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TENNESSEE FOOTBALL SPRING GUIDE QUICK FACTS 2019 CHEVROLET Location (Founded): Knoxville, Tenn. (1794) Conference: Southeastern (SEC) Enrollment: 28,321 ORANGE & WHITE GAME Colors: Orange & White Nickname: Volunteers Mascot: Smokey X (a Bluetick Coonhound) SATURDAY, APRIL 13 | 6 PM Band: Pride of the Southland Interim President: Randy Boyd NEYLAND STADIUM Interim Chancellor: Wayne T. Davis Faculty Representative: Dr. Donald Bruce SEC NETWORK Director of Athletics: Phillip Fulmer Athletic Dept. Phone: 865.974.1224 OPENING KICK Athletic Dept. Phone: 865.656.1200 FACILITY INFORMATION • NEYLAND AT NIGHT: Tennessee’s 2019 Chevrolet Orange and White Game will be the latest kickoff for the an- Facility (Opened): Neyland Stadium (1921) nual spring exhibition since 1998 (7 p.m.) when the spring served as the springboard for the Vols' historic BCS National Championship run. Tennessee Athletics will host several events leading up to the Chevrolet Orange Capacity: 102,455 (Fifth-largest in CFB) and White Game on April 13, giving fans the opportunity to watch the Tennessee softball (1 p.m.), baseball (3 Surface: Tifway 419 Bermuda Hybrid Grass p.m.) and track and field teams (Senior Day, TBD) Record at Neyland Stadium: 467-131-17 (.773) • ELITE HIRES WITH TENNESSEE TIES: Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt made three impressive hires this offseason, bringing back Jim Chaney (OC/QBs coach, 2009-12), Tee Martin (QB, 1996-99) and Derrick Ansley (DBs coach, 2012). Chaney will serve as the Vols’ offensive coordinator, while Martin’s title is assistant head TEAM INFORMATION coach/passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach and Ansley is UT’s defensive coordinator/defensive 2018 Overall Record: 5-7 backs coach. Home/Away/Neutral: 4-3 / 1-3 / 0-1 • ONE OF NATION’S TOP STAFFS: Pruitt’s 2019 on-field coaching staff will undoubtedly be one of the nation’s SEC Record: 2-6 top staffs in terms of experience, success and history of sending players to the NFL. Tennessee’s coaching staff Home/Away: 1-3 / 1-3 has been a part of 16 national championships as players or staff members, coached over 190 NFL draft picks, Starters Returning in 2019: 19 won 29 conference championships and mentored 66 All-Americans. The 16 national championships are the most of any staff in the SEC. • Pruitt laid the groundwork for success in Year 1 on Rocky PRUITT BEGINS BUILD IN YEAR 1 ON ROCKY TOP: COACHING STAFF Top, leading the Vols to a pair of victories over ranked opponents in 2018. Tennessee upset No. 21 Auburn on Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt (second year) the road, 30-24, and routed No. 11 Kentucky, 24-7, in Neyland Stadium. Pruitt collected National Coach of the Jim Chaney Week honors from the Dodd Trophy following the win over the Wildcats. The win over the Tigers was the first Offensive Coordinator: road upset of a ranked opponent in 12 years (since 2006). Defensive Coordinator/DB: Derrick Ansley • FRESHMEN ALL-AMERICANS: Two Vols snagged first-team freshmen All-America honors in 2018. Cornerback Co-Defensive Coordinator/OLB: Chris Rumph Bryce Thompson (Irmo, S.C.) grabbed first-year accolades from the Football Writers of America Association, ST Coordinator/ILB: Kevin Sherrer joining Trey Smith (2017) to give UT back-to-back FWAA Freshmen All-Americans. Thompson was the na- Offensive Line: Will Friend tion’s highest-rated true freshman cornerback, according to PFF College and also earned SEC All-Freshman Wide Receivers: Tee Martin honors. Redshirt freshman punter Joe Doyle (Knoxville, Tenn.) snagged freshman All-American honors from Running Backs: David Johnson USA Today. Tight Ends: Brian Niedermeyer • DEFENSE TAKES MAJOR STEPS UNDER PRUITT: Tennessee took major strides on the defensive side of the ball under Jeremy Pruitt in 2018. The Vols improved by 33 spots nationally in total defense and a staggering Strength & Conditioning: Craig Fitzgerald 74 spots in rush defense, while allowing nearly 100 rushing yards less per game. Additionally, the Vols scored three defensive touchdowns, tying for third in the SEC and No. 17 in the country, and set a school-record for punt return defense with an SEC-leading 2.0 yards per return mark. HISTORY • TENNESSEE MAKES SPLASH ON FEBRUARY SIGNING DAY: The Vols had arguably the best close of any team First Year of Football: 1891 in the country during the second National Signing Day in February. UT landed the nation’s top uncommitted All-Time Overall Record: 838-390-53 (.675) offensive prospect in Darnell Wright. The Huntington, W.V. offensive line product was ranked the No. 10 over- All-Time SEC Record: 336-213-19 (.608) all player in the country. The Vols also signed the top uncommitted defensive prospect in linebacker Henry SEC Championships: 13 To’oto’o, who is ranked the No. 44 overall prospect in the class and is from Concord, Calif. UT was the highest (1998, 1997, 1990, 1989, 1985, 1969, 1967, riser on National Signing Day, finishing No. 11 according to ESPN and No. 12 according to 247Sports and Rivals. 