By: Aaron Gibson Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show It is officially basketball time in Tennessee. Thus far in this short season, Tennessee's two best players have been Dalton Knecht and Jordan Gainey, both of whom are transfers. The transfer portal can elevate a program to new heights, much like Hooker did for Tennessee football, but in other cases, it can do little or nothing for your program. Getting players from the transfer portal is much like recruiting. Sometimes you swing and get a hit, and other times you miss. The transfer portal during Rick Barnes's tenure at Tennessee has been full of many misses, but it appears now that Tennessee has hit the ball over the fence. Starting in 2015-16, Barnes snatched Kevin Punter from the transfer portal. Punter began his career playing two years at State Fair Community College. During Punter's senior year, Barnes communicated to him that he should alter his unorthodox mechanics of his shot. This was the first time someone had mentioned changing his unorthodox delivery. The next season, in 2016-17, Punter averaged 22.2 points per game, leading the SEC in scoring and becoming the 10th highest scorer in the nation. Another notable transfer came in 2017 with James Daniels III, who transferred from Howard. Although statistically he regressed, Daniels became an essential ball handler and leader on a rejuvenated Tennessee team that won 26 games (10 more than the previous season), shared the regular season SEC championship, finished 13th in the AP poll, and became Barnes's first team at Tennessee to make the tournament. Victor Bailey Jr transferred to Tennessee in 2019 from Oregon, but due to NCAA rules at the time, he had to sit out for that season. In the 2020-21 season, Bailey became the third leading scorer on the team, averaging 11 points per game. However, in the next season, Tennessee welcomed Kennedy Chandler, Santiago Vescovi, and Zakai Zeigler, causing Bailey's role on the team to diminish. Bailey ended up transferring to George Mason and averaged 11.8 points per game during his two years at the school. Other notable transfers, EJ Anosike (brother of Lady Vol legend Nikki Anosike) and Devonte Gaines, both transferred to smaller schools and ended up having respectable careers. Anosike transferred to Cal State Fullerton and averaged nearly a double-double. Gaines averaged 8.9 in two years at George Mason. One of the most notable transfers of the Barnes era, however, is one that ended up becoming all-conference after he transferred. Drew Pember, the local product from Bearden High School, barely saw the floor while he was at Tennessee. At UNC Asheville, however, Pember averaged 18.6 points per game for his career and made the all-conference team multiple times. Tennessee's two current transfers, Knecht and Gainey, both averaged double digits at their previous schools (Northern Colorado and USC Upstate) and look so far to be the most efficient scorers on the team in this early season. Initially, Barnes brought Gainey to the program as a possible role player, but Gainey has been able to create his own shot, shoot the three-ball from deep, and handle the ball in the open court. So far, Knecht looks like the most talented player Barnes has had at Tennessee. Last week, Knecht was named SEC Player scoring 24 points against Wisconsin in a big road win. Gainey added 10 points of his own in only 21 minutes of play.

By: The All Vol Call in Show Staff 20231110 Well, here we are. There are just a few games left in the season, and Tennessee has one of the toughest three game stretches remaining in CFB (not you, Vanderbilt.) The #Vols will be tasked with defeating the No.14 Missouri Tigers on the road Saturday ahead of a gargantuan rematch with the two-time defending national champions, and currently No.2 team in the land, in the Georgia Bulldogs at home before wrapping up the season against Vanderbilt. Ahead of the season, many had the Missouri game circled as a "trap game," due to where it fell in the schedule (between homecoming and UGA rematch). Not many expected the Tigers to be as capable as what they've been this season. Saturday's game features two teams vying for footing in the SEC East, and two teams who appear to be as even as it gets. John Dunn Founder, Managing Director, Producer, Host I had this game labeled as my "biggest trap game" of the season prior to week one. I thought that Tennessee would be looking ahead to UGA, however, I feel like that isn't the case. Missouri is on everyone's radar now. Brady Cook and Luther Burden are a nasty tandem and will give the #Vols defense everything it wants and then some. Joe Milton has been playing much better the last three games, and Tennessee's offense as a whole seems to be finally figuring some things out. There's no time like the present. The three-headed rushing attack of Wright, Sampson, and Small has proved to be one of the most dynamic in the country, and I firmly believe that will be what wins this game. I expect Tennessee's defense to rattle Cook enough to disrupt the passing game, and I expect the #Vols to control the game pace with the rushing attack. It'll be close, but they get it done. Prediction: Tennessee - 31 | Missouri - 27 Dallas Bowlin Senior Staff Writer, Junior Editor, Content Manager, Co-Host Tennessee's defense struggles with giving up passing yards, ranking 54th in the nation at 222 yards per game. Missouri, with the 23rd-best passing offense at 284 yards per game, poses a significant challenge for them. To succeed defensively, Tennessee’s pass rush must get into Missouri's backfield and pressure Brady Cook to limit his passing opportunities. It's a tough matchup for the Vols and one where I have trouble seeing them keep up. Prediction: Missouri - 41 | Tennessee - 30 Jake Hubbard Senior Staff Writer Tennessee is coming off a game against UConn where everything went their way; everything. I think that the #Vols ride that high into Columbia this Saturday. Jaylen Wright is poised for a big game, and I expect Tim Banks to really dial up the pressure against Brady Cook. The Vols shouldn’t overlook Missouri, but I think they get the job done on the road. Also, Eliah is such a weird name. Prediction: Tennessee - 38 | Missouri - 24 Joe Davis Junior Staff Writer Missouri finds themselves in a slew of championship races as the season nears a close. Mizzou is battling Texas A&M for the cringiest school in the conference. While A&M has their yell leaders, search for "We are Mizzou" and you'll find three guys named Tyler who can't rap, rapping. It gets worse--there is a "Rules at the Zou" video explaining how to be a Missouri fan. Clearly dignity is not mentioned in said video. But no no, that's not all. Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz is a dead heat for the biggest nerd on the planet with everyone's least favorite garnet gimp, Shane Beamer. Missouri actually looks decent this year at football which is amazing for all players not named Luther Burden. He is honest to goodness a "play on Sundays" guy. But he's questionable for Saturday. The Vols need to bracket Burden and make Drinkwitz earn his points elsewhere. I think they do this and do it well. Prediction: Tennessee - 24 | Missouri - 20 Zac Stickland Junior Staff Writer This is a “table setting game” for Tennessee. It’s true that the Vols can’t control what happens in Athens tomorrow night. However, whether the East is on the line or not, the Georgia game next week will have a lot of added juice if the Vols are 8-2 and riding a three game streak rather than limping in at 7-3. I think the Vols answer the call. Joe Milton has been accurate AND turnover-free the past three weeks, and I believe can continue his success in this game. Mizzou has had a solid year, but has lost to both teams they’ve faced with talent superior to theirs. Tennessee makes it three. Prediction: Tennessee - 41 | Missouri - 30

By: Josh Jessee Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231109 The 13th ranked Vols and 14th ranked Tigers are set to face off in a highly anticipated football match up this Saturday in Columbia, Missouri. This late in the year match up could be a season defining game for both programs, as it holds SEC Championship implications. Both teams will enter this contest with a 7-2 record, tied for second place in the SEC East. Missouri has been one of the biggest surprises in college football to this point, and look to continue writing that story on Saturday. While Tennessee will enter the game looking to continue their recent momentum and get one step closer to a shot at Atlanta. The strengths for both teams start on the offensive side of the ball with Tennessee and their cerebral rushing attack, something that Josh Heupel and company will look to establish early. The rushing offense of the Vols ranks third in the NCAA, while the rush defense of the Tigers ranks 24th in the country behind Texas A&M and Kentucky, two teams that Tennessee was able to run all over. On the other side of the field Missouri's ability to throw the football will be key to their offensive success as the Tigers rank 23rd in the NCAA in passing offense. They will be competing against a Tennessee secondary that ranks 54th in passing yards allowed. The keys to this game for the Tigers will be winning at the line of scrimmage and stopping a very potent Tennessee rushing attack. Missouri will need to produce tackles for loss in the backfield, and bottle up the Vols running backs in an attempt to not give up explosive plays. A task easier said than done, but if the Tiger defense wants to have success in this match up they are going to want to force Joe Milton to beat them with his arm. Milton and the Volunteer offense currently only ranks 58th in the NCAA in passing offense. A much better gamble for Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers defense than taking on the third best rushing offense in the NCAA that Tennessee possesses. For the Vols the keys to victory are two fold starting first on offense Heupel and company are going to want to establish the line of scrimmage, something that Tennessee has been very good at doing to this point in the season. This will allow for the talent of Jaylen Wright, Dylan Sampson, and Jabari Small to be on full display. When the Vols are running the ball well the offense is clicking. The ability to establish a run game and establish it early is going to make life easier on Milton, by forcing the Tigers to sell out on the run and potentially leave receivers open down the field. On the defensive side of the ball the key to victory again starts on the line of scrimmage. The defensive front seven of Tennessee is going to have to live in the back field of the Tigers. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook has been a problem for opposing defenses all season, lighting up secondaries across the league. This is definitely an area of concern for the Volunteers as this has been one of the weaker positions on the field this year. In order to have success in this match up the defensive front of Tennessee will need to wreak havoc in the backfield. Putting pressure on Cook and forcing him to make plays on the move or under pressure, this is vital in stopping the Tigers pass attack. The Vols definitely have the personnel in James Pearce Jr. and Tyler Baron to make Cook’s day a very long one. This game will also feature a lot of talented players on both sides of the ball that are going to play a vital role in determining who comes out the winner. Starting with Missorui the four players to know before the game are: Brady Cook, Luther Burden, Ty’Ron Hopper, and Kris Abrams-Draine.The biggest name on this list is Burden, the sophomore wide receiver who to this point in the season has already amassed 958 receiving yards with seven touchdowns. Burden ranks third in the SEC amongst wide receivers and will draw plenty of attention from the Tennessee secondary. Burden will look to exploit matchups and draw additional coverage to free up teammates down the field. Next is quarterback Brady Cook who to this point in the season has 2,471 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns. Cook ranks fourth in the SEC at quarterback and if given time in the pocket will make the secondary’s day a long one. Hopper the leading tackler for the Tigers will be essential in leading the charge of stopping the run as well as applying pressure to Milton forcing hurried throws. Milton will have to build off passing game momentum from the previous weeks and find success through the air to help the Tennessee running game out. However, he will need to do this while avoiding the Missouri ball hawk Kris Abrams-Draine who leads the defense with four interceptions on the year. The Volunteer players to know before the game are: Tyler Baron, Squirrel White, Deont’e Thornton, and Dylan Sampson. Baron, a senior on the defensive line currently holds five sacks and a total of 13 tackles. He will be tasked with leading the defense in applying pressure on Cook and force errand throws. Baron has been a key part of Tennessee’s ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and will be needed this weekend. Every defense that the Vols face this year are going to put an emphasis on stopping the run, and forcing Milton to beat them with his arm. This weekend will be no different but with the continued progression of the passing game look for two wide receivers to have a big game. White and Thornton both have the elusiveness and speed to hurt defense with yards after catch. If the Tigers go all in on stopping the run expect both of these guys to win their one on one match-ups, put up some impressive numbers, and come away with at least one receiving touchdown. The final player to watch for in this matchup truly is an x-factor. Look for Sampson to be in on some very critical plays in both the running and passing game. Sampson is a massive weapon out of the backfield that gives Tennessee’s offense some flair. Going into Columbia, Sampson has 160 receiving yards, 405 rushing yards, and eight total touchdowns. The speed and most of all the elusiveness of Sampson makes him a nightmare for any defense. When he is in the game he continues to keep the chains moving for the offense and continues to help the Vols find ways to score and win ball games.

By: Aaron Gibson Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231110 It's no secret that Rick Barnes has propelled Tennessee basketball to unprecedented heights. Under his stewardship, Tennessee has won 65% of their regular-season games, claimed the SEC tournament for the first time since 1979 (a feat unachieved by eight previous head coaches), and won the most SEC games within the league over the past five years. Barnes has been a paragon of consistency and stability throughout his career, including his tenure at Tennessee. However, his one glaring shortcoming throughout his 36-year coaching career has been his consistent under performance in March. Boasting a career record of 780-406, Barnes has an impressive 65% win percentage. But in March, his record dwindles to a mere 27-27, with his last Elite Eight appearance in 2008 and his last Final Four in 2003. However, Tennessee's March struggles are not merely a Rick Barnes issue, they reflect a broader program problem, irrespective of the coach or the players. In 1977, during the final year of the Ernie and Bernie show, Syracuse upset Tennessee in overtime. Both King and Grunfeld concluded their illustrious Tennessee careers without a single tournament win. The esteemed Ray Mears also retired prematurely in 1977, devoid of any tournament victories. Another Tennessee legend, Dale Ellis, played for UT from 1979-1983. Despite participating in the NCAA tournament each year, earning All-American honors twice, and being named SEC Player of the Year twice, Ellis's best March performance was reaching the Sweet 16 in 1980. Tennessee was defeated 62-48 by a Virginia team led by Ralph Sampson. Other notable Tennessee greats include Allen Houston (Tennessee's all-time leading scorer) who never played in a single tournament game. CJ Watson only danced once in his senior year, losing to a seventh-seeded Wichita State team as a two seed. Chris Lofton had a pair of Sweet 16 appearances, while Grant Williams only made it to the Sweet 16 once. I am not solely blaming the players or any specific coach for Tennessee's March misfortunes. There are multiple factors that contribute to a long tournament run, and often, the best team isn't the one hoisting the trophy at the end of the year. Tennessee's sole Elite Eight team wasn't the most talented or even the best squad Tennessee has ever fielded. Yet, they hit their stride in March, and JP Prince began playing point guard at an exceedingly high level. The point I am making is that what Barnes has achieved in March is more the norm than the exception. A significant section of the fan base seems to believe that the blame rests entirely on Barnes and that replacing him would instantly lead to a long tournament run. While this is likely Tennessee's deepest and most talented team under Barnes, it's crucial to understand that myriad factors influence a long run in March. Fans should savor the journey rather than fixating on the destination.

