Volume 149, Issue 06
Welcome to the ‘fixa-bear’ workshop
Vanderbilt hands Lady Vols first loss Page 9
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Wednesday, September 30, 2026
@utkdailybeacon
Ole Miss student deaths spark concern across SEC OLVIA LEE, TESSA NACKE On Sept. 22, University of Mississippi released a statement regarding two student deaths that have brought speculative conversation to the SEC. While investigations are still ongoing, packaged kratom found with the two individuals led to questions over unverified information regarding potential drug-related deaths. “Law enforcement is currently conducting two separate death investigations. At this time, we have no confirmed evidence indicating that the two deaths are connected,” Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said in a statement. “However, packaged Kratom sold from a retail store was found during both investigations.” It has not been confirmed if kratom — or any substance — was a contributing factor, but the unit encouraged students to avoid the Southeast Asain herb, which is illegal in the state of Tennessee as of July 1. This substance acts as a stimulant, and when mixed with other synthetic opioids, can be deadly. “Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage everyone to avoid kratom and any other medication or substance that was not prescribed to you or obtained from a trusted, regulated source,” the statement continued. The University of Tennessee Police Department said there
Graphic by Delaney Karr
have been no reports at UT about any kratom-related deaths. “UTPD has not received any reports related to that or in reference to that in any way,” Ryan Moore, the department’s public information officer, said. Jeremy Kourvelas, substance use program coordinator at the The Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource for Tennessee Initiative, said any unprescribed pills and powders can pose a health risk. “We’re talking about unregulated products in an era where synthetic chemicals are mixed and matched and combined. You don’t know what you’re getting, and so it’s really truly best to avoid any pills or powders,” Kourvelas said. The SMART Initiative, formed in 2020 by UT president Randy Boyd, operates as a United States President Donald Trump exits Air Force One at Mcghee Tyson Air National Guard Base before statewide technical assistance traveling to Neyland Stadium for the game against Texas, Sept. 26. Luke Goins / The Daily Beacon provider to help Tennessee communities build strategies against substance use disorders. Kourvelas’s role is to track trends and changes in federal and state policy and law, as well as provide resources to mitigate overdoses. Kourvelas said carrying and down Neyland Stadium,” in ticket prices for Saturday’s LOGAN WEST Naloxone, known commonly Hartley said. “Gameday here matchup. Some ticket sites Staff Writer as Narcan, is a wise way to be on Rocky Top is special, and the showed as much as a $100 drop prepared for dangerous situaThere he was, projected added presence of the president in prices according to a USA tions. across the jumbotron screen, makes it that much more so.” Today report. authorities.” as the checkerboarded crowd This is not the first time a Fans in Neyland watched erupted in a mix of cheers and Air Force One fly over the field U.S. president has visited Rocky Continued on Page 3 boos. shortly before kickoff as the Top. Amber Roessner, jour“Ladies and gentlemen, the president made his way to the nalism and media professor 45th and 47th president of the airport. at the university, shared UT’s United States,” an announcer This is Trump’s ninth time history of presidential visits. said. attending a college football “The University of Tennessee, He pumped his fist in the air game since his first election in Knoxville is historically an with a tight-lipped smile as his 2016, but this is only the fourth important site due to its location name was announced to over game that took place on a in Appalachia and its prox100,000 orange-clad fans. college campus. Volunteer fans imity to and relationship with President Donald Trump had mixed reactions to Trump’s the Tennessee Valley Authority attended the Tennessee vs. visit, with many expressing and Oak Ridge National Labs,” Texas football game at the annoyance for the extra secu- Roessner said. “Presidential University of Tennessee rity measures and logistical candidates and sitting presiSaturday afternoon. He strain associated with a presi- dents often visit East Tennessee appeared in an upper-level box dential visit. to actively campaign and to with Sen. Marsha Blackburn “It’s definitely a choice,” launch economic and educa(R-Tenn.) and Rep. Tim Libby Gastrich, senior kinesi- tional initiatives.” Burchett (R-Tenn.) to his right ology major, said of Trump’s and Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) decision to attend. “It’s already to his left. a lot because it’s a big game Trump and the three legis- with Texas being here, so it’s lators landed in Air Force just added stress to everyone.” One around 11:30 a.m. at the Senior kinesiology student, Tyson McGhee Air National Hudson Copeland, said he liked Guard Base before traveling to the separation of sports and Neyland Stadium in the pres- politics. idential motorcade. Assistant “Me, personally, I don’t really Adjutant General Lee Hartley like combining politics and welcomed the president as he sports,” Copeland said while descended from the airplane painted orange. “I think they onto the tarmac. should be kept separate, but if “I grew up a huge Tennessee he wants to watch the game, he Luke Goins / The Daily Beacon fan, born and raised right here wants to watch the game.” in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the Following the news of majority of my teenage years Trump’s attendance, resale Continued on Page 3 were spent selling cokes up markets saw a drastic decrease
Trump visits Neyland
President attends Tennessee-Texas matchup, draws mixed reactions
A different Cumberland Avenue: What was, what is PEYTON MCGINNIS Contributor Cumberland Avenue, also known as “The Strip,” has been a staple at the University of Tennessee for decades. But what was once known for its unique local businesses has now shifted into a landscape dominated by student apartments and modern national chain storefronts. Longtime business owners on the strip find themselves at a crossroads between celebrating the influx of students as the university grows while simultaneously saying a bittersweet goodbye to the gradual loss of local character and the nostalgia that once defined the area. Gus’s Deli Current Gus’s Deli owner Aaron Hale, who took over the
business in 2001 but started working at Gus’s in 1993, talks about the change he’s seen in the last 30-plus years. ”I’ve spent my entire life, 35 years since I was 19, on these squares,” Hale said. “The strip used to be a destination. We used to be somewhere people from Knoxville wanted to hang out.” Hale remembers a distinct time when Cumberland reflected the distinct culture of the city itself. Now, as highrise developers and corporate chains replace long-standing local businesses, that distinct identity fades, according to Hale. “I mean, it looks like any other city in the world. I’m looking at it from the perspective of what the strip was, and that was a different time,” Hale said. “It can still modernize, I believe, but you still need to make space for places that
aren’t corporately run chains.” As Cumberland continues to expand, its infrastructure and available parking do not, making it more difficult to welcome the broader Knoxville community back. “I do believe that if they wanted to be more inclusive, if they wanted more people to come to this area, that there would have been some sort of concentrated parking.” Even with no easy access for non-students, local anchors like Gus’s continue to thrive on decades of personal connection. The restaurant has developed into a comfortable place for many students and locals. “We love UT, we love the kids, we love the people. We’ve got generations of people that we’ve known for years and years. Places like Gus’s … stories happen.”
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Gus’s Good Times Deli operates on Sept. 20. Trevor Jolley / The Daily Beacon
News
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Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! UT College of Veterinary Medicine keeps big cats on the prowl LOGAN WEST Staff Writer From orange fur to razorsharp claws, the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine provides advanced medical care for a variety of large cat species. Through a partnership with Tiger Haven, an East Tennessee big cat rescue, veterinary students gain hands-on field experience while providing diligent care to lions, tigers and a myriad of other non-domestic felines. A home for big cats In 1991, Tiger Haven opened its doors as a no-kill sanctuary for all species of great cats. Lions, tigers, lynxes and cheetahs are just a few of the varieties of felines that are housed at the facility in Kingston. While many of the animals are rescued from illegal breeders or abusive and neglectful situations, some are simply circus and zoo retirees seeking a tranquil environment for rest. The sanctuary, which is not open to the public, hosts over 100 big cats at any given time. Most live long lives — reaching their late teens and early twenties. According to Julie Sheldon, clinical associate professor of zoological medicine at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, the university has b e e n
working with Tiger Haven for decades. “We are their primary veterinarians,” Sheldon said. “I think they provide a wonderful opportunity for these cats to live out a peaceful life” Big orange fur The care for these big cats extends further than the bounds of the sanctuary. UT clinicians and veterinary students travel to Tiger Haven or have the animals transported to campus for routine check-ups and procedures. Bella Orr, agricultural education graduate student, recounted her experience seeing a tiger in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “My freshman year, I was walking to Pendergrass Library and watched as the vet students brought in a live tiger. It was massive,” Orr said in awe. “I could barely believe my eyes seeing a tiger in a carrier just a few feet away from me.” While most students would be enamoured at the sight of an apex predator on campus, according to Lindsey Rice, veterinary graduate student at the university, that is business as usual. “It’s not uncommon to walk through the small animal hospital and see a tiger being rolled through,” Rice said. “That’s just a normal day.” The clinicians are UT faculty members who work closely
with Tiger Haven to ensure proper treatment of the animals. When dealing with such large animals, safety is the number one priority, not just for the animals, but for the medical professionals too. “We don’t enter (the cat’s) space until they are safely anesthetized, so that we are staying safe,” Sheldon said. “We always have someone constantly monitoring that animal, usually more than one person. We’ve been doing it for so long, so we pretty much have it down to science.” The college is in daily contact with the sanctuary, reinforcing a decades long commitment to keeping big cats healthy. Veterinary professionals can learn a lot from working with big cats, even after death. All cats that pass away at Tiger Haven receive a full necropsy at UT, so researchers can learn more post-mortem. From class to caretaking Through this partnership and relationships with other non-profit conservation groups, UT veterinary students gain hands-on experience caring for non-traditional animals while also supplying premium medical treatment. After spending three years in the classroom, veterinary students complete clinical rotations their final year — one of which being Tiger Haven.
Rice shared her experience working with these creatures and how the College of Veterinary Medicine provides an unparalleled experience to its students. “It’s very exciting to have the ability to work with (tigers),” Rice said. “The University of Tennessee positions itself in a very good area, just because we’re one of the schools that has these opportunities on a consistent basis.” For many procedures, anesthesia is administered to create a safe environment for a furry, spotted patient and its doctor. “The first time you do it, it’s a little nerve racking,” Rice said, reminiscing on previous procedures. “When we’re working with these large animals, we want them to be anesthetized the least amount of time possible and maintain safety for the animal and everybody in the room.” The domineering nature of great cats can be intimidating, but Sheldon said the unforgettable experience is worth more
Graphic by Delaney Karr than some sweaty palms. “Sometimes (vet students) are a little nervous, but they don’t seem to show it too much,” Sheldon said. “It’s an experience that they’ll never forget.” The UT College of Veterinary Medicine is a highly selective institution — only accepting 4.2% of applicants in the 2024-2025 application cycle. The college allows students to explore a wide array of career pathways by providing unique educational opportunities. “Everybody who leaves (The UT College of Veterinary Medicine) gets a well rounded education,” Rice said. “You can kind of tailor it to your specific career goals.” From neglectful situations to diligent medical care, UT College of Veterinary Medicine is keeping big cats on the prowl.
Correction Due to an editing error, a story on page 10 on Sept. 23 misstated the reporter of the “Defense steps up after slow starts against Owls” story. It is Tyler Edmands, not Will Silberman.
Welcome to the ‘fix-a-bear workshop’ LOGAN WEST Staff Writer Abandoned, orphaned and alone, a scrawny baby bear sat, waiting for a mother that never returned. On July 28, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency rescued an orphaned black bear cub in Gatlinburg after reports from residents. The little bear quickly devoured the wildlife officer’s lunch, a bologna sandwich and a pound cake. The officer contacted the Appalachian Bear Rescue and promptly transported the fuzzy critter to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon arrival, Julie Sheldon, clinical associate professor of zoological medicine at the college, brought the cub to the examination room, lifting him onto the operating table. “We used to have a sign on the door that said ‘fix-a-bear workshop,‘” Sheldon said. “All orphan bears or rescued wild bears that have a chance to be rehabilitated come here.” For years, black bear cubs have started their recovery journey at the College of Veterinary Medicine, where clinicians and veterinary students work diligently to analyze the state of the animal’s condition. “We’re all pretty much one entity at this point,” Jon Bumpus, naturalist and senior communications specialist for the Appalachian Bear Rescue, said. “Every bear (Appalachian Bear Rescue) rescues goes there first to receive worldclass veterinary care from their wildlife specialists. This ensures that we can continue to provide the gold standard in
care for every cub.” During the medical examination, veterinarians found lumps present on the cub’s body. Latex gloves carefully separated tufts of black fur, searching for the origin of the mysterious masses. They discovered squirming, grub-like creatures underneath his skin. Upon closer inspection, veterinarians identified them as botfly larvae. These parasitic larvae are not uncommon in the Southeast, but this was the first time UT veterinarians had discovered them on a bear. After a surgical extraction of the parasites and sanitation of the wounded areas, Sheldon issued the pint-sized mammal a clean bill of health. Despite weighing 7.7 pounds, less than half the size of a healthy cub his age, the rambunctious black bear was full of life. He was discharged with a short refeeding diet due to his underweight condition. Curators at the Appalachian Bear Rescue christened the cub Hemlock, after the eastern hemlock tree. This tree species has overcome great survival challenges just like the resilient little bear. After his intake exam, Hemlock was taken to the Appalachian Bear Rescue, a non-profit located in Townsend dedicated to rehabilitating orphaned and injured bear cubs for return to their natural wild habitat. Hemlock was the organization’s first bear cub resident in over a year. There, the cub received around-the-clock care at the rescue’s “Hartley House,” a climate-controlled facility crafted for young bears in need of specialized care.
Bumpus joked that caring for rowdy bear cubs is not always as easy as it looks. “They look small and adorable, but once a black bear cub reaches around 20 pounds, you might as well be trying to hold and sedate an unfriendly pitbull,” Bumpus said. In just a few days at the rehabilitation center, Hemlock’s health began making great progress. He gobbled up bowls of “cub cereal,” bear diet pellets drifting in formula, and slurped down medicine-laced honey to treat internal parasites. The bundle of energy had a big appetite and an even bigger personality — excitedly exploring his surroundings. To Bumpus, rehabilitating orphaned and injured black bear cubs is a dream come true. “I’ve been studying, tracking and writing about our eastern black bears for years,” Bumpus said. “To be able to assist in rescuing these little ones will never be something I take for granted.” Hemlock is set to be released back into the wild in late fall 2026.
Graphic by Delaney Karr
I’ve been studying, tracking and writing about our eastern black bears for years. To be able to assist in rescuing these little ones will never be something I take for granted.” Jon Bumpus Senior communications specialist for the Appalachian Bear Rescue
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Trump attends football game | cont. from Page 1 Concern sparked across the With America’s involvement in a polarizing foreign conflict and the public’s mixed feelings toward a sitting president, there are many parallels between this anecdote and today’s political climate. With ESPN “College GameDay” also being slated for this game, safety and logistics have been great topics of discussion among attendees. Sean Patterson, University of Tennessee Police Department chief, urged fans to arrive to the stadium significantly earlier, pack light and expect long wait times in a Friday press conference. “Expect heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic on and around campus several hours before kickoff,” Patterson said. “Temporary roadway closures, traffic control measures and pedestrian routing adjustments may be implemented throughout the day. Expect delays on highway approaches to UT campus.” Members of the United States Secret Service performed security measures at the stadium.
“Our goal is to help ticketed attendees enter safely and as efficiently as possible while maintaining the security measures required for a presidential visit,” Matt Fagiana, Secret Service spokesperson, said. Many students claimed security did not feel heavier than usual. “I got in just as fast as I normally get in,” Nathaniel Griffin, a junior finance major, said. “I walked right in.” While fans noticed more security personnel present, there were the same number of checkpoints upon admis-
sion. “It wasn’t bad,” Holden Rogers, a second year law student, said. “I walked through at like 9:30 (a.m.).” Despite Saturday’s loss to Texas, Hartley said he hoped to impress the president with the organization and skill of the airmen at McGhee Tyson’s base. “On a national stage, it’s a way for us to highlight how amazing they are,” Hartley said. The president left the game just after 2 p.m., according to a press pool report.
Gameday here on Rocky Top is special, and the added presence of the president makes it that much more so.” LEE HARTLEY Assistant Adjutant General
SEC | cont. from Page 1 “Naloxone is free — people are allowed to carry it,” Kourvelas said. “I think it’s wise to have on hand, being that the number one contributor to death are still synthetic opioids.” The Tennessee legislature banned Kratom this year in HB 1649, which Gov. Bill Lee signed May 7. According to Kourvelas, possessing kratom is a misdemeanor, and selling it is a felony. “Because there’s no regulation and because we’re talking about an illegal product, any kratom product you’re going to see in Tennessee is illegal, and we don’t have any assurance as to what’s actually in it,” Kourvelas said. Last week, WVLT reported Knox County has seen 18 kratom-related deaths, five of which identified kratom alkaloids as the sole cause of death. As rumors swirl, there is unconfirmed speculation that cychlorphine was a contributing factor in the two instances. “Cychlorphine is a relatively new chemical. It is a synthetic opioid analog. It is structurally similar to fentanyl. It is believed to be about 10 times stronger than fentanyl. There are concerns that because of that, you might need multiple
doses of naloxone, and that that comes from studies conducted on animals that showed decreased effectiveness of naloxone,” Kourvelas said. Kourvelas said cychlorphine is just part of moving trends of new synthetic opioids as drug manufacturers try to expand their profits. “Counterfeit drugs are unfortunately the reality of this current era of the overdose crisis. This goes back years,” Kourvelas said. “There have been a number of efforts to clamp down penalties on possessing counterfeit pill presses.” When asked what students may do to avoid dangerous situations, Kourvelas said to consult designated UT authorities. “Stay in close communication with UT authorities that are dedicating their time and resources to serving students in this way,” Kourvelas said. “Students should listen to the guidance provided by UT authorities.” As rumors spread across campuses, the University of Mississippi asks the public to avoid speculation regarding the ongoing investigations.
Stay in close communication with UT authorities that are dedicating their time and resources to serving students in this way. Students should listen to the guidance provided by UT authorities.” United States President Donald Trump is shown on-screen at the Tennessee Football game against the Texas Longhorns in Neyland Stadium on Sept. 26. Jayden Randolph / The Daily Beacon
JEREMY KOURVELAS Substance use program coordinator at the The Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource for Tennessee Initiative
UT Creamery opens new location in Torchbearer Hall MYA MIMBS Contributor UT Creamery opened its doors in a ‘soft launch’ for customers at its new location inside of Torchbearer Residence Hall Sept. 1. The launch came suddenly, with no formal announcement made. This is the creamery’s third location, with the first opening in 1915 on the Agriculture Campus and lasting into the 1980s. The creamery came back to campus in 2023, opening a location on Neyland Drive across the road from Sorority Village. When selecting a location for the third location, Torchbearer Hall came into the conversation by sheer coincidence. UT Creamery Manager Nathan Miller recounted how David White, dean of UT’s Herbert College of Agriculture, selected the location. “So, Dean Dave White was walking down the street here, just going to a meeting,” Miller said, gesturing to the sidewalk outside of Torchbearer Hall. “They had this construction fence up, and they talked about having food in Torchbearer. He says, ‘What about if we put an ice cream store in Torchnearer Hall?’ We just happened to ask at the right time about if we could move in.” While the UT Creamery’s residence in Torchbearer Hall may have been a coincidence, its success has not been. “I think it’s done really well,” Miller said. “I think the students are really excited about it. They enjoy coming
by, getting their afternoon snacks.” The creamery has 12 different flavors to choose from, with flavors ranging from “The Sheriff’s Peanut Butter & Chocolate” to “Go Big Orange.” The new location features 39 guest spots with varying seating arrangements, along with various outdoor tables for customers’ convenience. With plain walls and an unstocked freezer in the space, the creamery stayed in its ‘soft launch’ until its opening ceremony on Tuesday. At the opening, UT Creamery launched its new cotton candy flavor, allowing customers to try and suggest a name for the new option. Ice cream is not the only thing the new location brings to campus. The shop’s opening brings additional job opportunities to UT students. “The biggest thing is that the creamery is all student-led and student-driven, and that’s their biggest, main focus is that we want to give the students an on campus experience for them to be able to take into their future job opportunities,” Miller said. Miller spoke to the skills current employees are learning on the job. “They get to learn time management. They get to learn customer service. They get to learn hospitality skills. They get to learn management skills,” Miller said. “They get a lot of different skills that get to be applied within their matrix, which is why we try to recruit a lot of different majors to come
UT Creamery welcome logo displayed on a tv behind the order counter on Sept. 15. Ethan Garnier / The Daily Beacon
work at the creamery because they get to utilize those skills that they’re learning in class.” Miller said he believes the new creamery location may not be the chain’s last. “There’s plenty of room to grow,” Miller said. “UT is like a little mini city all in itself, with roughly 45,000 people anywhere on campus on a daily basis. So, between faculty and staff and students, I think we will continue to grow.”
