Thank goodness Tennessee spring football is here. Vol Nation needs a diversion with all that’s happened the past couple of weeks, like the men’s basketball team losing to Loyola-Chicago in the NCAA Tournament’s second round, and Loyola advancing to the Final Four.

2. 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.

3. Hillsboro’s Phillips Playing for Bragging Rights - Thursday, November 23, 2017

Tennessee’s football team and interim head coach Brady Hoke will try to avoid a historically bad season Saturday.

If the Vols (4-7, 0-7 SEC) lose to Vanderbilt (4-7, 0-7), it would be the first team in program history to lose eight games and go winless in the conference. Kickoff is 3 p.m. CST at Neyland Stadium (TV: SEC Network).

4. Upset at Missouri Vital to Bowl Hopes for Tennessee Vols - Friday, November 10, 2017

Tennessee’s football program remains in limbo as the Vols pursue bowl eligibility under fifth-year coach Butch Jones.

Jones is hanging onto his job as the Vols (4-5, 0-5 SEC) play their final three games of the season, starting with Saturday night’s 7:30 ET game (SEC Network) against Missouri (4-5, 1-4 SEC) in Columbia.

5. UT QBs, Receivers, Coaches Struggling So Far - Friday, October 6, 2017

Tennessee’s football players are on fall break this weekend during the open date. You’ve got to wonder how many players fifth-year UT coach Butch Jones will get back after the break.

Fallout from last Saturday’s 41-0 loss to No. 5 Georgia is massive. Fans were leaving Neyland Stadium by halftime with the Vols trailing 24-0. Jones took a beating from fans on social media and sports talk radio all week.

6. Wolf, Offense Look To Prove Predictions Wrong - Friday, August 18, 2017

It’s championship or bust for Tennessee senior tight end Ethan Wolf.

Bowl victories are nice. So are nine-win seasons. But Wolf wants a lot more in his final season with the Vols.

“Our goal here at Tennessee every single year is to win a championship, and that’s going to remain the goal,” Wolf says. “Yeah, there may have been a little bit of excitement the first year, maybe the second year winning the bowl game. It’s always exciting, but that’s the bare minimum right now.”

7. 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.

8. Who Will Grab the Spotlight in Vols' Spring Game? - Friday, April 21, 2017

Tennessee completes its fifth spring practice under head coach Butch Jones on Saturday, April 22, at 4 p.m. with the DISH Orange & White Game at Neyland Stadium.

It’s merely the beginning as the Vols prepare for the 2017 season.

9. Florida Didn’t Kill UT’s Season; Vanderbilt Could - Thursday, November 24, 2016

Tennessee’s primary goal for the 2016 football season was to win the SEC East Division, and the Vols failed.

Does that mean the season was a failure?

Not yet.

Not until the No. 24-ranked Vols play Vanderbilt on Saturday night (7:30, SEC Network) in Nashville and find out their bowl destination.

10. Bad Week for Jones Means Losing On, Off the Field - Friday, November 4, 2016

If Tennessee football coach Butch Jones thought last Saturday night was bad in Columbia, South Carolina, he had no idea what was waiting when he got back to Knoxville.

Fans were still stewing over UT’s 24-21 loss to unranked South Carolina. It dropped the then-ranked No. 18 Vols (5-3, 2-3 SEC) out of the polls and probably out of contention for the East Division title and SEC Championship game.

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. For the First Time This Season, Vols Set to Play as Underdog - Friday, October 7, 2016

You almost can feel Tennessee is a football team of destiny as the most difficult games of the schedule loom Saturday at Texas A&M and Oct. 15 against Alabama at Neyland Stadium.

There aren’t many successful Hail Mary passes, but the Vols got one last Saturday and beat Georgia 34-31 in Athens. Tennessee trailed Georgia 17-0 in the first half.

13. Calming Halftime Helps Save a Season - Friday, September 30, 2016

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones went from goat to hero in a matter of hours last Saturday.

The Vols trailed Florida 21-0 in the first half – and 21-3 at halftime – and appeared headed to their 12th consecutive loss to the Gators.

