Phillip Fulmer, Jeremy Pruitt and assistants speaking make up our Sept. 17, 2020 Tennessee Vols report.
Tons of news took shape for the Tennessee Vols on Thursday. College basketball announced its official start date, football tight end Jackson Lowe entered the transfer portal and three former players were nominated for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class: Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis and Jerod Mayo.
Even with all of that, though, we still are able to do a morning report with stories completely separate. Our updates on Rocky Top are all dealing with interviews on the administrative side and the football side.
With the season opener at the South Carolina Gamecocks less then 10 days away, it makes sense that different outlets would be interviewing different people affiliated with the program. So let’s go ahead and dive in on all of them, starting with the administrator.
Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer joins ‘Vol Calls’ – Patrick Brown, GoVols247
The first episode of “Vol Calls” for 2020 brought on Tennessee Vols athletic director Phillip Fulmer and discussed the start of the season. Fulmer noted that the number of people returning to practice is finally going up after COVID-19 cases kept many of them out, and he talked about expecting Neyland Stadium to be safe. Here’s a bit of what else he said.
"“We’ve effectively demonstrated that we can manage a bubble, so to speak, and do the protocols that we need to do to keep our young men and women safe as we go through this fall and probably next spring dealing with Covid. Our athletic staff has done a great job, but also our facilities people have just done a super job of sanitizing and keeping our guys in a clean space.”"
Jeremy Pruitt talks virus on Paul Finebaum – Paul Finebaum Show, ESPN
A significant increase in COVID-19 cases severely limited the Tennessee Vols football team during numerous practices recently. Jeremy Pruitt discussed that and the start of the season on SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum Show Wednesday. Here’s a bit of what he said.
"“You know, we definitely had a lot of players out during fall camp, and it’s something that really throughout the whole circumstances since March, things have changed daily. Our first priority has always been the safety of our players, and really football is second, but our coaches and players have been creative, and we’ve found ways to be productive at practice, and we’ll have to continue to do that until we get enough guys to get ready for a game.”"
Brian Niedermeyer, Jay Graham talk fall camp – Ben McKee, Rocky Top Insider
As Tennessee football continues to prepare for its season opener, two assistant coaches spoke with the media on Wednesday. Inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer and running backs coach Jay Graham both talked about a variety of players they are working with.
"Graham discussed his transition back to Rocky Top, his initial impression on Tennessee’s running back room, the development of Eric Gray and Ty Chandler, Dee Beckwith’s switch to running back and the Vols’ freshman running backs.…Niedermeyer discussed his transition to the defensive side of the ball, the leadership of Henry To’o To’o, Quavaris Crouch and Jeremy Banks’ development."