The biggest thing is that the creamery is all student-led and student-driven, and that’s their biggest, main focus is that we want to give the students an on campus experience for them to be able to take into their future job opportunities.” NATHAN MILLER UT Creamery Manager
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Arts & Culture
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‘No stopping it’: Chainsmokers cancelled amid safety concerns JULIANA LYNN, HARPER BRABSON The Chainsmokers concert came crashing down due to poor organization long before the chain-link fences holding back thousands of students did. Students gathered around Fiji Island on Fraternity Row during the late afternoon on Thursday, ahead of a highly anticipated 10 p.m. performance by The Chainsmokers. Portable metal gates were opened around 9 p.m. to let concert-goers in, who quickly became trapped in the dense crowd. Attendees cried for help as the crowd trampled both them and the guards as they surged into the concert venue. The fences surrounding the venue collapsed during the rush, resulting in further panic. Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly after. At 10:21 p.m., the Chainsmokers announced on their Instagram story that the event was cancelled, citing safety concerns and reporting that around ten thousand people showed up. Security guards and members of Phi Gamma Delta, Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Phi Kappa Tau, Phi Sigma Kappa and Theta Chi fraternities, who organized the event, stood along the three available entrances, interacting with the crowd as they waited to be let in. Jack Foster, a senior marketing major, watched the gate give way from his position as a sober monitor inside the venue. “...Everyone was bomb rushing towards the stage … They all broke down, came in, (organizers) came in on the intercom, said everyone has to leave, exit and then come back in,” Foster said. “Then they closed the entrances to try to get people to calm down. Eventually, national security got a call that said they needed to pull their personnel out, so they all left and then this side collapsed, and everyone ran up to the stage. That’s where they cancelled the show.” The initial rush caught Leah Davis, a freshman education major, as she entered the venue. “We were like 10 people away from getting in,” Davis said. “It was like crowd crush — I thought my arm was gonna break because I was holding on to the girl next to me.” Tony Boyer, a security guard working the event, describes how the
AUBREY HOLLAND Contributor Food City Center vibrated with cheers from fans at what Ella Langley called her “loudest crowd on the tour.” Langley’s “Dandelion Tour,” featuring her second studio album, came to Knoxville last Thursday. The sold-out night drew 16,000 fans and marked the tour’s biggest show yet, a major milestone in Langley’s career. Laci Kaye Booth and Kameron Marlowe, both friends of Langley’s and country artists, opened the show. Though this is Langley’s first time headlining, it is not her first time performing at Food City Center. Langley opened for Riley Green’s “Ain’t My Last Rodeo
crowd harmed guards as well. “There were four guards here that got trampled when the gate opened … The gentleman standing over there, he got caught up on the ground and stomped on — he was in rough shape, and then people started (fence) hopping, so he had to get back to work,” Boyer said. Brenna Loudon, a sophomore political science major, said fraternity members guarded the gates while crowds formed. “... There’s no ropes … It’s like just some random guy yelling, so nobody’s listening to him because I don’t know who he is. He holds no legitimacy,” Loudon said. Ella Langley’s simultaneous performance at Food City Center meant the University of Tennessee Police Department, one of the forces scheduled to be present at The Chainsmokers’ concert, had to straddle multiple events. “My understanding was UTPD is at the Ella Langley concert,” Foster said. “I was told by security that there were three separate private companies that were hired, and each of them had no idea the other was coming, and so they had no communication with one another.” The fraternities’ initial plan was for attendees to wait in an orderly line and be given wristbands as they entered the venue. After the rush, organizers attempted to push the crowd back out and have them re-enter with their wristbands. “It was supposed to be one by one, everybody gets your wristband, and everybody’s accounted for, but everybody stormed in past the gate, and they couldn’t keep track of people, so they said over the intercom that everybody needs
Chainsmokers concert cancelled after large crowd rush on Sept. 24. Jaden Vitt / The Daily Beacon to leave and then come back in one by one. So we’re accounted for, and then they will go on. But if that doesn’t happen, they will not put on this show,” Boyer said. Boyer expected to perform security duties typical of a regular frat party. “I was told when I got the call to come work here, I was the 16th person in one company, and we were supposed to have 20 from another company come work for us, but I don’t know who all showed,” Boyer said. “I don’t think they were expecting this many people, nor for it to be a free show the way it was, so with everybody pushing through, there was no stopping it.” The apparent lack of crowd preparation struck Robyn Shumpert, a sophomore supply chain management and
international relations double major. “I don’t know whose job it was to organize this, but I think whoever’s job it was might have lacked a little bit of judgment, and to prepare this event for a school that has over 40,000 people,” Shumpert said, “I think there should have been more security, maybe police presence because, I mean, this band has over 52 million followers on Instagram, so it’s a big deal.” Alex Kemper, a junior finance and economics double major and a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, said security wasn’t prepared for how early attendees would arrive. “I think they should’ve had security here a lot sooner. I believe it was probably around (8 p.m.), but with something like this where it’s very easy to
get in, you should have security here a lot earlier, keepingpeople out pretty much all day,” Kemper said. Security felt the same confusion as students on how to proceed while it was up in the air whether the concert would proceed. “I heard that people were just sneaking right in, that security didn’t show up until really recently,” Kemper said. “It left (guards) in a really weird spot because there’s a bunch of people, and they don’t know if they’re supposed to be there or not, and so it kind of leaves a lot of liability for the university and for The Chainsmokers and their whole organization.” The Chainsmokers, disappointed about the cancellation, hope to return to Knoxville in the future.
‘Lone Star State’ booed at Ella Langley concert
Knoxville marks ‘The Dandelion Tour’s’ biggest show yet
Crowds stand in line waiting to enter Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center before an Ella Langley concert on Sept. 24. Margaret White / The Daily Beacon Tour” in 2024, creating a fullcircle moment. The artist entered her show in a dazzling, Tennessee orange dress, opening with the song the album is named after, “Dandelion.” Chloe Sanders, a junior industrial engineering major, had been looking forward to the concert since the announcement date. Sanders admired the concert environment and the shared experience of Langley’s music. “I feel like something that makes her music so good is that it’s so relatable to so many people,” Sanders said. “When you sing the songs with her, it feels like she knows exactly what you’re thinking about when you sing it.” Ella Porth, a senior marketing and finance major, who has seen Langley in concert multiple times,
was amazed by the Knoxville show. “I’ve seen her multiple times and she never disappoints,” Porth, a senior marketing and finance major, said. “It was so awesome to see such a full and lively crowd.” Langley’s hit, “Choosin’ Texas,” recently broke the record for the longest run ever in the Billboard Hot 100 with 23 weeks as the number one song. The irony of “Choosin’ Texas” was not lost on those who attended the Knoxville show, as the anticipated Tennessee vs. Texas football game took place in Neyland Stadium last Saturday. Langley performed the song before ending the show with “weren’t for the wind” and a two song encore. Just after the chorus specifi-
cally referencing the “Lone Star State,” the crowd went wild as Langley stepped back from her microphone to give a shake of her head and a thumbs down. The song halted while the entire venue joined her, booing loudly as if they were already at the football game. “Being a Tennessee fan my whole life and having the buildup to this specific game since the schedule has been released, the moment in ‘Choosin’ Texas”‘ was awesome to experience,” Sanders said. “I don’t think Ella has ever heard that many people booing at her before. I love that she took time to feed into that too, especially by wearing orange and giving us that pause to boo.” “It was so fun to see her reaction to the crowd during ‘Choosin’ Texas,‘” Porth said. “I love how
dedicated Vols fans are.” On top of an amazing concert, the “Dandelion Tour” sold exclusive Knoxville merchandise. One popular shirt design featured Smokey the dog on the front with Ella Langley’s name behind it, the concert’s date and location next to the words “SOLD OUT” at the bottom. Fans bought many of the other items, such as a “Choosin’ Knoxville” cap and T-shirts with the Knoxville Food City Center location listed. With her recent wins, Langley’s tour continues, with her next stop in Colorado at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Oct. 7. “She is an incredible performer, and I’m so blessed I got to see her live,” Sanders said. “She deserves all the hype, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings her.”
