GoVols247: A Tennessee Volunteers athletics podcast

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

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker, Grant Ramey and Patrick Brown went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss Tennessee’s 2019 football schedule. We took a few big questions — some from readers, some from ourselves — and tried to answer them. - Is Tennessee more likely to go 6-0 in its “tossup” games or find a way to beat either Alabama, Georgia or Florida? - Which should-be win on Tennessee’s schedule is the scariest? - Which should-be loss on Tennessee’s schedule is the most winnable? - Did Tennessee’s two open dates come at a great time, a terrible time or somewhere in between? A couple of non-football topics — a recap of Tennessee baseball’s return to the NCAA Tournament under new (and hopefully still) coach Tony Vitello, and the Tennessee basketball team’s addition of transfer guard Victor Bailey Jr. from Oregon — also emerged in this episode. Bailey’s decision will be the centerpiece of a hoops podcast next week, but a brief discussion of him was 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, Grant Ramey and Patrick Brown went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss a newsy offseason week for the Tennessee basketball program. As expected, junior All-SEC point guard Jordan Bone became the second Tennessee player to forgo his final season of eligibility and remain in the NBA Draft. All-American and two-time reigning SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams did the same thing last week, meaning the Vols have now lost five contributors (including four starters) from last season’s roster. Bone’s loss was expected, but that won’t make one of the college basketball’s fastest players any easier to replace. But … Tennessee still has some quality, battled-tested backcourt players, and five-star point guard signee Josiah-Jordan James is already on campus, so perhaps this loss isn’t a dealbreaker for the Vols heading into next season. Regardless, it’ll be a challenge, and it’s a challenge discussed in detail on this episode. It wasn’t just tough news this week for Tennessee, though. Uroš Plavšic, a 7-foot-1 Serbia native who finished his high school career in Chattanooga, Tenn., transferred to Tennessee after redshirting in his first and only season at Arizona State. Plavšic has a chance to earn an immediate-eligibility waiver from the NCAA and play next season, and Tennessee’s staff believes there’s a good chance that will happen. Plavšic’s arrival and the impact he could have is discussed in this episode. This episode was recorded before the Vols added another transfer — Oregon guard Victor Bailey Jr., a native of Austin, Texas, who certainly has a connection to Tennessee (and former longtime Texas) coach Rick Barnes. We have a special show planned to discuss Bailey in the very near future. 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 plenty of football topics and some baseball. The Tennessee baseball team opens its first NCAA Tournament in 14 years with a Friday night game against Liberty in Chapel Hill, N.C., and there’s plenty to discuss with second-year head coach Tony Vitello’s Vols. But football, as usual, is the meat and potatoes of the Football Friday podcast. Some interesting SEC and Tennessee-specific news emerged from this week’s annual SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla., so there’s plenty to discuss on that front, including the potential of alcohol sales to the general public at Neyland Stadium in the very near future. Tennessee continues to wait on news of the immediate-eligibility waiver appeals for transfers Aubrey Solomon and Deangelo Gibbs, but plenty of other defensive newcomers have enrolled this week and are completely good to go for this season. We discuss those new arrivals in this episode. A couple of Tennessee players (senior linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. and sophomore tight end James Brown) have been added to the medical-retirement list, and this episode also features some insight on those unfortunate situations. Recruiting is always a topic on the Football Friday podcast, and this week is no exception. Callahan has the latest on several Tennessee targets heading into the busy, camp-filled portion of the recruiting calendar. 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 recruiting classes present and past for Jeremy Pruitt and his Vols. The Vols are sitting on just six 2020 commitment following one recent de-commitment and a couple of commitment decisions that didn’t go their way, which understandably is leading to some concern from a Tennessee fan base hoping to see its team back toward its customary place in college football’s pecking order. Is is really time for concern, though? Few programs can match the recruiting accolades of Tennessee’s current coaching staff, so there’s a history there. And Tennessee didn’t have many more commitments than this 12 months ago, and that class turned out just fine — perhaps not elite, but just fine. Perhaps there’s room somewhere between concern and naivety. Either way, it’s May. But there’s still plenty to discuss. In other news, more of Tennessee’s 2019 signees are set to move to Knoxville and enroll in summer-session classes, and we’ve been in contact with most of those players to provide updated information on them before they officially become Vols. 