GoVols247: A Tennessee Volunteers athletics podcast

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker and Grant Ramey convened at the GoVols247 Mobile Studio — a hotel across the street from Coleman Coliseum, in this case — to discuss Tennessee’s wild, come-from-behind, 69-68 win at Alabama and interview Barnes and several of his players. The first segment of this episode features a quick breakdown of Tuesday’s game — a game in which the Vols trailed by 15 points late in the first half — and interviews with Barnes, junior guard Yves Pons, junior forward John Fulkerson, senior guard Jordan Bowden and freshman guard Davonte Gaines. All four of those Vols played a big role in Tuesday’s win and had plenty to say afterward. The second segment of this episode features a more thorough dissection of Tuesday’s game — the highs, the lows and everything in between — and a discussion on how badly the Vols needed that win. What does that win mean? How does it change things heading into Saturday’s showdown with Kentucky? Is Fulkerson a legitimate go-to guy now? Has Gaines earned a rotation role even after star freshman Josiah-Jordan James returns from his hip injury, and when will James return from that injury? What does Gaines’ performance mean for Jalen Johnson’s role moving forward? How important was it for Bowden to stay confident despite a rough perimeter shooting performance and find other ways to score and help Tennessee win? What’s the immediate future hold for Uros Plavsic? Those are just some of the topics discussed in the second segment of this episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday, 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 Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from his house across town) convened through the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to preview Tennessee football’s National Signing Day. The traditional National Signing Day has definitely changed since the Early Signing Period came into play, but Tennessee still has multiple spots to fill and a few of the country’s top unsigned prospects firmly in the mix to fill those spots. The first segment of this episode features a brief breakdown of the lay of the land heading into Wednesday. How much have things changed in this post-Early Signing Period era? How much have they changed for players, coaches and even for fans? The second segment of this episode is a more thorough discussion on the handful of players still in the mix for Tennessee heading into National Signing Day — including a trio of the nation’s top uncommitted prospects. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Wednesday, 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 Wes Rucker convened courtside at Mississippi State’s Humphrey Coliseum to discuss the ugly second half that led to Tennessee’s 86-73 loss to the Bulldogs and where the Vols go from here. The first segment of this episode is a quick breakdown of Saturday’s game and then a trio of interviews with Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee freshman point guard Santiago Vescovi and Tennessee redshirt freshman forward Uros Plavsic. Vescovi and Plavsic scored 16 points apiece for the Vols in Plavsic’s first career start, but obviously more went wrong than right for the visitors on Saturday. The second segment of this episode is a more thorough breakdown of Saturday’s game. How did things change so drastically in the second half? Are these Vols physically overmatched or just not tough enough, or is it both? How long will James be out after re-tweaking the hip injury that cost him most of preseason camp? What were the pluses and minuses from Plavsic in his first career start? Is there anything these Vols can do to prevent teams from punishing them in the paint? Is this a blip or has this season gone into a rough place for good? Those are the primary points of discussion in this episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released in the coming days, unless major breaking news occurs before that point. With football National Signing Day and two big basketball games on the docket, it should be a busy week for the 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 (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Patrick Brown (from his house across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’d Internets to discuss the return of Jay Graham to Tennessee and some major rankings upgrades for players in the Vols’ 2020 signing class. The first segment of this episode is primarily a discussion on the return of Graham, a former star running back at Tennessee who began his coaching career in Knoxville after finishing his playing career in the NFL. Graham then worked his way up through the lower levels of college as a full-time coach before getting to the SEC at South Carolina in 2009. He then came to Tennessee for one season in 2012 before going to work with Jimbo Fisher at Florida State and then going with Fisher to Texas A&M in 2018. Graham — who has worked with Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and Vols offensive coordinator Jim Chaney — was hired to replace David Johnson and will coach Tennessee’s running backs, but his title beyond that remains uncertain. Graham was also a co-offensive coordinator at A&M. Regardless, Tennessee certainly is happy to have Graham back home, and a discussion on his return is the primary focus of the first segment. The second segment of this episode is a discussion on some things Tennessee might to do replace Kevin Sherrer, a trusted lieutenant of Pruitt’s who served as his defensive coordinator in 2018 and his special teams coordinator in 2019 while coaching the inside linebackers both seasons. A discussion on that situation and on the significant ratings bumps for some of Tennessee’s signees is the focus of the second segment. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released by Monday 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 Wes Rucker and Grant Ramey convened at the GoVols247 Mobile Studio — Thompson-Boling Arena, in this case — to discuss Tennessee’s shocking 63-58 loss to Texas A&M and where the Vols go from here. The first segment of this episode is a brief rundown of the game and a trio of interviews with Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee junior forward John Fulkerson and Tennessee senior guard Jordan Bowden. The second segment of this episode is a more thorough discussion of Tuesday’s game. How did that happen? Why wasn’t Tennessee locked in? Why did the Vols get bludgeoned so badly on the glass? What in the world was veteran referee Mike Nance doing when he bumped Barnes and then acted like Barnes started a confrontation with him down the stretch? Did anything good happen in Tuesday’s game? How can things better before an upcoming stretch of games at Mississippi State and Alabama? Those are the primary discussion points in the second segment. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — an episode focusing on Tennessee football — 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 Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Grant Ramey (from the GoVols247 Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss the recently improved play of the Vols and their upcoming trip to Allen Fieldhouse to face the talented, scandal-ridden Jayhawks. The first segment of this episode is a discussion on Tennessee’s much sharper play in the past two games — a blowout win at Vanderbilt on Saturday night and a blowout win over Ole Miss on Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. Yes, the Dores and the Rebels are struggling, but both teams looked better against other SEC teams than they did against the Vols. Ole Miss, in particular, has looked good at times, building double-digits leads in three of its first four SEC games before getting run out of Thompson-Boling Arena. Have the past two games simply been a matter of weaker competition? Or have the Vols started figuring out some things with their new-look lineup? That’s the primary discussion in the first segment. The second segment of this episode features interviews with Barnes and Fulkerson. Both discussed the Ole Miss win, the Kansas game and, in Fulkerson’s case, a whole lot more. Fulkerson’s 12-minute interview was fantastically spastic. The third segment of this episode is a discussion on Tennessee’s trip to Kansas. It’s a huge challenge for the Vols, but that also means it’s a huge opportunity, and both of those things are discussed in detail in that segment. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — a Vols-Jayhawks recap — will be released by Sunday morning. 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 convened at the GoVols247 Mobile Studio — again a hotel, in this case — to discuss Tennessee’s 80-63 loss at Georgia, Uros Plavsic’s college debut and where the Vols go from here. The first segment of this episode is a breakdown of the Vols’ ugly loss in Athens. Why did that happen? Why was it so bad? Is any of it explainable? Those are the main discussion points in that segment. The second segment of this episode features postgame interviews with Barnes, Plavsic and freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James. All three were asked tough questions and, as usual, offered candid replies. The third segment of this episode is a discussion on Plavsic’s college debut — the highlights, the lowlights and everything in between — and then discussion on how he’ll assimilate into the Vols’ rotation moving forward. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday 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 Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Great Ramey (from the GoVols247 Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss the NCAA’s decision to rule Tennessee big man Uros Plavsic eligible to play immediately. Plavsic, a 7-footer from Serbia who finished his high school career at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in nearby Chattanooga, spent one redshirt season at Arizona State before deciding to transfer closer to his East Tennessee home away from home. Plavsic’s initial immediate-eligibility waiver was denied, as were a couple of subsequent appeals, but Tennessee remained persistent and eventually got an appeal accepted Tuesday afternoon. What does that mean for the Vols? It means Plavsic is eligible to play immediately, beginning with Wednesday’s game at Georgia. But when will Plavsic actually be tossed into the mix? And what kind of impact will he have on the team in the short-term and longterm? What are his strengths and weaknesses as a player? What could his addition mean to the rotation? And what exactly does this change about the Vols this season? Discussion on all of those points is crammed into the quick, 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 via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s addition of two high-profile transfers — starting offensive lineman Cade Mays from Georgia, and speedy wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. from USC. The first segment of this episode is a general discussion on the addition of Mays and the impact that will have on the Vols, perhaps as soon as the 2020 season if Mays is able to secure an immediate-eligibility waiver from the NCAA. Mays — a former star at Knoxville Catholic High School, the older brother of Vols offensive line signee Cooper Mays and the son of former Vols offensive lineman Kevin Mays — upset a lot of people in the state when he signed with Georgia over the Vols, but he had his reasons for doing that. Situations change, though, and Mays’ decision to return home is one that certainly won’t upset a fan base that never wanted him to leave home in the first place. What kind of player is Mays? What factors made this the right time to come home? How much of a chance does he have to secure eligibility for the 2020 season? Those are the primary discussion points in that segment. The second segment of this episode is a general discussion on Jones — an Alabama native who initially signed with USC when Vols’ wide receivers coach Tee Martin had the same position at USC. Why didn’t Jones have a bigger role with the Trojans? What kind of impact could he have on the Vols in 2020? How will he fit into the Tennessee offense? Those are the primary discussion points in that segment. Brief discussion of another power-program transfer — wide receiver Miles Jones from Nebraska — also is included in the second segment. The speedy Jones was a scholarship player at Nebraska and was a three-star prospect from powerhouse American Heritage High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he played alongside current Tennessee wideout Brandon Johnson. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released later in the week, 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 discuss star offensive lineman Trey Smith’s return to Tennessee for his senior season and what that means for the Vols. The first segment of this episode is a general discussion on Smith’s return and the reasons he made that decision. There were risks associated with any decision Smith made, given his health situation, but when considering the pros and cons of the two choices, it’s tough to suggest Smith got this one wrong. The second segment of this episode is the audio of Smith’s public announcement, plus interviews with Smith and Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Both of them had plenty of interesting things to say. The third segment of this episode is a general discussion on what Smith’s return means for Tennessee in 2020. The returns of Smith and center Brandon Kennedy combined with the addition of five-star transfer Cade Mays from Georgia and the rest of the returning talent up front means a special season could be in store for the Vols up front. No wet blankets were allowed in that segment. 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 GoVols247 Mobile Studio — aka a hotel room in the Midwest early Wednesday morning — to discuss Tennessee’s 69-59 win over fromer Vols coach Cuonzo Martin’s Missouri Tigers on Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.. The first segment of this episode is a general recap of the good, bad and ugly from Tuesday’s win over Missouri. Sure, much of it — including the final score — was good. And sure, it was badly needed. But … there were some things the Vols could and should have done better, especially with ball security and valuing possession, and those things can’t be ignored. But most of the discussion in this segment and throughout this episode are of a sunnier nature, given the results of the game and performances of freshman point guards Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James. Those two newcomers led Tennessee down the stretch, and their contributions are described in detail in the first segment of this episode. The second segment of this episode is an interview with Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes, as well as James and Vescovi. All three had interesting things to say about the game itself and the impact of the game moving forward, and in this segment you can hear their unfiltered thoughts straight from the source. The third segment of this episode is a discussion on two Tennessee upperclassmen — senior guard Jordan Bowden and junior guard Jalen Johnson — who had big moments in Tuesday’s win to potentially break out of their recent funks. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released later in the week, 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 and Patrick Brown went into the GoVols247 Mobile Studio — aka a hotel room — in Jacksonville to discuss Tennessee’s 23-22 win over Indiana on Thursday night at TIAA Bank Field, the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. The first segment of this episode is a recap of the good, bad, ugly and just plain weird from the Vols’ win over the Hoosiers. There was plenty of all four of those things in Thursday's game. The second segment of this episode is an interview with Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and freshman running back Eric Gray, the Gator Bowl MVP. The third segment of this episode is a discussion on where the Vols go from here heading into the offseason. 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 and Patrick Brown went into the GoVols247 Mobile Studio — aka a hotel room — in Jacksonville to discuss Tennessee’s first full day of on-site preparation for Thursday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Indiana at TIAA Bank Field, the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. The first segment of this episode is a brief discussion of the Vols’ first day in Jacksonville, including insights and analysis from Tennessee’s afternoon practice at the University of North Florida. The second segment of this episode features interviews with second-year Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt, junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and junior offensive lineman Trey Smith. The third segment of this episode is a discussion of those interviews — including Smith’s comments on his upcoming NFL Draft decision — and some discussion on an interesting note about an injury Tennessee junior tight end Austin Pope played through late in the regular season. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday night, 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 and Patrick Brown went into the GoVols247 Mobile Studio — aka a hotel room — in Jacksonville to discuss Tennessee’s arrival in North Florida for Thursday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Indiana. Jeremy Pruitt and his Vols reconvened in Knoxville on Thursday night after a brief Christmas break and flew down to Jacksonville on Saturday to start preparing for the Hoosiers. GoVols247 arrived in Jacksonville earlier Saturday to provide daily coverage of Tennessee’s first bowl appearance in three years, and daily podcasts will be part of that coverage. What is Tennessee’s mindset heading into its return to the postseason? Are the Vols just happy to be in a January bowl game, or have they arrived in Jacksonville determined to make a statement? Does anything that happens in this game change anything about next