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The Daily Beacon won 1968 Typewriter Bowl ZOE MANDEL Contributor The Daily Beacon holds a title over The Daily Texan: they’re the first and only winners of the Typewriter Bowl. Played on New Year’s Eve in 1968, the Typewriter Bowl featured a football game between members of The Daily Beacon and the University of Texas’ The Daily Texan. Tom Gillem, The Daily Beacon’s editor-in-chief for the start of the 19681969 school year, originally proposed a simple bet of a coonskin cap against a Stetson hat. Bruce Hicks, The Daily Texan associate news editor, wanted bigger — a full-fledged, spectacle tackle football game. The Daily Beacon agreed. “Well, the Typewriter Bowl, it was started out as just a bet (between the) two newspapers,” Gillem said. “Tennessee was playing Texas in the Cotton Bowl and the newspapers came together … and they decided ‘why don’t we play a football game.’” The preparation, mainly on the Texas side, began a month before the matchup. They gathered uniforms, found adults to help organize and secured a field to play. With sponsorship from the Dallas Press Club, they announced a portable typewriter as a prize to the winning team. Every night, The Daily Texan would practice at a local field, drawing in players from local school teams as they shaped themselves up for competition. The Daily Beacon, however, didn’t put
in the same pregame effort. Most of their players were at Texas to watch the actual game and ended up playing in this matchup for fun. “We weren’t covering it or doing anything like that,” Gillem said. “We were there just to attend the game. And a bunch of us were there, and we had some ringers, and they had some ringers. It wasn’t a tag football game — it was a tackle football game. It was the whole 9 yards.” The Typewriter Bowl was played on a frigid Dallas morning at Kimbell High School’s Sprague field. The clock continuously ticked down as The Daily Texan came to an early 6-0 lead, only to be tied at the end of the fourth quarter by The Daily Beacon. “It was just a good, friendly, we were journalists, they were journalists,” Gillem said. “We were for the Vols, they were for the Longhorns and it was just a good time that we had.” Too cold for overtime, the official flipped a coin to decide the winner. Gillem called “heads” as the coin flew through the air — a pick that granted The Daily Beacon the title of champions of the Typewriter Bowl and winner of the prized portable typewriter. With this being the latest meetup for the two teams, there’s never been another Typewriter Bowl for The Daily Beacon to defend their title in. The official Vols and Longhorns teams played the next day in the Cotton Bowl, where the Vols lost 13–36.
Graphic by Maya Williams
A newspaper describes the resolution of the Typewriter Bowl on Jan. 1, 1968. Courtesy of Thomas Gillem.
Old businesses, new strip | cont. from Page 1 University Liquors Up the street, University Liquors offers another perspective on the physical and economic transformation of Cumberland. COO Sterchy Morton Jr. helps manage the family-owned business, which was founded in 1994 by his father and is currently owned by his mother. The family’s connection to the university spans generations — everyone in their family went to UT, including his grandparents. Morton acknowledges the growth of the strip was inevitable with the growing population of students year after year. “UT and the city, they had to build more student housing. They didn’t have enough,” Morton said. “It looks nicer. But instead of being part of the
Oscars Restaurant sign stands outside of Oscars Restaurant on Sept. 20. Trevor Jolley / The Daily Beacon
town, it’s now more just part of the university. It’s not really its own separate sect anymore.” Cumberland isn’t the only thing that has changed to affect this mom-and-pop business — the culture of students has as well. With more students going home on weekends, Morton sees the gap during those weekends and breaks. “We do worse during the slow times than we ever did. We did lose 10% of our other business, where older people would stop in on the way home from work,” Morton said. “But I think we’ve more than made up for it in students.” When asked about the effect on local businesses, Morton kept it simple: “You lose some character.” As one of the longeststanding shops on Cumberland, University Liquor continues to stay dedicated to the student body, not just as customers but as employees as well. Being a mom-and-pop business that’s “been through it all,” they focus on giving UT students flexible employment opportunities while pursuing their degrees. “We’ll always be a college identity,” Morton said. “It’s our home. It’s our everything.” Oscar’s Pizza Louie Albaba, owner of Oscar’s Pizza for more than two decades, brought another
University Liquors operates on Sept. 20. Trevor Jolley / The Daily Beacon
perspective to the table: the shift in why people visit “The Strip.” “You look at Cumberland right now as an apartment area to live in, not to hang out around. The more buildings they do, the less people are going to come to Cumberland.” Beyond the changing scenery of Cumberland, Albaba talked about the university initiatives like meal swipes that keep students consuming UT-affiliated food properties. “The university encourages students to use their dining dollars. Only you can use that on UT property. It’s not travelable to other businesses.” Like Gus’s Deli, Albaba hears from non-student locals and past customers who have stopped coming to Cumberland altogether due to the congestion and loss of familiar spots. “They’ll see my logo on my shirt and go, ‘Oh man, yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Cumberland, because I don’t want to go there.’” But their identity as a local business isn’t shaped by Cumberland’s surroundings, but by their commitment to creating a place UT students enjoy eating at. “We spend our heart and effort to make the best food we have. We fix everything from scratch here,” Albaba said.
Graphic by Shelby Perdue
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Opinion
The Daily Beacon
@utkdailybeacon | Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | www.utdailybeacon.com
DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION
Stop treating your 20s like a deadline NATALIE DRIPCHAK Opinions Editor
EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Patrick Busch MANAGING EDITOR: Lauren Holladay COPY CHIEF: Margaret White NEWS EDITOR: Olivia Lee ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR: Tessa Nacke ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Harper Brabson SPORTS EDITOR: Trevor McGee ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: Alex Sarkis OPINIONS EDITOR: Natalie Dripchak PHOTO EDITOR: Jayden Randolph DESIGN EDITOR: Maya Williams DIGITAL EDITOR: Trip Scoutten SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR: Sarah Portanka AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT EDITOR: Grace
White
EDITOR EMERITUS: Caden Dyer COVER DESIGN: Maya Williams PAGE DESIGNERS: Delaney Karr, Kiersten
Collins, Amelie Carrillo, Shelby Perdue GRAPHICS BY: Maya Williams, Shelby Perdue, Delaney Karr
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CONTACTS TO REPORT A NEWS ITEM OR SUBMIT A PRESS RELEASE, please email editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com or call (865) 974-2348 TO PLACE AN AD, please email admanager@utk.edu. LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous letters will generally not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a letter to the editor is to email the editor-in-chief. CORRECTIONS POLICY: It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to editor@ utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206. The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters. The offices are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com
You need to stop and slow down. Yes, you, reading this right now. Stop treating your 20s like there is a deadline. There is no deadline. There is only life, and it won’t always go according to plan. We spend so much time worrying about where we should be that we forget to appreciate where we are. Have you ever thought that where you are right now is where you are supposed to be? I look back on my life and realize there were things I did not accomplish when I wanted to, but sometimes I achieved something even better. Other times, I got exactly what I wanted, just not when I expected it. Now, I look at everything around me and know this is exactly where I need to be. With graduation approaching in the coming months, I’ve realized just how much uncertainty comes with entering my 20s. It’s a time when we’re expected to make decisions about jobs, relationships, where we’ll live and, somehow, the rest of our lives. This imaginary timeline we have all created in our minds reads something like: Graduate. Get the job. Move out. Find someone. Get married. Buy a house. Have kids. And we expect that all to be figured out by a whopping 25 years old. It is not only unrealistic, but it also puts so much unnecessary stress on us to create this “ideal” life. But the ideal life doesn’t exist. There is no specific deadline by which we must meet all of these things. Maybe you graduate without a job lined up. Maybe you move back home and in with your parents instead of moving to a brand-new city. Maybe you watch your friends get into relationships and get engaged while you are still single. But that doesn’t mean that those
opportunities have come and gone. We are constantly comparing our lives to people who are living completely different ones. Social media only makes it easier. We see the job announcements, engagement photos, new apartments and exciting moves, but we don’t see all of the uncertainty that exists behind them. Your 20s are not supposed to be the decade when you have everything figured out. They are the years when you get to figure it out. So, stop rushing toward the next milestone long enough to appreciate the life you have right now. The job will come. Your plans will change. Some things will happen later than you expected, and others may never happen at all. When you put it into perspective, being 21 years old is so incredibly young when talking about the timeline of our lives. If you live to, let’s say, 80 years old, that is nearly 60 years of living your life. So much life to live and experiences to have. Why are you trying to cram all of those experiences into a measly 10 years? Why not see the world, make mistakes and mess up? There is so much time for things to fall into place and work out. I think we forget that we are allowed to change our minds, too. The career you thought you wanted at 18 might not be the career you want at 25. The city you always dreamed of living in might not feel like home once you get there. The person you thought you would spend your life with might not be your person after all. And that is OK. Changing your mind does not mean you failed. Starting over does not mean you wasted your time. Sometimes, the things that don’t work out are the exact things that lead you somewhere you never would have planned for yourself. There is something exciting about not knowing exactly what your life will look like five or 10 years from now. We
spend so much time being afraid of uncertainty that we forget uncertainty also means possibility. So, maybe we need to stop asking ourselves where we should be by now and start paying attention to where we actually are. You do not need to have the perfect job, relationship, home or five-year plan to be doing life correctly. You just need to keep living it. Slow down. Look around. Let
yourself be a 20-something. You have time. That doesn’t mean you are behind. It just means you are living.
Graphic by Maya Williams Natalie Dripchak is a senior at UT studying advertising. She can be reached at ndripcha@vols.utk.edu.
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Serena Joy’ is a warning KATHERINE HILL Contributor America is no longer the model for a society focused on equality — but it does not have to stay this way. “If you close your eyes, then it can’t be your fault” You may be unfamiliar with these words, so let me explain. These are powerful lyrics from global pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s recent song titled “Serena Joy.” At first listen, the lyrics are not easily correlated to modern society, but a deeper dive into Rodrigo’s words reveals an alarming warning: the world is becoming increasingly oppressive. To provide a bit of backstory, Serena Joy is seen as a villain from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale because she is part of an oppressive regime that enforces a patriarchal system where women are diminished into childbearing beings with essentially no other purpose. Rodrigo’s work encapsulates both the growing oppression toward marginalized groups, specifically women, in our society because of the rise in propaganda alongside the decreasing advocacy and acknowledgement from other citizens. Essentially, she is bringing attention to the frightening reality that many people do not want to admit. A once “dystopian” novel is now being compared to the present state of our world — a world that is becoming more oppressive toward women — and we must stop it from worsening. Our nation specifically is actively taking inconspic-
uous actions against women, and the future that can result from the continuation of this oppressive pattern needs to be prevented. United Nations Women provided a disturbing statement: “As of 2026, no country in the world has reached full gender equality for women and girls.” However, an even more disturbing realization is that some countries are actually moving backwards. We are not approaching gender equality across nations — we are straying away from it.” Now, the United States is not even the most patriarchal country — still, even a democratic society founded on the ideal of equality such as ours is taking away vital rights of women. For instance, the 2022 Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the constitutional protection of women’s right to an abortion that the 1973 case Roe v. Wade established. Women once had the choice to decide what to do with their bodies — now, some of that freedom has been stripped away through a decision made primarily by men. Additionally, recent actions taken throughout the nation are a reminder of the declining social status of women. The American Civil Liberties Union has listed some of these attacks against women’s rights. One example is the executive order that overturned the anti-discrimination policies in the federal government, allowing for sex discrimination in the workplace. The SAVE America Act also passed in the House, which could restrict married women from voting if they
changed their last name. Plus, the Trump Administration has made multiple strikes against the rights of transgender individuals, which reinforces the ideas of harmful gender stereotypes. There is an alarming downturn in the equality of the sexes not only socially, but now legally as well. Despite all of America’s struggles, women in other countries are suffering in even more distressing ways. The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security explains how the Taliban has essentially stripped women in Afghanistan of all freedoms, including, but not limited to, their ability to receive an education and the normalization of “violence against” them. Ultimately, women’s rights are being threatened in the United States and beyond. If citizens do not start using their voice to prevent a similar authoritarian government from being constructed like that of the Taliban, individuals throughout the country could lose their liberty — especially women. The Taliban is an extreme example, but the acts that seem like minor setbacks can become full-blown acts of oppression. Citizens need to use their voice to ensure the United States continues to embody the ideals of the nation that were set in 1776 through the Declaration of Independence. The United States must remain a model nation of equality — it must not become a model of regression. Now, remember Rodrigo’s lyrics: “If you close your eyes, then it can’t be your fault.” Her
use of irony calls those around the world to act. It is a warning to stop being complicit by being passive. Inaction is a form of support for oppression. We must prevent this alarming system from institutionalizing itself
into our nation and other nations throughout the world — not just for women, but for every group that has had to fight for their civil rights. Do not close your eyes when oppression is inching closer. Graphic by Avery Pennell
Katherine Hill is a sophomore at UT this year studying public affairs. She can be reached at khill77@vols.utk.edu.
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
The Daily Beacon
Sports
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Lady Vols basketball build chemistry with new-look roster THEO COLLI Senior Staff Writer Lady Vols basketball and head coach Kim Caldwell, entering her third season with the team, look brand new. After a wild offseason that saw the entire roster turn over from the year prior, the Lady Vols continue their offseason work as the season approaches its first exhibition game, now
31 days away. The team features 15 new players, yet it didn’t take much time for the players to connect with one another. “It really only took us a couple of days,” senior Rylie Theuerkauf said. “We went to the pool one of the first days we got here, and we started talking and laughing. It’s probably one of the funniest teams I’ve been on.”
Yet humor won’t win games on the court. With preseason rolling on, Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell has seen growth where needed. So how will this team look once they hit the court Oct. 27 for their first exhibition? “I hope people take away how hard they play and how well they play together,” Caldwell said. “I think that is really important. We had a meeting
yesterday talking about, ‘Hey, hard days are coming.’” The team features a multitude of players who have very different backgrounds, yet all find themselves on the same court. Two of the players, Aaliyah Moore and Kaylene Smikle, are returning from major injuries that sidelined them for either most or all of last season. Moore, a sixth-year transfer from Texas, is facing a long return from injury. She has been out since Jan. 23, 2025, when her former Texas Longhorns took on none other than Caldwell’s Lady Vols. It was Caldwell’s first year with the team. “Coming in, last year I didn’t know where I was going to end up,” Moore said. “I didn’t even know if I would be playing basketball still, and God willing I am, and Tennessee is where I ended up, and I’m very happy.” Moore is one of six transfers joining the squad, as Caldwell looked for experience both on the court and against the SEC. Along with the six seniors, Caldwell and company brought in five total players who are joining the Lady Vols after spending time with another SEC school. Joining Moore is Theuerkauf, who played at Georgia, along w i t h Zhen Craft last season. Fatmata Janneh joined
the team from Texas A&M, while Harissoum Coulibaly spent her freshman season with Auburn. “Nothing is hard like playing in the SEC,” Caldwell said. “I can only do so much to prepare them for hard. So that’s where having so many players that have played in the SEC, leadership, all of that is really important.” While most of the players transferring in are from Power Four conferences, one of the top portal gets came from Northern Arizona, which plays in the Big Sky Conference. Rising sophomore guard Naomi White finished last season with 20.8 points per game over 32 starts. She earned Big Sky All-First Team honors, as well as Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors. “I have no doubt that that girl will translate, there’s no question,” Caldwell said. “She works hard, she’s a winner, she wants it, she believes in herself. I’ve been at that level, I coached in that league, I’ve coached in a mid-major league, and there’s not that much difference. Height, size is a difference, where you play AAU is a difference. But she’s a scorer, she can put the ball in the hole. She’s gotten a lot better, and I think our fan base is gonna love her.”
I hope people take away how hard they play and how well they play together. I think that is really important. We had a meeting yesterday talking about, ‘Hey, hard days are coming.’” Lady Vols Zhen Craft and Aaliyah Moore maneuver on the court. Elan Gurevich / The Daily Beacon
Kim Caldwell Head coach
Tennessee basketball opens preseason practice Expectations are high, and the buzz around Tennessee basketball is only growing. The Vols finished last season with an Elite Eight loss, their third straight season doing so. It tied a program-best finish, but Tennessee is looking to make it even further in 2026–2027. The roster flipped upside down with 13 new additions and head coach Rick Barnes met with the media Sept. 22 to discuss his team ahead of preseason practice. Here are takeaways from what Barnes said on the first day of practice. Tyler Lundblade begins injury rehab, Troy Henderson returns One of the many transfers Barnes and his staff brought in this off-season is Tyler Lundblade, the 6-foot-5 sharpshooter from Belmont. Lundblade mentioned to the media that his back had been bothering him since he arrived on campus in April. After trying non-surgical treatments, Lundblade underwent a back procedure in August. “He’s starting to do his rehab,” Barnes said. “He seems to be optimistic about it. Being a fifthyear guy and he’s in practice, he really stays highly engaged in practice. He knows what’s going on.” Lundblade was viewed as a huge get for the Vols through this transfer portal window, shooting the ball at 40.6% from beyond the arc last season while averaging 15.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. “He came here as soon as he committed and started working,” Barnes said. “He’s going to just be stepping out there, he’s going to stretch the court and open it up for everybody.” One of just two returning scholarship players from last year’s roster, Troy Henderson has returned to practice after missing the summer practice period due to left shoulder surgery in April. “He’s doing good. He obviously came back from surgery on his first day back,” Barnes said. “Troy is doing really great. A year makes a big difference. But he’s doing a lot of things for us in terms of understanding what we’re trying to get done out
there.” Barnes also brought up how Henderson bumped his other shoulder on his second day back on the court, causing him to miss one day. He has been back every day since then. Expectations for Notre Dame transfer Jalen Haralson, Kennesaw State transfer Braeden Lue One of the best combo guards in the transfer portal this cycle was Jalen Haralson, who received All-ACC Honorable Mention honors as a freshman. Despite his standout offensive upside, Barnes had high praise for the Indiana native’s defensive capabilities. “We think he should be one of the elite defenders in the country with his length, his athleticism, his strength,” Barnes said. Barnes stated multiple times in his presser that a number of his players “have no idea how good they can be” and that Haralson is a prime example of that. Haralson played in 27 games for the Fighting Irish, averaging 16.2 points per game on 51.5% shooting. “As a coaching staff, we’re going to keep pushing and pushing,” Barnes said. “And we’re going to get them there because I know they all want to get there.” As important as it is to go into the portal and get ready-to-start players, it is just as important for Barnes’ staff to prioritize finding valuable rotational pieces. 6-foot-9 Kennesaw State transfer forward Braeden Lue is expected to be exactly that piece for the Vols. “We’re asking him to get out of the box,” Barnes said. “We think his versatility can be special if he can embrace it and decide he wants to become a star in a role that we think he can play. Because if he does that, he can definitely be a star in that role.” The Vols are expected to have a deep frontcourt rotation this year, and the coaching staff believes Lue will play a key role coming off the bench. Lue averaged 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game at Kennesaw State a season ago. Vols looking stronger, more explosive Barnes had no problem
opening up about how his Tennessee squad has grown most since summer, crediting strength coach Garrett Medenwald for the role he has played in preparing them for the season. “I think they’re in the best shape of their life. Garrett has done a great job,” Barnes said. “I think speed is probably one area, because playing at the pace that we want to play is not easy. Everybody talks about wanting to run and play in transition, but very few guys understand how hard it is to do that right.” Barnes also stated that he doesn’t believe they have a player that hasn’t gotten better, but that the Vols still have a long way to go before they’re prepared for a regular-season schedule. A standout identity for Barnes and his Tennessee teams in the past has been their endurance. Barnes doesn’t plan to leave the value behind, and he’s focused on showing his team how to break through that wall of fatigue when they reach it. “Cardio toughness,” Barnes said. “It’s easy to talk about, but it’s really hard when you put it in the blender to realize, hey, I’ve got to play on both ends of the court.” Barnes wants his starting core to know that even though they have depth coming off the bench, how much they use that depth will depend on them. “They’ve got to break through that wall. And physically they can go forever. They just don’t know it yet,” Barnes said. “But we need more guys. When they hit that wall, they figure out how to get under it, get over it, get around it.”
