No matter where life takes him, Joshua Dobbs will always find his way back to Knoxville.

The former University of Tennessee quarterback holds a special place in his heart for the city and the relationships he made as a Vol.

2. Pruitt Brings Fresh, Quieter Approach To Football Practice - Friday, April 13, 2018

I find the culture shift of Tennessee football under new head coach Jeremy Pruitt this spring to be refreshing.

3. Reeling Vols Are 0-5 Against Carolina’s Muschamp - Friday, October 13, 2017

Fans are fuming. Players are fighting. Butch Jones is coaching for his job.

The Tennessee football coach is in dire need of a good showing when the Vols (3-2, 0-2 SEC) play host to South Carolina (4-2, 2-2) on Saturday at Neyland Stadium (noon, ESPN).

4. 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.

5. Shaky Start Exposes Raw Nerves as Dawgs Roll In - Friday, September 29, 2017

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones had more than Georgia on his mind this week. Rumors on message boards and reports on sports talk radio flamed the fires around Jones and the Vols after last Saturday’s 17-13 victory over Massachusetts at Neyland Stadium.

6. Guarantano Must Prove His Worth on the Field - Friday, September 15, 2017

Two games into the season, Quinten Dormady has established himself as Tennessee’s quarterback.

For now.

As we have learned in four previous seasons with Butch Jones as coach, everything is subject to change. Both at UT and in previous coaching stops at Central Michigan and Cincinnati, Jones has not been afraid to change quarterbacks when the mood strikes.

7. Breather for Vols Before Traveling to Florida - Friday, September 8, 2017

Get ready for another thrill ride, Tennessee fans. Your football team is at it again, just like last year.

Tennessee needed a comeback and overtime to beat Appalachian State in its 2016 season opener. The Vols needed comebacks to beat Virginia Tech and Florida and got a Hail Mary touchdown pass as time ran out to beat Georgia.

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. Vols at Their Best When Expectations Are Low - Friday, September 1, 2017

Based on preseason predictions, the SEC East is pretty much a toss-up between Georgia and Florida.

My question: Why not Tennessee?

Granted, the Vols must identify a quarterback. And establish a featured running back. And find more than one playmaker at wide receiver. And fix a defense that was embarrassingly porous late last season.

10. Looks Like Another 8-4 Season for Tennessee - Friday, August 25, 2017

Oops. I goofed last year. So did lots of other people who thought Tennessee’s football team would win the SEC East Division and go to the league championship game for the first time since 2007.

11. 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.”

12. 2 Quarterbacks Are Seldom Better Than 1 - Friday, August 4, 2017

The old adage holds that if you have two quarterbacks you really have none. Are you listening, Butch Jones?

Jones continues to send signals that Tennessee may proceed with a plan to use both junior Quinten Dormady and redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano in the opener against Georgia Tech. If the two-quarterback system is successful, the Vols could continue to play both in subsequent games.

13. Vols Roster Gets Little Respect from SEC Media - Friday, July 21, 2017

It was no surprise last week when Tennessee’s football team was picked to finish third by the media in the East Division at 2017 SEC Media Days.

Almost every national publication is picking the Vols third in the East behind Georgia and Florida, although not necessarily in that order.

14. ‘Cheeseburger Buddies’ Make Nice for TV - Friday, July 14, 2017

Tennessee coach Butch Jones passed his first test of the 2017 football season Monday. He made it through SEC Media Days.

There were no new catch phrases, although Jones did allude to the team’s “D.A.T.” (Details, Accountability, Toughness) motto. But nothing close to “champions of life” or “five-star hearts.”

15. Not a Very Good Year for UT Athletics - Friday, June 9, 2017

It hasn’t been the greatest of years for Tennessee sports. From football to basketball to baseball, and several sports in between, the Vols – for the most part – fell short in 2016-17.

16. Wide Receiver U? That’s So 20 Years Ago - Friday, May 26, 2017

At the 2015 SEC Media Days, Tennessee coach Butch Jones referred to his school as “the original Wide Receiver U.”

