On the Air the Schedule the Coaching Staff
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2020 FOOTBALL 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS / 13 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS / 53 BOWL GAMES / 95 ALL-AMERICANS / 46 NFL FIRST-ROUND PICKS GAME 9 | DEC. 12, 2020 | 4 P.M. ET | NASHVILLE, TENN. | VANDERBILT STADIUM ON THE AIR TV: SEC NETWORK Play-by-Play: Taylor Zarzour TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS VANDERBILT COMMODORES Analyst: Matt Stinchcomb Sideline: Dawn Davenport 2-6 AT 0-8 RADIO: VOL NETWORK Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt Interim Head Coach: Todd Fitch Record at UT: 15-18 (.455) // third season Record at VU: 0-0 (.000) // first season Local: WIVK-FM 107.7 | WNML-FM 99.1 Career Record: same Career Record: same Sirius: Ch. TBD | XM: Ch. 386 Rankings: AP - NR // Coaches - NR // CFP - NR Rankings: AP - NR // Coaches - NR // CFP - NR Internet: Ch. 976 Web: utsports.com STORYLINES Play-by-Play: Bob Kesling Analysts: Tim Priest & Brent Hubbs • ROAD TRIP: Tennessee completes its 2020 road slate against in-state foe Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. ET Saturday Sideline: Kasey Funderburg in Nashville on SEC Network. The contest was originally scheduled for Nov. 28 and postponed. The Vols are attempting to snap a six-game losing streak that dates back to Oct. 10. UT won last year’s meeting 28- SOCIAL MEDIA 10 behind a 246-yard rushing, three-touchdown performance from Eric Gray. The Vols lead the all-time #PoweredByTheT series, 76-32-5. Twitter/Instagram: @Vol_Football • BOUNCING BACK: Tennessee is coming off a 31-19 loss to No. 6 Florida on Saturday in Neyland Stadium. Facebook: Tennessee Football The Vols held the Gators to their lowest point total of the year. UT orchestrated three scoring drives of over 94 yards, including back-to-back scoring drives to close the game led by redshirt sophomore QB J.T. Shrout. True freshman QB Harrison Bailey made his first career start and was 14-of-21 for 111 yards and one touchdown, findingEric Gray on a 15-yard pass in the second quarter. Bailey became the 11th true freshman THE SCHEDULE quarterback to start a game in program history and just the fourth to make his first career start against a top 10 opponent. Shrout finished 12-of-14 for 121 yards and one touchdown, a 22-yarder toVelus Jones Jr. Overall: 2-6 | Home: 1-3 | Away: 1-3 with 0:27 remaining. SEPTEMBER (1-0) • “JUICE” GRAY: So. RB Eric Gray has gone over 100 yards rushing four times this season. He is third in the 26 at South Carolina SECN W, 31-27 SEC in that category. Gray ranks seventh in the SEC in total rushing yardage (698), fourth in yards per game OCTOBER (1-3) (87.25), seventh in all-purpose yards per game (120.5) and 13th in rushing touchdowns (4). During the month 3 Missouri SECN W, 35-12 of November, Gray averaged 148.0 yards per game on the ground, which led the SEC and ranked sixth in the 10 at #3/3 Georgia CBS L, 21-44 FBS. In his last 10 games dating back to last year’s Vanderbilt game, Gray is averaging 103.0 yards per game 17 Kentucky SECN L, 7-34 on the ground. With 100 yards against Arkansas and Auburn, Gray became the first Vol with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since John Kelly in 2017 (141 vs. Florida, 101 vs. UMass), and he was the first to do it 24 #2/2 Alabama CBS L, 17-48 in back-to-back conference games since Joshua Dobbs in 2016 (147 vs. Kentucky, 190 vs. Missouri). Gray is NOVEMBER (0-2) also the Vols’ leader in receptions with 29 on the year, a mark that ranks fourth among SEC running backs. 7 at Arkansas SECN L, 13-24 21 at #23/21 Auburn ESPN L, 17-30 • HENRY TO’O TO’O THE LEADER OF THE DEFENSE: After a freshman All-America campaign in 2019, So. DECEMBER (0-1) LB Henry To’o To’o leads the Vols in tackles (53) and tackles for loss (9.5). He is tied for second in the SEC 5 #6/5/6 Florida CBS L, 19-31 in TFLs. To’o To’o has multiple tackles for loss in four games this season, including a career-best 2.5 TFLs 12^ at Vanderbilt SECN 4 p.m. in his last game against No. 6 Florida. He has produced at least 2.0 TFLs in four out of his last six games. 