The College World Series starts Friday, and Tennessee Baseball faces the LSU Tigers Saturday. UT’s appearance is part of an athletic rebound that didn’t seem possible in the early 2010s. Caleb Calhoun and Dave Hooker discuss that on Off The Hook Sports’ Wednesday, June 14 podcast along with NIL, conference realignment, Tennessee football receivers and Vols all-time coaches.
Looking back on Vols athletics rebound
With the baseball Vols in the College World Series, UT is the only program since the start of the BCS era to have both baseball and softball in the CWS, men’s and women’s basketball reach the Sweet 16 and football win a New Years Six or BCS bowl. Given the turmoil of the athletic department a decade ago, this is remarkable, as written about here on Off The Hook Sports.
Tennessee Football WR room left out of top five
An article by Will Backus of CBS Sports ranking the top five wide receiver rooms left Tennessee Football out of the top five. Despite losing Cedric Tillman and Jalin Hyatt, this doesn’t make sense with Bru McCoy, Ramel Keyton, Squirrel White and Dont’e Thornton on the roster. The Vols did receive honorable mention.
Conference realignment news
Pete Thamel of ESPN detailed recent developments in conference realignment across the Power Five landscape. The Big 12 and Memphis Tigers reportedly have some interest, which could affect Tennessee Football, as it would create another Power Five school within the state. Meanwhile, the Big Ten and SEC both want the North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Cavaliers.
Joel Klatt says NIL ushering in “Golden Age” of college sports
Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt recently said on his podcast that name, image and likeness is ushering in a “golden age” of college football and that the sport has a “champagne problem” in that it can’t relish in his successes. What is Klatt’s reasoning for this? Does he have a point?
All-time Tennessee Football coaching staff
If you were to build a staff all-time of Tennessee Football head coaches, who would handle each position? Who should be the head coach of the Vols? What if this were a staff of all-time Vols assistants and head coaches? Are there some coaches who would be successful regardless of the era?
