Today On Rocky Top: What Does AJ Johnson’s Return Mean For Vols?

Nov 23, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers linebacker A.J. Johnson (45) and defensive lineman Corey Miller (80) tackle Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Patton Robinette (4) during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

From Bleacher Report

"The Tennessee Volunteers received some monstrous news Tuesday when All-SEC linebacker AJ “The Beast” Johnson announced on Twitter that he was returning for his senior season.The 6’2″, 245-pound middle linebacker’s decision to stick around gives UT head coach Butch Jones and defensive coordinator John Jancek a centerpiece around which to rebuild the Vols defense.Returning a three-year starter is like adding an extra on-field coach and can do nothing but ease the learning curve for some of the newcomers—especially when it’s one who can back it up by being a tackling machine."

From The Tennessean

"Just three weeks ago, Tennessee was a struggling basketball team after consecutive losses to Wichita State and North Carolina State.But, the Volunteers seemed to have ironed things out as they opened Southeastern Conference play with a 68-50 victory against LSU on Tuesday.Tennessee, which has won four games in a row since those two December defeats, took the lead for good eight minutes into the game. With 2½ minutes before halftime, the Vols had a double-digit lead which they maintained the rest of the game."

From The Leaf Chronicle

"Tennessee’s Holly Warlick called a team meeting the day before the Lady Vols’ women’s basketball game at Georgia on Sunday. The UT coach described the gathering as “short and to the point.”Lady Vol Ariel Massengale said several points were made rather emphatically.“She gave everyone their role, basically from the coaching staff to the players and the support staff,” the junior point guard said. “She let everyone know that this is what you haven’t been doing. This is what you need to do. This is what you will do from this point forward or deal with the consequences.”"

From the News & Observer

"Tennessee expects to reach the 5 million mark in all-time women’s basketball attendance Thursday when the eighth-ranked Lady Vols host Mississippi.The school announced Tuesday that only 3,796 fans need to attend Thursday’s game to reach the 5 million plateau. NCAA spokesman Rick Nixon said it’s a “safe assumption” that Tennessee would be the first school to reach the 5 million mark based on the Lady Vols’ attendance history, but there isn’t a way to officially verify that because the NCAA doesn’t measure each school’s all-time cumulative attendance."