Congrats to Lee Brice as his number-one hit “One Of Them Girls” has done something that no other songs has ever done.
Lee shares, “We made history y’all, and it’s because of you. “One Of Them Girls” is the first song to ever win American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), and SESAC Country Song of the Year in the same year!! This couldn’t have happened without you.. Thank y’all for being the best fans!”
Lee also was presented with a plaque that honored the accomplishments of his album Hey World…the album itself has been certified Gold, the songs “One Of Them Girls” and “I Hope Your Happy Now” (with Carly Pearce) has been certified 2 times platinum, and Lee’s most recent number-one track “Memory I Don’t Mess With” has also been certified Gold.
Lee shared “I’m forever grateful for this achievement and all of you who made it possible… A huge thank you to my team, my fans, and everyone involved.”
Congrats to Lee Brice on this history making accomplishment!
Kelsea Ballerini shared a conversation she had about her new book of poetry, Feel Your Way Through, with her friend Reese Witherspoon.
Kelsea says “My incredible friend (and sister in another life) Reese Witherspoon came over to talk all things Feel Your Way Through. we cover body image, female support systems, and getting to know ourselves as we grow up. I loveeee this woman and am so thankful for her wisdom and willingness to share a little glimpse into our heart to heart girl talk.”
Watch the conversation between Kelsea and Reese here…
The Tennessee Volunteers finished up their Thursday practice inside of the Anderson Training Center on a rainy day on Rocky Top. Head coach Josh Heupel took the podium afterwards to speak with the media.
A point of emphasis was the fast starts Tennessee’s offense has jumped out to in the first quarter of games. The Vols are outscoring their opponents 148-44 in the first period of play. This averages out to be 14.8 points in the first quarter per game, which leads the nation.
Vols HC Josh Heupel / Credit: UT Athletics
“The group has been very focused, locked in, and ready to go compete,” Heupel said. “I think the way we start our practices and the energy that we try to have as soon as the kids come up those stairs into the meeting room all parlay into your group being ready to go compete when that opening kickoff happens.”
This energy has been something Heupel has looked to instill in the Volunteer group since taking over the program in February.
“We have a phenomenal group of men inside our locker room,” Heupel continued. “They are doing things the right way. They care about each other and compete hard. They want to be great, they are prideful, and we have a tremendous staff that is extremely selfless and just care about the whole.”
“I have come to really enjoy the group as a whole,” Heupel added. “When I say that, I am just talking about where we started in February, who we were as an individuals, let alone collectively as a group. The kind of ability to trust and respect that we have in the building, how we have grown to be connected, it’s a ton of fun. When you are around individuals that are like that, it is a ton of fun because you are truly in a team setting. I love playing with these guys, players and coaches alike.”
The players have proven they are buying into the system and that commitment will lead to greatness. It’s building one step at a time, and the care that the team displays on a daily basis demonstrated that growth.
“You take a look at how we started the process week one to who we are now, how we prepare and how we compete,” Heupel finished. “This group cares a lot and have been through some tough things. I think they understand they are a part of growing, and it’s a group that is starting to understand the end result matters, but I don’t think that is what they are truly focused on. They are focused on their daily tasks, their process that they have to go through, and that’s why I feel like it’s a group that is still extremely highly motivated and understands what we want to do here at the end of the season.”
Tickets for Saturday’s game against South Alabama are still available at AllVols.com. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU. A full transcript from Heupel’s Thursday availability can be found below.
Josh Heupel Thursday Press Conference Week 12 – vs. South Alabama | Nov. 18, 2021
Opening statement… “It’s a good Thursday. Guys were engaged and focused. It was a good work day for us. Obviously, we’re excited about this one. You guys have heard me talk about finishing during the course of the week, something that we have talked to the football team about a lot. In particular this week and finishing up preparation, this football game and the season the right way. We’re looking forward to going and competing on Saturday with these guys. I can’t wait to see the environment inside of Neyland and we’re looking forward to seeing everybody there.”
On an update on Tiyon Evans and JaVonta Payton.. “You guys know that Friday is when we make those final decisions. (Aaron) Beasley’s continued to get better. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow. Tiyon wasn’t able to do much today. He probably won’t be able to go tomorrow. JaVonta has continued to get better throughout the week. We usually make all those decisions on Friday.”
On the offensive line’s performance as of late… “I think the glaring thing for us as an offense, if you just look at statistically where we’re at and who we’ve been, I think our pass protection is something that we have to continue to improve on. Everyone’s going to think o-line right there, immediately as you say that, but it’s really everybody. It’s running backs included, it’s quarterback and the wide receivers doing the right thing at the right time and getting open quickly. I think pass protection is something we’ve got to continue to clean up. Obviously, we’ve played some really good defenses that can get after the quarterback, too. As a whole, as a group, I think when we got Cooper (Mays) back, everybody kind of fell into their natural position, we’ve been at our best with that group. We expect them to play at a really high level on Saturday.”
