at top-ranked Stanford on Dec. 19, 2019, falling in Maples Pavilion, 78-51.
Tennessee (8-2) was led by junior Rennia Davis, who finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
Kiana Williams led Stanford (10-0) with 19 points and seven assists. Sophomore Lexie Hull and freshman Ashten Prechtel were also in double figures for the Cardinal with 11 and 10, respectively.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 18th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team heads to the mid-state for a neutral site clash with the Memphis Tigers on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
Vols G Kennedy Chandler / Credit: UT Athletics
Fans can catch Saturday’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. Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Jay Bilas (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 81 on Sirius, SiriusXM and the SiriusXM app.
Tennessee (8-2) enters Saturday’s in-state rivalry coming off of a 96-52 win over USC Upstate on Tuesday. Kennedy Chandler notched his first career double-double, scoring 15 points and adding 10 assists. As a team, Tennessee compiled 29 assists—its most in a game since Jan. 4, 2014.
Junior forward Olivier Nkamhoua led the Vols in with 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting and in rebounds with eight.
Saturday marks the 28th all-time meeting on the hardwood between Tennessee and Memphis. Of the current three-game series between the schools, the Vols and Tigers split the first two meetings—Tennessee won at Memphis during the 2018-19 season and Memphis won in Knoxville during the 2019-20 season.
Up next, Tennessee is back at Thompson-Boling for its final game before the start of the SEC play, taking on the Arizona Wildcats on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
THE SERIES • Tennessee leads its all-time series with Memphis 15-12, dating to 1969. • These teams have met only twice at a neutral site. The Vols won in Oklahoma City in December 1969, and the Tigers logged a double-overtime win in Maui in November 2011. • The Vols are 50-43 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference. • Rick Barnes owns a 3-2 record vs. Memphis and a 14-9 record against current members of the AAC. • The Volunteers are 10-9 all-time at Bridgestone Arena. • 381 miles of Interstate 40 separate these in-state foes. • This game was originally slated to be played last season, but both teams agreed to postpone it one year so that it could be contested in a full arena. • More than 25 NBA scouts have been credentialed for Saturday’s game.
LAYUP LINES – TEAM • According to KenPom, the Vols lead the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 85.6 points per 100 possessions. College teams typically average close to 70 possessions per game. • Tennessee ranks fourth in Division I in assist/turnover ratio (1.80), fifth in assists per game (19.3 apg) and fifth in turnover margin (+7.1). • The Vols also rank among the top 10 nationally in steals per game (10.6 spg, 8th) and scoring margin (+20.6 ppg, 10th). • 45 percent of Tennessee’s points this season have been scored by first-year Vols (356 of 785). • The Vols are attempting 8.5 more 3-pointers per game than they did last season (28.4 per game compared to 19.9). In wins, UT is shooting .396 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 • Memphis native and Freshman All-America candidate Kennedy Chandler has scored or assisted on 34.8 percent of Tennessee’s points this season. • Chandler’s 5.4 assists per game rank second in Division I among true freshmen. • Justin Powell scored 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting against Memphis last season (playing for Auburn). • Saturday will be John Fulkerson’s 142nd career game as a Vol. That will tie him with Wayne Chism (2006-10) atop Tennessee’s all-time games played list. • In two career games vs. Memphis, Fulkerson averages 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in 27.0 minutes. • Santiago Vescovi made 18 total 2-point field goals in 27 games last season. He’s already made 19 2-point field goals through 10 games this year—many of them layups.
ABOUT MEMPHIS • Memphis enters Saturday’s neutral-site clash with Tennessee off a home win over No. 6 Alabama on Tuesday, 92-78. Prior to upsetting Alabama, Memphis had lost four consecutive games—a neutral-site clash with Iowa State, back-to-back road games at Georgia and Ole Miss, and a home game to Murray State. • The Tigers’ roster is highlighted by the freshmen duo of Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren—rated the No. 5 and No. 6 overall players in the 2021 class by 247Sports Composite. • Despite the preseason hype surrounding Bates and Duren, senior forward DeAndre Williams is Memphis’ leading scorer through 10 games, pouring in 11.2 points per contest. Williams, a Preseason All-AAC Second Team selection, scored a season-high 20 points Tuesday against Alabama. • Duren is stuffing the stat sheet with averages of 10.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Bates is averaging an identical 10.8 points per game. • Memphis has used six different starting lineups in 10 games this season. • Penny Hardaway is in his fourth season as Memphis head coach, having posted a 69-36 record so far in his tenure. • Prior to this season, Hardaway added Rasheed Wallace and Larry Brown to the Tigers’ staff as assistant coaches. • Wallace’s resume includes 16 years in the NBA, four NBA All-Star selections and a 2004 NBA title with the Detroit Pistons as a player. Brown, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, is the eighth-winningest coach in NBA history—having served as the head coach for nine different franchises during 26 seasons as an NBA head coach. Brown also won the 1988 NCAA championship as the head coach at Kansas.