season? How are the Vols from a health standpoint? How will things look for a Tennessee offensive line dealing with the loss of at least two and perhaps three veteran offensive linemen? Who are some players who didn’t play much during the regular season but could be factors in the bowl game? Those are the main discussion points in this episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Sunday night, 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 and Grant Ramey convened courtside at Thompson-Boling Arena to discuss Turner’s shocking announcement that Saturday’s 75-53 win over Jacksonville State would be the final game of his college career. Tennessee’s fifth-year senior point guard has battled shoulder injuries the past few years, and he and his family decided Friday night that he couldn’t continue to risk worsening the injury and needed to schedule season-ending surgery. Some of the factors that led to Turner’s decision, the impact of Turner’s decision and a discussion on how the Vols can adjust to life without their leader are the main talking points in this episode. (NOTE: The sound quality for parts of this episode isn’t great, and we apologize for that, but this is news that couldn’t wait.) 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) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s midweek loss at Cincinnati and the reasons for the program’s first two-game losing streak in two years. Tennessee’s 78-66 loss at Cincinnati was troubling for many reasons, and those reasons are discussed in detail in the first segment of this episode. The Vols’ offense showed some signs of life after its dismal performance in the 51-47 loss to Memphis, but their defense was as bad as it’s been for a while, and it’s fair to suggest no one in or around the program saw that coming. Why did it happen? What possible explanations are there for that performance? Those aren’t easy questions to answer, but the first segment of this episode is an attempt to make sense of the situation. An interview with Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes is the second segment of this episode. Barnes, as usual, was candid with his remarks about the rough performances against Memphis and Cincinnati. Discussion in the third segment focuses on the potential solutions for Tennessee to work its way out of this rut. Is the sky falling? No, it’s not. But these Vols have some real issues at the moment, and it’s fair to wonder just how many solutions there are for some of those issues. 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 (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from his house across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s 2020 recruiting class after the program’s strong start to the Early Signing Period. There was at least a mild amount of consternation throughout much of Tennessee’s fan base during the 2020 recruiting cycle, because the Vols’ class looked solid but not outstanding on the surface for much of that time. For the second consecutive year, though, Jeremy Pruitt and his staff got hot late in the process and added plenty of big pieces. Tennessee added five prospects — including three four-star prospects — on Wednesday, and the Vols’ class is now ranked 15th nationally. And it could get even better in the coming weeks, because some big-time prospects — including five-star tight end/athlete Darnell Washington from Las Vegas — are still heavily considering Tennessee. How did Tennessee regenerate momentum on the trail? What kind of players did the Vols just sign? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this bunch? How much of a factor is Tennessee for Washington, elite in-state defensive lineman Jay Hardy and other unsigned prospects? Those are the main questions addressed in the first segment of this episode. A busy week of football, recruiting and basketball pushed the Thursday morning podcast to Friday morning, so the second segment of this episode is a staple usually reserved for Thursdays — answers to questions submitted by GoVols247 subscribers on The CheckerBoard. The questions ran the gamut, as usual, and as always there was a hand-to-hand combat question in the mix. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — an episode focusing on the 21st-ranked Tennessee basketball team and its current struggles — will be released later Friday morning. 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 (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s ugly loss to Memphis and the challenges facing the Vols this week and beyond. Saturday certainly didn’t go the way Tennessee hoped or expected. Thirteen-ranked Memphis came to Thompson-Boling Arena down two starters — including arguably the top NBA prospect in college basketball — but still walked away with a jersey-popping, 51-47 win in one of the ugliest games in a fierce rivalry that often produces ugly games. The first segment of this episode is a breakdown of Saturday’s ugly affair in the Tommy Bowl and the ending of what had been an NCAA-leading, 31-game home-court winning streak. How in the world did that happen? That’s perhaps the easiest way to describe the nature of that segment. The second segment of this episode is a look at other questions. The most important question — “Was that an outlier?” — is the primary discussion point, but there are other questions to answer, too. What’s the latest on Lamonte Turner and his shoulder issues? What’s the latest on Jordan Bowden following his disappointing performance? Can we expect to see Josiah-Jordan James continue to increase his role after having much of preseason camp cut short with an injury? Why isn’t Jalen Johnson getting more time on the floor? Can some of these freshmen help transform this team as the season progresses? Obviously there’s a ton to discuss after such a miserable game, and this episode attempts to discuss as much of it as possible. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday, 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 (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Ryan Callahan (from his house across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s 2020 recruiting class heading into the Early Signing Period. Second-year Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff hosted a long list of official visitors — including five-star tight end Darnell Washington from Las Vegas — on the final weekend before the Early Signing Period opens, so there’s plenty to discuss about all the moving parts that always go into the recruiting process. The first segment of this episode is a recap of the big recruiting news from the past week — and there certainly was plenty of that, with Tennessee adding several commitments and parting ways with some others before hosting a big, impressive list of visitors over the weekend. The second segment of this episode is a general discussion on where things stand heading into the opening of the Early Signing Period and how things could go this week for the Vols. Which prospects could sign with Tennessee this week? Are there any concerns with current commitments having a late change of heart? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the current class, and how much of that can change in the next week? What areas do the Vols still need to address? How many prospects still plan to be available heading into the traditional National Signing Day in early February? There are many questions to answer, and this episode attempts to answer as many of them as possible. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — an episode focusing on the 19th-ranked Tennessee basketball team — will be released later Monday morning 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 GoTigers247’s Christian Fowler (from Memphis) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Saturday’s Tennessee-Memphis game at Thompson-Boling Arena. The first segment of this episode is a general lay-of-the-land discussion setting up the second and third segments, when Fowler arrives to deliver insider information on Penny Hardaway and his Tigers heading into Saturday’s game. The second segment of this episode is a discussion with Fowler on the drama surrounding all things Vols and Tigers the past 12 months and how much that has impacted the future of this series, and whether Memphis is more interested than Tennessee seems to be about continuing this rivalry in the coming years. The third segment of this episode is a discussion with Folwer on Saturday’s game itself — the matchups, the absence of Memphis freshmen James Wiseman and Lester Quinones, the way these young Tigers will perform in a sold-out, hostile environment like Thompson-Boling and much more. The final segment of this episode is something that’s usually reserved for the final segment of the Thursday morning podcast — answers to questions submitted by members of GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. And, yes, as always there were some hand-to-hand combat questions. 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) and Grant Ramey (from the GoVols247 Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Saturday’s Tennessee-Memphis game at Thompson-Boling Arena. Last season’s rekindling of the heated in-state rivalry provided plenty of drama during and after the game between the Vols and Tigers. The first segment of this episode is a rundown of all that drama between Memphis coach Penny Hardaway and Tennessee coach Rick Barnes and their players, and where those actions have placed the future of this series after the current contract between the two programs expires next season. The second segment of this episode is an interview with Barnes talking Vols, Tigers, injury updates and more. The third segment of this episode tosses aside the drama and discusses only the matchups on the court between the 19th-ranked Vols and 13th-ranked Tigers. Memphis obviously isn’t at full strength, but the Tigers still have plenty of top-shelf talent and athleticism on the active roster and still have the potential to give Tennessee some fits in certain areas. All things Vols-Tigers is the talk of this entire episode. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Friday, 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 across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s Tuesday commitment from Jabari Small, a dynamic running back at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis. Small — the nation’s No. 11 all-purpose back prospect in the 2020 industry-generated 247Sports Composite — decommitted from Ole Miss less than two weeks ago and quickly switched his SEC allegiance to the in-state Vols, who on Monday added a commitment from his high school teammate, elite lineman Omari Thomas. What kind of player is Small? What kind of impact could he have on Tennessee’s offense and special teams units? Why are the Vols so hot in Memphis this year, and is that a trend that can continue in future classes? Is there any concern that Ole Miss with new head coach Lane Kiffin will try to get Small back to Oxford? And why did Tennessee and junior-college cornerback Art Green part ways Monday night? Those are the main discussion points in 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 out of town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee’s Monday morning commitment from Omari Thomas, a star two-way lineman at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis. Thomas — the nation’s No. 104 overall prospect and No. 8 defensive tackle prospect in the 2020 industry-generated 247Sports Composite — had dozens of offers but ultimately chose the Vols over Auburn and Texas A&M. At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Thomas has been a two-way line-of-scrimmage standout at Briarcrest, and he could project to either side of the ball at the next level, but he prefers defense and Tennessee plans on putting him there to start his career. What led Thomas to Tennessee when at times he seemed a bit more likely to commit elsewhere? What kind of player is Thomas, and how does he project to the next level? Will his commitment impact the upcoming decision from Briarcrest running back Jabari Small? Is there any