On if the assistant coaches focus more on regions or positions on the recruiting trail… “I think in today’s world; those two things ultimately end up blending together. I think every job is different based on proximity, location, where you’re recruiting base is, how national you are. The more that you are, the more (focused on positional recruiting) it becomes. For us, we do have areas: primary and secondary areas for our coaches. At the same time, as you get through the recruiting process, the initial piece of the evaluation is finding names and seeing body types. At one point in your recruiting process, it ultimately will end up getting position-specific as well. I think it’s really important, though, that your entire staff recruits guys too. From an area coach, to a position coach, to the unit and then, ultimately, me as well.”
On his experience coaching at Tennessee this season… “Yeah, you guys have heard me say that I love competing with these guys on game day, that’s true. They play extremely hard, but I have come to really enjoy the group as a whole. When I say that, I am just talking about where we started in February, who we were as an individuals, let alone collectively as a group. The kind of ability to trust and respect that we have in the building, how we have grown to be connected, it’s a ton of fun. We got a phenomenal group of men inside our locker room. They are doing things the right way. They care about each other and compete hard. They want to be great, they are prideful, and we have a tremendous staff that is extremely selfless and just care about the whole. When you are around individuals that are like that, it is a ton of fun because you are truly in a team setting. I love playing with these guys, players and coaches alike.”
On talking with the seniors about returning next year… “We may have had a brief conversation during the course of bye week to get a gauge of where they are at just mentally, but then I think you wait until the end of the year and then you present information. You guys have heard me say it before, we want our players to have a chance to go chase their dreams at the next level. It’s important that they understand what that process looks like, where they are at in their development, where guys in the NFL see them potentially slated, where there is room for improvement. Coming back, what are their goals and aspirations, is it time for them with family dynamics? You present all that information and then you go from there. You want your kids, your players, to make a really well-informed decision, and you want a great amount of success for those guys.”
On why this has been a fast-start team… “When we have started fast, a lot of weeks we have, the group has been very focused, locked in, and ready to go compete. I think the way we start our practices and the energy that we try to have as soon as the kids come up those stairs into the meeting room all parlay into your group being ready to go compete when that opening kickoff happens.”
On keeping players motivated… “Everybody is sore and banged up at this point in the year, but I don’t find it hard to motivate this group. We lost some games to some good teams; our guys have shown up and competed in a great way. You take a look at how we started the process week one to who we are now, how we prepare and how we compete. The consistency inside our building because of our coaching staff, which has transcended and been required of our team. We continue to grow and get better and this group cares a lot and have been through some tough things. I think they understand they are a part of growing, and it’s a group that is starting to understand the end result matters, but I don’t think that is what they are truly focused on. They are focused on their daily tasks, their process that they have to go through, and that’s why I feel like it’s a group that is still extremely highly motivated and understands what we want to do here at the end of the season.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Thursday that Tennessee football seniors Paxton Brooks and Matthew Butler have been named to the Academic All-District 3 First Team. Both Tennessee graduates have received the honor in each of the last three seasons, recognizing their combined success on the field and in the classroom.
Selected by CoSIDA members, Academic All-District 3 honorees represent NCAA Division I programs from the states of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. First‐team Academic All‐District selections advance to the CoSIDA Academic All‐America ballot. First‐ and second‐team Academic All‐America honorees will be announced in mid‐December.
Vols P Paxton Brooks / Credit: UT Athletics
Brooks and Butler are both Tennessee’s first three-time Academic All-District selections. The duo has been recognized on the 2019, 2020 and 2021 District 3 First Teams and both are seeking their first Academic All-America distinction.
A senior punter from Lexington, South Carolina, Brooks needed just three years to complete his undergraduate degree, receiving his bachelor’s in kinesiology in May 2021. He maintained a 3.92 undergrad GPA and is currently rounding out his first semester of grad school, pursuing a master’s in kinesiology with a biomechanics concentration.
Brooks has played all 10 games for the Vols this season and rankings third in the SEC in punting average (44.8). The 2021 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, and has pinned 13 punts inside the 20-yard line this season.
