Former Vols in the Olympics, Joshua Dobbs and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, and replacing starters headline the Tennessee updates on Rocky Top for Monday, Aug. 8.
Happy Monday everybody. Looks like these Monday blues come with even more disappointment, as the excitement behind the first football game of the season was pushed back due to the cancellation of Sunday’s Hall of Fame game.
But there is still football on the slate for Thursday.
And college football is another week closer to beginning.
So there is still some good news. With the Olympics taking place along with it, sports fans have plenty of things to enjoy over the next three weeks. Until then, we’ll spend the days bringing you all the Tennessee news we can.
Fall practice continues, as they practiced in pads on Saturday, and there are still things for the coaches address, from leaders to starters. The Olympics is relevant as well, which is something we’ll start with on today’s news.
Daily updates from Vols in Rio: Swimming and women’s basketball – UTSports
"Senior Kira Toussaint finished 18th in the 100-meter backstroke in the preliminaries with a time of 1:01.17. She finished two spots out of the top 16 swimmers who advanced to the evening semifinals.…The U.S. Women’s National Team broke its Olympic scoring record Sunday afternoon, rolling to a 121-56 victory over Senegal in its Group B opener at Deodoro Youth Arena. The 65-point margin of victory also was a team best in Olympic play."
Five jobs: Vols seek handful of new starters – Danny Parker of Scout.com
"Was last year a fluke or a sign of things to come? Judging by the Amway Coaches Poll placing Tennessee at No. 10 nationally and the Southeastern Conference media pegging the Volunteers to take the Eastern Division.Preseason hype from media types hails from two avenues of influence: 1. Performance in the bowl game and 2. Number of starters returning."
Vols must keep Dobbs durable and involved rushing – John Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel
"In a program with a recent history for fallen quarterbacks, Dobbs has proved over the past few seasons that he can handle the punishment that SEC defenses inflict. Don’t underestimate that quality.But don’t assume he’s invincible, either.If the Vols are to reach the championship expectations that have accumulated over the offseason, keeping Dobbs upright is a priority. Turning him loose against a defense is another priority, though."
Reeves-Maybin making investment in himself, team – Ryan Callahan of 247Sports
"When Jalen Reeves-Maybin turned down the opportunity to leave early for the NFL draft and chose to return for his senior season at Tennessee, he vowed to devote nearly all of his time and energy to football.The life of a college football player often comes with plenty of responsibilities, from classes, tutoring sessions and study halls to meetings, practices and games. And it features plenty of potential distractions away from the field and outside of the classroom."