reason for concern that new Ole Miss (and former Tennessee) head coach Lane Kiffin will try to get the Rebels back into the picture for Thomas? Those are the main topics discussed in 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 Patrick Brown (from his house across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss the Vols, the Hoosiers and the Gator Bowl. A weekend full of speculation ended with Tennessee accepting a bid to the Gator Bowl, so the Vols will play Indiana on Jan. 2 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The first segment of this episode is focused on the process that led Tennessee to its Gator Bowl bid, rather than a bid in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in nearby Nashville. There were compelling reasons for Tennessee to prefer both places, so there’s plenty of discussion on why the Vols ultimately insisted on Jacksonville rather than their own state capital. The second segment of this episode is focused on Indiana football. The Hoosiers are historically a Big Ten doormat with just 11 bowl appearances and three bowl wins in their 121-year history, and they have to share a Big Ten West Division with juggernauts Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State, but they’ve gotten something going with third-year head coach (and Hugh Freeze protege) Tom Allen. They went 5-7 in each of Allen’s first two seasons but have jumped to 8-4 this season, with all four losses coming to ranked teams. Indiana and Tennessee have campus separated by just a five-hours-and-change drive but have played only once — a 27-22 win for the Vols in 1988 — so there’s plenty to learn about the Hoosiers, and this podcast episode can be the first step in that process. 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 and Grant Ramey convened courtside at Thompson-Boling Arena to discuss all things Tennessee basketball following a comfortable win over Florida A&M that sent the 21st-ranked Vols into a brief academic break with a 7-1 record on the young season. The first segment of this episode is a recap of Tennessee’s win over Florida A&M — a comfortable win that was supposed to be comfortable, but also a game that allowed the Vols an opportunity to play all four of their freshmen together for a good chunk of the second half. The second segment of this episode is a full recording of Rick Barnes’ presser following the win over Florida A&M. The third segment of this episode is a discussion on where things stand with these Vols — the good, the bad, the ugly and the unknown — heading into their break break for fall semester final exams and their huge game against Memphis next weekend at Thompson-Boling. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Monday morning, unless major news breaks 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), Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan (from their homes across town) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss a Tennessee football team that will take a five-game winning streak into its first bowl appearance in three years. The first segment of this episode is a recap of last weekend’s regular-season-ending, 28-10 over Vanderbilt — a badly needed win for the pride of the Tennessee program — and some discussion on potential bowl destinations and opponents for the Vols. That’s an interesting discussion, because projections for this bowl season are all over the map. A few bowls are the most discussed possibilities for a reason, though, and we discuss the reasons for that. The second segment of this episode features two main discussion points. The first is a discussion on the decisions of three players — veteran offensive linemen Ryan Johnson and Marcus Tatum, and freshman wide receiver/cornerback Jerrod Means — to enter the NCAA transfer portal and likely leave the Tennessee program. The second is a discussing on where things stand for the 2020 Tennessee recruiting class heading into the final two weeks before the opening of the early signing period. Tennessee’s class isn’t rated as high as fans would like at this point in the cycle, but there are still plenty of big possibilities out there for the Vols, and Jeremy Pruitt and Co. showed last season that they’re capable of adding some big names late in the process. Can they do that again this season? We discuss that and much more in that segment. The third segment of this episode is a Thursday-morning-pod staple — answers to questions submitted by members of GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. As always, there were some interesting football questions and some bizarre questions about hand-to-hand combat in the mix. The next GoVols247 Podcast episode — an episode with Wes Rucker, Grant Ramey and Rick Barnes talking Tennessee basketball — will be released Friday morning. 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 went to Anderson Training Center to sit down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with Tennessee senior inside linebacker Daniel Bituli — an impressive football player with an even-more-impressive story off the field. Bituli and his family have have a remarkable couple of decades. Just 20 years ago, the Bituli’s had to flee their native Congo as refugees from the war-torn African region, and they spent time at a refugee camp in Cameroon before successfully petitioning their way to the United States of America. They didn’t speak the native language and lived in a tent and then a small apartment before getting their first American home with help from Habitat for Humanity. To say the least, it was a humbling transition for a family led by a father who’d been a mechanical engineer and a mother who also had a stable job as a secretary. Just 20 years after that, the Bituli children are thriving. Their oldest son, Randy, is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University who serves as an active member of the U.S. Navy and is stationed in California. Their middle son, Roland, is a University of Tennessee graduate who works as a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch. Their youngest son, Daniel, is