LAST MEETING WITH MEMPHIS • A rough shooting night plagued No. 19 Tennessee, as the Vols dropped a low-scoring defensive battle to No. 13 Memphis at a sold-out Thompson-Boling Arena, 51-47, on Dec. 14, 2019. • UT’s 25 percent (15-for-60) shooting mark from the field was the lowest of the Rick Barnes era. • Despite the Vols’ scoring struggles as a team, freshman Josiah-Jordan James posted a career-high 14 points that led all scorers in the loss. • The Vols and Tigers battled evenly to begin the second half after Memphis took a one-point lead into halftime. Memphis gained a bit of separation at the 12:03 mark after Tyler Harris and D.J. Jeffries made back-to-back threes to put the Tigers in front, 37-33. • After a 3-pointer from Jordan Bowden and a conversion on a contested layup from John Fulkerson, Tennessee took its first lead in more than eight minutes of game time at 43-42 on an Yves Pons’ jumper in the lane with 5:56 remaining. • Over the next four minutes, the lead changed hands four times before Memphis’ Damion Baugh hit a corner 3-pointer at the 1:43 mark. • With Tennessee trailing, 49-47, with 20 seconds remaining, Pons missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the Tigers grabbed the rebound. Alex Lomax then made two free throws to seal it. • Despite a sluggish start from the field, Tennessee built a 17-5 lead over the game’s first 12 minutes. During that stretch, the Vols held Memphis to a 1-for-13 shooting mark, as the Tigers went more than 11 minutes between field goals. • James paced the Vols early on, scoring Tennessee’s first eight points and 11 of its first 15. In the first six minutes of action, he also grabbed three rebounds and had a pair of steals. • After UT’s initial spurt, Memphis clawed back, eventually taking a 25-24 lead into the break on a Harris layup as the clock expired. • Three Tennessee true freshmen—James, Drew Pember and Davonte Gaines—combined to score 17 of the Vols’ 24 first-half points.
MEMORABLE VOLS-TIGERS CLASHES • Will Barton scored 17 first-half points to propel No. 8 Memphis to a 10-point halftime lead at the 2011 Maui Invitational, but Tennessee rode forward Jeronne Maymon in the second half to force overtime, and the Vols eventually fell in double overtime by a score 99-97 on Nov. 22, 2011. Maymon drew national attention with his gutsy 32-point, 20-rebound effort. He grabbed nine offensive rebounds, shot 8-of-15 from the floor and was 16-for-17 at the foul line. • On Jan. 5, 2011, the Volunteers had their highest point total ever in the Memphis series when they defeated the 21st-ranked Tigers 104-84. It was also the most points allowed by the Tigers in a regulation game since the 1987-88 season.. • UT’s win at the FedEx Forum on Dec. 31, 2009, snapped a 23-game home win streak for the Tigers. • When the Tigers and Vols met in Memphis on Feb. 1, 2008, they were ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the national polls. In what was the most-watched college basketball game in ESPN history (5.28 million viewers), Tennessee toppled Memphis 66-62 to earn the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking.