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, Grant Ramey and Patrick Brown went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss several topics pertaining to Jeremy Pruitt and his Tennessee football program. Pruitt told a Knoxville radio station earlier this week that it’s been a pretty good May for his program to this point, in part because a vast majority of his players have stayed in Knoxville for the mini-term period — the few weeks in between the spring and summer semesters where even student-athletes to go home and relax for a bit. These Vols haven’t done that, though. They couldn’t afford to relax after missing out on 15 badly needed bowl practices after last season, and they don’t seem to be relaxing. Other football topics have emerged in the past week, too, including a viral video posted by defensive line signee Elijah Simmons. That video and several other topics — a general recruiting update (don’t panic, folks) and a shoutout to the 23rd-ranked Tennessee baseball team — are 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 Wes Rucker, Grant Ramey and Patrick Brown went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss the NBA Draft preparation process of Tennessee stars Grant Williams, Admiral Schofield, Jordan Bone and Kyle Alexander. Recent mock drafts have included Schofield (a senior) and Williams (a junior) late in the first round, which could be an indication that Williams — the two-time reigning SEC Player of the Year, and a first-team All-American — will forego his senior season and remain in the draft. That obviously would be a big blow for the Vols heading into next season, but having two potential first-round picks and four potential picks in the same draft would be a huge statement for Rick Barnes and his program. If Williams is indeed projected late in the first round, does he essentially have to stay in the draft? Is Bone still intent on turning pro, even if he goes undrafted? Why is Schofield continuing to fly under the radar? Why is Alexander not getting even an invitation to the NBA G-League Combine but has been invited to workout for multiple NBA teams? There’s plenty of draft stuff to discuss, and this episode features plenty of it. Williams’ departure would make a transition season even more challenging for the Vols, but reinforcements are on the way. Tennessee recently added another player to its signing class, and that player — Finland native Olivier Robinson-Nkamhoua — is a talented one. The versatile, 6-foot-8 forward is considered by some a top-100 overall prospect, and his stock is very much on the rise after he emerged as a senior at Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, Md. He likely would have burst onto the scene as soon as he arrived from overseas, but he missed his junior season with a leg injury. Former Vols forward Derrick Walker also made news this week by announcing his decision to enroll at Nebraska. In other words, it’s been a newsy Tennessee basketball week for May. There’s plenty 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) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to break down a newsy, early-offseason week for Rick Barnes and the Tennessee basketball program. Three Vols — senior wing Admiral Schofield, junior forward Grant Williams and junior point guard Jordan Bone — were invited to the upcoming NBA Draft Combine, which means Williams and Bone now have the option to stay in the NBA Draft and still return to school if they’re not selected. That obviously won’t happen in Williams’ case, because he’d come off the board at some point if he stayed in the draft, but some think that could happen with Bone. The impact of having three players invited to the combine and the impact that could have on Williams Bone is a major discussion point in this episode. Other big news happened this week, though. Sophomore forward Derrick Walker has put his name into the transfer portal after a postseason conversation with Barnes, which at least somewhat surprisingly leaves another hold for Barnes and Co. to fill this offseason. What went into Walker’s decision, and what impact will it have on the 2019-20 season? On the surface, Walker seemed to be in line for much more playing time next season, but perhaps there are other reasons for him leaving the program. Either way, his absence creates another opportunity for Tennessee to bolster the roster, and that’s exactly what the Vols hope to do. Remember, the transfer portal swings both ways, and there are still some exciting high school, prep school and junior college prospects on the table, too. It was always going to be an interesting offseason for the Tennessee basketball roster, but it might be even more interesting than we thought. That means there’s plenty 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, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio somehow is still being renovated — to discuss the reasons no Tennessee players were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft and whether the 2020 NFL Draft will be any different. If you want to understand the magnitude of the rebuilding project inherited by Jeremy Pruitt and his staff, understand this: There are 14 teams in the SEC, and 13 of them had at least two players selected in last week’s draft. Tennessee had zero. Eight teams in college football’s deepest conference had at least five players drafted last week. And … yep, Tennessee had zero. On one hand, Tennessee beating two ranked teams despite not having a single draft pick on its roster makes last season seem more impressive. On the other hand, Tennessee hasn’t had a player selected in three of the past five NFL Drafts. How is that possible at one of the winningest programs in college football history? How is that possible at a place that had at least one player selected in 51 consecutive drafts? Will 2020 be any different? Probably so. But how much different? Other odds and ends from the previous week — including young lineman Eric Crosby going on a medical scholarship and ending his Tennessee football career — also are discussed in this episode, and there’s plenty of recruiting for Callahan to discussing following the trip he and Grant Ramey took to last weekend’s The Opening regional in Charlotte. 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 (Fort Rucker Studio is still being renovated) to gauge the temperature of these Vols heading into summer workouts and take some guesses on the 2019 season. Why just guesses or guesstimates? Well … there are four good reasons for that. ***Two of Tennessee’s most intriguing talents — sophomore defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon and junior WR/DB Deangelo Gibbs — are still going through the NCAA immediately-eligibility waiver process, and it remains to be seen whether either player will be eligible to play this fall. ***Tennessee needs immediate impact from several players who still haven’t enrolled in classes, and we’ll have to wait and see what kind of shape they’re in when they arrive. And if they’re in shape, we’ll have to wait and see how well they can adjust to life at this level and make an instant impact. If the Vols want to feel confident about their chances of securing a bowl bid this season, they’ll need some of those talented summer enrollees ready to roll. ***Several of Tennessee’s younger players — even some of its best young players — need productive offseason workouts in order to take their frames and their games to the next level. We don’t know who will do that and who won’t. That’s not possible at this point. ***It’s not clear whether Tennessee will even dip into the NCAA transfer portal and look to bolster its roster, but we do know this: The Vols need to shed scholarship weight in order to stay at 85 or fewer scholarships. If they do that, though, and they still have room to add an instant-impact transfer, that could change things in a hurry. One legit caveat is more than enough to delay making a final decision. Four legit caveats is more than enough to suggest there’s no way to know right now. Regardless, the GoVols247 staff — well, most of it — convened to discuss some possible projections for Tennessee’s 2019 record. We assumed the Vols would get as much good news as bad news this offseason, and we came up with the proper over/under for regular-season wins in 2019. This week’s episode also features discussion on the ongoing 2019 NFL Draft, which could come and go without a single Tennessee player being selected. Several Vols will sign free-agent contracts and rookie-camp deals after the draft concludes Saturday, but at least a couple have a chance to hear their name called during the draft. This episode briefly rehashes some of the reasons for Tennessee’s NFL Draft cold streak because … well … it is news when the Vols don’t have many or any prospects selected. It’s rare enough historically that it is news. Callahan took control of the conversation down the home stretch, offering insight and analysis on where things stand with Tennessee’s 2020 recruiting class. Discussions on Tennessee’s current class are combined with discussions on the Vols’ vague plans during the spring evaluation period and more. Recruiting never stops, so GoVols247’s recruiting efforts don’t stop, either. 