a soon-to-be University of Tennessee graduate who has become one of college football’s best inside linebackers and almost certainly will be an NFL player in a few months. Their two youngest children, a pair of daughters, also have bright futures ahead of them — even though Daniel says with a grin that his youngest sister, the only Bituli child born in the U.S., has always been a little “spoiled.” Bituli’s life before he arrived at the University of Tennessee was fascinating — remember, this is a young man who admittedly looks at the ceiling every night before falling asleep and considers himself blessed to have a roof over his head — but his life at the University of Tennessee has had its own intrigue. Bituli has dealt with coaching changes, injuries and more losses than he ever imagined, but he’s emerged from all of that a better player and person, and he’s dragged plenty of his teammates along with him. In other words, Bituli is someone worth listening to when he decides to speak. His teammates certainly listen to him, and it’s easy to understand their reasons for doing that. He’s a maniac on the field, but he’s a soft-spoken, bespectacled, introspective person when he’s not wearing shoulder pads. And he can speak to you in three languages, too. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice. 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 and Patrick Brown convened at Anderson Training Center and then Wes went solo at Fort Rucker Studio to discuss the Tennessee football team and basketball team that are playing well at the moment. The first segment of this episode is a general preview of this weekend’s Tennessee-Vandy game at Neyland Stadium, albeit with a few specific themes. Tennessee’s senior class, the matchups to watch in Saturday’s game and few other topics are discussed. The second segment of this podcast is a Thursday-morning-pod staple — answers to questions submitted by members of GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. There were good football and basketball questions submitted this week, as usual, and also some of the hand-to-hand combat questions we’ve been getting for weeks now. Wes went solo for this segment, and it lasted a big longer than expected, but … that just means more Vols talk, right? Hoops takes center stage in the third segment of this episode. The 17th-ranked Vols will head down to Florida to participate in the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville. An interview with Barnes before Wednesday's morning practice is included in the segment. 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 — went into Fort Rucker Studio and Thompson-Boling Arena to discuss all things Tennessee football and basketball. The Tennessee football team spent the weekend at Missouri — a place it usually struggles — and left Columbia with a 24-20 win over the Tigers. The Vols’ fourth consecutive win also made them bowl-eligible, and that could be a January bowl game in Florida if they take care of Vanderbilt as expected on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. It was wilder than it needed to be at Mizzou, but the Vols found a way to hold on and win a game they comprehensively controlled from a yards-from-scrimmage standpoint. The first segment of this episode is a quick recap and discussion of the good, bad and ugly of the Tennessee-Mizzou game, with an emphasis placed on the good, because these Vols won only one of their first four games and are now back above .500. How has this team managed to get its head back above water? That’s the main talking point in the first segment — a segment with Wes, Patrick and Ryan. Hoops takes center stage in the second segment of this episode, with Wes and Grant courtside at Thompson-Boling Arena breaking down the 17th-ranked Vols’ win over Chattanooga on Tuesday night, plus some major basketball recruiting news. The Vols had a rough night offensively against the Mocs, but Tennessee’s defense stifled Chattanooga and made the game a mostly comfortable one. But what in the world happened to Tennessee’s offense? That’s discussed in detail in a segment that ends with some information on Uruguay native Santiago Vescovi’s commitment to the Vols. An already-star-studded Tennessee recruiting class that was ranked No. 3 nationally got another big boost from Vescovi, who’s currently playing at the NBA Global Academy in Australia and could enroll at Tennessee in January and be eligible to play this season and give the Vols some help at the point guard spot. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Vescovi is the No. 74 overall prospect in the 247Sports rankings, and the newest film on him is really impressive, but can he provide help this season? That’s also discussed in the second segment. Focus shifts back to football in the third segment, with Wes and Pat at Fort Rucker Studio breaking down the recently improved performance of Tennessee junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and some possible bowl destination for the Vols. 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 (except one segment at Thompson-Boling Arena) to discuss a Tennessee football team and basketball team that are … well … winning at the moment. The first segment of this episode is a general preview of this weekend’s Tennessee-Missouri game in Columbia, albeit with a few specific themes. Tennessee’s quarterback situation (of course), the nature of this evolving border-battle with the Tigers and some thoughts on how difficult this game is to predict are the main points. Following a quick injury update, the second segment of this podcast is a Thursday-morning pod staple — answers to questions submitted by members of GoVols247’s CheckerBoard. There were good football and basketball questions submitted this week, as usual, and also some of the hand-to-hand combat questions we’ve been getting for weeks now. Hoops takes center stage in the third segment of this episode. The 20th-ranked Vols had a business line, blowout win over Alabama State on Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling, with senior guards Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden fittingly reaching the 1,000-career-point mark on the same night. Much of the Tennessee basketball news at the moment is rose-colored, but not all of it. The wait for an answer from the NCAA regarding the eligibility of talented 7-foot-1 forward Uros Plavsic continues, and news emerged Wednesday night that sophomore big man Zach Kent (another 7-footer) has “stepped away” from the program for non-disciplinary reasons, and it’s unclear whether he’ll return. Discussion of the Kent situation and its impact on the Vols’ frontcourt is also included in the third segment. 