Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt loosened up a bit as the Vols went through spring practices last week, talking at length about individual players for the first time.

Big deal? Yeah, probably for media and fans starved for information about Pruitt’s first team of Vols.

2. Who Starts on Defense? You’ll Have to Wait - Friday, April 6, 2018

Jeremy Pruitt hasn’t been afraid to change things around during his first spring practice as Tennessee’s head football coach.

3. Pay for No Play: Paying Millions to Former Coaches - Friday, December 8, 2017

Tennessee’s bungled search for a football coach will come at a cost for the university. A big cost.

There are buyouts everywhere. A potential lawsuit looms. And a rift between boosters caused by the botched search may be the costliest item of all for the university long term.

4. Jones’ Teams Have Never Regressed, Until Now - Friday, November 3, 2017

Looks like Butch Jones has survived another week to coach Tennessee’s football team.

What happens if UT loses to Southern Miss at homecoming Saturday night (7:30 ET, SEC Network) at Neyland Stadium? Good question.

5. Not Worried About Bama? Just Wait Until Kickoff - Friday, October 20, 2017

Tennessee’s football team will make history Saturday against No. 1-ranked Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC), no matter what happens with the game.

The Vols (3-3, 0-3 SEC) were 34-point underdogs early in the week for the 3:30 EDT game (TV: CBS) in Tuscaloosa. The 34-point spread is the largest ever in the UT-Alabama series.

6. Win vs. Georgia Now Needed to Save Season - Friday, September 22, 2017

It’s been a long week for Tennessee football. UT’s Sept. 30 game against Georgia at Neyland Stadium can’t get here soon enough. Not after the Vols’ 26-20 loss to Florida last Saturday in Gainesville.

7. All Eyes on Shoop’s Defense Against Gators - Friday, September 15, 2017

Butch Jones will coach one of the biggest games of his Tennessee career against Florida on Saturday.

It’s an even bigger game for UT defensive coordinator Bob Shoop.

Shoop was hired Jan. 9, 2016, from Penn State to fortify Tennessee’s defense, arriving with much hoopla and great expectations. So far, he has not delivered like he did at Penn State (2014-15) and Vanderbilt (2011-13).

8. Vols, Jackets Each Eager to Make Statement - Friday, September 1, 2017

Enough of the talk. Enough of the speculation. Let’s play some football.

Tennessee starts its fifth season of the Butch Jones coaching era on Monday night against Georgia Tech at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is 8 p.m. (TV: ESPN).

9. Spring Lessons: Here’s Who Vols Will Start - Friday, April 28, 2017

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones isn’t big on naming starters and divulging depth charts. Not until he has to. So it comes as no surprise the Vols enter summer workouts and fall camp with junior Quinten Dormady and redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano still competing for the starting quarterback’s job.

10. Vols Prepare for ‘Grind’ of Weaker Foes - Friday, October 28, 2016

Tennessee begins the easy part of its football schedule Saturday, Oct. 29, at 7:15 p.m. (ESPN2) against South Carolina in Columbia. Just don’t tell UT coach Butch Jones this is the easy part of the schedule.

11. Vols Get Midterm B Despite Back-to-Back Losses - Friday, October 21, 2016

Tennessee’s football team is spending this week’s open date trying to get healthy after a rugged four-game stretch of SEC football in which they defeated Florida and Georgia and lost to Texas A&M and Alabama.

12. Could This Be the Year the Crimson Tide Rolls Out With a Loss at Tennessee? - Friday, October 14, 2016

Tennessee defensive end LaTroy Lewis was raised in Akron, Ohio, and recalls a special Saturday of football each fall when he was a youth: Ohio State vs. Michigan.

“That’s what I was taught my whole life,” Lewis says, “and then I got down here in the South, and it was kind of like: ‘Is there any other game beside Tennessee and Alabama?’”

13. Northwestern Defense Tough, But Give Edge to UT - Saturday, December 26, 2015

There’s nothing like spending the Christmas holidays in Florida, and Tennessee’s football team will savor every minute of it for the second consecutive year.

The Vols (8-4) board a flight Saturday morning to Tampa, Fla., where they will spend almost a week before the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl against Northwestern (10-2).

14. Won’t be the same without the head ball coach - Saturday, November 7, 2015

I miss Steve Spurrier.

It won’t be the same without Spurrier coaching South Carolina when Tennessee (4-4, 2-3 SEC) plays host to the Gamecocks (3-5, 1-5) on Saturday.

It wasn’t the same this week without Spurrier throwing a jab or two at UT leading up to the game.

15. Success Looks Like Five-Game Win Streak For Vols - Saturday, October 31, 2015

Leaves are changing colors, a chill is in the fall air and Tennessee’s football schedule is getting softer.

Happens every year.

We’ve all heard by now how Tennessee is the best 3-4 team in college football. Now is the time to prove it.

16. Here’s How Vols Grade Going Into Second Half - Saturday, October 17, 2015

Order has been restored in Vol Nation, at least for now.

Tennessee’s football team restored it with a 38-31 victory over then-No. 19 Georgia last Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

UT’s rally from a 24-3 deficit has much of the fan base back on board with Vols coach Butch Jones and his staff after a precarious week leading up to the game.

17. Heat Really On for Jones Against Arkansas - Saturday, October 3, 2015

It’s been a long week for Tennessee football coach Butch Jones.

Kickoff can’t come soon enough for Jones and his staff Saturday night when the Vols (2-2, 0-1 SEC) play host to Arkansas (1-3, 0-1) at Neyland Stadium.

18. Despite Rhetoric, Florida Game Critical for Tennessee's Butch Jones - Saturday, September 26, 2015

Tennessee’s Butch Jones will coach the biggest game of his three-year tenure with the Vols – and probably the biggest of his entire coaching career – at Florida on Saturday.

Like it or not, Jones is carrying the weight of UT’s 10-game losing streak to Florida on his shoulders.

19. Big Nashville Homecoming for Middle Tennessee Vols - Saturday, September 5, 2015

Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett won’t be in a strange place Saturday when he walks into Nissan Stadium in Nashville for the 2015 season opener against Bowling Green.

20. Despite Personnel Losses, UT’s Defense Should Be Much-Improved - Saturday, August 29, 2015

John Jancek begins his third season as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator under head coach Butch Jones, and thanks to two solid recruiting classes should have his best defense with the Vols.

UT is bigger and faster on the defensive side than the previous two seasons, when the Vols showed improvement from the 2012 season by shaving more than 100 yards and 11 points per game allowed.

21. Vols Take Plenty of Momentum Into Offseason - Saturday, January 10, 2015

KNOXVILLE – There’s nothing like going into the offseason on a high note. The Vols will be riding the momentum from the resounding 45-28 victory against Iowa in the Jan. 2 TaxSlayer Bowl through the end of recruiting season, winter workouts, spring practices and into the summer months.

22. With Dobbs at QB, Vols Look Set for Bowl Season - Saturday, November 8, 2014

As the jubilation settled this week, the University of Tennessee’s football team and its fans still savored last Saturday’s 45-42 overtime victory at South Carolina.

This week’s open date is so much sweeter for UT (4-5, 1-4 SEC) because of the stunning comeback victory.

23. Vols Hope to Snap 20-Game Road Slump vs. Ranked Opponents - Saturday, September 27, 2014

KNOXVILLE – It doesn’t get much easier for the University of Tennessee’s football team.

The Sept. 20 open date has come and gone. UT’s coaches and players had ample time to digest and dissect details of the 34-10 loss to No. 4-ranked Oklahoma on Sept. 13 and a week to prepare for a challenge just as formidable.

24. Young Volunteers Face Long Odds at Oklahoma - Saturday, September 13, 2014

Two games into the 2014 season, and it’s time for the University of Tennessee to play some big-boy football.

The Vols (2-0) took care of business at Neyland Stadium in the first two games against Utah State and Arkansas State.

25. Vols Among NCAA’s Youngest Headed Into Sunday Opener - Saturday, August 30, 2014

KNOXVILLE – For better or worse, University of Tennessee football coach Butch Jones won’t need to wait long to see the talent level of his highly touted freshman class.

Jones will find out Sunday night at 7 when the Vols play host to Utah State at Neyland Stadium. The Aggies will be an underdog – probably by a touchdown or so – and a trendy pick for some as an upset special.