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) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office) convened via Al Gore’s Internets to break down the fallout from Rick Barnes’ unusually candid comments following his decision to spurn UCLA and remain at Tennessee. In perhaps an only-at-Tennessee moment, the Barnes-Vols-Bruins saga took three sharp turns in a short period of time. First there was shock and anxiety that stemmed from reports of the mutual interest between UCLA and Barnes. Then there was the elation that stemmed from Barnes’ decision to remain at Tennessee. Then there was the confusion that stemmed from Barnes’ candid remarks that he would have become the coach at UCLA if the Bruins had played ball on his buyout with Tennessee. What are we to make of this situation? What does it all mean? How much impact will it have on a coach and fan base who to this point have done nothing but fawn over each other? Did Barnes just prove he’s more like the average coach than anyone thought? Will that matter? Will the results on the court be the determining factor in how much it matters? Will this controversy go away in time, such is the way things go in this era of minuscule attention spans? Or will it remain a rock stuck in Barnes’ shoe any time the Vols start to struggle? Barnes’ comments left plenty to chew on, and this episode provides a forum to continue that discussion. It also discusses new Tennessee assistant coach Kim English, a bright up-and-comer whose hire would have been discussed much more in the past couple of weeks if these were ordinary circumstances. 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 to break down Tennessee’s second spring camp under coach Jeremy Pruitt. The Vols obviously had a laundry list of things to improve after a 5-7 record in Pruitt’s first season, and many of those things couldn’t possibly be solved in a single spring camp. But some of them could, in theory, right? Well … were they solved? Or at least sort of solved? Did Tennessee take necessary steps forward on both lines of scrimmage this spring? What did the offense look like under new (old) coordinator Jim Chaney? Were there any noticeable differences in the defense under new coordinator Derrick Ansley? Who helped themselves this spring? Who didn’t? Who was somewhere in between? And what are the biggest things on the checklist heading into the summer? Obviously there’s plenty to discuss, and this episode discusses plenty. 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 Ramey went into the Fort Rucker Sun Room — the Fort Rucker Studio is almost (but not quite) reconstructed — to break down the Vols’ annual spring game at Neyland Stadium. The White team (first-team offense and second-team defense) beat the Orange team (first-team defense and second-team offense) by a 28-10 score before an announced crowd of more than 50,000, and there was plenty of good, bad and ugly in the process. What looked good? What didn’t look good? How much stock should we put it into anything we saw, whether it looked looked good or bad? What do we make of the line of scrimmage, where Tennessee had so many questions entering spring camp? What about all three of the Vols’ scholarship quarterbacks? What about the experienced wide receivers? Did any newcomers stand out? A spring game always leads to plenty of discussion points, and plenty of points are 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 Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office) convened via Al Gore’s Internets to break down a stunning turn of events that nearly concluded with Tennessee losing reigning national coach of the year Rick Barnes to UCLA. News emerged Sunday night that UCLA’s search for a new head coach was focused on Barnes, and multiple sources close to the situation insisted that Barnes nearly accepted the job before getting brought back into the fold by Vols athletic director Phillip Fulmer. How did Tennessee nearly lose Barnes? Where was the disconnect between Barnes and Tennessee’s athletic administration, and just how bad was it? What ultimately brought the two sides back together? How lucrative with Barnes’ new contract be, and what kind of pressure will that put on him? Tennessee retained Barnes, but the Vols did lose associate head coach Rob Lanier to the head-coaching position at Georgia State, and there’s still plenty of interest in other Tennessee staffers. Barnes already filled one vacancy, adding Colorado assistant coach (and former Missouri star) Kim English to his staff, but what other changes could occur in the coming days and weeks? A unexpectedly wild week left plenty to discuss, and this episode breaks down all 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 (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office) convened via Al Gore’s Internets to break down Tennessee junior point guard Jordan Bone’s recent decision to declare for the NBA Draft while leaving open the possibility of returning for his senior season, which NCAA rules allow. Vols junior forward Grant Williams — the two-time reigning SEC Player of the Year — also has an NBA Draft decision to make in the near future, and there’s plenty of discussion on Williams’ situation, as well. Putting players into the NBA is necessary in order to recruit the nation’s best players on an annual basis, and Tennessee adding to its