Happy Tony Vols Is On The Show Wednesday: 
Shocking Turn Of Events With Tennessee Basketball On Tuesday: Just like that Tobe Awaka entered the transfer portal at mid day Tuesday. This came almost out of nowhere.
The conventional wisdom when our Tuesday blog went to press was that Jonas Aidoo was about to hit the transfer portal, but Awaka beat him there.
Why Did Awaka Go? A couple people close to Tennessee's program believes Awaka's decision is based on a few factors. Firstly he didn't like what he heard regarding his role in 2024-25. Tennessee's coaches told Awaka and Aidoo that the aim was to grow JP Estrella next season to the point where he plays at least 18 minutes per night. The second factor in his decision is simply money as St. John's is among suitors that have stepped up with offers that would significantly surpass what he made at Tennessee.
So Aidoo Stays Now? Maybe or maybe not. Tennessee has asked Aidoo to let them know one way or another since the transfer window reopens on Thursday. Aidoo could ask for and receive a raise with the news of Awaka's departure.
This Wasn't Tennessee's Desired Outcome: They believed that Awaka was staying and Aidoo was going. The opposite happened. These are first world problems for the Vols. Aidoo is a premiere rim protector with a plus offensive game. Estrella projects to be one of the better big men Barnes has ever coached. Tennessee believes he will play in the NBA one day. We're talking about a high end talent.
Tisk Tisk John Adams ... What Is John Adams doing with that question? I mean. What in the world is that? The veteran News Sentinel writer is going to end up in media detention with Tennessee's new head coach.
Tennessee Baseball Report Presented By TLD Logistics ... On3 Jonathan Wagner's Tournament Projection ... National Baseball Seeds 1) ARKANSAS
2) Clemson
3) TEXAS A&M
4) Oregon St
5) TENNESSEE
6) N Carolina
7) E Carolina
8) KENTUCKY
9) Virginia
10) Florida St
11) VANDERBILT
12) Duke
13) Dallas Baptist
14) Nebraska
15) UC Irvine
16) UCF
Top 8 Host Regional & Super Regional ... Can Tennessee get there with the tough part of the SEC schedule coming ...
Tony Vitello Cometh Today ... Suggested Questions for Tony Vols:
Updates on AJ Russell and Billy Amick?
Still feel good with AJ Causey on Friday nights?
Difficult to develop pitching depth in-season with limited number of innings available?
Second nationally in runs per game. Tied with Georgia for most home runs and second to Virginia in doubles. Expect this kind of hitting team in preseason? Will this team hit more home runs than 2022?
Balancing playing time/at bats when starter (Peebles) is struggling and the backup (Starks) is hitting well?
DH spot with Frenchie struggling of late ...
Concern for lack of hitting from Antigua ...
Ron Higgins Of Tiger Details On LSU's Slow Start - He Thinks They Stink: 'They don't make plays when the have to. They could've won the Florida series and just don't make plays. Whether it's in the field or at the plate. This team folds big time in the third game. They've been run ruled 3 times. They lost 7 of 9 starters from last year. And the schedule has been brutal. It's been a perfect storm of bad. They're up against it this week. Holman is the one pitcher they could count on. Gage Jump (onetime #1 ranked HS LHP in Cali) from UCLA sat last year with Tommy John and isn't back to what he was.'
They haven't played well in SEC play. They're not playing well in the league. They're just not very good. Too many top line guys are going 1-7 or even 0-9 in these series. I think the Vols might just tee off.
LSU hasn't hit over .260 in any SEC series this season and no ERA below 6.33 in any series. The Tigers have been out scored 47-15 and outhit 51-27 in game 3 losses to MSU, Florida, Arkansas and Vanderbilt. LSU has been run-ruled in three of those losses in league play, LSU has more strikeouts (118) than hits (100).
They lost 7 of 9 position starters, their entire starting pitching rotation and their top reliever from last season. Their first four of five SEC (counting UT) have been against top 7 nationally ranked teams.
It hasn’t been pretty.
LSU Is Making ALL Time History Of The Worst Kind: Last time lost first four SEC series was 1969 when LSU lost all 6 SEC series when there was just an 17-game schedule.
Finally ... Is UConn Passing Blue Bloods? Are they passing IU & Duke in status??
That's 6 National Championships since 1999 in 7 Final Fours. 14 Elite 8's & 19 Sweet 16's. Their 6 National titles come under 3 different coaches. Ollie makes Orgeron look like Vince Lombardi. Kevin Ollie rode Shabazz Napier to a Natty for crying out loud.
South Carolina Women Vs Iowa drew 18.9 million viewers.
UConn Vs Purdue drew 14.8 million viewers ...
