Tennessee Vols morning report: UT official talks pandemic challenge
Another challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic lead our Tennessee Vols news for June 15, 2020.
Welcome to the middle of June. The COVID-19 pandemic remains an issue in lots of places, even as states continue their reopening phases. With that comes more coverage of the challenges that it is bringing to the Tennessee Vols in an attempt to have athletic events next year.
Our morning update on Rocky Top leads with another story regarding that specific issue. It revolves around an interview with one official about a specific challenge posed by the pandemic related to Big Orange Country that may not affect other programs.
Beyond that, we actually have other interviews to cover as well. One involves UT radio broadcaster Bob Kesling, and another includes a former Vol discussing Johnny Majors. So there were plenty of things that happened over the weekend. Let’s start with the major news.
UT official on returning international athletes – Grant Ramey, GoVols247
The Tennessee Vols have numerous international players in their basketball programs who returned to their home countries amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Getting them back to Knoxville, however, is proving tricky. Director of basketball operations Mary-Carter Eggert discussed the challenges.
"Uros Plavsic is scheduled to arrive early this week while Santiago Vescovi is still waiting in Uruguay for a flight plan that works.“We’re still working through Santi’s, because he’s in South America and borders with Brazil,” Eggert told GoVols247. “That’s caused a little bit of a problem. Uros, they opened up Serbia a week ago about.”"
Randy Sanders remembers Johnny Majors – Dan Harralson
Former Tennessee Vols football offensive coordinator Randy Sanders reflected on the late Johnny Majors and the 1991 Miracle at South Bend. Sanders was a backup quarterback for Majors during the mid-1980s and then spent four of his 17 years as an assistant on UT’s staff working under Majors. Here’s a bit of what the ETSU Bucs head coach said he learned from Majors.
"“A lot of the lessons that Johnny majors taught us as players when I first got there in 1984, and things that he talked about in staff meetings when I first started coaching in 1989 and 90, 91 and 92, a lot of those things never change. A lot of the fundamental things that help you win football games or cause you to lose football games, whether it was 2020 that we’re in right now or 1989 or 1984 or 1940 when General Neyland was coaching, those things don’t change.”"
Bob Kesling reflects on 2016 Hail Mary at Georgia – Rick Nyman, WDEF
Voice of the Vols Bob Kesling recently discussed the 2016 Tennessee football Hail Mary from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings to beat the Georgia Bulldogs on the road. Here’s a bit of what he said about calling that game and the play when it happened in real time.
"“I was under control pretty good. It was Tim Priest that moved the needle. I mean he was, ‘Tennessee wins!’ He was all excited. We were stunned a little bit.”"