Tennessee Vols morning report: Alex Golesh media session
We’re now a week away from the start of the Tennessee Vols football season. It’s getting more exciting by the day for fans across the state and the country. College football fans in general have a lot to look forward to with the start of the season Saturday.
Our morning update on Rocky Top leads with more coverage surrounding the start of the season. We’ve got a media session to cover with another one of the assistants, and we have a preview of the fan experience that is coming with UT’s home stadium.
Beyond football, though, we have a preview of a soccer game to bring you along with updates on schedules in two different sports, so there’s plenty to cover. Let’s go ahead and start with the football news, though.
Alex Golesh speaks with media – Austin Price, VolQuest
Earlier this week, Tennessee Vols football defensive coordinator Tim Banks spoke with the media. It was offensive coordinator Alex Golesh’s turn on Wednesday. Golesh didn’t say who would be calling the plays in the game, but he talked about how the background of the coaching staffs went into developing the offensive schemes. Here’s a bit of what he said.
"“Jerry Mack brought some awesome ideas, Kodi (Burns) brought some awesome ideas. Kodi is kind of like my go-to on, ‘man, how does the SEC do this? How do defenses attack certain things?’ Then obviously, (Coach Heupel) has been in this league, Glen (Elarbee) has been in this league. I don’t want to say grab bag, but it’s been a conglomerate of ideas through the summer. Put a bunch in fall camp, and now we’re kind of grab-bagging as we get pictures we’re presented.”"
Neyland Stadium fan experience upgrades announced – Ryan Callahan, GoVols247
It’s the 100-year anniversary of Shields-Watkins Field, and lots of upgrades are coming to Neyland Stadium for this Tennessee Vols football season as a result. Part of those upgrades includes the installation of LED lighting.
"Tennessee plans to move its fireworks displays to the roof of the north end zone and the east and west skybox rooftops, while the Vols’ pregame “Vol Walk” will make its return this season with enhanced COVID-19 protocols, giving the team an expanded pathway for its walk to the stadium. Tennessee also will resume running through the giant “T” formed by the Pride of the Southland Marching Band this year after pausing the team’s traditional pregame entrance to the field last season because of the pandemic."
Soccer to visit Tennessee Tech – Andrew Peters, UT Daily Beacon
At 2-0, the Tennessee Lady Vols soccer team has its first road game of the season Thursday. UT will travel to Cookeville, Tenn. to take on the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.
"No. 17 Tennessee (2-0) is coming off a two-win first week of play. The Lady Vols beat Florida Gulf Coast 6-0 last Thursday and followed that up with a 2-0 win over Miami (Ohio) on Sunday.Tennessee Tech (1-1) is also coming off a solid week of play. The Golden Eagles lost to No. 18 Vanderbilt 1-0 in overtime last Thursday and won a game over Liberty on Sunday, 1-0."
Cross Country and Track and Field schedule announced – UTSports
Beth Alford-Sullivan, director of Tennessee Vols Track and Field and Cross Country, announced the program’s schedule for 2021-2022 Wednesday. Cross country takes place in the fall, indoor track and field takes place in the winter and outdoor track and field takes place in the spring.
"Tennessee opens the cross country season at home with the Tennessee Dual on Friday, Sept. 3 at the Cherokee Farms Cross Country Course in Knoxville. The home meet begins at 8:30 a.m. ET and is free and open to the public.…The Vols and Lady Vols will have a busy indoor schedule and will spend several weekends in Blacksburg, Virginia, and Clemson, South Carolina. Tennessee will compete at Virginia Tech Jan. 14-15, Jan. 21-22, Feb. 4-5 and again Feb. 18-21.…Tennessee begins its outdoor campaign March 23-25 in Raleigh, North Carolina, before going to Gainesville, Florida, for the Pepsi Florida Relays April 1-2."
Softball exhibition schedule announced – UTSports
Karen Weekly announced the exhibition schedule for the Tennessee Lady Vols softball team this fall. Play begins Friday, Sept. 25 at Pfeiffer University. There are seven home games for the program overall and one on the road against the Kentucky Wildcats.
"Attendance for all fall contests at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium are free of charge. Gates will open one hour prior to first pitch."