Word is filtering through the coaching profession that the mole on Donnie Tyndall from his Southern Miss days is a disgruntled former assistant from his coaching staff there. I had three calls from different coasts about it. Tyndall is being mum on the issue as he should. Word is all over the hoops community that it's a guy no longer in the hoops industry with an axe to grind. This is either good news or bad news if true. Let's say it is somebody off his old staff. He would know where the bodies are buried. This would make Tyndall's defense pretty cut and dried as far as covering tracks (if there are any tracks to cover). If it is a former assistant, this would mitigate the possibility of any surprises. I believe Tyndall and his defense team are in the process of getting folks on the record that what went on at Southern Miss was above board there.
As with all matters such as this, any time you get the NCAA involved it's a crapshoot. If it is a disgruntled assistant, DT and UT would at least know what they're dealing with here on the front end. Let's hope he's telling the truth when he assured those at the QB Club yesterday that he would be cleared at the end of this. As for the snitch, as word of this gets out, his college coaching career has surely come to an end. I have an idea of who this would be but don't feel comfortable absent of concrete proof this is what transpiring. It's interesting to consider this theory as it is literally EVERYWHERE in college hoops. That's a small community and these guys all talk to each other. I tried to pin down a staff member last night and got a rather non committal no comment that leads me to believe there's some smoke here. Is it good news or bad news as far as the source of this NCAA upheaval being perhaps a disgruntled assistant? This remains to be seen.
It will be a double honor for me of broadcasting today. Firstly, it will be great to be broadcasting at Calhoun's on this Veteran's Day. Secondly, I will be on with Jason Swain of Swain Event fame for an app only extravaganza from 10a to 11a. I love seeing those veterans on THEIR day! It's wonderful. That's what I call a real blessing.
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One Tennessee! Everybody uses Power T logo on campus next year. Everybody except the Lady Vols. Dave Hart can't win them all.
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RTI Guys....Lots of redshirting going on this year for the Vols. Congrats on Jimmy Hyams on calling the Josh Smith redshirt about a month ago. Solid reportage from him.
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Seeing was believing to me over the weekend in Lexington, Kentucky is gassed. They are done.
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Tennessee vs. Ok State in Liberty Bowl would be worth seeing.
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November Madness will proceed without the Lady Vols. It wasn't for lack of trying as the Lady Vols had a great showing last week at the SEC Tournament.
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Hatfield IX makes a rare Tuesday appearance.
Hatfield's Nine
'An eventful week lies ahead for Tennessee athletics. A chance for the football team to get to the doorstep of bowl eligibility and the opening of basketball season give us plenty to discuss.
1. Kentucky appears to be a beaten down football team at this point. They don't appear to have ever really recovered from the beating LSU administered to them.
2. I hope UT fans don't expect Josh Dobbs to go 300/100 every time he steps on the field. There is still a great deal left for him to learn and there will be some bumps in the road.
3. Alabama showed the kind of resilience a champion must possess. Their final drive of regulation and possession in overtime are the stuff that fills trophy cases.
4. I'm excited to see how Mississippi State handles being THE game this weekend on the road. If they escape Tuscaloosa with a win, they should be given an automatic spot in the playoff.
5. Bob Stoops is at a career crossroads. Oklahoma has obviously hit the point of stagnation that can put a program in freefall.
6. I'll be interested to see how the selection committee handles Baylor and TCU, provided they both avoid another loss. If they both finish 11-1, hard to keep either out of the four team field.
7. If Ian Chiles can get healthy and take over primary duties at the point, Tennessee will have a shot to be considerably better than expected. Chiles at lead guard would allow Josh Richardson and Kevin Punter to play their natural positions.
8. This roster is well suited for the defensive system Donnie Tyndall favors. There will be nights when the opponent wilts under the constant pressure and trapping.
9. Find a veteran tomorrow and thank them. Their willingness to put themselves on the line is why we are afforded the freedom and standard of living we enjoy.
Keith'
Keith returns tomorrow with his pre-season college (men's) top 25. On Thursday, he will bring his women’s preview.
Jon Reed
'The term must win is often thrown around.
The Vols have already had a must win game this year that they lost. Yet, here they are perfectly set up with a chance to exceed many people’s expectations by winning seven games in 2014. All three remaining games are in the state of Tennessee, and all three should be wins.
So is Saturday’s game against Kentucky a must win?
Even if they lose, the Vols can still reach a bowl game, and that is what everyone has claimed all year to be the goal of the season. The South Carolina road win changed the dynamic of the season and bought some grace for a late season slip-up. So, now the Kentucky game is not a must win for Butch Jones.
At the same time, a home loss to Kentucky is unacceptable.
The Wildcats are reeling and desperate for a bowl-clinching win having lost four straight games after a 5-1 start. They suffered definitive road losses, a 41-3 beat down in Baton Rouge and the most lopsided 20-10 game of the season at Missouri. Georgia manhandled Kentucky up front rushing for over 300 yards en route to a 63-31 loss.
Tennessee is riding high and should be fresh coming off of a week of rest; Kentucky is running on fumes in the midst of an eight week stretch with no rest. If you believe in momentum, there is no reason that Saturday’s game should ever be in doubt.
However, games are not played solely based on momentum, history, or what should happen. Regardless of how positive you feel about the team after the South Carolina win, Tennessee played an average to lackluster game overall for 57 minutes. For the rest of the season, the Vols need to show improvement following a big win. In 2013, they followed up the South Carolina win by falling apart at the end of the season.
If last week was really a turning point, it needs to spark results. And the most important thing that needs to happen the remainder of the season is Neyland Stadium recapturing its nostalgia. It’s time that opponents, especially the Kentucky’s of the world, fear playing in front the sea of orange.
Saturday’s home crowd will be ready to celebrate resurgence. A fan base that has been starving is in dire need of a feast. It is time to start with three teams from the East.
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Seeing Conner Barwin with 8 sacks for my Philly Eagles has me wondering why more teams don't give college basketball players a shot at DE or even TE. I just don't get that.
This is pretty predictable. Position less basketball is coming to college hoops. With big men disappearing and guards getting bigger along with the absence of shooters makes for a game featuring interchangeable players.
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What's worse? AFC or NFC South. SEC West might be better than NFC South.
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The silly playoff rankings are released tonight. Do they really matter? Not really.
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Yes...Three weeks out there's a bubble watch.
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Great moment. Two-time plane crash survivor scores first points for Michigan last night. This is a neat story.
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Ah...upon further review Gurley will be on the field from the jump for the Dawgs.
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Look how dark this map is in Alabama. You think those people are sick with this?
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Final thought today comes directly from the PrepScouting @highmajorscoop Twitter account. '78% of NBA players 3 years after retirement (No matter how many seasons they played) file for bankruptcy.'
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