UT’s HISTORY VS. PENNY • During his two-year collegiate career at Memphis (then Memphis State), Penny Hardaway averaged 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. • He starred for the Tigers during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Memphis State faced Tennessee in each of those years, with the coach Wade Houston’s Volunteers defeating Penny’s Tigers both times. • On Dec. 14, 1991, Tennessee edged the Tigers, 65-64, at the Great American Pyramid. Allan Houston scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and sank two free throws with two seconds left to lift UT to victory. Hardaway finished with 21 point and 10 boards. • On Dec. 6, 1992, Tennessee upset eighth-ranked Memphis State, 70-59, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. Allan Houston again led the Vols with 20 points and became UT’s second all-time leading scorer during the victory (he became No. 1 during the next game, vs. Syracuse). Hardaway led the way for the Tigers with 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. • On Dec. 15, 2018, with Hardaway in his first season as the Tigers’ head coach, Tennessee traveled to Memphis and posted a 102-92 victory at FedEx Forum. • One year later, on Dec. 14, 2019, Memphis returned the favor by posting a 51-47 victory over the Vols at Thompson-Boling Arena.
VOLS SUCCESSFUL ON THE IN-STATE CIRCUIT • Tennessee has won its last eight games against in-state opponents and is 23-5 vs. in-state foes under coach Rick Barnes. • Those 23 wins Vanderbilt (10x), Tennessee Tech (4x), ETSU (3x), Lipscomb (twice), Chattanooga, Memphis, Tennessee State and UT Martin.
FULKERSON & BAILEY NEARING 1,000-POINT MILESTONE • With 950 points under his belt, super-senior forward John Fulkerson is 50 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark for his career. • Senior guard Victor Bailey Jr. also could score his 1,000th Division I point this season. Bailey is sitting on 856 career points. He scored 513 points as an Oregon Duck before transferring to Tennessee after two years. • A total of 52 Vols have scored at least 1,000 points during their time on Rocky Top, with Fulkerson’s former teammates, Jordan Bowden and Lamonté Turner, being the most recent additions to the 1,000-Point Club during the 2019-20 campaign.
AUSTIN, Texas — The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Wednesday that Tennessee football seniors Paxton Brooks and Matthew Butler have been selected to the 2021-22 Academic All-America Division I football teams.
Both Tennessee graduates received Academic All-America recognition for the first time in their respective careers, and UT was one of three SEC schools to boast multiple honorees. Brooks was tabbed a first team selection at punter, while Butler earned second team honors as a defensive lineman.
The duo becomes the 14th and 15th student-athletes in Tennessee history to garner Academic All-America laurels. Last month, Brooks and Butler each claimed Academic All-District 3 First Team honors for the third consecutive season—becoming the first players in program history to accomplish that feat.
Vols P Paxton Brooks & DL Matt Butler / Credit: UT Athletics
A senior punter from Lexington, South Carolina, Brooks completed his undergraduate degree in three years, receiving his bachelor’s in kinesiology in May 2021. He maintained a 3.92 undergrad GPA and recently wrapped up his first semester of grad school, pursuing a master’s in kinesiology with a biomechanics concentration.
Brooks has played in all 12 games for the Vols this season and ranks third in the SEC in punting average (44.15). The Ray Guy Award watch list member has booted 11 punts of 50 yards or more in 2021, including a career-high 64-yarder in the season opener vs. Bowling Green. He has pinned 15 punts inside the 20-yard line and recorded only three touchbacks over the course of the season.
A fifth-year standout at Tennessee, Butler earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in December 2020 with a 3.63 undergraduate GPA. He is now working to complete his master’s in political science and touts a 3.70 GPA in grad school. The super senior defensive lineman is a recipient of the 2021 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was one of two Tennessee representatives nominated for the 2020-21 SEC McWhorter Award that is presented annually to the conference’s top scholar-athletes.
The Raleigh, North Carolina, native has started 11 of 12 games this season and ranks second on the team with a career-best 5.0 sacks and fourth on the squad with 8.5 tackles for loss. His last seven games have been especially productive, as Butler has tallied 30 tackles, five sacks, 6.5 TFLs, five QB hurries and one forced fumble during that span.
Tennessee will wrap up the 2021 campaign in two weeks against Purdue at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville on Thursday, December 30, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. Ticket information is available at musiccitybowl.com and tickets can be purchased directly via TicketMaster.
Existing UT 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 campaign can submit a request by clicking HERE.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and his staff closed the first day of college football’s early signing period in strong fashion, welcoming 20 new signees as part of an #eVOLution22 class that finished ranked in the top 15 nationally.
Just shy of 11 months on the job, Heupel and his staff instilled a proven culture built on trust, accountability and being a fun program on and off the field. The quick results in their debut season led to the signing of 11 offensive players and nine defensive student-athletes.