Now in his fifth year with the Tennessee football program, 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 boasts 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 nine of 10 games this season and ranks third on the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (4.0). His last five games—all in SEC play—have been especially productive, as Butler has tallied 22 tackles, four sacks, 5.5 TFLs, four QB hurries and one forced fumble during that span.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 17th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team plays its first game away from home of the season Saturday, taking on No. 5 Villanova at 1 p.m. ET at Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Fans can catch Sunday’s game on ESPN News and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analysis) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear John Wilkerson and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action. The broadcast is also available on channel 85 on Sirius, SiriusXM and the SiriusXM app.
Vols C Uros Plavsic / Credit: UT Athletics
Last time out, Tennessee defeated in-state foe ETSU, 94-62. Making his second career start, junior forward Olivier Nkamhoua set a career-high with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. He also knocked down both three pointers he attempted and secured eight rebounds. Freshman Kennedy Chandler had another standout performance in his second collegiate game, scoring all 16 of his points in the first half on 6-of-9 shooting. He added six assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Saturday’s matchup between Tennessee and Villanova is the fifth all-time between the schools and first since the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis. It also marks the Vols’ first regular season neutral site game since the 2019 Emerald Coast Classic, when No. 17 Tennessee defeated No. 20 VCU, 72-69.
Following Saturday’s game, the Vols will be back on the hardwood in a hurry. Tennessee will be back at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday, facing either No. 6 Purdue or No. 18 North Carolina. If the Tennessee wins on Saturday, it will face the winner of Purdue-North Carolina in the championship game at 1 p.m. on Sunday on ABC. If Tennessee loses on Saturday, it will face the loser of Purdue-North Carolina at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
THE SERIES • Tennessee trails the all-time series with Villanova, 1-3, dating to 1950. • After the first two meetings took place in Philadelphia, the two most recent clashes have come at neutral sites. • The Vols’ lone win in the series was a 78-68 triumph in the championship game of the 2011 NIT Season Tipoff in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. • In the most recent meeting—at the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis—the Vols led the Wildcats by 12 at halftime (46-34), but Villanova rallied to post an 85-76 victory. • Tennessee owns a 30-26 all-time record against current members of the Big East Conference. • Rick Barnes is 9-8 against Villanova as a head coach. He was 7-6 against the Wildcats during his six-year tenure at Providence. • Barnes is 2-2 in head-to-head coaching matchups with Jay Wright.
SCOUTING REPORT • Reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Kennedy Chandler has been impressive through his first two games as a Vol, leading the team in scoring (18.0 ppg), assists (5.0 apg), field-goal percentage (.684) and 3-point percentage (.857). • In his first year as a starter, junior forward Olivier Nkamhoua is averaging a double-double with 17.0 points and 11.0 rebounds. • 43 percent of Tennessee’s points this season have been scored by first-year Vols (79 of 184). • Through the games of Nov. 16, Tennessee ranks second in the country in offensive rebounding, grabbing an average of 21.0 offensive boards per game. And Tennessee’s offensive rebounding percentage of 48.3 is the third-highest in the country. • ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, who is calling Saturday’s game, is a former Rick Barnes staffer, as he was an assistant coach on Barnes’ staff at Providence in the early 1990s. Fraschilla also is the father of Villanova Video Coordinator Matt Fraschilla.
LAYUP LINES • Tennessee and its fanbase are quite familiar with all three opposing teams in this Hall of Fame Tipoff field. The Vols played Purdue in 2017 and 2019, faced North Carolina in 2016 and 2017, and clashed with Villanova in 2017. • This weekend’s games mark just the second and third contests the Vols have ever played in the state of Connecticut. UT’s only previous appearance in The Constitution State was a 72-61 loss to eighth-ranked UConn in Hartford on Jan. 22, 2011.
A WIN WOULD… • Stand as Tennessee’s fifth upset over a top-five team under Rick Barnes. Barnes’ Vols previously logged three wins over Kentucky teams ranked No. 4, along with an upset of top-ranked Gonzaga. • Be Tennessee’s 29th all-time win over an AP top-five opponent.
ABOUT VILLANOVA • Along with a pair of wins over Mount St. Mary’s and Howard, Villanova (2-1) enters the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament having already faced a ranked opponent, as the Wildcats fell in overtime to No. 2 UCLA last Friday in Los Angeles, 86-77. • Last season, Villanova finished 18-7 (11-4 Big East), captured the Big East regular-season title and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament—advancing to the Sweet Sixteen before being eliminated by eventual national champion Baylor. • Villanova returns four of its top five scorers from last season to its 2021-22 squad, including AP Preseason First Team All-American and Big East Preseason Player of the Year Collin Gillespie. • Villanova was chosen to win the Big East regular-season title in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Graduate forward Jermaine Samuels and junior guard Justin Moore were preseason Second Team All-Big East selections. • Gillespie and Samuels are taking advantage of a fifth year of eligibility that was granted by the NCAA due to the effects of the pandemic last season. • Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes owns a 42-49 record against current Big East teams and is 9-8 against Villanova, with the majority of those contests coming when Barnes coached at Providence. • Tennessee has faced Villanova one previous time during the Barnes era—also at an early-season tournament. On Thanksgiving Day at the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis, the eventual national champion Wildcats defeated the Vols, 86-75. • Previously, in the 2011 NIT Season Tip-Off championship game, No. 24 Tennessee defeated No. 7 Villanova, 78-68. The other two previous meetings between the schools came in 1950 and 1971—both in Philadelphia and both Villanova wins.