By: Dallas Bowlin Senior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231110 Jonas Aidoo made significant strides from his freshman to sophomore seasons. He went from averaging 2.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game as a freshman to an impressive 5.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in his sophomore year. As his junior season unfolds, Aidoo is poised to follow in the footsteps of Kyle Alexander, who experienced remarkable growth during his time at the University of Tennessee. In the two exhibition games leading into the 2023-24 season against Michigan State and Lenoir-Rhyne, Aidoo showcased his potential by averaging 11.5 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. In Tennessee's season opener against Tennessee Tech, Aidoo contributed with four points, eight rebounds, and four blocks, resulting in an average across these three games of nine points, six rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. Comparing these numbers to the progression of Kyle Alexander at Tennessee, it's evident that Aidoo is on a promising trajectory. Alexander steadily improved his points per game from 1.7 in his freshman season to 3.3 in his sophomore year, 5.6 in his junior year, and an impressive 7.4 points per game in his senior season. Beyond the statistics, Alexander's growth was remarkable, as he transformed from a player with limited basketball experience into a defensive anchor for the Vols, equipped with a respectable offensive game, including a nearly unblockable turnaround jump shot, thanks to his exceptional length. Similar to Alexander, Aidoo arrived at Tennessee with raw offensive skills but showed defensive prowess, most notably when he blocked three shots and disrupted many more in a standout performance against Oscar Tshiebwe during his freshman year. Now, during the early games of his junior season, Aidoo has displayed a much-improved offensive game. In his sophomore year, Aidoo was somewhat tentative around the rim and rarely dunked the ball. However, during these first three games of his junior season, Aidoo has embraced dunking opportunities. He has also shown a more refined perimeter game, albeit in a limited sample size, having made two of three attempts from three-point range. If Aidoo continues to enhance his game throughout the season, it will undoubtedly contribute to Tennessee's pursuit of their lofty yet attainable goals. His journey, mirroring that of Kyle Alexander, is a testament to the growth that can occur when hard work, coaching, and a passion for the game align. Tennessee fans have every reason to be excited about Aidoo's potential impact on the court and his promising future.

By: Alex Harmon Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231106 There is a saying that gets passed around football that we have all heard a time or two and that saying goes “defense wins championships”. This saying still remains true, but it doesn’t hold the same weight that it used to with offenses out here putting up numbers that we’ve never seen before. Although offense is just as important as defense and vice versa, the elite teams display excellent defensive capabilities. For the 2023 season, the Tennessee Volunteers seem to have taken a massive step forward on defense. Which leaves us asking the question, is Tennessee on its way to becoming elite? For the 2022 season, the Volunteers were able to show a lot of improvement on the defensive side of the ball, but that wasn’t the main focus for the team. They were able to go out on the field and outscore most of our opponents, for example the Alabama game. It was as if the defense was able to be complimentary to the offense, not the other way around. It is really impressive to take a step back and see just how well both sides of the ball meshed together to lead the team to one of its best seasons in years. The Volunteers ended up 10th in the SEC regarding total defense in 2022 finishing above only South Carolina, Florida, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt. They allowed an average of 22.8 points per game as well as 389.2 yards per game. This certainly doesn’t jump off the page as a great statistic, but it was enough to carry them to an 11-2 season with a NY6 victory. It isn’t hard to think back to last year and remember some of the massive plays that the defense had which led to wins over LSU, Kentucky, Mizzou, Vandy, and Clemson. On the flip side of this coin, the defense also had a few let downs giving up loads of points against Alabama, even though they won the game as well as the atrocious game versus South Carolina where they gave up 201 yards passing and 132 yards on the ground. The good thing about the 2022 season is that Tennessee was able to end on a high note and reload for the 2023 season. This season has given us a different look at a defense that we can all get behind thanks to the play on the field from players like Hadden, Baron, JPJ, Beasley, Norman-Lott, as well as others. There are things that the team still struggles with, but overall, I would have to tip the cap to Tim Banks and his crew for the improvement that we have seen to this point in the season. So far, the Vols are sitting at 4th in the SEC when it comes to total defense and 3 rd overall on rushing defense only allowing 105.1 yards per game. That is a very big jump in just one short year. The Vols are giving up an average of 20.4 points per game, which is a step in the right direction. They are also giving up 303.1 total yards per game versus the 389.2 yards per game from last year, which is also a significant jump from last year. Things seem to be headed in the right direction for the Tennessee Volunteers on the defensive side of the ball. Every defensive statistic category from last season has been improved. Tennessee is known for having a defensive line that is elite with constant pressures coming from either side as well as run support coming from the secondary. The defensive backs have already produced numbers that are rivaling the 2022 season, and they still have three games to play, plus a bowl game. The 2024 Volunteers also have something to look forward to with some great commits coming in to help take them to the next level. Everyone needs to buckle up and get ready for the fireworks that are sure to come and if you are a trajectory person, things are looking to be headed in the right direction on the defensive side of the ball.

By: Elijah Hixson Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231106 After back-to-back disappointing losses in March, the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team hopes to do great things in the 2023-2024 season. Many Volunteer fans anticipate the upcoming season after a 2-0 start in the preseason. Tennessee took down preseason AP ranked number four Michigan State 89-88 on the road with a last-second free throw game-winner, and they clobbered Lenoir-Rhyne, winning by a whopping 40 points. While it was a preseason charity exhibition match to support the Maui Strong Fund, taking down the number four-ranked Spartans should not go unnoticed. The Spartans showed flashes of greatness in the 2022-2023 season, but the lack of experience was apparent throughout the season as they finished just seventh in the Big 10. They made it into the NCAA tournament as a seven-seed and came up just short of making the elite eight after a thrilling overtime loss to Kansas State. With the return of many of its players and a stellar recruiting class, fans of the Spartans hope to make a run at a National Title. In the exhibition match against the Spartans, both teams came to play, with most starters playing up until the final buzzer. The Volunteers jumped out to a 17-1 lead early on, this being the game's largest lead. The Spartans closed the gap over the half as they trailed only by three heading into the break. Tennessee never trailed the entire game, but with just under ten seconds left, the Spartans got a huge turnover, translating into a game-tying three, as the Breslin Center exploded. With just under two seconds, the crowd was hushed as Sophomore guard Tre Holloman committed a costly foul, sending Junior guard USC Upstate transfer Jordan Gainey to the line. Adding dramatics, Gainey missed the first free throw but knocked down the second to close out a preseason thriller for Coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers. After getting upset in a heartbreaking loss to FAU in the Sweet Sixteen last season, Coach Barnes seemingly took it personally as he went on a tear this offseason, looking to improve on the offensive end as the team ranked outside of the top 50 in multiple offensive categories. Coach Barnes brought two highly touted scoring threats in Senior forward Dalton Knecht from Northern Colorado and sharpshooting Junior guard Jordan Gainey from South Carolina Upstate. Both have put on an impressive showing in Tennessee's first two exhibition games. Knecht and Gainey lead the scoring for the Volunteer's win Sunday against Michigan State. Tennessee also returns much of its defensive production as well. They finished last season as the number-one team in the nation in the defensive efficiency category. They return eight players, most of whom were significant contributors to the 2022-2023 squad. This includes the team's leading scorer, two-time All-SEC first-teamer Senior guard Santiago Vescovi, a true veteran of college basketball. Another starter returning from an ACL tear is major ball-handler and two-time SEC all-defensive team member Junior Guard Zakai Ziegler. The Volunteers also return fifth-year Senior Josiah-Jordan James. Since day one, all three have been key contributors, played a major role in Tennessee's 2022 SEC championship squad, and have some real experience in March. Much more return for the Volunteers, including Junior big man Jonas Aidoo, Sophomore forward Tobe Awaka, Junior guard Jahmai Mashack, and a pair of Redshirt Freshman in guards Freddie Dillione V and D.J. Jefferson. Each had a significant role last season. Aidoo, who led the ’22 squad in blocks, excites fans with his 6’11, 240 lb. frame as he should take on a more prominent role. Awaka, with his monstrous 6’8, 250 lb., impressed many this off season when he started six of seven games for the 2023 U19 U.S. Men’s National as he averaged 11.6 points while also leading the tournament in rebounds with 74 and double-doubles with four. Mashack averaged 18.1 minutes per game last season and proved he was a defensive specimen, averaging 1.5 steals per game. Dillione and Jefferson, both Freshmen last year, saw zero minutes but should take on a more significant role this season. While bringing in talent from the portal and returning eight players. The Volunteers also brought a solid recruiting class to complement the already deep roster. They brought in a pair of four stars in guard Cameron Carr and J.P. Estrella. The Volunteers also snagged three-star forward Cade Phillips. All three look to contribute in their own ways and learn from an experienced team. Tennessee opens the season on Monday at 6:30 versus Tennessee-Tech. They then go on the road to face a formidable opponent in Wisconsin. After they take on Wofford at home just before they compete in the highly anticipated rendition of the 2023 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, where five of the eight competing are ranked within the preseason's top-10 poll. An opportunity for the Volunteers to gain some serious momentum heading into Chapel Hill to take on the 19th Ranked North Carolina Tar Heels to round out a challenging but exciting November. The Schedule cools down just a little bit in December, as they don't go on the road once. But they will see just one top-25 opponent in Illinois before getting into SEC play in January. With such a tough schedule, Tennessee hopes to ride huge win after huge win into March, where, with depth, experience, and talent, they hope to make their first Final Four in program history. Rick Barnes has a reputation for always coming up short in the NCAA tournament, but many fans are optimistic that he can finally take his team deep. The team should be hungry after falling short in the Conference tournament and getting upset in the Sweet 16. Fans have plenty to look forward to this upcoming season, with so many craving what they never have had. With a team like this one, this could be the year.