19* #5/5/5 Texas A&M TBA TBA • TREY SMITH ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATE: Offensive guardTrey Smith elected to return for his senior season. Smith has played in 40 career games with 39 starts, including 20 straight starts. Last season, he did All games conference only (COVID-19) not allow a sack in 758 snaps, and he has allowed only one sack in 563 snaps this season. CBSSports.com * - rescheduled from Nov. 14 PPD projects him as a NFL first round pick. Smith fulfilled his promise to his late mother, Dorsetta, by obtaining ^ - rescheduled from Nov. 28 PPD his degree this month in recreation and sports management. • PASSING ATTACK: Tennessee has thrown for over 240 yards in back-to-back games for the first time since THE COACHING STAFF the final two games of the 2016 season - 340 at Vanderbilt and 291 vs. Nebraska in the Music City Bowl. It’s the first time the feat has happened in back-to-back conference games since 2014 - 301 at South Carolina and 297 vs. Kentucky. Vol QBs have not thrown an interception in their last 51 combined attempts dating Jeremy Pruitt, Head Coach (3rd) back to the third quarter of the Auburn game. In their last two games combined, the Vols have completed Derrick Ansley, DC/DB (3rd) 49-of-70 (70 percent) for 482 yards and two touchdowns. Jim Chaney*, OC (6th) BY THE NUMBERS Shelton Felton, OLBs (1st full-time) Will Friend, OL (3rd) tackles for loss this season by tackles for loss by UT per game this Jay Graham, RB (2nd) Henry To’o To’o, which leads the season, which ranks fifth in the SEC Tee Martin, Asst. HC/Pass Game/WR (2nd) 9.5 team and is tied for second in SEC 6.0 (at least 5.0 in every game) Brian Niedermeyer*, ILB (3rd) Joe Osovet*, TE (3rd, 1st on field) Chris Weinke, QBs (3rd) passing touchdowns surrendered players who have made their UT debut so far this season, including by UT this season, which is the * - denotes in press box second-fewest in SEC (Alabama, 11) 19 true freshmen (second-most 12 22 true freshmen in SEC) ( ) - denotes year at Tennessee 2020 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL / UTSPORTS.COM / @VOL_FOOTBALL 1 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL MEDIA INFORMATION In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Southeastern Conference and the University of Tennessee have adopted several new policies and TENNESSEE MEDIA RELATIONS restrictions related to in-person media coverage of Tennessee football games this fall. Press box seating BILL MARTIN KIM HOOD will be limited to no more than 50 percent of capacity, Assistant AD for Football Communications Assistant Director of Media Relations (Credentials) sideline access will be restricted and the field-level Office: 865-974-4167 Office: 865-974-1211 | Cell: 423-552-5617 media center will be closed. These changes, guided by Cell: 662-418-3821 E-mail: [email protected] public health authorities and CDC recommendations, Email: [email protected] Twitter: @AllinHoodTime mean that some outlets that have previously been Twitter: @Bill_Martin approved for credentials may not receive access this TOM SATKOWIAK fall. All credentials will be issued on a single-game SEAN BAROWS Associate AD for Communications basis for Tennessee home games. Our hope is that the Assistant Director of Media Relations Office: 865-974-7501 | Cell: 865-696-2897 current restrictions are only required for one season Office: 865-974-7478 | Cell: 561-312-9432 E-mail: [email protected] and that we can return to our traditional credentialing/ E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @TomSatkowiak media access procedures in the fall of 2021. Twitter: @SeanBarows ADDITIONAL STAFF COACH PRUITT MEDIA INTERVIEWS AKILAH LASTER Associate Director: Eric Trainer Assistant Director of Media Relations Assistant Directors: Forest Jersey, Shane Switzer • MONDAY: Coach Pruitt’s weekly press conference Office: 865-974-8876 | Cell: 510-813-7714 Graduate Assistant: Dom Palumbo will be held every Monday of game week at noon ET E-mail: [email protected] Student Assistant: Wyeth Wilson via Zoom. A Zoom link will be distributed to media. Twitter: @AkilahLaster Photographer: Andrew Ferguson It will also be streamed live on SEC Network+, utsports.com and the UT Athletics YouTube page. RICKY MARTINEZ DEPARTMENT ADDRESSES • WEDNESDAY: Coach Pruitt takes part in the weekly Graduate Assistant Anderson Training Center - Ground Floor SEC Teleconference each Wednesday at 11:50 a.m. Office: 865-974-5270 | Cell: 626-833-2141 Phone: 865-974-1212 • Fax: 865-974-9496 ET. Media representatives should contact the SEC for E-mail: [email protected] Mailing Address: P.O. Box 15016 Knoxville, TN 37901 a confidential phone number. Twitter: @rickymartinez_3 Shipping Address: 1551 Lake Loudoun Boulevard, • WEDNESDAY: Coach Pruitt will meet with media Knoxville, TN 37996 members via Zoom following Wednesday’s practice as well. A Zoom link will be distributed to media. NEYLAND GAME DAY INFORMATION • POSTGAME: All SEC postgame press conferences press box will open to media starting two hours this season will be held via Zoom. A link will be • Media in attendance will be required to wear a face covering. and 15 minutes before kickoff. distributed to media. • All individuals credentialed for any 2020 Tennessee • With the exception of one pool photographer and football home game will receive an electronic one pool videographer, there will be no field-level STUDENT-ATHLETE MEDIA INTERVIEWS health questionnaire email via Sports Systems access for external media outlets this fall.