GoVols247: A Tennessee Volunteers athletics podcast

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from across town at his house) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Jimari Butler’s commitment to Tennessee. Butler, a 6-foot-5, 218-pound edge rusher from Mobile, Ala., didn’t play football until his senior season at Murphy High School, but the former basketball player emerged as a fast learner and a fast-rising prospect on the field. He’s had a really big senior season, drawing interest from several Power-5 programs, and Tennessee finally took the plunge and offered him last month. Edge rusher is a serious need for Tennessee in the 2020 class, and Jeremy Pruitt and Co. absolutely love Butler’s upside at a premium position. Tennessee’s staff is full of coaches with close ties to the Mobile area, and those coaches obviously saw and heard enough about Butler to put him so high on the board. What did they see in Butler? How high is his upside? How long will he need to develop before being SEC-ready? And what’s next for Tennessee at edge rusher in this class? Those are the primary talking points of this breaking-news episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full staff — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey —convened at Fort Rucker Studio and then Tennessee’s Anderson Training Center for all the latest from another busy week for Vols football and basketball. Football-basketball crossover season always features tons of news, so this episode features four segments rather than the usual three. All things Beer Barrel take center stage in the first segment. Tennessee plays at longtime rival Kentucky on Saturday night in Lexington, and there’s plenty to discuss heading into that big game. Both the Vols and Wildcats have quarterback conundrums heading into the game, adding another level of intrigue to a game that’s already really important for both teams. Tennessee football recruiting is the primary discussion point in the second segment of this episode. It’s been an interesting week for the Vols on that front, leaving some good news (the commitment of 370-pound Texas offensive lineman Kyree Miller) and some bad news (top-100 defensive line prospect Jay Hardy shocking the Vols and everyone else by committing to Auburn) to discuss. Where did things go wrong with Hardy? Is there any way for Tennessee to flip him? Where do the Vols go from here to address a position of serious need in the 2020 class? Those are the primary talking points of the second segment. As usual, answers to questions submitted on GoVols247’s CheckerBoard are featured in the third segment of the Thursday morning episode. Vols hoops joins the party in the fourth segment of this episode, and there’s a ton to discuss on that front, as well. Tennessee’s comfortable season-opening win over UNC Asheville on Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena offered plenty of promise and plenty of questions, as expected for a team that lost four players to the NBA after last season. A discussion on all things Tennessee basketball — including an update on the ongoing eligibility battle for 7-foot-1 forward Uros Plavsic — takes over in the fourth segment. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full staff — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — convened from various homes in the Knoxville area through the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee football’s 30-7 win over UAB and the start of Tennessee basketball season. It wasn’t the prettiest performance Saturday night at Neyland Stadium, but there’s no such thing as an ugly win for Tennessee football at the moment, and the Vols’ 30-7 win over UAB got them one step closer to securing bowl-eligibility — something that didn’t seem plausible when the team stumbled to a 1-4 record heading into the teeth of its schedule. Tennessee’s offense never really clicked against an UAB defense that’s ranked near the top nationally in most major categories, but Tennessee’s defense and special teams more than made up for that. The Vols forced four turnovers — three of them interceptions from sophomore cornerback Bryce Thompson — and got a huge performance from junior kicker Brent Cimaglia, and they had a 30-0 lead before backing off and playing reserves for practically the entire fourth quarter. An overall game recap — the highs, the lows and everything in between — is the main focus of the first segment. Quarterbacks — who else, right? — take center stage in the second segment, as the Vols’ odyssey with Jarrett Guarantano, Brian Maurer and J.T. Shrout took another interesting turn against the Blazers. A discussion on all things quarterback and where the Vols go from here with that is the primary talking point. This also was a big weekend for Tennessee recruiting, though, with some really important visitors — including five-star Las Vegas tight end Darnell Washington — in town for official or unofficial visits. Ryan, as usual, has the latest scoop on all things recruiting to cap the second segment. After a brief concussion on football chatter to start the third segment, basketball takes center stage down the stretch. Tennessee clearly is furious with the NCAA consistently throwing up roadblocks for 7-foot-1 redshirt freshman Uros Plavsic to play this season, but the Vols are still fighting for the big Serbian and plan to exhaust every appeal to get him on the court. Tennessee’s reasons for being so adamant that Plavsic be allowed to play this season are discussed in detail, and then discussion shifts toward what the Vols need to do if the NCAA doesn’t cave at the last minute and allow the big man on the court. With or without Plavsic, Tennessee’s regular season tips off Tuesday night against UNC Asheville, so there’s plenty of basketball to discuss, and this episode does just that. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full staff — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — convened at Fort Rucker Studio and then Thompson-Boling Arena to discuss plenty of Tennessee football and basketball topics heading into a big period for both programs. The first two segments of this episode are focused on football, with Wes, Patrick and Ryan convening in Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Jeremy Pruitt’s rapidly improving Vols. The first segment is a preview of Saturday’s game against better-than-you-think UAB and how concerned the Vols should be heading into a matchup with the 6-1 Blazers. It also features an update on Tennessee’s situation at quarterback — where two of the team’s three scholarship players have recently suffered injuries — and some injury updates on key players on both lines of scrimmage. Answers to questions from GoVols247 subscribers on The CheckerBoard is usually the third segment on the Thursday morning podcast, but a tweak to the schedule bumped that up to the second segment this week. As always, there were some interesting questions from members of the best online community of Vols fans on Planet Earth. The third and final segment of this episode was recorded courtside at Thompson-Boling early Thursday morning, with Wes and Grant breaking down the good, the bad and the in-between from Tennessee’s 107-59 win over Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday night. The game ended at approximately 9 p.m. Eastern, but after postgame interviews with coaches and players, writing stories, shooting and editing video and editing photos, Wes and Grant waited a few minutes after the final out of Game Seven of the World Series to regather courtside and discuss the game we’d just covered. Was there some good on display Wednesday night? Sure. Was there some head-scratchers on display? Sure. Does all of this look incomplete without the presence of Uros Plavsic, who’s awaiting word from the NCAA regarding his eligibility status for this season? Sure. Bottom line: There was more good than bad, but some of the bad might have been a sign of things to come early this season. And the Vols don’t wait long before stepping up and playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules. An injury to Knoxville native Drew Pember — a freshman big man for these Vols — put a sour ending on an otherwise solid exhibition finale, but we’ll see how long he’ll have to stay on the shelf. Tennessee’s staff was treating him well into the night after that win. Regardless, there’s plenty of hoops to discuss, and discuss we did. This week’s first GoVols247 Podcast episode — an episode featuring a recap of Tennessee’s win over South Carolina and some hoops discussion — can be found HERE. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full staff — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — convened from various homes in the Knoxville area through the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s 41-21 win over South Carolina on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. A significant amount of adversity leading into the game and early in the game itself served as a backdrop for one of the most significant second halves for the Vols in a long time. Tennessee played three quarterbacks, none of whom were the team’s starter. The Vols had several injuries occur during the game. They had a few really tough calls go against them, and they allowed a 75-yard touchdown pass on the game’s first play. None of that crushed Tennessee’s will to win, though, and the Vols found a way to win a game that was really important in the moment and could be even more important for the future. How did Tennessee pull off such a stunning second half in all three phases of the game? What led to that moment? What does that game mean moving forward? How can the Vols find a way to finish stronger than they did last season? In what areas does this team still need to improve in a hurry? And how impactful could some of Saturday's injuries be for this team? Those are the main discussion points in the first two segments. The third segment switches gear, though, to talk Tennessee basketball. The Vols host Eastern New Mexico in a Wednesday night exhibition at Thompson-Boling Arena, and the regular season opens six days later against UNC Asheville. The Vols lost so many important players from the nucleus that brought the program back from the ashes, but some of those faces are still with the team, and some new, exciting prospects are also in the mix — but one of those new faces (7-foot-1 redshirt freshman Uros Plavsic) is still waiting to hear from the NCAA regarding his eligibility this season. It’s officially football-and-basketball crossover season, so there’s plenty to discuss. This episode hits on the main talking points to get your week started. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to preview Tennessee’s critical game against South Carolina on Saturday at Neyland Stadium, the Vols’ quarterback conundrum and much more. As the week progresses and it looks more and more likely that freshman Brian Maurer won’t be available against the Gamecocks, the question becomes clear: Will Tennessee start embattled junior Jarrett Guarantano or woefully inexperienced redshirt freshman J.T. Shrout on Saturday afternoon? That’s a huge discussion point of this episode, and it occurs in the second segment. The first segment of this episode is a general discussion on the Vols-Gamecocks game from several angles, including the unavoidable fact that South Carolina’s Will Muschamp is 7-0 against Tennessee as a head coach. Discussion on South Carolina’s strengths and weaknesses is included in that segment, as well. As (almost) always, the third and final segment of the Thursday morning podcast is full of answers to questions posted by GoVols247 subscribers on The CheckerBoard. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio near downtown Knoxville) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss five-star shooting guard Jaden Springer’s commitment to Tennessee. Springer — the nation’s No. 16 overall prospect in the 2020 industry-generated 247Sports Composite — chose the Vols over a Who’s Who of suitors, but his final three were Tennessee, Michigan and Memphis. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Springer — a Charlotte native who had a firm offer from North Carolina — transferred to Florida’s IMG Academy to complete his high school career, and he became the latest member of Tennessee’s star-studded 2020 class that also features five-star shooting guard Keon Johnson (No. 23 overall prospect) and high-four-star guard Corey Walker (No. 36 overall prospect). Why did Springer choose Tennessee? What does his commitment mean to Rick Barnes and his program? Who will become the next member of the Vols’ historically great class? Those are the quick discussion points of this breaking-news podcast episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from his house across town) convened through the magic of Al Gore’s Internets early Wednesday morning to discuss a huge late Tuesday night for the Tennessee football program. Memphis Whitehaven High School has three SEC-caliber linebacker prospects on its roster, and all three of them committed to Tennessee on Tuesday night. Four-star inside linebacker Bryson Eason got things starter with a 10 p.m. Eastern commitment to the Vols. Less than 90 minutes later, the other two — four-star inside linebacker Martavius French and versatile three-star outside linebacker Tamarion McDonald — joined the party by announcing their commitments to Tennessee. It was a stunning series of events, considering that French was committed to Arkansas until Sunday night and McDonald was committed to Mississippi State until early Tuesday night and that all three linebackers visited Arkansas over the weekend. What kind of players did Tennessee just get? Where will they fit into the Vols’ defense? What do their additions mean for Tennessee’s plans for the rest of the class? Those are the main topics discussed in this episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Tennessee’s loss at Alabama and all the good, bad and ugly things that happened over the weekend in Tuscaloosa. Few expected the Vols to pose any threat to the top-ranked Tide, but a game full of attrition and adversity for both teams was a close-run thing until the the midway mark of the fourth quarter, when the Vols self-destructed at the goal-line and Alabama sealed the game with a back-breaking 100-yard fumble return touchdown. Saturday’s game presented … well … a lot of things. We separated those things into three main topics — the impressive overall performance, the Jarrett Guarantano meltdown and the referees. A few notes were added for this week’s opponent — the also-improving South Carolina Gamecocks — but most of those discussion will occur later in the week. The Alabama game left a lot of low-hanging fruit to pick, and this episode picks a lot of it. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Tennessee’s upcoming game against top-ranked Alabama on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Tennessee got a badly-needed SEC win last week against Mississippi State, and the Vols suddenly have some momentum heading into the toughest game on their schedule. So there’s obviously a lot to discuss, and this episode does that. An update on the status of Tennessee freshman quarterback Brian Maurer and a debate on whether he should be thrown into the fire at Alabama this weekend is the primary discussion point of the first segment in this episode. The second segment of this episode focuses on a simple question: “What would be a good outcome for the Vols on Saturday night?” Tennessee’s first objective Saturday is the same as every other game. There’s a game to be played, and the Vols want to win it. But if we’re being honest here, a win in this game isn’t likely. With that in mind, what kind of outcome would be good for Tennessee? What do the Vols need to do in order to ensure they don’t lose the momentum they gained against Mississippi State? Those are tough questions to answer, but the second segment of this episode is an attempt to do that,. As (almost) always with the Thursday morning podcast, the final segment of this episode if focused on answering questions from GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Grant Ramey and Ryan Callahan — went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Tennessee’s 20-10 win over Mississippi State on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. Saturday’s win created plenty of storylines, so there was a lot to discuss in this episode. The first series of this episode is a quick recap of the game and a discussion on what that game means for the Vols for the rest of 2019 and beyond. Plenty of surprising faces emerged to make big plays in that game, and those faces are discussed in this episode. One of those surprising faces — junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano — is the subject of lively discussion in the second segment of this episode. Guarantano stepped in for new starter Brian Maurer when the freshman concussed himself late in the first half, and the veteran made some of the game’s defining plays. What should Tennessee do about the quarterback situation for this weekend’s game at Alabama if Maurer is cleared to play? That’s the big topic discussed in the second segment of this episode, but some other injury news and notes are discussed, as well. And, as usual, a recruiting update is included in the third and final segment of this Monday morning episode. Interesting recruiting tidbits emerged from Knoxville and other places over the weekend, and some of those tidbits are discussed in this episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to preview Tennessee’s Saturday game against Mississippi State and much more. The first segment of this episode is an injury status update on several important players and some interesting position switches we’ve noticed on the practice field this week. The Vols continue making adjustments in order to fortify some positions and provide emergency cover for other spots, and some of those tweaks have been interesting. Focus shifts to Saturday’s game against the SEC’s Western-most Bulldogs for the second segment. Mississippi State is an interesting team for several reasons, not least of which being the mass suspensions announced before the season and the fact that suspended players for each game aren’t released until a couple of hours before kickoff. Discussion on all things Vols-Bullies occupies the entire second segment. As (almost) always, the final segment of the Thursday morning podcast is full of answers to questions asked by members of GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Tennessee’s weekend loss to third-ranked Georgia — a game that featured a new starting quarterback and some glimmers of hope before things fell apart down the stretch. Before getting into the big topic — more on that in a minute — the first segment of this episode is a rundown the Vols’ loss to Georgia. There was good, bad and ugly, and discussions on all three of those things take place in the first segment. The main topic — whether Saturday’s game showed signs of hope for salvaging this season down the stretch — takes place in the second segment. Obviously Tennessee’s change from junior Jarrett Guarantano to true freshman Brian Maurer at quarterback is discussed heavily in each of the first two segments. Maurer gave the Vols a big spark against the Bulldogs, throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the first half before Georgia tightened the screws and put a beating on him in the second half. Has Tennessee seen everything it needs to see in order to move forward with Maurer as the starter, at least for a while? That topic is thoroughly discussed in this episode. Quarterback play isn’t the only thing that matters, though, and several other position groups — some good, some bad, some ugly — are discussed plenty, as well. It was also a big recruiting weekend for the Tennessee football program, and a discussion on some of this weekend’s biggest visitors was the main topic for the third and final segment of this episode. Considering the Braves fandom of Pat (and Grant Ramey) and the Cardinals fandom of Ryan, though, there also was some National League Division Series discussion in the final segment. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Grant went into Fort Rucker Studio to preview Tennessee’s Saturday night showdown with third-ranked Georgia at Neyland Stadium. Before getting to the football, though, the first segment of this episode is a discussion on the video that surfaced earlier this week of Vols sophomore inside linebacker Jeremy Banks’ recent run-in with local law enforcement after a traffic stop led to an arrest due to a previous traffic citation and a missed court date. After that, though, the focus shifts back to football. The second segment of this episode is a discussion on what the Vols need to do Saturday night to compete with the heavily-favored Bulldogs and give themselves at what would be a huge upset and some much-needed momentum for second-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt and his rebuilding program. There’s obviously plenty Tennessee needs to do Saturday night, but we boiled that down to a few basic things that have to go right for the Vols. As usual, the final segment of this Thursday morning podcast episode is focused on answers to questions submitted on GoVols247’s CheckerBoard and social-media followers. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

house in Athens) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to break down Saturday’s game between the Vols and third-ranked Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee (1-3, 0-1 SEC) and Georgia (4-0, 1-0) will enter Saturday’s game from different sides of the college football spectrum. The Vols are desperately trying to get things going under second-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt, while Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs have SEC and national championship aspirations. If the history of the Vols-Dawgs rivalry tells us anything, though, it’s to never assume anything. This matchup has provided several games for the ages, and some of the best games have come in years where a blowout was expected. What does Tennessee need to do to make Saturday’s game interesting? What do the Dawgs need to do to prevent that? Are there any similarities to Pruitt’s rebuild in Knoxville and Smart’s rebuild in Athens? What’s it like behind the scenes to cover struggling teams versus teams competing for championships? Those are some of the main topics in this dual 247Sports podcast. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Tennessee’s quarterback situation and other topics heading into Saturday’s game against third-ranked Georgia at Neyland Stadium. Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt said Monday that he has no desire to publicly discuss his team’s quarterback plans for the Georgia game, which is a far cry from suggesting struggling junior Jarrett Guarantano will be the man against the Bulldogs. The first segment of this episode is a discussion on Tennessee’s three options for quarterback against Georgia. The Vols essentially can ride with Guarantano, ride with freshman Brian Maurer or play both. Each GoVols247 staffer on this episode took one one of the three sides for a hypothetical debate on the strengths and weaknesses of each choice. The second segment of this episode is a discussion on the difference between the Georgia program when Kirby Smart inherited it four years ago and the Tennessee program Pruitt inherited last season. Is it really fair to put those two situations on anything resembling a level plane? That topic is discussed in detail. The third segment of this episode is a discussion on things Tennessee realistically could repair during last week’s open date. The Vols clearly have a lot to fix, but what realistically could be fixed during one open date? Tennessee responded really well to last season’s open date. Can they do the same this season? Those questions also are discussed in detail. This week’s next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Grant Ramey and Ryan Callahan — went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss all things Tennessee football toward the tail end of a critical open week in the schedule. Tennessee’s loss at ninth-ranked Florida last weekend was the Vols’ fourth setback in their first three games, and this week’s open date offers chance to regroup before heading right back into the teeth of the schedule, with home games against third-ranked Georgia and Mississippi State before a trip to Alabama to face the second-ranked Crimson Tide. Interestingly, though, second-year Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt said this week that he firmly believes his team is “100 times better” than it was this time last year. The first segment of this episode features a length discussion on that comment and it’s believability. Obviously the quarterback situation remains a hot topic around these parts, and the second segment opens with an update on the situation surrounding Jarrett Guarantano and Brian Maurer moving forward. The second segment also features a discussion on the trio of players who earlier this week joined the lengthening list of those leaving the program — junior linebackers Will Ignont and Shanon Reid, and sophomore wide receiver Jacquez Jones — and the impact of their departures. As usual with the Thursday morning podcast, the third and final segment of this episode features answers to questions submitted by GoVols247 subscribers and social-media followers. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Patrick Brown (from his house across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to dissect the Vols’ 34-3 loss at ninth-ranked Florida on Saturday at The Swamp. What could — and almost certainly should — have been a much closer game eroded in the second half, and Tennessee’s inability to get out of its own way has now left the Vols with three losses in their first four games. General recap of and analysis from Saturday’s game is the topic of discussion during the first segment of this episode, and then main dish — a discussion of the quarterback situation — comes in the second segment. Jeremy Pruitt and his staff are now left with tough decisions to make after another poor performance by junior Jarrett Guarantano — who struggled so much in the first half at Florida that Tennessee turned to true freshman Brian Maurer to start the second half. Saturday was simply the beginning of the toughest part of Tennessee’s schedule, and it’s about to get a lot tougher. The Vols have a open date this week before hosting third-ranked Georgia at Neyland Stadium. They they’ll host Mississippi State before traveling to Tuscaloosa to take on second-ranked Alabama. Reasons for Tennessee to make or not make a quarterback change are debated in this episode, and long story short: Pruitt and Co. are in a jam with no easy solutions. This week’s next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Grant Ramey and Ryan Callahan — went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss the big story lines heading into Saturday’s showdown against ninth-ranked Florida in The Swamp. Tennessee needs all hands on deck to tangle with the Gators, and the return of sophomore cornerback Bryce Thompson certainly provides a big boost. Thompson, a reigning Freshman All-American, missed the team’s first three games while dealing with an off-field issue but will be available at Florida. Will Thompson play? Will he start? What kind of impact will he have? What does his return mean for the Vols’ secondary. That, along with an update of sophomore inside linebacker Jeremy Banks and his situation following an off-field incident, is a big talking point in this episode. Saturday’s game will have plenty of other story lines, though, and the second segment of this episode features a lengthy discussion on one main question: What does Tennessee need to do in order to have a chance to win this game? As always with the Thursday morning podcast, questions submitted by GoVols247 subscribers and social-media followers are answered in the third and final segment. This week’s next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s self-appointed fun crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Grant Ramey — went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss the Vols’ 45-0 win over Chattanooga, get a head start on breaking down upcoming opponent Florida and much, much more. NCAA Division I FCS program Chattanooga proved to be the right opponent at the right time for the Vols, who showed they were still focused by building a three-touchdown lead less than seven minutes into the first quarter. That cushion allowed several Tennessee youngsters an opportunity to play extended reps, and some players took advantage of those reps. A break down of those youngsters is a big talking point in this episode. Other main topics of this episode are obvious: How important was Saturday for the Vols? And how much impact will that game have on confidence heading into SEC play, which starts Saturday at The Swamp? This week’s next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Thursday morning, unless major breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss star cornerback Bryce Thompson’s return to practice ahead of Tennessee’s Saturday game against Chattanooga. Thompson was suspended in late August following an off-field incident, and reports later surfaced regarding a previous incident during his high school days in South Carolina, but Pruitt said Wednesday that the reigning Freshman All-American had gone through the proper channels with UT’s administration and would be allowed to return to the team. Will Thompson play against the Mocs, or the following week’s SEC opener at longtime Eastern Division nemesis Florida? What would Thompson’s return mean for the cornerback position, the secondary, the defense and the entire team? That’s the only topic in the first segment of this episode. Segment Two features some discussion on Saturday’s opponent, the NCAA Division I FCS Chattanooga Mocs, as well as some Tennessee injury updates and a recruiting update in the aftermath of Florida cornerback Lovie Jenkins’ flip from the Vols to Louisville. As usual in the Thursday morning podcast, the final segment consists of answers to questions submitted by members of GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Monday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite playing significantly better than they ever did against Georgia State and controlling the game for 59 minutes and 40-plus seconds, the Vols let BYU hang around before essentially handing the game to the Cougars in the closing moments. Now Tennessee is 0-2 for the first time since 1988, and there are so many tough questions that need to be answered. Rather than discuss every little question, though, this episode focuses on arguably the three biggest questions at the moment. - How in the world did Tennessee lose that game? - Do the Vols need to think about changing quarterbacks? - What does this 0-2 start mean in the bigger picture for second-year Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt? Several other topics fall under the umbrella of those three questions, but those three questions are the broad subjects discussed in this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — went into Fort Rucker Studio to wrap up discussion from Tennessee’s unforgettably bad season opener and then shift the focus to Saturday’s game against BYU. No one in orange wants to relive the Georgia State debacle, but the fact is Tennessee needs to take lessons from that in order to prevent an already-bad situation from getting worse. Does anything about that game make any more sense now that everyone has had a couple of more