By: Aaron Gibson Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231106 Last season, Tennessee's offense looked like a team on Madden playing on rookie mode. Hooker orchestrated the offense flawlessly like a conductor leading an orchestra. Tennessee's pass attack was flashy, but Tennessee actually attempted more rushes than passes last season. Last season Tennessee's offense attempted a total of 945 plays. Out of those plays 523 of them were rushing and just 422 of them were passing. Statistically Tennessee ran the ball 55.3% of the time last season. Tennessee's offense last season was definitely balanced. It's no secret this season that Tennessee's rushing attack has taken a large step forward and is now the identity of this team. Last season Tennessee led the SEC in passing and this season Tennessee leads the SEC in rushing. If you look up the word balanced in the dictionary there is a picture of Heupel's offense. Speaking of which, in 2023 Tennessee is averaging 221.8 yds passing per game and 221.75 yards rushing per game. How has Tennessee's offense become such a dynamic rushing attack? To find out, I've decided to compare last season's rushing attack to this season's rushing attack. Since we are only in week 8 currently and I want a comparable sample size I compiled statistics from Tennessee's first eight games last season to compare to this current season. In 2022 through the first 8 weeks Tennessee compiled a total of 1,537 yards rushing. In 2023 Tennessee has compiled a total of 1,774 yards rushing. The interesting thing about the numbers are that Tennessee actually attempted 347 rushes through eight games last year, while attempting 321 rushes in 2023. So with less attempts Tennessee has actually gained more yards on the ground than the previous season. Last season Tennessee averaged 4.5 yards per rush. In 2023 they've average 5.5 yards per rush. Speaking of yards per carry, junior Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright leads the SEC in yards per carry at 6.99 and ranks third in the entire conference and total rushing yards with 409. Considering Tennessee uses three running backs, that's definitely an impressive feat for the junior. The one statistical category that was actually higher through 8 weeks of last season and the running game was touchdowns. Through eight games last season Tennessee scored 26 touchdowns on the ground, while only scoring 15 touchdowns on the ground so far this season. One of the factors is the competition. Through 8 weeks last season Tennessee played Ball state, Akron and UT Martin. In those three contests alone they scored 15 touchdowns on the ground. A second factor is red zone offense. Last season Tennessee ranked third in the entire nation in Red zone offense scoring 94.03% of the time. In 2023 however, Tennessee ranks 54th and red zone offense only scoring 86% of the time. The lesser competition and the more Red zone touchdowns definitely contributed to Tennessee having more rushing touchdowns last season. It's safe to say that Tennessee's identity is predicated on the run, as it has been the whole time. It appears the Vols have one of the most potent backfields in the country with its three-headed monster of Wright, Small, and Sampson.

By: Josh Jessee Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231106 It's that magical time of year again-- and no, I don't mean the holiday season. It's the time of year where football season is in full swing, and basketball season has finally arrived. Tennessee opens up the 2023-2024 basketball campaign on Monday against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. The Vols have already played in two exhibition games, taking on (4)Michigan State and Lehnoir-Rhyne. The Vols came out on top in both of those exhibition contests without the help of guard Zakai Zeigler who is recovering from ACL surgery, and guard Santiago Vescovi who was attending to family matters back home in Uruguay. The season begins on Monday and Vescovi will be back in action for his fifth season on Rocky Top. Vescovi set college basketball ablaze during the 2021-2022 season, becoming only the second player at Tennessee to hit 100+ three pointers in a single season, joining Chris Lofton as the only other Tennessee player to do so. Vescovi shot 40.3% 3-point shooting as a junior with 44.5% on 3-pointers during SEC play. Vescovi also had a career high average of 13.3 points per game. With immense expectations going into the 2022-2023 season, he and the team left a lot on the off the board by season's end. Vescovi had a drop off in points per game only averaging 12.5 points per game. Usually an automatic free throw shooter, especially in clutch moments in the game, he saw more than his fair share of misses. Vescovi’s performance last season was affected by a lingering shoulder injury through the majority of the year. His offense drew more attention from opposing offenses, making it more difficult for him to dominate the way he did his junior season. The Vols are gearing up for a new year, one with a lot of new faces and what appears to be a much deeper and talented team than in years past. As we look forward to the upcoming year, there are several key reasons why this year's team will play a vital role in enhancing Vescovi' s performance and helping him become a more formidable player than he was last season. Vescovi didn't have poor stat lines, in fact he, he surpassed the expectations of what other teams would determine to be fantastic. But for fans who have followed Vescovi throughout his career, he never really looked like himself last season. But all of that can, and probably will, change this season. Vescovi enters this year already on the Jerry West Award watch list and the All-SEC Media Team. Vescovi is sure to pick up more regular season, and potentially post season, awards. Even last season, despite his down year, Vescovi was still on the SEC All-Conference Team. The Vols are much healthier this season than they were last season. The Vols faced their fair share of injuries last year that hindered their offensive rhythm. Vescovi faced a shoulder injury, Josiah Jordan James had a lingering knee injury from an off season surgery, and Zakai Zeigler suffered a torn ACL late in the season. Those key injuries, along with the typical bangs and bruises, of a basketball season kept important players off the floor at critical times, especially when Zeigler went down. Injuries lead to several frustrations for the Vols on offense last season. When those injuries took key players away from the floor, it provided ample opportunity for the defense to double team Vescovi and force role players or bench players to beat them. On top of the injuries one cannot ignore the elephant in the room-- the fact that Tennessee was not built for offense last season. Tennessee had skilled offensive players, but rarely were on the floor at the same time leading to double teams that made it difficult for key players to score. Tennessee was also built for defense and it showed statistically last season the Vols were among the best defensive basketball teams in the country; a signature trademark of any Rick Barnes coached team. The Vols' focus on defense helped them win their fair share of games, beating several top-ranked programs. At the same time, the inability to score and long offensive droughts cost them some games, and frustrated Vol fans. Tennessee hit the recruiting trail and the transfer portal hard this season. The addition of new talent to the Vols roster will alleviate the pressure on Vescovi. Last year, he often had to carry the team on his back, which took a toll on his performance. Vescovi failed to get clean shots and play his natural role on the floor. With improved depth and skilled players around him, Vescovi will have more opportunities to get back to the Vescovi that Vol fans know and love. Tennessee has all the right pieces to be very successful this season, but two additions that will greatly assist Vescovi are Jordan Gainey and Dalton Knecht. So far throughout the two exhibition games, the tandem has proven lethal. They can score from anywhere and bring offense with them wherever they go; something Tennessee needed desperately. I look for Vescovi to be much more comfortable in this new-look offense, as well as make a legitimate push for the Jerry West Award and SEC Player of the Year Award. If Vescovi has that "turn around" season that he is poised to have, the Vols will make some noise in March in both the SEC and NCAA tournaments.