Tennessee’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach believe they are where they need to be yet. “We’re trying to break some bad habits, trying to create some good habits,” Barnes said. “But this group, one, they care about each other.” Tennessee currently has two official preseason exhibition games scheduled to prepare this team for SEC play. The Vols will first welcome Xavier to town on Oct. 15 before traveling to Cameron Indoor Stadium for a matchup against the Duke Blue Devils on Oct. 20.
Buzz around preseason beginning Barnes has high expectations for this new roster, but by no means does
I think they’re in the best shape of their life.” Rick Barnes Head coach
File / The Daily Beacon
LYNDEN PROSSER Contributor
“We’re nowhere near where we need to be,” Barnes said. “But we need to get there quick because we’ll be scrimmaging here in probably less than a month now. Barnes and his coaching staff will continue to prepare their team for a tough SEC regular-season schedule, ultimately trying to achieve their goal of making a deep run in the March Madness tournament. “I think there’s a lot of buzz about every roster in the country,” Barnes said. “I think wherever you are, I think people are excited.”
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The Daily Beacon
Brandon facing unfamiliar territory v. Auburn TREVOR MCGEE Sports Editor Grimsley High School lost 44-27 to Weddington in the fourth round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs on Nov. 24, 2023. That was the last time Tennessee football quarterback Faizon Brandon lost a game as a starter. He went on to win 22 consecutive games to finish his high school career. Brandon didn’t lose another game until succumbing to No. 1 Texas on Sept. 26. It’s an unusual sight for the true freshman quarterback — he’s never had to bounce back from a loss in one week as a starting quarterback. That’s the task, though, for Brandon and Tennessee, taking on Auburn at 3:30 p.m. in Neyland Stadium on Oct. 4. “He wants to play at a high level,” Heupel said. “He knows that he can and needs to play better than he did Saturday, but that’s a young guy that since he’s gotten here has taken ownership, takes correction and incorporates it into his game and improves.
Certainly expect that from him this week.” Brandon’s struggles were apparent against the top-ranked Longhorns. The 18-year-old quarterback had his timid moments. He went 17-of-29 passing for 145 yards and a score. Brandon rushed 23 times for two yards, but 10 of those carries came on sacks. He gained 75 yards on his other 13 rushing attempts. “Certainly disappointed after the game,” Heupel said. “Still felt some of that yesterday as he came into the building, but also eager to get back out there. He’s a competitor. He hasn’t lost in football in a long time, but he’s lost games. His ability to keep playing — (it’s) not perfect, but keep plugging away – you can see that the other day. There’s some things that we’ve got to do better in some of those situations, but he’ll bounce back.” On the Vols’ first drive of the game, Brandon had a missed opportunity across the middle of the field. Facing secondand-nine from the Texas 17-yard line — trailing by a
touchdown — Brandon missed a wide-open Trent Thomas in the middle of the field. Rather than pulling the trigger, he scrambled out of the pocket and gained two yards. Tennessee settled for a field goal on the drive. The Vols didn’t score another point until the 4:07 mark of the fourth quarter, when Brandon led the only touchdown drive that pulled Tennessee within three points. His furthest pass was the 30-yard touchdown to Mike Matthews to pull Tennessee within three points. Before then, his longest was an 18-yard screen pass to Matthews, who did most of the work to pick up the yardage. Brandon didn’t test the field vertically against a Longhorns team that already doesn’t allow explosive plays. “I think going back to not reckless decisions, but in Saturday’s game, there’s windows and opportunities, timing
He’s still the same person. He’s still going to show up with his same mentality. He’s still going to work hard, put the work in. I mean, nothing has changed that I’ve seen from him. I feel like if anything, I feel like that’ll give him more of a drive.” – whatever it might be – where some of those things he’s got to let it rip, things that he saw and things that maybe he missed,” Heupel said. “But that’s part of growing as a quarterback.” Brandon’s confidence couldn’t be high when Texas brought him to the ground 10 times. He likely had nightmares about Colin Simmons, too, who brought Brandon down a school-record five times. A second-quarter upper-body injury was also a hindrance for the young quarterback. While Heupel admitted Brandon’s health was good enough to
DUANE MORRIS Running back
return to the game, the pain was not eased by the continued sacks he took. Brandon now has a week to respond. And according to his teammates, the loss hasn’t changed his approach. “He’s still the same person,” running back Daune Morris said. “He’s still going to show up with his same mentality. He’s still going to work hard, put the work in. I mean, nothing has changed that I’ve seen from him. I feel like if anything, I feel like that’ll give him more of a drive.
Quarterback Faizon Brandon makes a pass during the Tennessee football game against the Texas Longhorns in Neyland Stadium on Sept. 26. Jayden Randolph / The Daily Beacon
Tennessee football struggles to find offensive footing against Texas THEO COLLI Senior Staff Writer The Texas defense controlled the game against the Tennessee offense on Saturday afternoon. The Vols struggled to find an answer as No. 1 Texas defeated Tennessee 20–17 at Neyland Stadium in a defensive battle. It was the toughest opponent the Vols have faced this season, and they hadn’t yet seen a player like Longhorns’ edge rusher Colin Simmons. Simmons became a key factor against a Tennessee offense that had little traction. Simmons finished with five sacks, with another taken away after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Even with his dominance, he accounted for only half of Texas’ 10 sacks that afternoon. “It’ll be a bunch of everything,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “O-line has got to be better, can be better. A time we were giving up pres-
sure off of chip protection. We have to be able to execute that better. There were times when the quarterback’s eyes, decision-making, not getting rid of it when there’s opportunities to get rid of it.” The pressure was felt early and often by quarterback Faizon Brandon. He went down with an injury in the first half but quickly returned after missing just one drive. After the Vols’ first drive ended with a field goal, Tennessee hoped it would be able to withstand the Longhorns’ pass rush. Instead, the Vols went nine straight drives without scoring. The only scoring play during that stretch came on special teams. Qua Moss returned a 57-yard Texas punt for a touchdown to tie the game at the 10-minute mark in the third quarter. Moss’ nifty trip to the checkerboards stood as the first touchdown of the afternoon for
Tennessee. It still didn’t prove Tennessee’s offense could penetrate the Longhorns’ stout stand. Brandon finished the day with his most underwhelming collegiate showing through four games. He posted a season-low 145 yards passing and just 2 yards rushing on 23 attempts. “They have a great defense,” wide receiver Mike Matthews said. “Really, just offensively, I feel like there were a lot of things we could have executed better. It was really us shooting ourselves in the foot, so just some things we have to clean up.” The Vols’ run game, which averaged 298 yards through the first three games, finished with just 70 yards against Texas. What was supposed to be an x-factor for the Tennessee offensive attack became a non-factor for four quarters.
The Vols went from averaging 6.5 yards per rush last week to just 1.6 yards on Saturday. DeSean Bishop led the running back room with only 34 yards, followed by Daune Morris, who posted 33 yards. With the run game unable to take pressure off Brandon, the offense had to rely on the passing game, which never came around. Through four games, Tennessee’s signal caller is averaging 174 yards per game with a 62% completion rate,
six touchdowns and no interceptions. “There’s going to be a bunch of things that we’ve got to correct,” Heupel said. “I do love the makeup of continuing to fight and compete. It wasn’t pretty offensively, but they continued to fight and play down the stretch. We just got to play a lot smarter.”
They have a great defense. Really, just offensively, I feel like there were a lot of things we could have executed better. It was really us shooting ourselves in the foot, so just some things we have to clean up.” MIKE MATTHEWS
Wide reciever
How Tennessee plans to improve after falling short of home win ALEX SARKIS Assistant Sports Editor For the second season in a row, Tennessee football’s SEC opener brought the drama — and then some. But again, the Vols ended up on the short end of a game they had within their grasp. Last
year’s overtime loss to Georgia delivered one of the highest-scoring games of the college football season, a back-andforth slugfest that ultimately saw self-inflicted wounds do Tennessee in. In 2026’s conference opening defeat to No. 1 Texas, things were nowhere near as pretty — both
Quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) is sacked during a game against the Texas Longhorns at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 26. Jayden Randolph / The Daily Beacon
defenses dictated the day. Selfinflicted wounds remained, and a late rally after a recovered onside kick almost saw the Vols pull out one of the most improbable wins of the Josh Heupel era. In a game where Tennessee’s usual offensive strength was absent, it still had a chance to emerge with a win. The Vols still couldn’t close the deal. “There’s going to be a bunch of things that we’ve got to correct,” Heupel said. “I do love the makeup of continuing to fight and compete. It wasn’t pretty offensively, but they continued to fight and play down the stretch. We just got to play a lot smarter.” Playing smart football became a theme of last season’s Tennessee group, especially after penalties played such a role in the Vols’ heartbreaking loss to the Bulldogs. Against Texas, penalties and self-inflicted errors once again plagued a final Tennessee drive that could’ve ended with a game-tying field goal attempt. Following Arion Carter’s
onside kick recovery, the Vols committed holding and false start infractions to back them against a wall they couldn’t overcome. Tennessee had one of college football’s premier programs on the ropes once more, but again, the breaks went the way of the visitors. “I know it hurts for all of us,” linebacker Amare Campbell said. “Week in, week out, we got to play. We got SEC play, so we feel it today, feel it a little bit tomorrow, but next week we got to game plan for the next team, and we got to shift our mindset to the next team. We can’t let it haunt us.” Last campaign’s Georgia loss began a stretch of home showings Tennessee would like to forget. The Vols are 1–4 in their last five SEC home games, losers of three straight. Tennessee’s last conference win at home came against Arkansas on Oct. 11, 2025. While Saturday’s faltering against Texas left a different defensive luster than those at
Neyland Stadium a season ago, the Vols remain on the wrong side of a streak a Heupel-coached group isn’t accustomed to. Tennessee believes it only has itself to blame, even if the Longhorns do have a top ranking beside their name. “Of course, they have a great defense, but really, just offensively, I feel like it was a lot of things that we could’ve executed better,” wide receiver Mike Matthews said. “It was really us shooting ourselves in the foot.” When Auburn comes to town on Oct. 3, it will be nearly a year since the Vols last home SEC win. Tennessee will welcome the Tigers, trying to establish an identity. “Ultimately, we’ll decide what we’re going to be,” Heupel said. “We’ve got to fix what’s correctable, learn from it, grow from it. It’s what you have to do every week, whether you win or lose. And everybody’s got to take ownership. I’ve got to take ownership, staff, everybody, certainly the players, too. We’ve got to get better from it.”