days to digest it? That’s a discussion point in this episode. It’s been another fluid week for Tennessee’s roster, with a couple of players (junior wide receiver Jordan Murphy and sophomore cornerback Terrell Bailey) opting to leave the program, a couple of injured players (including senior linebacker Daniel Bituli) starting to look healthier and some players (including junior running back Tim Jordan, AKA Buff Hamster) nursing new injuries. Some young players also are practicing in new positions this week. There’s a ton to discuss on those topics, and that’s another talking point in this episode. The leadership from senior wide receiver Jauan Jennings also is discussed in detail in this episode. Much of this episode also focuses on Saturday’s opponent — the BYU Cougars, a dangerous team licking its wounds after a tough season-opening loss to in-state rival Utah in The Holy War. As (almost) always with Thursday morning episodes, there’s also a listener mailbag attached at the tail end of this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — went into Fort Rucker Studio to discuss Tennessee’s shocking, 38-30 loss to Georgia State last weekend at Neyland Stadium. How in the world did that happen? It wasn’t one thing, obviously. It was a large collection of mistakes that culminated in one of the worst days in the history of one of college football’s winningest programs. Those mistakes are discussed in detail in this episode. Can this situation be fixed in the short term? And how? That also is discussed in detail in this episode. Recruiting news, as always, also is discussed in the week’s first episode. Tennessee had several prospects in town over the weekend, and it seems the game’s result didn’t have much of a devastating effect on them. The reasons for that also are discussed in this episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a full episode — will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — went into Fort Rucker Studio to break down a big week full of news heading into Tennessee’s season opening game against Georgia State on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. It’s been a really newsy week for the Vols. Some of that news has been of the pleasant variety. Some of it hasn’t. Regardless, Tennessee is now just a couple of days away from opening the 2019 season, and there’s plenty to discuss. And this episode discusses all of it. A segment of answers to questions submitted to GoVols247’s CheckerBoard is included in this episode, as well. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker and Patrick Brown went into Fort Rucker Studio to breakdown Wednesday’s news that Tennessee star offensive lineman Trey Smith has been cleared to play in Saturday’s season-opening game against Georgia State. Smith, a former five-star prospect and Freshman All-American, has twice been sidelined in the past two years with serious blood-clotting issues, but Smith has now fought back twice to get back on the field. A discussion on Smith’s return and its impact on the Vols is the full focus of this quick, breaking-news episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Studio) and Patrick Brown (from the other side of town) convened through the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tuesday’s breaking news that Michigan defensive line transfer Aubrey Solomon was ruled eligible to play this season at Tennessee. Solomon — the nation’s No. 23 overall prospect in the 2017 industry-generated 247Sports Composite — made headlines in January after his surprise decision to transfer from Michigan to Tennessee, and the Vols hoped the Georgia native would be ruled eligible to play this season. It took longer than Tennessee hoped, but the Vols ultimately got the news they wanted. Solomon is likely a starter in Saturday’s season opener against Georgia State. Solomon’s eligibility ruling and its impact on Tennessee’s 2019 season is the sole focus of quick breaking-news episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan from (rebuilt) Fort Rucker Studio, and Ramey from the GoVols247 Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville — convened to break down a weekend of news so wild we had to push this week’s first full episode back a day. The absence of star sophomore cornerback Bryce Thompson following an unfortunate weekend incident means the Vols might head into the season opener against Georgia State without the best players at all three levels of their defense. GSU isn’t a stout season-opening opponent, but that’s still slightly concerning for a Tennessee team looking to build momentum following a wretched finish to the 2018 season. Week One in any season always (unless you’re Jim Harbaugh) includes the season’s first official depth chart. Rather comically, though, Tennessee’s depth chart was beyond ambiguous, with nearly as many ‘or’s as players. The Vols do have a freshman walk-on named Fred Orr, but he wasn’t able to crack the Week One depth chart. Many of his teammates were with him in spirit, though. Just without the extra consonant there at the end. Regardless, we did learn some things from that depth chart, and the things we know — Trey Smith being a game-time decision, for starters — coupled with the things we don’t know made for an interesting segment in this episode. Another Tennessee player — third-year sophomore wide receiver Maleik Gray — has left the program, transferring down to the junior-college level in hopes of kick-starting his once-promising career. Plenty more football nuggets made their way into this episode, but let’s not forget about Tennessee basketball. Ramey couldn’t make it to Fort Rucker Studio during Monday’s recording of this episode, but we caught up with him via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets, and we had plenty to discuss following Ramey’s weekend visit with several of Tennessee’s players — including five-star freshman point guard Josiah-Jordan James — as well as Vols coach Rick Barnes. GoVols247 Podcast episodes occasionally run long, but this one needed to be that way. There was a lot to discuss — including some hate for the host of the GoVols247 Podcast from the lovely wife of one of his coworkers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into Fort Rucker Studio to break down the indefinite suspension of Tennessee star sophomore cornerback Bryce Thompson, who was arrested after a dispute with his girlfriend over the weekend. Thompson — a pivotal figure on Tennessee’s defense — was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault after the confrontation. An incident report from the Knoxville Police Department indicated there was no evidence of physical contact, but charges were made in accordance with state law because the woman felt threatened and Thompson threatened to “slap the (expletive)” out of her and said he was going to “shoot up the school.” Property damage — specifically a small metal gate ripped out of it hinges and damaged sheetrock — also was noted in the report, and Thompson admitted he was involved in that. He told reporters he didn’t touch the woman during the confrontation, though, and multiple witnesses told officers they hadn’t seen any physical contact between the two. The weekend’s unfortunate incident and its effect on the Vols is the main topic of this quick, breaking-news episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan from Fort Rucker, and Ramey from the GoVols247 Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville — convened to discuss plenty of Tennessee football and some Tennessee basketball, as well. Second-year Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt turned some heads earlier this week when saying he thought the Vols could play eight to ten offensive linemen this season. If Pruitt meant what he said — and he almost always does — that certainly would be a non-linear way of handling a position that prides itself on the chemistry of the unit. Plenty of discussion on that topic is included in this episode. That’s