alums-in-in-the-NBA list would be a good thing for the Vols in the long run. But finding a way to keep Bone and/or Williams also would keep Tennessee’s current national-championship window open heading into next season, and losing either — but particularly Williams — could have a huge impact on that. What are the chances Tennessee ultimately could return either player? What would the Vols look like with or without either or both of those players next season? How much impact will those decisions have not only on Tennessee’s quality, but also the style in which Tennessee will play? Would the Vols look to replace Bone and/or Williams with ready-made, plug-and-play graduate transfers, or with traditional high-school recruits? Could there be any other roster additions or subtractions? Basketball season has ended for Tennessee, but it really hasn’t ended. There’s a ton to discuss now, in the near future and throughout the following weeks and months, so come join that conversation now. 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 — hopefully Fort Rucker Studio is back up and running next week — to break down some recurring themes and some new developments from Tennessee’s second spring camp under head coach Jeremy Pruitt. One major theme throughout spring camp has been the positive energy and optimistic vibes with new (old) offensive coordinator Jim Chaney. Several players — including junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano — have praised Chaney’s system and personality throughout spring camp, and Chaney was made available to reporters last week, so there’s plenty to discuss on that front. Tennessee’s first major scrimmage of the spring has come and gone, and Pruitt said enough about that scrimmage to generate some conversation points. The first-team offense seemed to have a good scrimmage, perhaps lacking explosiveness but also taking good care of the ball and putting together some good drives. Of course, that also means the first-team defense didn’t force turnovers, which also has been a recurring theme this spring. Some of Tennessee’s experienced wide receivers have mentioned their leadership role on the team in the past week, too, and that and several other topics also were on the docket for 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 Grant Ramey went into the GoVols247 Mobile Studio in Louisville to break down the good, bad, ugly and the pain of Tennessee’s 99-94 overtime loss to Purdue at KFC Yum Center. There’s never a good way to end a season unless you win a national championship, but some ways hurt more than others. The Vols’ loss to the Boilermakers is one of the more painful ways for it to end, considering the magnitude of the game and the way it ended. Was there some good? Yes. Plenty of it. Was there some controversy? Yes. Plenty of it. But Tennessee’s mature team tends to look first in the mirror, and the Vols could and should have done several things better against Purdue. But they didn’t. And they lost. There’s plenty of time to break down this full Tennessee season, and plenty of time to look at the now-departed senior class, and there’s plenty of time to discuss whether Vols junior stars Jordan Bone and Grant Williams should declare — at least without an agent — for the NBA Draft and go through the process before making a final decision. We’ll address all those things in future episodes. For now, though, let’s just discuss Thursday’s loss and Tennessee’s overall performance in the NCAA Tournament. 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 is almost (but not quite) reconstructed — to break down the first five practices of Tennessee’s second spring camp under coach Jeremy Pruitt and the things we’ll be looking for out of the Vols when they return from spring break and get back on the field next week. Both lines of scrimmage were concerns for this team heading into spring camp, and they remain questions going forward, but one of those groups has showed some at least some signs of promise early in camp, while one side is clearly working on things. Of course, even the more promising side of Tennessee’s line of scrimmage has plenty of questions to answer at the moment. Those questions were never going to be answered in five practices, and they haven’t been, but there have been some promising developments so far in camp. Both side of the line of scrimmage are discussed in detail on this episode, but other position groups — from the linebackers to the secondary (especially the safeties) to the wide receivers to the running backs — also were given plenty of discussion in this episode. A recruiting update also wrapped up this football episode, as per usual, and there was even some basketball discussion. Callahan and coworker Patrick Brown no longer cover Tennessee basketball on a daily basis, but both still keep close tabs on the program and have covered more than enough hoops in their careers to offer interesting insights that are worth a listen. 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