“When we got here there was a lot of uncertainty about what Tennessee football is going to look like in the future,” Heupel said. “Because of all the people that I mentioned before, in particular our 10 full-time coaches – you guys have steadied the ship and who you are has shown through. That’s why the culture of Tennessee football has changed. That’s why the trajectory of our football program has changed and that showed up today with the men we were able to sign.”
2022 UT Signing Class / Credit: UT Athletics
At the conclusion of Wednesday, the Volunteers’ Class of 2022 was ranked as high as No. 11 by Rivals.com. The class was tabbed No. 13 by 247Sports.com and No. 17 by On3.com with a February signing period still remaining.
Tennessee loaded up on the defensive line and pass rushers, signing four-star Tyre West of Tifton, Georgia; four-star James Pearce of Charlotte, North Carolina and four-star Joshua Josephs of Kennesaw, Georgia. In-state linebacker Elijah Herring, who prepped at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, was Heupel’s initial commitment and the four-star made it official on Wednesday.
“His ability to see through the weeds and trust us early in the process, being an in-state kid and how much it meant to him to wear the Power T, was hugely important as we kicked off this recruiting cycle, as far as getting kids to buy in and ultimately commit to us,” Heupel said.
Offensively, speed was an emphasis as the Vols welcomed multiple fast playmakers, including four-star wide receiver Marquarius “Squirrel” White of Birmingham, Alabama; four-star wide receiver Kaleb Webb of Powder Springs, Georgia, four-star running back Dylan Sampson of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; four-star running back Justin Williams of Dallas, Georgia and four-star track standout Chas Nimrod of Bentonville, Arkansas.
A crop of four offensive linemen was headlined by four-star and top-five interior player Addison Nichols of Atlanta, Georgia.
Profiles of the full #eVOLution22 class can be found on UTsports.com/evolution22. On-demand video of #eVOLution22: National Signing Day featuring Heupel, offensive coordinator Alex Golesh and defensive coordinator Tim Banks with host Mike Keith is now available here.
Existing UT 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 campaign can submit a request by clicking HERE.
Class Breakdown by Position QB: 1 (Tayven Jackson) OL: 4 (Maurice Clipper Jr., Brian Grant, Addison Nichols, Masai Reddick) RB: 2 (Dylan Sampson, Justin Williams) WR: 4 (Cameron Miller, Chas Nimrod, Kaleb Webb, Marquarius White) DL: 4 (Joshua Josephs, James Pearce, Jordan Phillips, Tyre West) LB: 2 (Elijah Herring, Kalib Perry) DB: 3 (Christian Harrison, Jourdan Thomas, Desmond Williams)
Head Coach Josh Heupel National Signing Day Press Conference
Opening Statement …
“Good afternoon, everybody. Appreciate everyone being here. Great day for Tennessee football and the future of Tennessee football. I want to thank the families and the high school coaches I’ve gotten an opportunity to know over the last 10 and a half months. Appreciate your support and trusting us with your young men, we don’t take that lightly. So excited about being able to add the 20 young men to Tennessee football here today. It was a culmination of a lot of hard work over the last 10 and a half months. I want to thank our staff. Obviously our 10 on-field coaches, but really, it’s everybody here. Our recruiting department on campus led by Angelia Brummett just did a fantastic job and her passion for Tennessee, being a former student here and having worked here previously, showed throughout this entire process. I want to thank her team, our content team did a fantastic job getting up and running 10 and a half months ago and (I’m) so appreciative of what they’ve done. To the faculty and staff on campus, you’re a huge part of the experience our recruits have on campus, and I cannot thank you enough for showing them (around), taking the time to show them what it means to be a Volunteer. That’s a huge part of their experience, so thank you very much. Our staff, the 10 main recruiters, just the time, effort and energy that they put into this over the last 10 and a half months. When we got here there was a lot of uncertainty about what Tennessee football is going to look like in the future. Because of all the people that I mentioned before, in particular our 10 full-time coaches – you guys have steadied the ship and who you are has shown through. That’s why the culture of Tennessee football has changed. That’s why the trajectory of our football program has changed and that showed up today with the men we were able to sign.