1956, 1951, 1946, 1940, 1939, 1938) • Rising redshirt junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano has GUARANTANO LOOKING TO TAKE NEXT STEP: 5 started 18 games for the Vols, including all 12 contests last season. In 2018, he passed for 1,907 yards and 12 SEC Eastern Division Championships: touchdowns with just three interceptions - the fewest of any SEC starting quarterback. He set the UT record (2007, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1997) for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (166) and his career completion percentage (62.1) SEC Championship Games: 5 ranks only behind Peyton Manning (62.5). He has the opportunity to become the eighth Vol QB to start 30 National Championships: 6 games in his career. (1998, 1967, 1951, 1950, 1940, 1938) • 2018 TEAM MVP RETURNS: Rising redshirt senior Darrell Taylor was the Vols' Team MVP in 2018 and the BCS Titles: 1 (1998) Waverly, Va., native returns after thinking about the NFL. Taylor led the Vols with eight sacks and 11.0 TFLs, in- cluding a pair of three-sack games. All eight of his sacks came in SEC play, which ranked second in the league. • VOLS HAVE 10 EARLY ENROLLEES THIS SPRING: Tennessee’s 10 early enrollee freshmen arrived on campus MEDIA RELATIONS for the spring semester in January. All 10 are eligible to compete in spring practice. Tennessee's 2019 early Zach Stipe enrollees: OL Chris Akporoghene (Seymour, Tenn.), DB Warren Burrell (Suwanee, Ga.), LB Quavaris Crouch Director of Football Communications (Charlotte, N.C.), DB Tyus Fields (Cornelius, N.C.), RB Eric Gray (Memphis, Tenn.), WR Ramel Keyton (Mariet- Cell: 865-244.6119 ta, Ga.), TE Jackson Lowe (Cartersville, Ga.), QB Brian Maurer (Ocala, Fla.), DB Jaylen McCollough (Powder Email: [email protected] Springs, Ga.) , OL Wanya Morris (Loganville, Ga.). 2019 SCHEDULE GEORGIA STATE BYU CHATTANOOGA at FLORIDA GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI ST. at ALABAMA S. CAROLINA UAB at KENTUCKY at MISSOURI VANDERBILT AUG. 31 SEPT. 7 SEPT. 14 SEPT. 21 OCT. 5 OCT. 12 OCT. 19 OCT. 26 NOV. 2 NOV. 9 NOV. 23 NOV. 30 KNOXVILLE, TENN. KNOXVILLE, TENN. KNOXVILLE, TENN. GAINESVILLE, FLA. KNOXVILLE, TENN. KNOXVILLE, TENN. TUSCALOOSA, ALA. KNOXVILLE, TENN. KNOXVILLE, TENN. LEXINGTON, KY. COLUMBIA, MO. KNOXVILLE, TENN. 2019 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL / UTSPORTS.COM / @VOL_FOOTBALL 3 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL SPRING GUIDE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 2019 SPRING SCHEDULE AND ADVISORY OPPONENTS Aug. 31 | Georgia State | Knoxville, Tenn. All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads, 1-0 2019 SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE Last Meeting: 2012 (Tennessee 51, Georgia State 13) Day Date Time Post-Practice Media Tennessee will open the season in the month Thursday March 7 Practice #1 4 p.m. Pruitt Media Availability of August for the first time since 2014…Tennes- see has won 23 of its past 24 home openers…. Saturday March 9 Practice #2 2 p.m. No Media Availability Tennessee is 5-0 all-time on Aug. 31 and 8-0-1 Monday March 11 Practice #3 4 p.m. Pruitt Media Availability overall in August. Wednesday March 13 Practice #4 4 p.m. No Media Availability Sept. 7 | BYU | Knoxville, Tenn. Friday March 15 Practice #5 4 p.m. Pruitt Media Availability All-Time Series Record: First Meeting Last Meeting: First Meeting SPRING BREAK Tennessee will make the return trip to Provo for Tuesday March 26 Practice #6 4 p.m. Pruitt Media Availability the second leg of its home-and-home series Thursday March 28 Practice #7 4 p.m. No Media Availability with BYU in 2023…BYU is not a member of a conference, but the Cougars have a storied Friday March 29 Practice #8 4 p.m. Pruitt Media Availability history, capturing the 1984 national title while Saturday March 30 Practice #9 TBD No Media Availability winning 23 conference titles in the WAC and Tuesday April 2 Practice #10 4 p.m. Pruitt Media Availability Mountain West. Thursday April 4 Practice #11 4 p.m. No Media Availability Sept. 14 | Chattanooga | Knoxville, Tenn. All-Time Series Record: Tennessee leads, Saturday April 6 Practice #12 TBD TBD 38-2-2 Tuesday April 9 Practice #13 4 p.m. TBD Last Meeting: 2014 (Tennessee 45, Chattanooga 10) Thursday April 11 Practice #14 4 p.m. TBD Tennessee has won 14 straight games against in-state non-conference teams and possess- Chevrolet Orange and White Game at Neyland Stadium es an all-time record of 71-3-2 against those Saturday | April 13 | 6 p.m. schools. *All times and dates are subject to change Sept. 21 | at Florida | Gainesville, Fla. All-Time Series Record: Florida leads, 28-20 Last Meeting: 2018 (Florida 47, Tennessee 21) Each of the past two meetings between CHEVROLET ORANGE AND WHITE GAME INFORMATION Tennessee and Florida in Gainesville have been The Tennessee football team will hold its annual Chevrolet Orange and White decided on the game’s final play.