Today On Rocky Top: Vols Won’t Play Kentucky At Home This Season
By Zach Ragan
Jan 15, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Jordan McRae (52) during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Tennessee 75-65. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
From the Boston Herald
"Tennessee won’t have a home game against Kentucky for the first time in over six decades.Although the Southeastern Conference hasn’t released its complete 2013-14 schedule, Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin confirmed Tuesday that the Volunteers would face Kentucky only once and that it would be at Rupp Arena. Tennessee’s 247 Sports site first reported the news.This will mark the first time since 1952-53 that Kentucky hasn’t played a regular-season game at Tennessee.The two former SEC Eastern Division rivals aren’t guaranteed to play each other twice every season anymore because the conference no longer is divided into two divisions for basketball. Kentucky was one of the five conference opponents Tennessee played twice last season, but that won’t be the case this year."
From the Miami Herald
"Injuries and depth issues in the secondary are forcing Tennessee to rely on freshman cornerbacks.Riyahd Jones, who opened training camp atop the depth chart at cornerback, missed a second straight day of practice Tuesday with a leg injury. Tennessee coach Butch Jones said the junior college transfer “is still undergoing further evaluation” and wouldn’t speculate on when he might return. Redshirt freshman cornerback Michael Williams sat out Tuesday’s practice with a shoulder injury, though he’s expected back in the next couple of days."
From the Times Free Press
"Tennessee defensive line coach Steve Stripling showed up at the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex on Tuesday with a cup bearing a message: “Mr. Positive.”After a few initial laughs, the Volunteers took the ploy as intentional.“This staff is pretty, pretty good about getting under your skin,” senior defensive end Marlon Walls said following practice Tuesday afternoon. “He knew by him coming in with [that] cup, it was trying to say that we’re not doing anything, you know what I mean? We laughed about it, but at the same time, it was like, ‘Hey guys, let’s go to work today and let’s get better today.’“He was joking about it or whatever, but we understood what he was trying to say, and it was trying to get us to go.”"
From WBIR
"Even from 50 yards outside Tennessee’s practice complex, Butch Jones’ voice is omnipresent. It isn’t particularly intimidating, nor is it distinctive, and you don’t always know where it’s coming from. But it’s just everywhere, sort of like the Wizard of Oz booming from behind the curtain, filtering down on a program that has spent the past five seasons staggering through the Southeastern Conference.“Sometimes I get on the mic and say, ‘This is your conscience speaking,’ ” Jones said Monday."
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