“The class as a whole I’m really excited about. I think we added a lot of athleticism in our skill spots and on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Up front, big, long athletes and, defensively, they can rush and effect the passer on the inside and on the edges. On the offensive line, added a lot of size (and) strength. Kids that are extremely bright and very focused. Love this group. I think we had 10 captains that came out of these 20 guys. Multiple guys won state championships. Guys that know what it takes to win, the dedication, focus, strength and endurance that you’ve got to have to win. Excited about these guys coming in, I believe that we will have a good portion of them show up in January, potentially have a few of them that are a part of bowl practice here as we get going. Just excited about what we had happen today.”
On the family atmosphere of Tennessee …
“I think that word gets thrown around in recruiting a lot. I think it’s very rare to actually have it lived out inside your building every day. The consistency of our approach has rang true with our own players, our recruits felt that and saw that as well. The greatest salesmen of our program are our current players. When recruits come on campus, they have an opportunity to ask real questions and spend time with them. Players don’t lie to players, and I think that showed in our ability to recruit these guys. The time and energy from the time we got here, living out Fast, Fun and Real every single day has rang true. Our current players see it, feel it. Our recruits did too. Not only did we recruit great players, but we really believe in who they are as people too, that we’re adding to the culture of our locker room in a really positive way.”
On the biggest key to putting the class together and what he has learned about recruiting to UT …
“I think, you know, over the last 10 and a half months, there were a lot of different stages that we went through in the recruiting process. At the beginning we were just trying to introduce ourselves and tell them what we were going to be about, but no tangible proof for them at Tennessee. What we had done schematically at different programs, who and what we were. As we got into the summer, they got a chance to see that the culture had changed here, when they got the chance to come on campus, meet our coaches face-to-face instead of doing it over Zoom, and spend time with our current players. Then you go through the fall and now they have the ability to see what we are. That’s schematically in on-field production and performance. Because of those different stages, I think that’s a huge part of why we finished as strong as we did this recruiting cycle. As far as being here, man, why I came to Tennessee is the why recruits want to come here too. This is one of the great, iconic traditions in college football. The brand and the logo is as strong as anywhere in the country. You look at it, top-10 in the history of college football in wins, top-10 in the history of college football in first-round draft picks. The ability to chase and win championships. Anything you can and want to do has been done here before. They can see that we are on that trajectory again. I think they believe in the culture that has been built, who and what we are about as a coaching staff. Our consistency, the ability to be real with our players – that’s when things are going great and when things are not. Just excited about what we were able to do here with this group of individuals.”
On the momentum that comes with adding 20 signees …
“I think what’s different about college football is that recruiting never changes. That’s true because you’re pushing onto the ’23 and ’24 classes immediately, not that we haven’t been doing that, but your focus turns in that attention a little bit. The transfer portal has changed things as well. You’re constantly adding. I think that’s one of the hard things about college football today for your coaching staff and as a head coach. Your ability to manage your roster is a constant ebb and flow. You’ve got to continue to keep your eyes on and add great players that are great people, as well, to your culture and continue to add the pieces that you need, throughout the offseason, spring ball and as you get into May and the early part of summer.”
On how a successful signing day compares to a win on the field …
“It’s important because we’re adding critical pieces to the future of Tennessee. If you feel really strongly and know—not just the player—but you know the person too, then you can feel really confident about the pieces that you’re adding to the puzzle. From today, to the first day that you kickoff with these guys, there’s a lot of time in between that. But, if you know who and what they’re about and can keep them on that course, then you’re adding the things that you need to in order to continue building your program. We feel really good about that today.”
On transiting more of his focus to the classes of 2023 and 2024 and how important signee Elijah Herring is to the 2022 class …
“The ’23 and ’24 classes, we’ve already been on. You’ve had those kids to campus. You’ve had them to games. That’s what’s unique about college football today versus what it was 20 years ago. You’re recruiting multiple classes at a time. Those players are guys that we’ve had on the phone during each week during the course of the season. You’re going to continue to recruit those guys. Today is unique in that you’re finalizing the end of the recruiting process for your ’22 class, but you’re having conversations with your ’23 class as soon as everybody stepped in the building today. Those are guys that we were still reaching out to today.
“Elijah was hugely important to me and to our staff for a lot of different reasons. We really believe in who he is as a player and as a person. We think he’s got an extremely bright future here at Tennessee as a football player. The person, we’re extremely confident about. His ability to see through the weeds and trust us early in the process, being an in-state kid and how much it meant to him to wear the Power T, was hugely important as we kicked off this recruiting cycle, as far as getting kids to buy in and ultimately commit to us. Him being the first guy was hugely important to us.”
On the signing of quarterback Tayven Jackson …
“He’s a two-time state champion. He comes from an elite program and understands the work habits that you have to have to go achieve something individually and collectively as a team. I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he’s going to be as a quarterback. He’s got a long frame and is going to continue to build that out. He has the ability to use his feet both in the pocket and out of the pocket to make plays down the field as a passer. He has the ability to use his feet as a weapon as well. I think that’s only going to increase as he gains confidence in his body. He’s got a very compact type of delivery. As he understands and learns some fundamental things, I think he’s going to have a chance to spread the ball sideline to sideline and vertically down the field. He’s an elite basketball player. I watched some of his basketball tape. He’s got great spatial awareness, which is something that I think is important and correlates over to playing the quarterback position, as he understands bodies in motion and understands windows. We’re really excited about him.”
On the signing of Dylan Sampson and Sampson having a higher GPA than 40-yard dash time … “I’m not sure that I’ve seen that. That’s a rare combination. He’s just super intelligent, bright and has an engaging personality. He’s dynamic in who he is. As soon as we got a chance to get him on campus this summer, we fell in love with him and his family. He obviously has some unique traits with his speed, some characteristics that we’ve had in our offense in the past. We’re excited about him and his future.”
On what the team is adding at the wide receiver position …
“Kaleb (Webb) and Chas (Nimrod), I feel like we’re adding length, speed out on the outside. In particular, just our roster, it felt like that was something that we had to add in this recruiting class. Add some depth at that position. Young men that will be here mid-year and have the chance to go through spring ball with us. I think that’s going to be hugely beneficial to them as we head into the ’22 season. Squirrel (Marquarius White) inside, just electric with his ability to run past you. Got real, real, long speed. Uniquely has the ability to have that type of speed to be really loose with his hips, can play on the edges, and I think he’s going to be a dynamic playmaker inside the middle of the football field.”
On if NIL will affect the core of how he recruits …
“The core of how you recruit is not going to change for us here under me. I believe in relationships. I think that matters in the short term and in the long term. The culture that you build is hugely important to me. You got to add the right pieces, so all of those got to be right. I believe that kids are looking for that as well. It’s a different era than it was twenty years ago. The transfer portal is here, it’s not going anywhere. Some of that’s beneficial to coaches and recruits, and some ways there’s some things that probably aren’t as beneficial, but it’s here. I believe in building a really strong culture, one that players want to be a part of, and then with that you’re going to have the right guys inside of the locker room.”
On how he addressed balancing the prospects they needed and the best prospects available …
“You’re constantly battling what are our numbers potentially going to be, what they end up actually being as far as how many you’re able to sign. Where your roster currently sits, and how you’re navigating those waters, meaning how many old kids do you have, how many young kids do you have at those position groups? Is there somebody in the transfer portal that you can potentially add, rather that’s a one-year kid or a multi-year kid that can benefit inside of your program? Who are you potentially losing inside of your roster, rather that’s NFL or rather that’s through the portal? So, you’re trying to balance all of those things and position yourself for strength in the upcoming year, but also for strength long term inside of this program.”
On talking to recruits about playing time … “Yeah, I truly believe this – I’ve sat in a lot of elite players’ living rooms or at their school – to me, if you’re promising a kid that he’s going to be your starter, man, if I’m a recruit I’d be on the lookout. What’d he promise the guy in front me, what’s he going to promise the guy behind me? You know, we talk about the ability to compete and earn an opportunity to play on this field. I believe in that because you got to have great competitors inside of your locker room. If you’ve got guys that want something given to them, man, their ability to strain, fight and compete on a daily basis may not be there.”
On the three four-star recruits added today …
“Important for us that we won those. It’s a big part of this class. Three guys that we feel like have an opportunity to make an impact here early on in their careers as they grow inside of this program. From an elite pass rusher on the edge to an elite pass rusher inside that’s got the ability to play on an edge. Justin’s (Williams) ability, just in his frame, his physical attributes are something we felt like we needed to add inside of the running back room, as well. So, feel really strongly about all three of those guys.”
On signing difference makers in pass rush game …
“Huge for us to add guys that can affect the quarterback. They can change the way the game is played, from how people have to pass protect, how much pressure you have to bring versus being able to bring pressure with your front four. I think it’s important that you got guys on both edges so that offensive coordinators can’t just scheme you and eliminate a guy from affecting the football game. Those two young guys have an ability to grow physically inside of our program. Just long term, I think they have an opportunity to make huge impacts in the way that the game is played. Certainly, you got to add elite level play at the quarterback position. Feel really strongly about Tayven (Jackson) here as we’re moving forward.”
On recruiting Tyre West and what it took for him to sign with Tennessee …
“Someone that we had initial contact with. Coach (Mike) Ekeler was actually the first one that went down there. Coach (Rodney) Garner went down there later in the recruiting cycle, spent a ton of time with the people that were influential in his life, family, and people at the high school. I got a chance to go down there, his head coach actually is from Michigan originally. I recruited his quarterback to Oklahoma and had a previous relationship with him as well, so I think there was great trust in who we are, what we’re about and how we’re going to take care of the young man on and off the field, just help him grow into being a great person and great leader. Tyre’s got a ton of upside as a player, man. His ability to play with great pad level, play on an edge, bend the corner. Physically, he’s just going to mature so much when he gets in our strength and conditioning and nutrition program. Got a ton of upside. I think that Tyre and everyone that was around him just trusted who we were and that we were real in the things that we were saying. Had a great official visit with him and some of his family. Ultimately, he believed in Tennessee. He believed in the Power of the T. He believed in the people that were here that were going to help him navigate the road over the next three, four, five years. He fell in love with the stadium too, man. That’s a special place. You take recruits in there, outside of the construction that’s currently going on, they fall in love with that place.”
On Desmond Williams and what he brings to UT’s special teams unit …
“One of the first things that I watched was his all-play cut up, what he was doing on special teams. Dynamic playmaker, really natural and fluid, great hands. Then you see him on the defensive side of the football, smooth in transition, really confident. The 50-50 ball, he’s very patient and calm with. Super athletic kid. You meet him, and you fall in love with who he is as a person, too. His ability to communicate and be real with you, extremely confident in who he is, and very excited to have him part of our program.”
On in-state recruiting and building relationships across Tennessee …
“Some of those things don’t happen overnight. Our entire staff, from me on down, has placed great importance on recruiting in-state the right way. That means spending time getting to know coaches and people that are influential here inside of the state, taking phone calls from VFLs that watch a guy on Friday night and like what they see. I think in this recruiting cycle in particular, that was maybe the biggest hurdle for us to overcome, and I say that meaning that the players inside of the state heard all of the noise for the two and a half months before I got here, and all the noise previously as well. (We had a) short amount of time to get to spend a bunch of time with them. (Due to) COVID, didn’t have them on campus. So, in some ways, I think it was harder in-state than maybe out-of-state this year a little bit.”
Lauren Alaina made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 2011, shortly after finishing her time on American Idol.
Now a decade later, on December 18th 2021, Lauren was invited to be a member of the Opry by one of her musical idols – Trisha Yearwood.
When it comes to her relationship with Trisha, Lauren says, “I don’t know how this has happened to me…but Trisha Yearwood is my friend. I’m serious. I cannot believe that. She’s my friend…and she’s got me saved in her phone as ‘Junior’ – because she calls me ‘Trisha Junior’.”
Lauren adds, “She’s been a great mentor.”
Watch the very special and emotional moment here…
Look for the Grand Ole Opry to make it official in 2022 as Lauren Alaina will be inducted as the newest member.
Just as her residency in Las Vegas wrapped its first run of shows, Carrie Underwood headed further west to Hollywood to sing on the 2021 Finale of NBC’s The Voice.
Carrie showed up to perform “Hallelujah” with John Legend, who traded his spot in the judge’s chair to the piano bench.
The song is one of the tracks on Carrie’s holiday album, My Gift.
Check out Carrie and John singing “Hallelujah” on NBC’s The Voice, here…