LAST MEETING WITH VILLANOVA • A sloppy second half spelled trouble for Tennessee on Nov. 23, 2017, as its 12-point halftime lead wasn’t enough to hold off No. 5 Villanova, ultimately falling 85-76 in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis. • Eventual SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams led the Vols in scoring, finishing with 20 points to go along with a game-high eight rebounds. Admiral Schofield scored 16 points and James Daniel III added 10 off the bench. • Tennessee looked poised to grab its second consecutive ranked win (UT beat No. 18 Purdue one day prior) after it used a 15-4 run midway through the first half to claim a 10-point advantage. Williams scored six points, including an emphatic slam along the baseline, and Jordan Bowden buried one his of three 3-pointers in the frame to power the spurt. • The lead would grow to as many as 15 with 1:39 left in the first half, and UT took a 46-34 advantage into the break. Tennessee enjoyed 50 percent shooting (17-of-34) in the first half while scoring 15 second-chance points. • But Villanova shot out of the second-half gate, needing fewer than five minutes to level the score. The Wildcats scored the first 11 points of the second half. Forcing 12 second-half turnovers while shooting 52 percent from the field, Villanova extended its advantage to 15 points with 4:40 to play. • Tennessee would not go away quietly, whittling the deficit to 79-76 with less than a minute remaining, thanks in large part to the combined efforts of Williams and Schofield. That was as close as the Vols would come, though, as Villanova—which attempted 37 free throws on the afternoon—put the game away at the foul line. • John Fulkerson (Tennessee) and Collin Gillespie (Villanova) both saw action off the bench in this game.
VOLS SEEKING 15th RANKED WIN UNDER BARNES • Under Rick Barnes, the Vols have logged 14 victories over AP ranked opponents, including five wins over top-10 teams.
VOLS RIDING NINE-GAME WIN STREAK IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES • Tennessee is riding a nine-game win streak in regular-season non-conference action. • Tennessee was a perfect 7-0 in regular-season non-conference play last season, highlighted by wins over Kansas and Colorado. The Vols are 2-0 so far this year. • UT’s last regular-season non-conference loss came at No. 3 Kansas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Jan. 25, 2020.
BOOST FROM THE BENCH • Through two contests, Tennessee’s bench is averaging 32.0 points per game. The Vols’ reserves are outscoring the opponents’ reserves by 20.5 points per game. • Justin Powell has scored in double figures off the bench in both games.
VOLS’ DEPTH EXTENDS TO SCORING • Tennessee boasts impressive depth not only in terms of capable rotation players, but also as it relates to explosive scoring ability. • Six different Vols have scored 20+ at least once in their career. • Victor Bailey Jr. and John Fulkerson both have a team-high four career 20-point games, followed by Santiago Vescovi, who has three. Justin Powell has two 20-point games under his belt, and Kennedy Chandler and Olivier Nkamhoua each have one.
UNDER BARNES, VOLS ARE 73-24 AS AN AP-RANKED TEAM • Tennessee has played 97 games as a ranked team (AP Poll) under head coach Rick Barnes, and the Vols are 73-24 (.753) in those contests.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel spoke to the media for the final time ahead of Saturday’s non-conference home game vs. South Alabama. Kickoff is at 7:30pm ET.
Vols HC Josh Heupel / Credit: 99.1 The Sports Animal
Congrats to Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins as they welcome their daughter Lillie Carolina into the world!
Thomas shared on social media “Lillie Carolina Akins, born November 15th. 7.5 pounds of pure joy. Lauren Akins, you are my hero. Watching a child being born is legit a miracle. 4 under 6 here we go!”
Lillie Carolina joins older sisters Willa Gray, Ada James, and Lennon Love.
It was during a concert back in May of this year, when Thomas shared the news with the crowd that he and Lauren were expecting again.
Thomas recalls “When I was on stage in Fort Worth about to play ‘To The Guys That Date My Girls’ my wife talked to me in my ear monitors and said ‘you can tell them if you want’ so anyways, now you know. We are pumped to be having our 4th girl.”