The reference goes back to the days when the Vols were loaded with fast, talented pass receivers on the perimeter. In a heady stretch from 1982-91, UT had six wide receivers selected in the first round of the NFL draft – Anthony Hancock, Willie Gault, Clyde Duncan, Tim McGee, Anthony Miller and Alvin Harper.

17. Time to Turn Down the Flame on Jones’ Hot Seat - Friday, May 12, 2017

When it comes to Butch Jones and the recent NFL Draft, it’s a matter of perspective.

Remember, no Tennessee Vols were drafted in the previous two years, which is a reflection on the recruiting by Jones’ predecessor, Derek Dooley. The fact that Tennessee had six players picked this time around – all in the first four rounds – speaks volumes, to wit:

18. How Did Vols Not Win More With This Talent? - Friday, May 5, 2017

One check of the 2017 NFL Draft shows why Tennessee was the favorite to win the SEC East Division last fall.

UT had six players drafted in the first four rounds, the most for the program since 2002, breaking a two-year drought with no players. The six Vols drafted tied for the most since 2010 and 2007. Eight Vols were drafted in 2003 and 10 drafted in 2002.

19. NFL Draft’s Favorite Flavor? SEC, Heavy on Alabama - Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Penn State won the Big Ten title in 2016, but the Nittany Lions didn’t score many recruiting points during the 2017 NFL Draft. They had just one player selected. And so did other traditionally stout football schools named Texas and Nebraska.

20. 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.

21. Earnhardt Retiring; FESJC Lands Three Stars - Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Fourteen times NASCAR fans made Dale Earnhardt Jr. the sport’s most popular driver. Next season, they will have to find a new favorite. On Tuesday, April 25, Hendrick Motorsports issued a press release saying Earnhardt Jr. will retire as a driver at the end of the season. Junior, now 42, won 26 races since starting his career in 1999. Twice, he won the Daytona 500.

22. 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.

23. Vols Work to Impress NFL Scouts in Advance of Draft - Friday, April 7, 2017

Derek Barnett knows he will hear his name called in the April 27-29 NFL Draft. He’s just not sure when.

“Earliest as possible,” says the Nashville native and former Tennessee defensive end. “But it’s out of my control.”

24. Vols Need a Good Spring With So Many No. 1 Players Gone - Friday, March 17, 2017

Butch Jones is about to embark on his most crucial of five seasons as Tennessee’s football coach, and it begins with spring practices starting Tuesday, March 21.

Jones is coming off back-to-back 9-4 seasons capped by bowl wins, but has fallen short of the SEC East Division title both years. He was the preseason favorite to win the East in 2016, and the previous year had a team with potential to win the division.

25. Busiest Season for Sports Hits Big Orange Country - Friday, March 3, 2017

It’s the busiest time of the year for Tennessee athletics. There’s even some football to whet your gridiron appetite.

The Vols begin spring football practices March 21, and the DISH Orange & White Game is April 22 at Neyland Stadium. By then, much will have happened in Big Orange Nation.

26. Last Word: 'Sun Records,' Ole Miss's Lack of Control and Haslam in 2018 - Friday, February 24, 2017

I am not going to be one of those people who at this late date in the history of television dramas based on real people points out every departure from reality. The first episode of the CMT television series “Sun Records” Thursday was a scene-setter and introduction of sorts to an ensemble cast with plenty of opportunities to name that place in Memphis. That usually means a pretty complex story line to come and there are more than enough memorable characters in the story of Sun.

27. You Gotta Have Heart: UT’s 2017 Recruiting Class - Friday, February 10, 2017

Butch Jones did it again. The Tennessee football coach gave opponents press conference fodder with another one-liner while putting his spin on the Vols’ 2017 signing class.

It happened a day after the Feb. 1 National Signing Day when UT’s class was rated No. 17 nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings.

28. Scott the Recruiter Must Now Be Scott the Offensive Coordinator - Friday, February 10, 2017

When it comes to offense, Butch Jones thinks he knows what’s best for the Tennessee Vols.

And he’s willing to bet his job on it.

By elevating Larry Scott from tight ends coach/special teams coordinator to offensive coordinator, