Category Archives: Today on Gameday

If you read only one thing about the Vols today . . .

. . . make it this official recap of the weekend scrimmage, from UTSports:

• VOLS CAMP REPORT: First Scrimmage in the Books – University of Tennessee

Other Vols stuff worth reading today

1. Who’s New? Tennessee Linebackers, via Gameday on Rocky Top
2. How Tennessee Vols football could go from winless in SEC last year to 8-0 this fall, via KnoxNews. Knoxnews beats Will to the Idiot Optimist Guide to the 2018 season.
3. Tennessee Vols quarterback competition no separation Jeremy Pruitt, via 247Sports
4. Tennessee Vols football’s Jeremy Pruitt: ‘Nothing’s changed’ with Trey Smith’s status, via 247Sports
5. Tennessee Vols football: Jeremy Pruitt ‘comfortable with a lot of our guys’ after scrimmage, via 247Sports
6. Jauan Jennings, Chance Hall held out of Tennessee Vols football scrimmage, via 247Sports
7. Rumph Relies on Wealth of Experience, Seeks to Shape Well-Rounded Men – University of Tennessee, via UTSports
8. Jeremy Pruitt reviews Tennessee Vols first preseason scrimmage, via 247Sports
9. Tennessee Vols Football: Riley Lovingood living out childhood goal by snapping for Vols, via 247Sports
10. Tennessee Vols Jordan Allen talent Chris Rumph hard coaching, via 247Sports
11. Tennessee Vols Darrell Taylor outside linebacker athleticism, via 247Sports
12. Tennessee Vols football creating competition, pushing wide receivers ‘to really improve’, via 247Sports
13. Tracy Rocker challenging Vols’ D-line physically, mentally, via 247Sports
14. Tennessee Vols Football Recruiting: Four-star CB commit Tyus Fields coming to Vols from football family, via 247Sports
15. Tennessee Vols football among finalists for top-100 athlete Mark-Antony Richards, via 247Sports
16. Tennessee Vols Football Recruiting: Jaydon Hill Vols’ target 2019 four-star CB sets timetable for decision, via 247Sports

Behind the paywalls

• Ten takeaways and observations from the first half of…, via The Athletic

If you read only one thing about the Vols today . . .

. . . make it this, from The Athletic’s David Ubben:

• Position shift: What kept Darrin Kirkland Jr. with Tennessee

This one is actually behind a paywall, as The Athletic is a subscription-only site, but I’m making it today’s Must Read to emphasize why The Athletic is worth a subscription (and no, they’re not a sponsor, and we’re not an affiliate).

Because Darrin Kirkland Jr. talked with the media yesterday for what I think was the first time after his decision to transfer and then stay, several media outlets published stories on what he said, and I’ve included those below as Worth Reading today.

But if you only read one story about Kirkland today, it should be Ubben’s. I wouldn’t normally include Paywall stories in our Must Read section, but I’ve recently come to the conclusion that Ubben’s stuff has been so consistently great that The Athletic is a Must Subscribe for Vols fans.

Other Vols stuff worth reading today

1. Tennessee Vols Football: Bobby Bowden calls Jeremy Pruitt a ‘hidden jewel’ in SEC, via 247Sports
2. Pruitt’s mostly accomplished his defensive size- and shape-blueprint in one short summer, via Gameday on Rocky Top
3. Who’s New? Tennessee Defensive Line, via Gameday on Rocky Top (Brad Shepard)
4. Jeremy Pruitt on Tennessee Vols’ quarterbacks: ‘Lots of competition,’ but also ‘inconsistency’, via 247Sports
5. Rucker: Micah Abernathy, Tennessee Vols football veterans adjusting to new era, via 247Sports
6. Tennessee Vols OL Brandon Kennedy ‘quickly earned the respect of his teammates’, via 247Sports
7. Tennessee Vols Alontae Taylor buzz Jeremy Pruitt pumps brakes, via 247Sports
8. Vols will ‘stick to the plan’ with Jauan Jennings, Chance Hall, via 247Sports
9. UT Vols need to rise ‘team by team’ instead of brick by brick, via KnoxNews
10. Former Tennessee Vols NFL Preseason Week 1, via 247Sports
11. Tennessee Vols Darrin Kirkland Jr. explains decision return transfer, via 247Sports
12. Tennessee Vols football linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. finally ‘110 percent’ healthy, via 247Sports
13. VOLS CAMP REPORT: KENNEDY, KIRKLAND LOOK TO STEP UP AS VOLS MOVE TO FULL PADS – University of Tennessee, via UTSports

Behind the paywalls

• War Room 8-10-18, via VolQuest
• Tennessee Vols preseason camp practice Trey Smith, via 247Sports
• Kirkland Jr. healthy, happy and focused on 2018, via VolQuest
• Fall Camp Practice Observations: Day 6, via VolQuest
• Tennessee Vols Football: Vols commit Jackson Lampley ‘getting prepared for the next level’, via 247Sports

If you read only one thing about the Vols today . . .

