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

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

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