By: The All Vol Call in Show Staff 20231103 John Dunn Founder, Managing Director, Editor, Host This will probably be the shortest prediction piece we've ever thrown together collectively. This is a glorified practice game. I am happy that they will honor Pat Summitt. I hope to see some of the back ups in the game by the third quarter, but have grown to understand that for some reason, it just doesn't work like that anymore. Tennessee wins this one with ease. Prediction: Tennessee - 45 | UConn - 7 Dallas Bowlin Senior Staff Writer, Junior Editor, Content Manager, Co-Host Let’s be honest here-- it’s UConn. Tennessee should be able to hand the ball off every play and win by three scores. We should see the younger guys in the second half, and if not something has gone horribly wrong. Prediction: Tennessee - 42 | Connecticut - 7 Joe Davis Junior Staff Writer I have been writing for AVCIS for a couple years now. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and hope to continue with the site. This is a good group of guys and they're fun to just talk trash with. Dallas is an incredibly hard worker, Trevor is smart and funny, Strickland seems like a really good dude and John really needs to think about shaving his schedule down before it puts him in an early grave. In my experience these guys are all good to the people around them and I'd go to bat for any of them. To you the reader: thanks for being here and hanging out with us. As for Saturday; Coach Summit would enjoy this one. Prediction: Tennessee - 59 | UConn - 14

By: Aaron Gibson Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231101 Tennessee, through eight games, has a record of 6-2. Despite the disappointment of the loss to Florida and the second-half performance against Alabama, Tennessee is still at 6-2 or better for the first time in consecutive seasons since 1998 and 1999. Joe Milton, the quarterback for Tennessee, has a record of 8-2 as a starter. The Vols still have a lot to play for with the rest of the season ahead of them. Although Tennessee's program has been steadily improving under Heupel and Milton has shown rapid improvement recently, there is a significant portion of the fan base that wants to bench him in favor of highly touted freshman Nico Iamaleava. But is this a justified position? How does Joe Milton compare to the other quarterbacks in the conference? It is no secret that quarterback play in the SEC as a whole has declined compared to last season. Tennessee losing Hooker, Georgia losing Stetson Bennett, and Florida and Kentucky losing their veteran starting quarterbacks are major factors contributing to the decline in quarterback play in the conference. How does Joe Milton compare to the rest of the league? To be clear, I am not claiming that Milton is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation or even the league, but he's definitely not as terrible or as much of a liability as some in the fan base suggest. To any unbiased observer, it is clear that the top quarterbacks in the SEC this year are Jayden Daniels, who looks like an early season Heisman candidate, Carson Beck, the highly touted freshman who is rapidly improving week to week, Brady Cook, who looks like a future NFL player and makes solid decisions, and Spencer Rattler, who is much improved at South Carolina and, if he had even an inkling of an offensive line, could be first-team all SEC. Other than the top quarterbacks, where does Milton rank in the SEC in terms of statistical categories? Milton ranks 6th in completion percentage (at 64.75%), which is higher than Jalen Milroe (64.71%), Jaxson Dart (64.15%), and Devin Leary (57.27%). In the last three games, he has averaged a completion percentage of 74%, which is higher than the league leader Jayden Daniels, who has averaged a completion percentage of 73.93% in the last three contests. Milton is 6th in completions with 158, he's tied for being sacked the 8th least amount of times, has the 4th least amount of interceptions, and is 4th in total rushing yards for a QB in the entire league, (25th overall in the SEC) averaging 4.53 yards per rush. Do not misunderstand me; I am by no means saying that Milton is a Heisman candidate or one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he's definitely been solid throughout the season and has been getting better in the last couple of weeks on the road in SEC play. If Milton continues to improve, Tennessee could definitely win 9 games this season. This would be Tennessee's first back-to-back 9-plus-win season since 2015 and 2016, with Joshua Dobbs as the quarterback. If a quarterback has more rushing yards than KJ Jefferson and a higher completion percentage than Jayden Daniels in the past three games, saying he should be benched for an unproven yet highly touted freshman seems like a premature position. While Milton is no Hendon Hooker or Joshua Dobbs, he has definitely done enough to win on the road in the SEC and is improving week by week. Joe Milton definitely isn't Hendon Hooker or Joshua Dobbs, but then again, what quarterback is?

by: Josh Jessee Junior Staff Writer The All Vol Call in Show 20231031 With the Tennessee Football regular season more than halfway over, there is a lot to be impressed with by the 2023 offense, but at the same time, there is a lot left to be desired. While the Tennessee rushing attack and the three headed monster of Jaylen Wright, Jabari Small, and Dylan Sampson are lighting up defenses across the conference, gone are the days of Hendon Hooker taking the top off of defenses and finding Jaylen Hyatt streaking down the field for six. Tennessee has found new ways to win, and Josh Heupel deserves all the credit in the world. What happened to the passing game, and does it have an opportunity to "right the ship" down the homestretch of the season? This past weekend at Kentucky and a tune-up game against UConn could set the passing game on a much needed trajectory heading into a tough stretch of games. Before the season started, the Joe Milton hype was in full swing, and rightfully so. The dude is a physical specimen. Looking at him, one can't help but get "Cam Newton" Vibes. Milton stands at 6'5, 235 pounds with a cannon of an arm which claims to have the ability to sling a football 90 yards. That paired with the impressive performance Milton put on display in the Orange bowl drove hype through the roof. However, once the season took off, Milton struggled with consistency in games having to rely on the run game for explosive plays on offense. So far this season Joe Milton has shown flashes of brilliance, but lacked the consistency needed to compete at a high level. Receivers struggled with dropped passes, and the offensive line faced issues protecting the quarterback; especially in the absence of Center Cooper Mays, resulting in sacks and hurried throws. The offense managed to move the ball, but often struggled to finish drives effectively, having to settle for field goals. Tennessee also lost the production one of its best wide receivers in Bru McCoy due to a season-ending injury earlier this year against South Carolina. This has led to the Vols turning to several underclassmen getting a lot of valuable playing time this season. Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Joey Halzle mentioned this week that Tennessee’s offense has leaned on the run game a lot this season because of the talent that they have in the backfield. After hearing this comment brings clarity to why Tennessee has looked so one dimensional at times this season and not pushed the ball down the field as often as they did last year. Halzle also mentioned the youth of the receiving core that Tennessee has this season. This brings some clarity as to why Tennessee has had trouble winning on the edge and getting open for over the top plays. One thing that could be added to that is the injuries Tennessee has faced on offense. As mentioned above the Vols lost Bru for the season against South Carolina and Oregon Transfer Dont’e Thornton really hadn't looked healthy until the Kentucky game. There is also speculation that Joe has been dealing with injuries throughout the first half of the season such as a knee injury suffered against UTSA, and an unconfirmed rib injury against Virginia. Though the rib injury isn't confirmed yet a banged up Milton would help explain some of the inconsistency in the passing game earlier on. Every Tennessee fan knew going into the season that Joe Milton had a cannon of an arm, and that he from time to time would sail or misplace passes. One thing I'm sure of is that fans were not prepared for an array of dropped passes. Especially sure touchdowns that were in and out of the hands of veteran receivers. Things that have slowly begun to improve as the season progressed. Coaching and player development will be crucial in enhancing the Tennessee Volunteers' passing game for the remainder of the season, a thing that fans should trust Heupel to do as he has yet to give them a reason to doubt yet. The responsibility will also fall on the players to maintain consistency throughout the season. Developing chemistry between the quarterback and the receiving corps is essential for further improvement especially with new faces getting playing time filling in for Bru’s absence. One unnoticed stat this season though that has gone unnoticed due to the focus on the running game, is that the two games following the bye week have seen a major improvement in the passing game. Milton has a combined stat against Alabama and Kentucky of 45/61 for 498 yards 3 TD’s and no Interceptions. A noticeable difference from some of the previous outing Vol fans have seen this season. A trend that most Vols fans hope continues for the remainder of the season. This weekend is the perfect opportunity to build on that momentum as the Vols take on the UConn Huskies in a noon Homecoming Kickoff. Tennessee is currently favored by 35 points over the Huskies and should give Heupel and Company a real opportunity to test out the passing offense. With Milton's quiet but very noticeable improvement over the past two games, and a healthier wide receiving unit the Vols should definitely be airing out the ball earlier and often Saturday. The game for Milton should be an opportunity to improve on his accuracy and progression reading. This game will also allow for some of the young talented receivers like Chas Nimrod and Caleb Webb to build chemistry with Joe, as well as become more comfortable in their route running. This also will allow for Heupel to experiment with Thornton and find exactly where he will damage defense the most. Uconn ranks 84 in passing yards allowed per game, allowing 254 yards per game. Look for Heupel and company to exploit the match up this weekend and build confidence in a healthy pass attack. Heupel will look to build off the moment off the last two games and create a trend rather than an anomaly. This game is important in righting the ship as Tennessee will need its pass attack against both Missouri and Georgia. Tennessee will run on anyone they face but will require the run game to open up the passing game in order to beat teams like Georgia and Missouri. The best way for them to do that starts this weekend by righting the ship, building on momentum, and evaluating what they have in the pass attack against an opponent that shouldn't put up too much of a fight. Look for the Vols to have a big day in the pass game Saturday against UConn and for the pass attack to become a larger threat as the season wraps up.