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Tennessee Vols morning report: Big Orange Caravan in Memphis

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 09: Tennessee Volunteers fans cheer during the first half of the game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Neyland Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 09: Tennessee Volunteers fans cheer during the first half of the game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Neyland Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Vols Big Orange Caravan heading through Memphis with Phillip Fulmer and Jeremy Pruitt leads our Volunteers news for Wednesday, May 16, 2018.

We’re one day away from the softball NCAA Tournament, and Tennessee baseball plays its final series of the regular season with a chance to go to the SEC Tournament. So there’s lots of postseason spring ball for the Tennessee Vols.

But that isn’t a part of today’s news. Instead, this morning’s update on Rocky Top includes some revealing statements made by the football coaches at the Big Orange Caravan stop in Memphis. So despite these other sports, football is still the top story.

We also have another football story about what an outside source says on the Vols. And there’s the death of a former basketball player we need to acknowledge. So, in the heart of spring, today’s updates focus on football and men’s basketball. Let’s start with comments from Phillip Fulmer and Jeremy Pruitt at a stop in Memphis.

Big Orange Caravan rolls through Memphis, revealing comments made – UTSports

The Tennessee Vols Big Orange Caravan stopped in Memphis on Tuesday with Phillip Fulmer and Jeremy Pruitt headlining as speakers. Pruitt gave lots of details, noting that Memphis is a very important battleground place for recruiting, saying Jauan Jennings’s status hasn’t changed and pointing out that he wants his teams to be as tough as the late Pat Summitt’s teams. Meanwhile, Fulmer talked about Neyland Stadium renovations, pushed for people to buy season tickets and said that there are no plans for Tennessee football to renew its series with the Memphis Tigers yet. Here’s a bit of what he said about Memphis.

"“Our whole state is important and Memphis is a huge part of that. Not only do we have a lot of UT athletes fro this area, but we have a lot of students and a lot of alumni. The medical school is here. There are so many reasons why this city is important to the University of Tennessee. It’s key to our success to come to Memphis and do well.”"

Former basketball Vol Howard Bayne dies – Tom Mattingly, Knoxville News Sentinel

Former Tennessee Vols post player Howard Bayne passed away at age 75 Monday in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. Bayne played for Tennessee in the Ray Mears early years from 1963 to 1966, averaging 7 points and nearly 8 rebounds a game during his career.

"Bayne came to Knoxville from Colonel White High School in Dayton. He was older than most of his teammates, with Mears having discovered him in a “highly competitive AAU industrial league.” He came to UT with guard Larry McIntosh, and they played and led the team well enough to become co-captains of the 1966 team."

Tennessee football’s schedule ranked 4th in the SEC – Rob McVey, Athlon

Despite not getting a lot of respect for its out-of-conference schedule, the Tennessee Vols still have one of the toughest schedules in the SEC according to Athlon. On Tuesday, the magazine ranked their schedule fourth in the conference behind the Texas A&M Aggies, LSU Tigers and Auburn Tigers. Athlon noted Tennessee’s brutal five-game stretch against the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide and South Carolina Gamecocks as a reason for its ranking.

"First-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt will be put to the test early in the non-conference season opener against a potent West Virginia squad in Charlotte. Pruitt’s Volunteers get cupcakes the following two weeks (ETSU and UTEP) before kicking off conference play with maybe the toughest five-game stretch in all of college football for 2018."

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