As The World Turns Wednesday:


Pruitt Pleads His Case: Sources at UT tell Tonybasilio.com that Jeremy Pruitt was making his case that Tennessee needed to loosen up the contact tracing policies leading to mandatory two week quarantining linked to Covid-19 in a virtual meeting over the weekend. UT Chancellor Plowman was on the virtual call along with several other UT officials including members of UT's medical community. Pruitt was making the case that he believed that Tennessee was playing by different rules than the rest of the SEC when it comes to pulling athletes from competition/practice due to contact tracing.


Apparently Tennessee officials made the case to Pruitt that they've been assured the rest of the SEC is abiding by the same rules. Pruitt isn't buying this and I'm not so sure anyone reading this is either. We all understand the mentality of these coaches. They're going to play in the gray because this is all they understand. Of course we're talking about playing in the gray with something that's potentially very serious here ... If you think I'm talking about health ... Come again ... I'm talking about something worse ... losing football games in the SEC.


Pruitt is Worked Up Over: The shades of gray surrounding contact tracing. Are all SEC schools following protocols mandated by the league that dictate that athletes that are in the same room within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes, masked or unmasked, are considered high risk meaning a mandatory two week mandatory quarantine. There are two types of terms - household contact and regular contact. Household means roommates living together with a positive are assumed positive. The trick is to impede regular contacts among teammates or in the case of the SEC as far as Jeremy Pruitt is concerned ... ignore them ...



First Year Coaches Take Field This Weekend: FSU has had a train wreck of an off-season and Mike Norvell's Noles face Ga Tech. That will be an interesting litmus test as Tech has a ton of returning players, including at QB.

Baylor Vs La Tech: Baylor has brand new everything after Matt Rhule left for the Carolina Panthers. Who knows how this will play out this weekend?

Tennessee & South Carolina Share: Same bye week by design. Therefore if something pops up between now and then the season opener could always be pushed back.

Gitmo Could Be 2/3: Of the law in college football in 2020. When you watched Navy's new QB try to operate under Covid conditions of zero practice and familiarity with that offense it makes you appreciate the value of experience. Minus practice reps and team wide practice how are these teams going to operate.



SEC Releasing Minimum #'s? Will the SEC release guidelines similar to that of the Big 12 who put out minimum guidelines for continuing the season.


High School Football Takes Hit In East Tennessee: Clinton is shut down for two weeks along with Webb school and Bearden. Once this begins, how do you bring it back? These programs are out for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile we've gotten reports of countless being told to stay at home because they've been in the classroom with kids that tested positive. Countless athletes are missing a bunch of events.



Rick Barnes Powerplay? Having a coach with his cache could pay off for Tennessee in a big time way this college hoops season as Tennessee has been linked to the NBA Bubble site in Orlando with the sports regal society programs Duke, Kentucky, Gonzaga, Kansas etc. Right now it looks like Tennessee is going to be in Orlando in early December along with an amalgamation of other programs tied to other pre-season events. Tennessee was originally slated to play Gonzaga in MSG, and this match-up will 100 percent happen among two top 10 teams under this format.

What's being discussed right now is Tennessee facing a few other elite teams in what could serve as a showcase bubble in what promised to be a dead time TV wise for sports ... December this season will see college basketball run unopposed for the first time in the history of mankind since NBA and NHL won't be resuming until early 2021. I was told discussions are ongoing for four courts to be used in Disney's complex simultaneously in made for TV match-ups that will help these programs accumulate some non-league dates. Theoretically I was told last night.


Has Tennessee Found The Villanova 'Sweet Spot'? This is a really interesting ... Tennessee's latest addition and one prospect on the hook are a perfect example of what this writer eloquently lays out as a path for continued success for Rick Barnes and Tennessee in Knoxville. Link



The Commitment Of Jahmai Mashack Tuesday: Helps solidify Tennessee as 'one of the Goliaths in college basketball. That's what happens when you land a five star prospect 3 years running. They may not be a blue blood but when you're recruiting against them they're one of the 10 programs you least want to see on a prospect's list..' Corey Evans Rivals.com Recruiting analyst.



Is Ryan Mutumbo Next? Ryan Mutombo was hinting at his intentions with Tennessee Tuesday on instagram. This is becoming fun around here ...




Winners & Losers From First Week Of College Football: Winners: The Game! The old college try. You have to give it up give everyone involved an A For effort.


Fans In Stands: Even some fans make a YUUUGE difference in college football atmosphere. If you watched the Navy/BYU game you saw a game that was played in front of crickets versus a few games like Memphis Arkansas State that was played in front of a few thousand folks. The fans made such a difference in the way the games felt on the air.


Tackling In Practice: BYU tackled Navy didn't ... Nuff said.


Kirk Herbstreit: The guy won the weekend ...



Losers:

Group of Five Football: When the big boys jumped back to the 3rd week in September this left group of five teams on an island. They seemingly embraced the challenge but didn't prepare for it and the football presented over the weekend toggled between abysmal and shambolic. It's a shame because nobody involved asked for any of this. I really hurt for those kids from Navy and that terrific coaching staff they have because nobody asked for this. Everybody involved is really put in a tough spot here.


College Football Fans: Jonesing for some college football to watch. I found myself zoning out rather quickly on every game this side of SMU Texas State ... Anytime that's your signature game you know you're in trouble.



Kentucky Derby: Ratings were down 49% for a great race that saw a 4/5 favorite lose to an 8-1 horse trained by of course Bob Baffert.



Links:


How can this possibly be ... Tennessee is the 5th in the SEC #11 in America in talent? That's interesting ... Link



Navy/BYU tested the adage that some college football is better than none. I'm not so sure 48 hours later. Link



Arkansas is borrowing money from a local bank to keep the lights on ... Strange days indeed. Link


Republicans in Big 10 footprint want football ... Link



Dan Patrick was in last week on Big 10 playing football this fall but now he's out ... Link


Less transparency ...not MORE from Oklahoma. This is why college football needs a commissioner in the worst way. Link



I have to wait two extra weeks to see my Temple boys kick it off. Link



Mess with former Vol Ovince St Preux (2001-2004) at your own risk. This guy is close to 37 years young and still doing it in MMA. He scored fight of the night Saturday in UFC. Here he is breaking it down. Link



Tony

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