The Volunteer State

By USA TODAY NETWORK - TennesseeSports

The Volunteer State episodes

January 06, 2021 If Tennessee fires Jeremy Pruitt, whom should the Vols target?
Jeremy Pruitt's future keeps twisting in the wind as the investigation continues into whether his Tennessee football program committed NCAA violations.
Although Pruitt remains the coach, until Tennessee puts forth a definitive sign that he'll remain the coach for the 2021 season, speculation will linger about potential replacements if Tennessee opts for a coaching change.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
46 min
December 23, 2020 How will internal investigation of Tennessee football affect Jeremy Pruitt?
The last thing Jeremy Pruitt needed on the heels of a 3-7 season is an investigation of his football program, but that's the situation Tennessee's football coach finds himself in.
On this edition, Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the News Sentinel discuss the investigation and how it might affect Pruitt's status as Tennessee's coach or his buyout if UT were to fire Pruitt.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
31 min
December 16, 2020 Which is a better coaching job: Auburn football or Tennessee Vols?
Auburn gave the SEC's coaching carousel a jolt when it fired coach Gus Malzahn on Sunday. How will that affect Tennessee and Jeremy Pruitt?
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
32 min
December 10, 2020 Which Tennessee football assistants are likeliest to return next season? Who will depart?
Even if Tennessee brings back embattled coach Jeremy Pruitt in 2021, his staff is likely to experience a high volume of turnover. Here's a projection of who stays and who goes.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
26 min
December 03, 2020 John Currie failed to lure Dan Mullen to Tennessee. Dave Hart should've tried years sooner
John Currie tried to lure Dan Mullen to Tennessee. He failed. Dave Hart should have considered it in 2012, when he hired Butch Jones.
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the News Sentinel reflect on those coaching searches and ponder what could have been for the Vols had they landed Mullen.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
32 min
November 25, 2020 Here's the case for keeping Jeremy Pruitt as Tennessee football coach
The case for not keeping Jeremy Pruitt has played out on the field during Tennessee's five-game losing streak. The Vols (2-5) have regressed in Pruitt's third season as UT's coach.
He has a 15-17 career record. Tennessee's losing streak is its longest since the Vols started the 1988 season 0-6. Tennessee has showed no signs of developing a quarterback under Pruitt's watch.
But there also are reasons to stick with Pruitt in 2021.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
29 min
November 18, 2020 Should Tennessee football enter the Hugh Freeze sweepstakes?
South Carolina got the party started when it fired Will Muschamp on Sunday amid his fifth season.
Hugh Freeze will be the trendiest name attached to Power 5 coaching searches as this coaching carousel gets in motion. The former Mississippi coach is in his second season at Liberty, where the Flames are 8-0 and ranked No. 22 nationally.
Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the News Sentinel discuss whether Tennessee should join the fray and ditch embattled third-year coach Jeremy Pruitt in favor of pursuing Hugh Freeze.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY

31 min
November 11, 2020 Who are the top candidates to be Jeremy Pruitt's scapegoats for Tennessee's failure?
A Tennessee football season like this one is probably going to require some scapegoats.
The Vols (2-4) are in danger of enduring their first five-game losing streak since they started the 1988 season 0-6. Already, coach Jeremy Pruitt has fired one assistant. He dismissed defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh on Oct. 18.
That might not be enough to quiet frustrations if Tennessee continues on a downward spiral in its third season under Pruitt.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
24 min
November 05, 2020 Should Tennessee Vols pursue a transfer quarterback, like Arkansas did with Feleipe Franks?
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake and John discuss whether Tennessee should have been more active pursuing a transfer quarterback this past offseason and whether landing a transfer quarterback needs to be a priority after this season.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
27 min
October 29, 2020 Should Jeremy Pruitt demote Jim Chaney and give Tee Martin play-calling duties?
When Tennessee hired Jim Chaney as its offensive coordinator in January 2019, it handed him a big contact and plenty of freedom.
Halfway through Chaney's second season, it's not going well. The Vols (2-3) rank 12th in the SEC in scoring offense at 22.2 points per game.
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the News Sentinel discuss whether Pruitt should take play calling duties away from Chaney and award them to another offensive assistant, such as Tee Martin.
Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Mike (@ByMikeWilson) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.
Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
27 min

About The Volunteer State

From the publisher's feed

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer.…