Thomas also remembers telling his fans, “Feel free to buy all the merch you want, knowing that all the proceeds are going straight to all these weddings I’ll be paying for one day!“
Before he had a full house of kids, Thomas shares there was a time when he didn’t think he’d be where he is today, “I remember getting so mad at God when we were trying to have kids and we just couldn’t, and then the Lord blessed us with Willa Gray, and the next thing you know we can’t not get pregnant (laugh)”
Willa Gray, Ada James, Lennon Love, Lillie Carolina‘s dad has a new single country radio called “Slow Down Summer” – check it out here…
Headline Photo Credit: Katie Kauss
Additional Photo Courtesy of Thomas Rhett & Lauren Akins (and Lillie Carolina)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks is one of eight Southeastern Conference coaches who have been nominated for the Broyles Award, presented annually since 1996 to college football’s top assistant coach.
In his first season with the Volunteers, Banks has played a pivotal role in the program’s resurgence despite a roster with limited depth and several injuries. At 5-5 and coming off games against four consecutive top-20 opponents, Banks and Tennessee are vying for bowl eligibility as they face South Alabama and Vanderbilt in consecutive weeks.
Banks is one of six SEC defensive coordinators announced as Broyles Award nominees, joining Alabama’s Pete Golding, Mississippi State’s Zach Arnett, Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, Georgia’s Dan Lanning and South Carolina’s Clayton White. The other two SEC assistants on the list are on the offensive side of the ball.
Banks’ unit has racked up 76 tackles for loss on the season, a mark that ranks top 10 nationally and second in the SEC. His attacking defense has also forced eight turnovers in conference play, which ranks in the top half of the SEC. A total of 18 of the team’s 26 sacks on the year have come during SEC play, which ranks fourth in the league. It’s a significant spike from a team that produced 55 tackles for loss and 20 sacks a year ago.
Vols DC Tim Banks / Credit: UT Athletics
The Volunteers are ranked sixth in the SEC in fewest yards allowed per play at 5.41. That’s an improvement from a season ago in which Tennessee issued 5.83 yards per play. The Vols have produced two defensive touchdowns this season on interceptions from cornerback Alontae Taylor and linebacker Solon Page III. That tally ranks in the top 16 nationally and fifth in the SEC.
Individually, Banks and the staff have seen several players enjoy the best seasons of their careers. Fifth-year senior defensive back Theo Jackson is tied for the SEC lead in pass breakups with 10, while senior defensive lineman Matthew Butler has logged a career-best 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in 562 snaps on the year.
Junior linebacker Jeremy Banks leads the team in tackles with 89, which ranks third in the SEC. He is also tops on the squad in tackles for loss with nine. Junior safety Jaylen McCollough is tied for fourth in the SEC in interceptions with four, while Taylor has developed into one of the premier NFL cornerback prospects in the country.
Banks oversees an experienced defensive staff that includes defensive line coach Rodney Garner, outside linebackers coach Mike Ekeler, secondary coach Willie Martinez and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary. The group owns over a combined 50 years of SEC experience.
Banks is in his 15th season as an FBS defensive coordinator. He came to Tennessee after five successful seasons guiding top 25 units at Penn State as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Prior to Penn State, Banks was the defensive coordinator at Illinois (2012-15), Cincinnati (2010-11) and his alma mater of Central Michigan (2007-09).
Cast your vote below for our latest website poll question. Share with your friends on social media. Photo courtesy of UT Athletics with QB Hendon Hooker.
What realistic bowl game do you most want to see UT play in this postseason? Title
Congrats to Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood as their hit “If I Didn’t Love You” climbs back into the number-one spot on the Billboard country music airplay chart!
After having back-to-back weeks at the top, Walker Hayes claimed the top of the chart last week, but this week Jason and Carrie are feeling the love again as they’re back at number-one for a third week.
Jason shared, “What a great way to start this week. So cool to see my duet with Carrie Underwood go back to #1 for its third week at the top of the Billboard chart! This is a first for me and I can’t thank her or my fans enough.”
This trip to the top of the charts follows the release of Jason’s 10th album, Macon – which arrived this past Friday.
Jason says “When I got into the business I was like everybody else when you want to get in make your mark and try and carve out a little piece of a career for yourself. You know I don’t think I ever thought in a million years that I’d be sitting here 16, 17 years later 10 albums deep and you have the success we’ve had over the years. It was a little bit of a pipe dream. I just wanted to make enough to keep the lights turned on in my house you know what I mean.”
Photo Courtesy of Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
