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Tennessee Vols morning report: Football assistants, Yves Pons speak

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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Media sessions with Tennessee Vols football assistants and Yves Pons lead our morning report.

Welcome to the first day of FBS games. Despite all the roadblocks to a season happening this year, there are still games the first Thursday in September. Of course, the Tennessee Vols football team still has to wait over three weeks for its first matchup, but it’s still exciting for the sport to be back in some way.

Our morning update on Rocky Top continues its coverage of the football team’s preparations for the start of the season. There were a few new voices who took part in a media session on Wednesday, which makes for an interesting story on its own.

Speaking of media sessions, Yves Pons speaking out with media members also becomes a big story. We’ll break down both and stick with men’s basketball with the news of an NCAA proposal that broke yesterday. Let’s start, though, with the football session.

Football assistants speak with media – Brent Hubbs, VolQuest.com

On Wednesday, Tennessee Vols wide receivers coach Tee Martin, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke and outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton spoke. Martin said Dee Beckwith is working as a wide receiver/tight end hybrid, and Felton touted freshmen Tyler Baron and Morven Joseph, and Weinke said Brian Maurer is battling a hamstring injury. Here’s a bit of what else Weinke said.

"“I think there’s no doubt you see the confidence in Jarrett. Having the opportunity to spend the whole offseason really studying this offense, watching a lot of film, I tell you what, I give a lot of credit to him. During this whole pandemic, when it started, I talked to him every single day, and there wasn’t a day that I talked to him that he wasn’t doing something to help himself get better.”"

Yves Pons discusses decision to return – UTSports

Senior forward Yves Pons held a zoom press conference Wednesday to talk about his decision to return for his senior season rather than enter the NBA Draft. Here’s a bit of what the Tennessee Vols basketball defensive specialist said.

"“On the morning of the deadline I did not know what I was going to do because we were still getting some feedback from my agent and the NBA. It was hard to make a decision ahead of that so that’s why we waited until the deadline and that’s when I made the decision.”"

NCAA floats Nov. 25 start date for basketball – Matt Norlander, CBS Sports

With the college basketball season still up in the air, reports are that the NCAA women’s and men’s basketball oversight committees agreed to a Nov. 25 start, which is two days before Thanksgiving. These reports came via sources that told CBS Sports about the proposal.

"The proposal will eventually be sent to the Division I Council, which is scheduled to meet on Sept. 16. An approving vote by the Council on that day would make Nov. 25 college basketball’s new official opening day, but sources have stressed that flexibility in the coming 6-8 weeks will be paramount."

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