hardly the only interesting news to surface this week. One of the Vols’ young defensive linemen (Kurott Garland) returned to the program after tap-dancing in the NCAA portal for a few weeks, and one of the Vols’ talented true freshmen (Aaron Beasley) practiced in a new spot. Several other players spent time with other position groups in drills this week, too, but discussion on why that isn’t a big deal also is included in this episode. It’s been a big week for Tennessee on the recruiting trail, too. The Vols have had a productive few weeks on that front, and touted D.C. safety prospect Mordecai McDaniel on Wednesday became the latest 2020 prospect to pick the Vols. McDaniel was the sole focus of a breaking-news podcast episode Wednesday, but there’s more discussion on him in this episode, as well. And let’s not forget Tennessee basketball, either. Rick Barnes and his staff are building a juggernaut of a 2020 class, and that class became even more imposing this week, when in-state guard commit Keon Johnson became a consensus five-star player. Tennessee commit Corey Walker — a high-four-star prospect from Florida — also had a big jump in 247Sports’ newest rankings update, rising 10 spots to No. 37 overall. And as we discuss in detail in this episode, other really big names could join the class at some point. It’s a busy time of year, and there’s plenty to discuss. Plenty of talking points were hit in this hour-long episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from somewhere else) convened through the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Washington D.C. safety prospect Mordecai McDaniel’s commitment to Tennessee on Wednesday. McDaniel — the nation’s No. 410 overall prospect in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, and the nation’s No. 385 overall prospect according to 247Sports analysts — had a long, impressive offer list and ultimately chose the Vols over SEC Eastern Division rival Florida and Penn State. It’s been a busy and productive stretch for Tennessee on the recruiting trail, and the 6-foot-1, 195-pound McDaniel is another major addition to the 2020 class. His combination of speed and power and his impressive film against quality competition makes him a big for Jeremy Pruitt and his staff. Why has Tennessee been so productive in the Beltway/DMV area in this recruiting cycle? What kind of prospect in McDaniel? Is he an instant-impact player? What does his commitment mean for the Vols’ 2020 priorities moving forward? Those are the main talking points in this breaking-news episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full staff — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — convened in the Fort Rucker Alternate Sun Room Studio because one unnamed staffer forgot to purchase extra chairs for the renovated Fort Rucker Studio, and there was plenty of Tennessee football to discuss to start your work week. Tennessee had its second major preseason camp scrimmage on Saturday at Neyland Stadium, and some familiar faces and newcomers did plenty to help their cause heading into the season opener against Georgia State in less than two weeks. The Vols are nearing the point where they’ll flip the script from camp mode to season mode, which made Saturday’s scrimmage even more important for the players still fighting for positioning in the depth chart — which means practically everyone on the roster, according to second-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Speaking of Tennessee’s depth chart, what’s going on with the offensive line and defensive line? How much concern is there at those two critical positions? How did Tennessee fight off several SEC rivals in the past 18 months and land elite Atlanta-area edge defender BJ Ojulari, who committed to the Vols over LSU and others last week? And what’s next for Tennessee on the trail, with at least two of its top targets set to make decisions this week? And … how excited should Atlanta Braves fans be after a great weekend against the dominant Los Angeles Dodgers? And will the National League Central have a champion, or just a one-eyed king in a land of the blind? And what’s it like to eat cardboard for a week? Obviously there’s a lot to discuss, and this episode discusses a lot. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from the road in Georgia) contended via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to break down Tennessee’s newest commitment — elite edge defender BJ Ojulari from Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga. Ojulari — the latest in a growing pipeline of prospects flowing from star-studded Marietta High School to Tennessee — is the nation’s No. 157 overall prospect and No. 10 weakside defensive end prospect in the 2020 industry-generated 247Sports Composite. Many thought LSU was the favorite to land Ojulari, but Tennessee doggedly pursued the prospect for nearly two years and ultimately secured his commitment in another major recruiting win for reigning 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year Brian Niedermeyer. What kind of prospect is Ojulari? Does he have the tools that translate to an immediate impact at the SEC level? Does this help Tennessee’s chances of getting even more players from a talent-rich high school? What does this mean for Tennessee’s 2020 class at the critical edge-defender spot? And will this slow the panic from some outside the program worrying about the Vols’ class? Those are the main discussion points in this breaking-news, instant-analysis podcast episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan convened in the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio — the Fort Rucker Studio has been reconstructed but is lacking the final accouterments — to give a detailed status update on the Vols’ second preseason camp under head coach Jeremy Pruitt. What happened in the Vols’ first major scrimmage? What needs to happen in the second major scrimmage? How serious are the longterm losses of senior cornerback Baylen Buchanan and junior outside linebacker Jordan Allen? Those questions are the primary talking points of this episode. Questions from readers of GoVols247 and followers of GoVols247 on social media also were answered in this episode. That feature shouldn’t have gone away, but it did for a bit. But now it’s been back for a couple of weeks now. So … we’re sorry, and you’re welcome. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s full staff convened Friday night at the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio to break down the first week of Tennessee’s preseason camp. It’s been an interesting camp to this point for the Vols, with some good news and and some bad news. Losses on both sides of the line of scrimmage — senior defensive lineman Emmit Gooden with a season-ending ACL tear, and junior offensive lineman Nathan Niehaus with a medical retirement — certainly haven’t been good news for the Vols, but there have been some really positive developments, too. Several newcomers look impressive, and several veterans look like bigger, better versions of themselves. What should we make of the first week of camp? Who has stood out? What has looked good, and what hasn’t? Those questions — and some questions from GoVols247 subscribers — are the main topics on this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker and Patrick Brown went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio on Wednesday night to break down the loss of Tennessee senior defensive lineman Emmit Gooden, who will miss the entire 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL. Tennessee knew it would have to replace its entire first-team defensive line from last season, as well as another key contributor from that group, but now it also has to replace Gooden, a big, powerful player who produced as much as some of last season’s starters despite playing significantly fewer reps. What does Gooden’s loss mean for the Vols? Do they have what it takes to replace him? Who needs to