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Vanderbilt hands Lady Vols first loss TYLER EDMANDS Staff Writer Tennessee soccer relearned the 2025 SEC Forward of the Year’s name the hard way on Sunday afternoon. Vanderbilt’s Sydney Watts posted the second brace of her season in the final 45 minutes, pushing the Commodores past Tennessee 3–1 at Regal Soccer Stadium. The No. 3 Commodores (10–0–1, 3–0–1 SEC) took over after the break, scoring less than two minutes into the second half to remain undefeated. “Obviously disappointed in the result today,” head coach Joe Kirt said. “Came up short in a couple moments. However, really positive response from our team after Thursday night in terms of putting together a solid 90 minutes of work, competing at a really high level.” It has been a tough week for the No. 9 Lady Vols (6–1–3, 1–1–2). They drew with Mississippi State 0-0 last Thursday before Sunday’s loss as they continue to search for offensive consistency. “We’ve got to finish plays, but certainly a performance,” Kirt said. “Our team left it out on the field, so we asked them, and they did that against a good Vanderbilt team that punished us in a couple moments where we came up a little bit short in some things, but proud of our team.” Sluggish start Tennessee did not generate anything offensively before the break for the second straight game. Mississippi State and Vanderbilt’s defense both Shae O’Rourke fights for the ball against Vanderbilt at Regal Soccer Stadium on Sept. 27. held the Lady Vols without a David Smith / The Daily Beacon shot in the first half. While the Commodores also started slow, they quickly picked up momentum to end the half. Vanderbilt managed five of its six first-half shots in the final 15 minutes, but Cayden Norris saved the only two that were on target. “I thought we did well,” Kirt said. “The chances we did have, a couple set pieces obviously, but everything else is pretty much from distance for the most part.” Watts, second half propels Vanderbilt Over the last three years, Watts has been a thorn in Joe Kirt Tennessee’s side. The senior striker has scored Head coach in all three of her career starts
We’ve got to finish plays, but certainly a performance. Our team left it out on the field, so we asked them, and they did that against a good Vanderbilt team that punished us in a couple moments where we came up a little bit short in some things, but proud of our team.”
against the Lady Vols, and she needed just 107 seconds of the second half to add another tally to her list. Watts finished a combination from Adysen Armenta and Mia Hebert in the 47th minute to make it 1-0. Hebert set her up again in the 62nd minute, and Watts tapped it in uncontested for a 2–0 advantage. “Second half, they come out and we don’t make a play in the first two minutes and give up an early goal,” Kirt said. “Then I think after that, by and large, we had most of the game to start that second half.” A look, then a backbreaker Tennessee finally found the net in the 74th minute. Ines Derrien scored off an assist from an Ayva Jordan rebound, cutting the deficit to 2–1. Derrien finished with a team-high six shots. The response lasted four minutes. Megan Hinnenkamp scored in the 78th minute off an assist from Olivia Stafford after a clearance out of the Tennessee back line, shutting the door on a Tennessee comeback. “Then we give up the third one, which was a backbreaker on just a poor clearance out of the back, and they make a play around the end and around the corner and score,” Kirt said. “Tactically we were good, but we’ve got to be able to step up and make plays.” Up next Now with a 1–1–2 SEC record, Tennessee is in the middle of the pack in the conference. With their biggest matchup behind them now, the Lady Vols turn their sights to Auburn on the road. Tennessee is set to play three more currently ranked teams — No. 7 Alabama, No. 17 South Carolina and No. 21 Oklahoma. The Lady Vols will be back in action on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. “I think their approach to the game, their willingness to work, to compete, the physicality, was probably one of our most consistent performances this year in that,” Kirt said. “We had a good one against Virginia for 90 minutes, but this was probably our next best performance of putting in work, so I think that’s what we need to take away from this and carry with us moving into the rest of conference play.”
Volleyball loses control of attack, match to Texas CONNOR WHITNEY Contributor Food City Center was buzzing. Tennessee had taken a two-set-to-none lead over visiting Texas and looked poised for a second consecutive top-10 victory. By night’s end, the No. 7 Longhorns had wrestled victory from the hosts and completed a comeback over the Lady Vols. No. 13 Tennessee fell in five sets to Texas in backbreaking fashion before a program-record 9,226 patrons. The Lady Vols had firm control of the match throughout the evening, until they didn’t. “The most disappointing thing is, I just felt like we got out-ball controlled, and that just hasn’t been us all year long,” head coach Eve Rackham Watt said. Only for the second time this season had Tennessee recorded fewer kills than its opposition, with the first coming, perhaps uncoincidentally, in a sweep loss to No. 2 Pitt. Texas delivered 68 kills to Tennessee’s 54 on just eight more attacks in the match. “That was uncharacteristic of us and frustrating to watch as the match went on, is that I thought that Texas served and passed better than us,” Rackham Watt said. “And their second contact and had some setting that was better than ours.” Tennessee’s offensive efficiency was at its best in the opening set, as it rode a game-
high .278 hitting percentage to a 25–21 first-set win. Its attack, however, dipped as the match progressed and never eclipsed .200 again, while Texas went from a low hitting percentage of .108 in the second set to a .292 hitting percentage by the fifth set. “If you’re not handling the first and second contact, it really derails your offense,” Rackham Watt said. “We were tipping a lot of balls because the sets weren’t where we needed them and the tempo was off.” Still, Tennessee seemingly had a firm grip on the match in the fourth set. With a 17–13 lead in the frame, the Lady Vols were one scoring run away from sealing a home win over a top-10 team in their conference opener. Texas proceeded to go on a 12–5 scoring run to steal the set and the momentum heading into the deciding set. “I didn’t feel like we were handling the ball well,” Rackham Watt said. “We had some easy transition opportunities that we just didn’t capitalize on. And this group has just got to learn from that.” Perhaps the biggest problem was Tennessee’s inability to control Torrey Stafford down the stretch. The Texas star took control when it mattered most and produced 14 of her game-high 28 kills across the last two sets. “She was difficult to defend because she wasn’t just doing one thing,” Rackham Watt
said. “She had good range tonight.” Conversely, Tennessee’s best struggled to consistently finish their attacks throughout the game. Kennedi Rogers recorded 16 kills and seven errors on 65 attacks. Jalyn Stout was unusually quiet, with a season-low .043 hitting percentage on 23 attacks. The Lady Vols had their chances to finish off a win over another talented team, but victory slipped through their grasp. Their tough early-conference schedule continues, however, with a trip to Gainesville and a date with No. 8 Florida coming up on Friday. “The message tonight was the same as
it always is,” Rackham Watt said. “Win or lose, it’s like, ‘Hey, we got till midnight, and
we got to get over it, and we got to move on.’”