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 their various Knoxville-area homes via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Tennessee football and basketball. Second-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt and his Tennessee football team had their final open date of the regular season last week, and now the stretch run begins for the Vols, who need to beat either Missouri on the road or Vanderbilt at home the next two weekends in order to secure bowl-eligibility for the first time in three years. Obviously the Vols hope to win both of their final two regular-season games, though, and there’s probably a big carrot on the end of that stick if they accomplish that task. The way things are shaking out, it looks like two wins could perhaps get the Vols to a January bowl game in Florida. But Tennessee was at this exact same point after 10 games last season, and we all know how that ended, don’t we? Will this team be any different? Why or why not? That’s the primary discussion point in the first segment of this episode, though there’s also recap from around the SEC, particularly Missouri’s loss to Florida over the weekend in Columbia. Hoops takes center stage in the second segment of this episode, with Grant joining the podcast shortly after he arrived back in the U.S. and got back to the Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville. Grant was in Toronto over the weekend to discuss Tennessee basketball’s 75-62 win over 20th-ranked Washington in the James Naismith Classic. It was a big weekend for Rick Barnes and his Vols, and there’s plenty of good news to discuss on that front. But there are still some questions to answer, and those concerns are discussed, as well. 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 full crew — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey — convened to discuss some big news for the Tennessee football and basketball programs. Wes, Pat and Ryan convened at Fort Rucker Studio for the first two segments of this episode. The first segment is a recap of Tennessee football’s plans for this final open-date week in the regular-season schedule. Where do the Vols stand at the moment? What’s OK? What needs to improve? What should they do with the quarterback position moving forward? Those are the main discussion points in the first segment. As (almost) always, answers to questions submitted on GoVols247’s CheckerBoard are answered in the Thursday morning podcast episode. Those answers usually come in the third segment of the episode, but they got bumped up to the second segment this week. Hoops takes center stage in segment three of this episode, with Grant joining in from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville to discuss Tennessee basketball. There’s a general recap — featuring the good, bad and ugly — of Tennessee’s come-from-behind win over Murray State, and then the discussion shifts toward recruiting. The Vols have the nation’s No. 4 recruiting class, and three of the nation’s top 36 prospects signed with Tennessee on Wednesday, and the Vols might add to that already-ridiculous trio, so there’s tons of good news to discuss on that front. 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 their own homes throughout the Greater Knoxville Area to discuss another huge win for Tennessee football and a huge week for Tennessee basketball. Tennessee’s 17-13 win at Kentucky was hardly a thing of beautify, and it times it was excruciating, but a goal-line stand and a clutch performance from one-handed quarterback Jarrett Guarantano helped the Vols defeat their Beer Barrel rivals to the North for the 33rd time in the past 35 years. What should we make of Tennessee’s performance in Lexington? So much of the game went so badly, and the Vols made more than a half-dozen awful mistakes that could have lost them the game, but they hung tough and found a way to win it. How should the good be weighed with the bad? There’s plenty of credit to go around for Tennessee in the toughness department, and a few players had outstanding performances, but overall it must be said that the Vols didn’t play well at all. But … a thin team found a way to win for the fourth time in five games, and a team that was 1-4 is now 5-5 and has a precious open date to get some guys some badly-needed rest. All things Vols-Cats and this week’s open date are discussed for most of the first two segments of this episode, but some time is carved out for recruiting to end the second segment for a big reason. The Vols on Sunday night got a commitment from Nate Evans, a 2021 athlete from Virginia Beach, Va., who’s really high on their big board. Football remains the main topic for the first part of the third segment, including descriptions from Grant, who was stood at field level for the goal-line stand that essentially ended the game. Conversation then shifts toward the Tennessee basketball program, though, because the Vols have a big week on the court and the recruiting trail. The Vols have two games this week — a Tuesday game against reigning Round of 32 NCAA Tournament team Murray State, and a Saturday game against Washington in Toronto — and in between they’re scheduled to sign one of the most touted recruiting classes in program history. And they’re probably not done with that ridiculous class, either. So there’s plenty of hoops to discuss, as well. 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 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