Like living in a parrellel universe ...
ICYMI from Tuesday: Beano Jeff Henderson Answers Barnes Or Bruce?
Beano
'BRUCE PEARL vs RICK BARNES
In lieu of today’s show topic comparing the tenures of Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes as the University of Tennessee’s Head Basketball Coach I looked back at a statistical comparison and was unsurprised how closely they mirror one another numbers-wise. In compiling the records, I also became more deeply grateful that both have been at the helm in my lifetime after years of searching for consistent leadership following Ray Mears remarkable run here ended. Without further introductory bloviation here is the numerical comparison:
| CATEGORY | PEARL | BARNES |
| SEASONS | 6 | 9 |
| RECORD | 145-61 | 202-101 |
| WIN % | 0.704 | 0.667 |
| SEC REC | 65-31 | 100-61 |
| SEC WIN % | 0.677 | 0.620 |
| REG SEA CHAMP | 1 | 2 |
| SECT CHAMP | 0 | 1 |
| NCAA APP | 6 | 6 |
| NCAAT REC | 8-6 | 9-6 |
| NCAAT WIN % | 0.571 | 0.600 |
| SWEET 16 APP | 3 | 3 |
| ELITE 8 APP | 1 | 1 |
As you can see the numbers are very comparable especially in light of the fact that Barnes inherited a much more depleted roster than Pearl.
I’ll throw in a couple of my personal preferences as well:
STYLE OF PLAY: I preferred Pearl’s more free-wheeling offense to our current more rigid, set style of play. I feel that without a super-scorer of Dalton Knecht’s ilk that Barnes’ offense is more likely to bog down. In fairness Pearl’s more free-wheeling style sometimes had a tendency to morph into an undisciplined approach leading to ill-advised shots and unforced turnovers
PERSONALITY/FAN RELATIONS: This is another area where I preferred Bruce Pearl to Rick Barnes. By all indications Barnes is a very engaging guy but has hidden that from most of the fanbase during his tenure and because of it, many, including myself, are left with the impression that Pearl appreciated his time here more than Barnes. I obviously don’t know either well enough personally to discern if there is any accuracy to that view or not.
PROGRAM DISCIPLINE/NATIONAL PERCEPTION: Barnes is the clear-cut winner in this category. Not a hint of impropriety or scandal has emerged. It’s also obvious that Barnes is much-more respected by his colleagues than Pearl which a part of me likes. Yet, another side of me wishes he cared a little less about what his colleagues think and was a little more Tennessee against the World like the rest of us crazy Vol fans.
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER: I’m going with Barnes here. Upon Pearl’s arrival no one has ever played a more exciting/entertaining brand of basketball than his teams in his first several years on campus. Maybe it was because he didn’t believe he could advance far in the tournament with that style but he went away from it to my chagrin. Barnes on the other hand appears to be loosening his grip a little if this just completed season is any indication.
SUMMARY: I don’t think there are many who were bigger Bruce Pearl fans than I. I believe I was the first on-air to mention his name in connection to Tennessee’s job when Buzz Peterson was dismissed. I will always appreciate him and credit him for rekindling my love for Tennessee Basketball, making it a must-see event again and honoring the past while doing so. Bruce Pearl resurrected the program.
I surprise myself however by leaning ever so slightly to the Rick Barnes era due to his team’s high level of success and stability that we all can enjoy without the nagging feeling that an implosion is just around the corner.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to read my jabbering and I’ll talk to you on the radio.
B-No'
Matt Dixon
'Tennessee won the weekend series at Auburn to improve to 7-5 in SEC play and 26-6 overall.
The Volunteers lost 9-5 on Friday but then run-ruled the War Eagle Tiger Plainsmen in seven innings on both Saturday (12-2) and Sunday (19-5).
It was Tennessee’s third straight series win and the first on the Plains since 2005.
Four of the Vols’ seven conference wins this season have been run-rule victories.
Tennessee hit 14 home runs for the weekend, the most in a series under Tony Vitello.
Blake Burke’s long ball on Saturday set a new school record for career home runs with 41.
Christian Moore hit three home runs — including a grand slam — during the series to give him 40 career home runs. Moore also had two doubles and drove in 10 runs while hitting .500.
As a team, the Vols hit .371 compared to Auburn’s .267.
Cal Stark led Tennessee with a .556 average. Stark hit two home runs on Sunday, a grand slam and a 3-run shot.
The grand slam was the team’s 9th on the season, already a new program record.
Drew Beam threw a 7-inning complete game on Saturday, taking a 1-hitter into the last inning before allowing two runs to score on two wild pitches. More encouraging, Beam struck out eight, the most he’s K’d in an SEC game this season.
Friday night starter AJ Causey lasted just 1.1 innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits, including a double and two home runs. In 16.1 innings in SEC play this season, Causey has a 10.47 ERA.
Nate Snead earned the win on Sunday, throwing four innings in relief of starter Zander Sechrist, who gave up three runs in two innings. It was Snead’s team-leading 5th win of the season.
Lefty Andrew Behnke pitched a scoreless 7th inning to close out the weekend on Sunday. It was Behnke’s first appearance since the Alabama series in mid March. He gives Tennessee another much-needed arm in the bullpen.
3rd baseman Billy Amick missed his second consecutive series. The hope is that he’ll be available in some capacity this weekend.
The Vols play Alabama A&M on Tuesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium before hosting defending national champion LSU this weekend. The Tigers are just 3-9 in SEC play and 26-16 overall. LSU has lost all four SEC series this season.
I'll be on the show of record today basking in Kentucky's turmoil.
@Mattdixon3'
Orange Throat
'T Club Team:
Random musings as the Baseball Vols win a series on the road and the Lady Vol basketball program gets a new head coach:
VOLS ANNIHILATE AUBURN'S PITCHING ... In winning the series at the Loveliest Village. Eight different Volunteers sent 14 balls flying out of Plainsman Park in scoring 36 runs and run-ruling the Tigers on Saturday and Sunday. Christian Moore was ridiculous, going 7-for-14 for three homers and as many doubles. All of this was accomplished without Billy Amick in the lineup for the second straight weekend.
THE ONLY BLEMISH WAS A BIG ONE ... And that was A.J. Causey's disastrous start on Friday night. Causey has now given up 15 earned runs and only lasted 3.3 innings in his last two SEC starts. Tony Vols and Frank Anderson will no doubt make a change on Friday night as a struggling but dangerous LSU team comes to The Lindsey Friday night.
DREW BEAM HAD A GREAT DAY ... Saturday in blanking Auburn until the 7th inning. This Tennessee pitching staff is very much a work in progress but several pitchers had good outings over the weekend. The cloud hanging over the pitching situation right now is continued arm troubles for A.J. Russell. Friday nights would look a whole lot better with him starting but we may not have that at all the rest of the season. Hope I'm wrong.
DOCTOR DANNY MAKES HIS HIRE ... For the Lady Vol basketball program as he will bring young Kim Caldwell to the podium tomorrow after one very successful season at Marshall and seven as head coach of her alma mater Glenville State. A native of Parkersburg, WV, she played for Division II Glenville State in her home state and won the DII national title two years ago.
CALDWELL WON'T BREAK THE BANK ... Her starting salary is $750,000, a hefty raise from what she was making in Huntingdon but well below what we paid for Kellie Harper's mediocrity. The UTAD is paying her buyout of $600,000. Her teams play high octane on offense and press on defense. Her one and only Marshall team was fourth in the nation in scoring at 85.3 ppg, behind Iowa, LSU and South Carolina. She breaks the Pat Summitt protege streak but doesn't break the gender line of four head coaches in Lady Vol history who are all women. A nice tie in is she won the Pat Summitt Trophy for coaching when she won the DII title.
MY HUNCH IS THIS HIRE ... Will definitely be an upgrade over the last two head coaches, no offense to them. The fan base will probably respond positively to the uptempo pace and production. Obviously, Caldwell has to get into the transfer market immediately and build her first Tennessee roster. I'm inclined to give The Doctor a thumbs up on this hire, though I don't know what her ceiling is going to be.
I HAD SOME FUN WITH THE DEAN ... In Friday's blog by calling attention to his hype of Nico during spring practice. However, the intel he is getting is the same I'm getting from insiders. This offense is looking more like the 2022 Vols, starting with Nico at quarterback and a better and deeper wide receiver corps than last year. A nice development has been local product DeSean Bishop at running back.
KAREN WEEKLY'S 4TH-RANKED TEAM ... Maintained its lead in the SEC by winning two of three against #3 Georgia at The Sherri. Karlyn Pickens got the dub on Friday and Payton Gottshall on Sunday. They are 1-2 in ERA in the SEC in league play.
Orange Throat'
'X' Says
'Last week during BasketballVols’ run to the Elite 8, Tennessee picked up some good news on the football recruiting front. Ethan Utley, a defensive lineman from Ensworth High School in Nashville, announced his commitment to Tennessee. Utley is a big pickup for Tennessee literally and figuratively. Utley is 6’3” 275 lbs. He has a big frame and actually looks a little skinny for a defensive lineman. He could easily add 20 to 30 lbs. of bodyweight. Tennessee has a number of defensive linemen who fit that size weight profile. Utley, like many a Tennessee commitment, is a multi-sport athlete. He competes in basketball as well as being a member of the Ensworth track & field team.
Utley is Tennessee’s 7th public commitment of the recruiting cycle. Tennessee’s early recruiting class is rated as the 10th best in the country. Utley is rated as a 4-star prospect. He is the third in-state prospect to publicly commit to Tennessee. Utley chose Tennessee over Texas, Michigan, LSU, Georgia. and Florida.
The Utley commitment has fallen off the radar because of Tennessee’s basketball run. However, I would refer to him as an early in the recruiting cycle statement pick up for Tennessee. He was a highly sought after defensive line prospect, at a position of need for Tennessee, coveted by major college programs from all over the country, who appeared to be headed elsewhere to play his college football but a prospect you could not afford to lose to another school.
I spent some time watching some sophomore and junior highlights. He is a much different looking player from his sophomore to his junior season. He was more disruptive, better in getting off blocks and used his hands far better. I would expect similar growth and improvement from his junior year to his senior year.
Utley's best football is in front of him. He is raw and gets by with being bigger and more athletic than the competition right now. He will learn to play to the whistle on every play when he gets to Tennessee, or he’ll hear Coach Garner screaming at him in his dreams. Last season he was in on 35 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 4 forced fumbles.
What Next for Tennessee (Recruiting) I’m watching the following in state prospects. Any one of the three who announce their commitment this spring you would have to like Tennessee's chances.
Cam Sparks, the Baylor School, Chattanooga. #1 athlete/prospect in state. Coveted by most every SEC school. Physically, he is built like an outside linebacker who runs like a wide receiver.
Radarious Jackson, Sheffield High School Memphis. Tall rangy athletic wide receiver with speed to stretch the field. Could push George McIntyre and Cam Sparks for #1 in state prospect by the end of the season.
Duane Morris, running back Oakland High School, Murfreesboro. Morris has gone from relative anonymity to amassing over 30 offers in a matter of months. Another prospect coveted by every SEC team. Tennessee seems to have the inside track for now.
Others I’m watching (Recruiting)
Jaelyne Matthews offensive tackle Toms River NJ. “Could be” one of the first offensive lineman prospects on Tennessee’s to come off Tennessee’s recruiting board. Matthews is regarded as one of the top offensive tackles in the nation. He is a fringe top 100 prospect. His top schools are Penn State, Miami, Georgia, and Tennessee.
Lagonza Hayward, Tombs County High School, Lyons, Georgia. Hayward is a top 100 safety prospect. Tennessee is a legitimate threat to beat Georgia, Alabama, and Florida State. Tennessee has been recruiting Hayward for a year and he has been to campus multiple times.
Tennessee Spring Practice: It’s hard to believe spring practice is almost over. 7 practices in. There is good and not so good. Here are some highlights and concerns.
Tennessee Offense
Quarterback: Nico hasn’t disappointed. Wow ...
Running Back: Losing Cam Seldon who was the solid number 2 running back behind Dylan Sampson to a shoulder issue is concerning. Only one running back behind Seldon has suited up for a college game let alone carry the football. Tennessee will look into the portal for an experienced running back who can provide depth and knows how to block.
Offensive Line: Tennessee pretty much knows what it has in its top 6 offensive linemen. There is a second tier of six linemen consisting of redshirt and true freshman that are getting the majority of the practice reps. Practicing against a defensive line that ranks as one of the best in the conference has been daunting but so far, they haven’t backed down. There is another group of offensive linemen running third team who have been passed over.
Wide Receiver: Thornton and Brazzell have been impressive. The freshmen Matthews will challenge for playing time. Could we see more 4 receiver sets this season than in the past?
Tight End: Maybe most surprising group through 7 practices. Davis is healthy and received praise. The transfers are willing blockers and are going to help.
Tennessee Defense:
Defensive Line: Tennessee has a problem most defensive coordinators would love to have. Tennessee literally goes 11 deep along the defensive line. Too, transfer Jaxson Moi, from Stanford, has been one of the biggest surprises of the spring. He is going to be a fixture on the defensive line this fall.
Linebackers: The concern is 3 linebackers who will be counted on this fall are either limited or not practicing. Sophomores Jerimiah Tellander and DeMarcus Smith have taken advantage of their opportunity. Both will have expanded roles this fall.
Cornerbacks and Safety: This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Tennessee is faster and more athletic in the secondary than any other time in Coach Heupel's tenure at Tennessee. Young players like Rickey Gibson, Boo Carter, Jourdan Thomas are going to become household names . They just need experience and the patience of the coaching staff. No more trauma bonding to upper classmen.
Thanks for reading
'X'
Peace
Tone
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