The message tonight was the same as it always is. Win or lose, it’s like, ‘Hey, we got till midnight, and we got to get over it, and we got to move on.’” Eve Rackham Watt Head coach
Jalyn Stout of the Lady Vols yells after a set against Texas. Trevor Jolley / The Daily Beacon
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Champions Corner honors Vols football legacy ANNA REIFFER Contributor
Three Tennessee football coaches responsible for six national championships now stand together in bronze outside Neyland Stadium. On the southwest end of the historic stadium, Tennessee athletics unveiled statues of Doug Dickey and Phillip Fulmer alongside the relocated statue of Gen. Robert Neyland in the new plaza. It offered a fitting setting for a celebration of Tennessee football’s past as Tennessee athletics officially dedicated Champions Corner on Sept. 25. Around 100 guests gathered to witness the dedication, including members of the Dickey and Fulmer families, members of the 1967 and 1998 championship teams, and other distinguished guests. Among them was Jim Haslam, founder of Pilot Company and a UT Distinguished Alumnus. Haslam served as team captain of Tennessee football in 1952 under General Neyland before joining the U.S. Army, where he served as a lieutenant during the Korean conflict. The statues of Dickey and Fulmer stand side-by-side, in the shadow of General Neyland and the championship legacy he helped create. Athletics Director Danny White, Chancellor Donde Plowman, Dickey and Fulmer addressed those gathered for the dedication, reflecting on the players and coaches that helped define Tennessee as one of college football’s most recognizable programs. “Just to be a part of this and see all of you all that were a part of these accomplishments, these teams, and to hear from former players and coaches,” White said. “These statues are a reflection not only of their accomplishments, but all the people involved in those national championships.” Chancellor Plowman added to White’s statements,
recognizing the coaches’ accomplishments beyond the gridiron and front office. “You won on the field, you led on the field, but you led off the field, and that distinguishes you in so many ways, in my heart and in my mind,” Plowman said. “Today, we’re celebrating the glorious history that this university stands on now, and you are two of the most important pieces of that history.” The new Champions Corner is intended to be more than a monument. The space will be open to fans year-round, giving them a chance to immerse themselves in Tennessee football history when the Vols aren’t playing. For the two men whose likenesses now stand in the plaza, the corner remains a place that is defined by more than their legacies. It represents the people and relationships that shape what Tennessee football has become. Along with General Neyland, the three statues also tell a story of continuity, with one coach building on the standards of the coach before him, and one generation of Tennessee football eventually giving way to the next. Dickey was hired as the Vols’ head coach in 1964, just two years after Neyland’s death. Though he reshaped the general’s single-winged offense, Dickey committed to preserving the traditions and standards Neyland set forth. Dickey famously integrated the Power T helmet logo and checkerboard end zones in his early years leading the program. He also worked with W.J. Julian, the late director of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band, to move the team’s entrance through the T to the end zone, where it remains today. Those changes became the visual identity of Tennessee football, with Dickey’s changes stemming
directly from Gen. Neyland’s military-grade ethos and tradition. Nearly six decades after the 1967 championship, Dickey’s place in Tennessee football history is now cemented in bronze outside of Neyland Stadium. Dickey spent six seasons as Tennessee’s coach from 1964–1969, compiling a 46–15–4 record with two SEC Championships and one national title. After leaving Knoxville to coach Florida for nine seasons, Dickey returned in 1985 as Tennessee’s athletics director — a position that he held for 17 years while the athletics department oversaw a period of renowned success, remaining connected to the football program he had once led. Under his administrative leadership, Tennessee teams brought home 10 national championships and 38 SEC titles. Dickey described how the site has changed while reflecting on his championship team. “Here we are, and with us here, I used to have a parking place about right here,” Dickey said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea you come up with in honor of those championship teams, and especially proud to be here for our 1967.” For Dickey, the dedication was a chance to celebrate the players and team that helped define his coaching career. For Fulmer, Dickey represented something more personal. Long before Fulmer stood beside Dickey as a fellow Tennessee head coach, he was a young player from Winchester who saw Dickey’s image on the cover of a Tennessee football prospectus and began to imagine himself wearing orange. Their connection would eventually stretch from player and coach to coach and athletics director, linking two of Tennessee’s championship eras. Eventually, Dickey awarded
Newly unveiled statues on Champions Champions at Neyland Stadium of former Tennessee coaches Doug Dickey and Phillip Fulmer on Sept. 28. Courtney Faber / Contributor
Fulmer a scholarship to play for the Vols, and about 25 years later, offered that same kid from Winchester the job as head coach. As the head coach of the Vols, Fulmer compiled a 152–52 record, with back-to-back SEC Championships in 1997 and 1998, along with the team’s undefeated national championship season in 1998. Before talking about his time on the gridiron, Fulmer turned his attention to his family. “No one is as lovely and supporting me or sacrificed more for me and our family than my wife, Vicky,” Fulmer said. “We did this as a family.” Fulmer’s dream began to take shape when he received a football prospectus in the mail, emblazoned with coach Dickey and the Vols. He studied that piece until it became too worn to read anymore. Even with the impressive
resume, Fulmer remained in disbelief at the dedication. “When I think back, that kid in Winchester, who studied the Tennessee football prospectus and dreamed that maybe, somehow, he can run through the T one day,” Fulmer said. “I can tell you, he never dreamed big enough to imagine a day like this.” Starting Sept. 25, that history had a permanent place outside Neyland Stadium. From Gen. Neyland, whose values set the program’s foundation, to Doug Dickey, who carried those traditions into a new era, and then to Fulmer, whose 152-52 record and 1998 national championship cemented his place in Tennessee history. Now, the three coaches stand together forever, cast in bronze, in front of the place where their stories unfolded.
Josh Elander enters 1st full fall as head coach RYAN HAINES Contributor
Josh Elander is getting his first full fall to build Tennessee baseball in his image. Former coach Tony Vitello left for a big-league managerial job in the midst of fall practices a year ago, meaning the second-year head coach will get his first taste of an entire fall season with his own team. Elander met with the media on Sept. 21 ahead of fall practices. The injuries, position battles and coaching responsibility changes are what come next for Elander with the fall ball slate scheduled to begin Oct. 11 against Troy in Nashville. New coaching moves Ricky Martinez is set to coach first base this season, a change from Ross Kivett. Martinez played shortstop during his time with the Vols, which Elander believes will be a major beneficial factor. Kivett moves over to being the third base coach, which is a
position he had previously held for the Houston Cougars baseball team. “He is fully capable,” Elander said of Kivett. “And, I think, just again, it’s a good balance as he’s moving guys around on defense.” Craig Bell will move into the dugout after coaching third base the back half of last season. Bell took over for Elander during the middle of last season after the firstyear head coach realized he was better served coaching the team from the dugout. “Craig Bell did a phenomenal job for us (as third-base coach),” Elander said. “He’s done it forever. But he’s a little bit older. I don’t want him getting hit by a foul ball. And I don’t even really say that jokingly because it is dangerous over there with how hard some of the guys are hitting the baseball at times. So, Chuck, Craig and I will be in the dugout.” Elander said that the coaching changes are all about getting more coaches involved,
giving them different responsibilities and helping the team improve. Pitcher updates One of the biggest challenges that the team faces is the recovery of pitchers on the team. Some pitchers have been dealing with injuries since the beginning of the offseason and are still recovering. Two-way utility Blaine Brown is expected to make a recovery and get back on the field this season. Brown is not expected to pitch after undergoing left elbow surgery during the offseason. Elander has high expectations for Brown in his draft year, and he will be a “full go” in the outfield this spring. South Carolina transfer pitcher Jake McCoy and Northwestern State transfer pitcher Brody Trosclair are both recovering from elbow surgeries. Both pitchers are throwing in different phases, but are expected to be “ready to rock and roll” in the early spring.
“Those conversations start in recruiting. I think with how advanced those surgeries have become, especially when it comes to anything with the elbow, the success rate is so high now,” Elander said. “... but those guys are all throwing in different phases as it goes. But we expect early spring those guys will be ready to rock and roll and we’ll have plenty of options down there in the bullpen.” Louisville transfer righthanded pitcher Parker Detmers has flown under the radar as a late addition, and projects to be a valuable piece since he has the ability to fill in multiple roles with the pitching staff. Elander said Detmers is throwing 93–96 mph pitches in the bullpen, and that he has the same style as former Vols pitcher Aaron Combs. Infield impressions, competition Elander had positive things to say about former California Baptist shortstop Chris Ramirez. The transfer middle infielder has impressed Elander with his lateral quickness, ability to throw from different angles and range. He projects to be the starter at shortstop after winning back-to-back Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of
the Year honors. “He really dominates the average play,” Elander said. “That’s something that’s very important to us here. But he also has the ability to make the one that can make you go, wow. But what he’s done right now, just as far as directing traffic in the middle of the field, that’s very important for me. If you’re going to play in the middle of the field, you need to be the quarterback.” The position became a priority with Manny Marin transferring to Arkansas, and Elander addressed it aggressively in the transfer portal. Baylor transfer Travis Sanders and FIU transfer Mario Trivella have given Elander and his staff a chance to look at how the roster can come together. Sanders was considered an MLB Draft scare, but ultimately made it to campus after an All-Big 12 season with a .458 on-base percentage and 27 extra-base hits. Trivella added a 15-bomb season at FIU to round out a loaded middle infield battle. “You’ve got to have enough internal competition to be able to withstand the external competition in the SEC,” Elander said. “So, I think we have plenty of that on the field, not only at shortstop but all over the place. So, that’s what has me the most excited about the fall.”
You’ve got to have enough internal competition to be able to withstand the external competition in the SEC. So, I think we have plenty of that on the field, not only at shortstop but all over the place. So, that’s what has me the most excited about the fall.” Tennessee baseball head coach Josh Elander (24) walks out to make a pitching change during a game against LSU at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on April 5. David Smith / The Daily Beacon
JOSH ELANDER
Head coach
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2026 FOOTBALL PICK ‘EMS Alex Sarkis, Assistant Sports Editor (24-4)
This chart is compiled weekly by Tessa Nacke, assistant news editor, in accordance with the 60-Day Crime Log available at https://clery.utk.edu/crime-log/.
Auburn 17 vs. Tennessee 24
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Ohio State vs. Iowa
Miami vs. Clemson
Florida vs. Missouri
BYU vs. TCU
Trevor McGee, Sports Editor (23-5)
Auburn 28 vs. Tennessee 34
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Ohio State vs. Iowa
Miami vs. Clemson
Florida vs. Missouri
BYU vs. TCU
Theo Colli, Senior Staff Writer (21-7) Auburn 20 vs. Tennessee 26
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Ohio State vs. Iowa
Miami vs. Clemson
Florida vs. Missouri
BYU vs. TCU
Trip Scouten, Digital Editor (20-8) Auburn 14 vs. Tennessee 28
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Ohio State vs. Iowa
Miami vs. Clemson
Florida vs. Missouri
BYU vs. TCU
Natalie Dripchak, Opinions Editor (20-8) Auburn 20 vs. Tennessee 35
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Ohio State vs. Iowa
Miami vs. Clemson
Florida vs. Missouri
BYU vs. TCU
Patrick Busch, Editor-in-Chief (17-11) Auburn 24 vs. Tennessee 34
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Ohio State vs. Iowa
Miami vs. Clemson
Florida vs. Missouri
BYU vs. TCU