. . . make it this, from College Football News:

• Tennessee vs. West Virginia Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

It’s not that there’s anything super important in here, it’s that it’s the first game preview of the season by a national publication (if memory serves), which gives you the feel-goods about football season actually being almost here.

Other Vols stuff worth reading today

1. Who’s New? Tennessee Offensive Line, via GRT’s Brad Shepard
2. Jimmy’s blog: Helton says big challenge is finding playmakers, via WNML
3. Tennessee Vols football: TE Dominick Wood-Anderson ‘a big man who has some ability’, via 247Sports
4. Jeremy Pruitt: Vols need senior defensive linemen to play well, via the Times Free Press
5. Vols’ fall camp: Accountability breeding healthy competition, via Vols Wire
6. College Football Rankings, via CBS Sports. Vols are ranked No. 74. Thoughts?
7. Would position switch jump-start Vol WR Tyler Byrd’s career?, via Gridiron Now
8. Vols veteran linebackers finally healthy, ready to spearhead unit, via VolQuest
9. Georgia Bulldogs Football: Tennessee’s top five returners on both sides of ball, via 247Sports
10. Tennessee Vols Deandre Johnson shocked Chris Rumph spring practice, via 247Sports
11. Tennessee Football Fan Guide. I was ready to make a joke about this being Ads for Vols Fans, but there’s actually some good info in there, too.

Behind the paywalls

• Fall Camp Practice Observations: Day 5, via VolQuest
• Tennessee Vols practice observations preseason camp, via 247Sports

If you read only one thing about the Vols today . . .

. . . make it this, from GRT’s Will Shelton:

• 10 Questions for 2018: What Will We Learn About Jeremy Pruitt?

Other Vols stuff worth reading today

1. Chris Rumph reveals why Vols are having recruiting success, via 247Sports
2. Richmond fine with Vols OL taking on Friend’s ‘personality’, via 247Sports
3. Vols defensive players whose health is critical in 2018, via Gameday on Rocky Top
4. Tennessee Vols Football: Jeremy Pruitt will provide ‘one message’ for his coaches, via 247Sports
5. Holly Warlick signs contract extension, via 247Sports
6. SEC Nation kicks off 2018 campaign with two stops, via SEC Sports

From the archives

1. On Fewer Injuries & Better Health, via Gameday on Rocky Top
2. Phil Steele’s injury bounce-back data suggests Vols in good shape for 2017, via Gameday on Rocky Top

These two pieces from this time last year really drive home the point about how fluky Tennessee’s two-year run of injuries has been. It was so bad in 2017 that Phil Steele suggested the Vols were poised for a bounce-back year. But then they outdid themselves on the injury front in 2017. Does that mean we’re ready for a double bounce-back year? 🙂

Behind the paywalls

• On the medical miracle that gave Tennessee football a new roster addition, via The Athletic
• Fall Camp Practice Observations: Day 4, via VolQuest
• Tennessee Vols preseason camp observations defensive line, via 247Sports
• Pope carving out role with Pruitt and new staff, via VolQuest

If you read only one thing about the Vols today . . .

. . . make it this, from VolQuest’s Jesse Simonton:

• Can Tennessee find some alpha dogs defensively in 2018?

Other Vols stuff worth reading today

1. SI’s Preseason Top 25: Clemson claims the top spot, via Sports Illustrated. Whoa. West Virginia is ranked in the Top 10 in this SI preseason poll.
2. Who’s New? Tennessee Wide Receivers and Tight Ends, via GRT’s Brad Shepard
3. Vols Daniel Bituli offseason extra step will lead to fun, via 247Sports
4. Walk-on Paul Bain embracing opportunity to help Tennessee D-line, via 247Sports
5. Jimmy’s blog: Tyson Helton will get play-calling input from Pruitt, via WNML
6. Tennessee 2019 Football Target Predictions, via 247Sports. This is here because Shannon Terry, CEO of 247Sports just put a Power T on his crystal ball pick for highly-coveted offensive lineman Darnell Wright. Does he know something we don’t, or is he just thinking that all of those Ohio State votes are going to fall alongside Urban Meyer?
7. Let’s give the NCAA president tuition and some shoes he can’t sell, via SB Nation. Heh. An amusing response to UNC players getting suspended four games for selling some shoes they got from the school.

Behind the paywalls

• Tennessee Vols football’s midyear recruiting progress report for 2019 class, via 247Sports
• Tennessee football recruiting: Four-star OL Chris Morris sees ‘change’ in Vols under Jeremy Pruitt, via 247Sports
• Vols football recruiting: Four-star athlete Zion Puckett returns to Tennessee, sets decision date, via 247Sports

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