Today On Rocky Top: Vols Fans Among Top 15 Most Loyal
By Zach Ragan
From The Tennessean
"Seven SEC programs, including Tennessee, made the businessinsider.com list of the 15 most loyal fan bases in college football.Factors included home attendance, how well the fan base travels and how well it sticks with the team in down periods."
From The Times Free Press
"It all started more than a dozen years ago for Dillon Bates.The Tennessee freshman linebacker was 6 or 7 years old, he recalled Friday afternoon, when he began playing tackle football.“The mighty-mite leagues,” Bates said as the Volunteers debuted their six legacy freshmen. “You know, the big ol’ helmets and big ol’ shoulder pads, running around not knowing what you’re supposed to do.”Though he’s not been on campus long and won’t have his first college practice until August, Bates already has shown he’s got a pretty good grasp on the game for a 19-year-old newcomer."
From the AP
"Tennessee is counting on family connections to help the program return to prominence.Five players from Butch Jones’ highly touted freshman class have family members who also played football for the Volunteers. A sixth freshman — wide receiver Vic Wharton — is the nephew of former Tennessee basketball player Brandon Wharton.These newcomers want to help Tennessee end a string of four straight losing seasons and regain the stature this program enjoyed when their relatives were here."