step up now? How much more critical does this make the pending eligibility status of Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon? Those are the key discussion points of this breaking-news episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio) and Grant Ramey (from the GoVols247 Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened through the majesty of Al Gore’s Internets to break down a huge day for the Tennessee basketball program. Elite shooting guard Keon Johnson from The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tenn., announced his commitment to the Vols, giving Rick Barnes and his staff a second elite commitment in what’s shaping up to be a blockbuster 2020 class. Johnson — the nation’s No. 31 overall prospect in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, and the nation’s No. 27 overall prospect according to 247Sports analysts — ultimately chose Tennessee over Ohio State but could have gone anywhere in the country. He’s been on the national radar for years and his stock has continued to rise, especially after a dominant performance at a recent Team USA event. Tennessee now has two elite prospects in the 2020 class — a class Barnes and his staff pegged as potentially a special one not long after they arrived in Knoxville. Versatile Florida wing Corey Walker — the nation’s No. 34 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite — committed to the Vols on March 3, and Tennessee is still in on some of the nation’s biggest prospects in that class. What does the Johnson commitment — and the 2020 class in general — mean to Barnes and Vols? That’s the main subject of this breaking-news pod. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss the first preseason camp practice of Jeremy Pruitt’s second season with the Vols. It wasn’t a shocking first day — which isn’t a bad thing, by the way — but there were plenty of interesting things to note. The Vols’ offseason strength and conditioning training combined with another full recruiting class has made them a bigger, stronger, more physically imposing team, which was one of Pruitt’s first objectives when he arrived in Knoxville. Playing stronger is more important than looking stronger, obviously, but Tennessee is miles ahead of where it was last season from a physical standpoint, and that’s a start. Plenty of other interesting things emerged Friday, as well. There were some injury updates, some position switches, some new jersey numbers (some of which mean something) and plenty of other things to discuss. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room Alternate Studio) and Ryan Callanhan (from Casa de Callahan) convened online through the majesty of Al Gore’s Internets to break down Tennessee’s newest 2020 commitment — big guard James Robinson from Carver High School in Montgomery, Ala. The 6-foot-4, 323-pound Robinson — another addition from Jeremy Pruitt’s native Alabama — has had a Tennessee offer since March and has been a big priority for the Vols the past several months. His status has consistently risen during that time, and he ultimately chose Tennessee over Auburn, Texas A&M and several other SEC programs. What kind of prospect is Robinson? Should people overlook his three-star ranking (which is common for guards) and focus more on his list of offers? What does the addition of Robinson mean for the rest of Tennessee’s class, specifically up front? Those are the primary discussion points of this quick, breaking-news episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room Makeshift Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from the Casa de Callahan) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss some breaking news — in-state athlete Darion Williamson’s commitment to Tennessee. Williamson — a versatile, 6-foot-3, 190-pound wide receiver and defensive back from Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tenn. — committed to the Vols on Wednesday, giving them a 12th public pledge to their 2020 class. A breakdown of Williamson as a prospect, the story of his commitment and discussion on what it means are the short-and-sweet elements of this episode. A brief discussion on elite Texas quarterback prospect Haynes King choosing Texas A&M over the Vols (and what that means) is included, as well. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan convened at Radio Row at the Wynfrey Hotel — the classic home of SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. — to break down Tennessee’s annual appearance at the league’s annual mediasplosion. Tuesday’s appearance from second-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt and three player representatives — junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and senior linebackers Darrell Taylor and Daniel Bituli — showed perhaps a bit more optimism than expected, at least from Pruitt. Pruitt raved about the work ethic of this Tennessee team, saying it’s gotten him as excited as he’s ever been heading into a season with any team he’s coached — and it’s worth nothing that few head coaches, assistant coaches or players have as many national championship rings as Pruitt. Like many Nick Saban proteges, Pruitt is a process-oriented guy, and it seems Tennessee’s players have a much better understanding of that process heading into Year Two of the Pruitt era. Tons of news and notes emerged Tuesday, as well. Updates on Trey Smith’s health, the ongoing NCAA immediate-eligibility waiver requests from Michigan defensive line transfer Aubrey Solomon and Georgia defensive back/athlete transfer Deangelo Gibbs, rumblings from offseason workouts, updates on the competition on both sides of the line of scrimmage and much, much more. Plenty of news and notes emerged from interviews with Guarantano, Taylor and Bituli, and Guarantano in particular was a comfortable, confident young man strolling through the halls of the biggest preseason media gathering in the game. Highlights from extensive interviews with Pruitt and all three of his player representatives are included in this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Grant went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to break down some recent buzz about the Tennessee football program heading into its second season under coach Jeremy Pruitt. It’s not uncommon for fans of any team to let expectations rise throughout the offseason, but some regional and national media types are starting to get more bullish on the Vols heading into preseason camp. Some of the predictions have come from pure hard computer data (ESPN’s Football Power Index), while others have come from classic preseason predictors (Phil Steele), but the bottom line is that Tennessee seems to be trending upward from a few months ago — which is interesting, because the Vols still have the exact same questions to answer as they did at that point. Are people getting ahead of themselves regarding Pruitt’s rebuild in Knoxville? Or is 2019 going to be a genuinely large step forward? Or is the truth somewhere in between those two things? Those are the major questions discussed in this episode, as well as a look at some storylines to follow heading into next week’s annual SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss some candidates for breakout-performer status on the 2019 Tennessee team. All three of us selected one player on each side of the ball for discussion on the topic. Newcomers and veterans were available for selection, and some of the selections might surprising you. There’s no question that Jeremy Pruitt and his staff need several players to step up in order to help the Vols climb back up the SEC pecking order, and some of those potential players are discussed in detail in this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room, rather than the Fort Rucker Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from Casa de Callahan) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s Friday commitment from local running back Tee Hodge. The 6-foot, 230-pound