14. What’s Worse Than Dating A Gator? Another Loss - Friday, September 23, 2016

If you’re a Tennessee fan hurting from the 11-game losing streak against Florida, put yourself in Corey Vereen’s shoes.

UT’s senior defensive end is from Winter Garden, Florida, and he’s 0-for-3 against his buddies back home. That’s not the worst part for Vereen.

15. Vols Offensive Line Rushing Into Much-Anticipated Season - Friday, August 19, 2016

Jalen Hurd knows right where he stands among Tennessee’s running backs of the past and wants to be No. 1 in career rushing yards at the end of the 2016 season.

The junior from Hendersonville Beech High School needs 892 yards to surpass Travis Henry as UT’s career rushing leader.

16. Butch Jones Builds for Championship Run With Staff Tweaks - Friday, January 22, 2016

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones got serious about taking the next step with his football program not long after his team’s 45-6 victory over Northwestern in the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl.

Jones fired defensive coordinator John Jancek on Jan. 6, and three days later hired his top candidate for the opening, Bob Shoop of Penn State.

17. Hughes Promoted at Harris Shelton - Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Brett Hughes has been promoted to managing member at Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC law firm. In his new role, Hughes will provide managerial support to the firm’s three offices. His primary responsibility will be to manage the firm’s administration and committees, particularly on issues that impact client service, as well as the morale, compensation, growth and development of the firm.

18. 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).

19. Dangerous Time to Play Emotionally Charged Missouri - Saturday, November 21, 2015

Tennessee’s football team may be headed into a perfect storm Saturday night at Missouri.

It’s been an emotional whirlwind the last two weeks for the Tigers (5-5, 1-5 SEC), and they will have plenty of motivation against the Vols (6-4, 3-3).

20. North Texas Could Never Upset the Vols, Right? - Saturday, November 14, 2015

No way Tennessee’s football team can lose Saturday’s homecoming game against North Texas, one of the worst teams in college football.

Right?

Tennessee (5-4) was a 40.5-point favorite early in the week coming off a 27-24 victory over South Carolina last Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. Rocky Top In Nashville: Good For City, Bad For Vols - Saturday, September 5, 2015

I can’t help but get fired up for a college football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech in front of 150,000 people at Bristol Motor Speedway.

25. Vols Nearly Set on Offense as Season Approaches - Saturday, August 22, 2015

With Tennessee’s football team three weeks into fall camp, the offensive depth charts are set at some positions, while others remain open.

UT coach Butch Jones enters the 2015 season with no questions at quarterback or running back. His has plenty of receivers and all should get their share of playing time.

26. Kelly, Berry Battle for Safety Spot in Legacy Showdown - Saturday, April 25, 2015

Todd Kelly Jr. concludes his first spring practice with Tennessee’s football team this week in a heated competition for a safety job.

27. Injuries Slow Development of Vols Defensive Players - Saturday, April 11, 2015

Tennessee football fans might want to look past the defensive lineup for the Orange & White Spring Game. It will bear little resemblance to the unit that will start the 2015 season opener against Bowling Green on Sept. 5 at Nashville’s LP Field.

28. Vols’ Dobbs Embraces the Role of ‘CEO Quarterback’ - Saturday, April 4, 2015

Joshua Dobbs enters his junior season as Tennessee’s undisputed No. 1 quarterback and team leader, the player most responsible for the Vols’ relevance again in SEC football.

29. 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.

30. Dobbs Makes Strong Case for Vols Starting QB Job - Saturday, November 1, 2014

KNOXVILLE – University of Tennessee football coach Butch Jones faces a big question this week about his starting quarterback for Saturday night’s game at South Carolina.

Will it be sophomore Josh Dobbs, whose impressive debut off the bench in last Saturday’s 34-20 loss to No. 4-ranked Alabama gave UT a dual-threat QB?

31. 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.

32. High-Flying Vols Can’t Overlook Arkansas State - Saturday, September 6, 2014

KNOXVILLE – You had to be hiding under a rock not to hear the buzz this week about the University of Tennessee’s football team.

One person not reveling in the Vols’ 38-7 season opening victory over Utah State on Sunday night was UT coach Butch Jones.