Issue 09, 127 I 09 Volume V l
Tuesday, T d S September b 2, 2 2014
Samantha Smoak • The Daily Beacon A.J. Johnson, senior, celebrates during UT’s game against Utah State on Sunday, Aug. 31.
Back in business Worley, Vols trounce Utah State, 38-7
Troy Provost-Heron Sports Editor (@TPro_UTDB)
Heading into the Tennessee Volunteers’ contest against Utah State, it was Chuckie Keeton, the Heisman contending quarterback, who was expected to be the difference maker. Sunday, however, it was the quarterback donning orange and white that graced ShieldsWatkins Field with a gamechanging performance. In his first start under center since undergoing thumb surgery Oct. 29, Justin Worley completed a career high 27-of-
38 passes for 273 yards as he led the Vols to a 38-7 victory over the Aggies. “I thought Justin played a very productive football game and played winning football at the quarterback position,” second-year head coach Butch Jones said. “He managed the offense. First game you always worry about turnovers regenerated force three and we didn’t turn the football over. “He was calm and collected and he acted like he had been there before. He was kind of a calming presence on the sideline.” Worley got the offense going early, as he piloted the Vols down the field on their second
possession, ultimately leading to a Pig Howard 8-yard rushing touchdown off an end-around. On the ensuing kickoff, senior linebacker A.J. Johnson forced a fumble, and on the next play, Worley found tight end Brendan Downs for the first of his career-high-tying three touchdowns. After that, though, the Vols offense went silent, only mustering three points and 120 yards in the next six drives leading up to halftime. But then Worley delivered the highlight of his career night to wake up the offense, as the senior had a string of plays that saw him complete 13 passes in a row, a streak that ranks fourth on UT’s consecutive completion list. “It was a game of unknowns,” Worley said. “They threw some different looks at us (in the first half) and it took some time to adjust to it. We did have more
success in the second half. We had some longer drives that we strung together, which ate up some clock and helped our defense out. It was all about adjustments tonight.” During that stretch, Worley fired his second and third touchdowns of the night, the first a 14-yard screen to JUCO transfer Von Pearson and the second being a 15-yard dump off to freshman running back Jalen Hurd. Both were the first scores of their careers. As for Keeton, his Heisman campaign took a stumble as the Vols held the senior quarterback to just 18-of-35 passing, 144 yards, while forcing him to throw two interceptions. The Tennessee defense even managed to contain the dual-threat signal caller, a feat the 2013 version of the Vols defense struggled with. See FOOTBALL on Page 10
Sunflower Project inspires individuality, community Jenna Butz Arts & Culture Editor (@butzjenna)
From a distance, it appeared that a large sun was smiling over Krutch Park. A closer look, however, revealed the bright yellow sun to be hundreds of sunflowers, woven together by participants in this year’s Labor Day Sunflower Project. Shelagh Leutwiler, a local gardener and artist, got involved with the Sunflower Project four years ago after crossing paths with Gerry Moll, one of the project’s co-founders. Leutwiler works as the gardener for the Consulate of Slovenia where many of the sunflowers used in Monday’s event were grown. “The cool thing about this project Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon is that as we grow the flowers and we Father Michael Gilchrist holds daughter, put them up, they get dried out and we Tellico, during the Labor Day Sunflower distribute the seeds the next year so then more people can grow them,” Leutwiler Project in Krutch Park. said. “It started as a small operation, but
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it’s spreading throughout Knoxville.” Leutwiler sees the focus on celebrating labor and community involvement as part of the project’s appeal. A temporary work of art, the structure will eventually be taken down. However, Leutwiler appreciates how even the public’s short exposure to the work can bring more participants the following year. “It’s only up for a little while, but then next year, people who hear about it now or see it this year, they can come to the Farmer’s Market next year and get seeds and get flowers and get excited about helping out in the future,” Leutwiler emphasized. “The idea is a celebration of labor that everybody can participate in.” Vine Middle Magnet School also shared their sunflower art at the event. Dorothy Verbick, the school’s art teacher, wanted her school to have a more active presence in the community and contacted Moll about allowing some of her students’ art to be displayed on Monday. See FESTIVAL on Page 6
Lady Vols fall inches es short in home opener SPORTS
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Samantha Smoak • The Daily Beacon Justin Worley looks to pass the ball during the game against Utah State.
Neyland Stadium hits capacity crowd Wes Tripp Staff Writer
For the first time in seven years, Neyland Stadium sold out a season opener. Sunday night, a sellout crowd of 102,455 people filled the stands in Neyland Stadium to witness the Tennessee Volunteers football team defeat the Utah State Aggies 38-7. The game marked the first home opening sellout since 2007, when Tennessee defeated Southern Mississippi. At the time, Tennessee was a Top 25 team and went on to play in the SEC Championship game.
“I would like to say thank you to our student body,” said UT football head coach Butch Jones in a press conference Saturday. At many schools, Jones stated, student attendance and ticket sales are down. But at UT, things seem to be looking up – for the audience and the team. “I believe that the level of enthusiasm in the audience made a visible impact on the score last night,” said Jones. “It will be hard for any team in the SEC or NCAA to block out the noise that Tennessee Volunteer fans will be producing this year.” See NEYLAND on Page 2
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