Hodge — a star at Knoxville-area powerhouse Maryville High School — has long been a prospect on Tennessee’s radar, and he became a Vols commitment on Friday. What kind of player is Hodge? How well is he moving despite fracturing his leg last year and recently adding 30 pounds of muscle? Is this more like the size Jeremy Pruitt and his staff want from the running back position? And what’s the latest on big-time Texas quarterback prospect Haynes King, who seems to be focusing on the Vols and Texas A&M? Answers to all those questions are included in this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for a recap of a torrid two weeks of Tennessee football recruiting? There's a GoVols247 Podcast for that. GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to break down a big couple of weeks that has has featured multiple 2020 and 2021 commitments to the Tennessee football team. Those hoping for Tennessee to handle its in-state business in a year with so much in-state talent can breathe easier than they did a couple of weeks ago — assuming all the commitments stick … which … yeah, who ever knows these days? Regardless, it’s been a productive month for Tennessee on the recruiting trail, and most of the newest additions have been in-state prospects, so there’s plenty to discuss. And most of it is good news. Could things get even better for the Vols in the near future, though? Yes, they absolutely could. One of the nation’s top quarterback prospects could announce his commitment soon, and Tennessee is very much in the mix there. There’s plenty of recruiting to discuss at the moment, and this episode discusses plenty of it. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker and Grant Ramey went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss the latest on a very newsy week for Tennessee basketball in June. Tennessee on Thursday had three players selected in the NBA Draft — something the program had never done since the draft was trimmed to two rounds in 1989. All-American and two-time reigning SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams went to the Boston Celtics with the No. 22 overall pick, while All-SEC wing Admiral Schofield and All-SEC point guard Jordan Bone were selected in the second round and will be traded to the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons once the summer market officially opens early next month. It had to feel bittersweet for Tennessee fans, but Thursday was a huge night for the program, and it’s something Vols coach Rick Barnes and his staff can sell on the recruiting trail. All three of their drafted players were three-star prospects coming out of high school, cementing the status of Barnes and Co. as elite identifies and developers of under-the-radar talent. Beyond that, getting three players selected in any NBA Draft — which has just 60 picks — is a really big deal. Williams, as a first-round pick, gets a guaranteed contract from the Celtics, but Schofield and Bone will have to earn their way. Discussion on their futures is a big part of this podcast, as well. Lastly, Tennessee remains a big player in the sweepstakes to land Kerry Blackshear Jr., the Virginia Tech big man who remains the biggest prize in this year’s transfer market. The Vols’ chances of landing Blackshear and his potential impact on the Tennessee program also are big parts of this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker and Ryan Callahan went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss a recent injury to Tennessee senior wide receiver Jauan Jennings and the recent contract extension (and raise) signed by Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello. Just when it seemed like Jennings was over the injuries that bothered him the past two years, he suffered another knee injury and will be out for at least a bit — though there’s hope that one of Tennessee’s most emotional leaders will be fine for the start of preseason camp. Still, though, Jennings was just starting to be really healthy again, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles this latest setback. There’s plenty to discuss there. Good news also occurred in the past week for Tennessee, though. Baseball coach Tony Vitello — one of the game’s rising stars — signed a contract extension (with a raise) after leading the Vols back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years. The recent contract extension and raise handed to basketball coach Rick Barnes wasn’t the smoothest process, obviously, but everything with Vitello’s situation seemed pretty straightforward and streamlined, which hasn’t been a given with the Tennessee athletic department throughout the past decade and change. Vitello’s new deal also gets plenty of discussion in this episode. This week’s second GoVols247 Podcast — an episode focusing on a historic NBA Draft for the Tennessee basketball program — will be released later this weekend. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker and Grant Ramey went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss some interesting developments in Tennessee’s efforts to put together a much different basketball roster heading into next season. Despite losing a pair of non-seniors — junior stars Grant Williams and Jordan Bone — to the NBA Draft, Tennessee did plenty of late work in the spring signing period and transfer market and is now back at the NCAA’s maximum allotment of 13 scholarship players on the active roster. Interestingly, though, the Vols are still very active in the 2019 recruiting market. One 2019 prospect — 6-foot-11 France native Josaphat Bilau — took an official visit to Tennessee earlier this week, and the biggest star on this year’s grad-transfer market is set to visit Knoxville on Friday. Kerry Blackshear Jr. — a 6-foot-10 forward who averaged 14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season at Virginia Tech — has opted to spend his senior season at a new program, and he’s seriously considering Tennessee as that new program. And he’s visiting Knoxville on Friday. Of course, programs across the nation are pushing hard for Blackshear, and Tennessee’s biggest rival — perennial national power Kentucky — also is getting a visit from Blackshear. Blackshear has already visited Florida and Arkansas, and he’s visiting Kentucky after his trip to Knoxville, and several other programs — including Memphis and Gonzaga — are reportedly pushing for him, as well. What would it mean for Tennessee to land Blackshear — or Bilau, for that matter? What would that mean for the Vols next season? And how would they make those scholarship numbers work? There are plenty of questions to discuss, and they’re discussed in detail in this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to have the Great Booze Debate promised last week. The SEC recently changed its policy to allow programs to decide for themselves whether they’d like alcohol to be served to the masses (not just those in luxury suites) as football stadiums. Some programs have already come out and said they won’t serve it. At least one (Texas A&M) has said it will serve it, and everyone expects LSU to do the same. What about Tennessee, though? Tennessee is a wildcard in that discussion for several reasons. The pros, cons and everything in between regarding booze are discussed in this episode, but not at the beginning. It was announced this week that Tennessee freshman offensive lineman Melvin McBride — who only recently arrived on campus — is retiring from the game because of a medical issue. More than one handful of Tennessee O-linemen have had to retire from the game because of medical issues the past few years. That phenomenon and its effects are discussed in this episode. Good news has happened this week, two. The Vols picked up two commitments over the weekend, and they added another on Wednesday just after this podcast was recorded. As always, there’s plenty of recruiting discussion in this episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices