Tennessee Vols morning report: Butch Jones speaks out, Alvin Kamara
Former Tennessee Vols head coach Butch Jones breaking his silence and Alvin Kamara on his time with UT lead the Volunteers news for Friday, Jan. 5, 2018.
Happy Friday everybody! On this first Friday in 2018, much of the nation is gripped with bitter cold weather. And the Tennessee Vols news for the day brings up memories that hit them in the face harder than this bitter cold.
As we get set to bring you the news on Rocky Top to kick off the weekend, a former coach finally breaks his silence since being fired from Tennessee. Meanwhile, one of his players during his time also speaks out about his time in Knoxville. Both are a bit painful for UT fans to hear.
And for the sore spot of sore spot, the former Tennessee athletic director is still making news. We have to get to all of that along with an ugly Lady Vols win. But let’s start with the fired coach.
Former Tennessee Vols coach Butch Jones breaks silence – ESPNU Radio
Less than two months after being fired, Butch Jones finally spoke again. The former Tennessee football head coach went on ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM Thursday morning with co-hosts Greg McElroy and Taylor Zarzour and talked about his five years on Rocky Top. Here’s a bit of what he said.
"“I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish. Two back to back nine win seasons, three straight bowl games. We were able to do things here that haven’t been done in ten, 15, 20 years. And what we inherited, where we took the program over from academics to the APR to, you know, building that mindset. And, you know, it’s a result-oriented business. The last two years I’ve never been a part of anything – this year we had 29 concussions, we had 25 players out – never been a part of anything like that.”"
Alvin Kamara on his time at Tennessee – Ben Baskin, SI
Former Tennessee Vols running back Alvin Kamara is becoming a star with the New Orleans Saints. His year has been incredible enough that SI did a very long feature on him, published Friday. Turns out, based on what he said, he agreed with UT fans about not getting enough touches while in Knoxville. Here’s part of the story about his time on Rocky Top.
"“F—ed up” is how Kamara describes the football experience in Knoxville. Kamara is clearly a dynamic force on the field, but a coach must scheme for his abilities. To fully actualize his impact on the field, an offense needs to adapt around him, create specific packages and plays that utilize his rare versatility and skill set. Tennessee chose not to do that.For two years he was the backup to Jalen Hurd, despite averaging 2.31 more yards per touch than the starter. Of course it was frustrating."
Suspended AD John Currie still getting paid – Rachel Ohm, Knoxville News Sentinel
It’s been a month since the Tennessee Vols got rid of athletic director John Currie and replaced him with Phillip Fulmer. However, Currie was suspended, and as a result, his employment status technically hasn’t changed. So right now he’s making his full salary, which is $17K a week.
"UT Knoxville Vice Chancellor for Communications Ryan Robinson said Thursday that Currie’s status hasn’t changed.“Yes, he remains suspended with pay,” Robinson said in an email. “Regarding pay, benefits, and all other matters with respect to his employment, the university is operating in accordance with its employment agreement with Mr. Currie. There is no timetable.”"
Tennessee Lady Vols defeat Auburn Tigers – UTSports
The Tennessee Vols women’s basketball team continued its undefeated streak Thursday, but it wasn’t pretty. Holly Warlick’s crew scored an ugly win against Auburn, a game that was tied with two minutes to go before Tennessee finally pulled away 70-59.
"Senior Jaime Nared recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 7/7 Tennessee to a 70-59 victory over Auburn (10-4, 1-1 SEC) on Thursday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. The win snapped a seven-game win streak for the Tigers and moved Tennessee to 14-0 for only the fifth time in school history."