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Tennessee Vols morning report: John Ward tribute, personnel changes

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 upcoming Tennessee Vols tribute to John Ward and football personnel updates lead our Volunteers news for Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

June is drawing to a close for 2018, and the Tennessee Vols still have a wealth of news surrounding the program. Some of it is tragic, other things are neutral, and some are joyful. There’s a bit of all three today.

Our Rocky Top updates this Wednesday include a reminder about a scheduled event tonight to remember a legend. We’ll also talk about personnel moves, including one involving an interview with a former Vol in a current position. So let’s get started, beginning with the tribute.

John Ward tribute ceremony scheduled for tonight – UTSports

The Tennessee Vols will host a John Ward tribute ceremony tonight at 6 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena. Ward, the UT radio broadcaster “Voice of the Vols” for 31 years in football and for 34 in basketball, passed away last week at age 88.

"Wednesday’s event will take on a celebratory tone and is intended as a way for Ward’s friends and Tennessee fans to honor the incredible impact that he made on generations of Big Orange faithful during a rousing, Hall of Fame career behind the microphone that exceeded 30 years."

Jeremy Pruitt relieves multiple doctors affiliated with Vols – John Brice, Gridiron Now

Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt has relieved two doctors, Greg Mathien and Russell Betcher, from their duties affiliated with the program, according to reports. The medical staff for the football program has been under fire for a while after two straight years of major injury bugs and a potential scandal involving allegedly clearing Brett Kendrick to play last year with a concussion.

"The move continues Pruitt’s decision to overhaul the Vols’ football medical, nutritional, and training staffs.Pruitt fired John Burnside, one of the lead trainers for the football program, earlier this spring after just one year in the program. The duo of Mathien and Betcher had nearly 50 years of combined service for UT athletics, and specifically football."

CJ Fayton talks about being VFL coordinator – Wes Rucker, GoVols247

Former Tennessee football wide receiver CJ Fayton is now the Vol for Life coordinator for the Tennessee Vols. With a goal of being an athletic director one day and experience already in administrative positions at smaller schools, he said it was an easy decision to accept the offer for his new role. He told WNML on Monday that he thinks things on Rocky Top are looking up and that it was the right time to return.

"The right opportunity to return to Knoxville would always be hard for Fayton — and his wife, a former Tennessee track and field athlete — to turn down, though. Fayton said the people of East Tennessee have always been special for him and his family, and that returning to the community to help student-athletes at his alma mater was the best move for him personally and professionally."

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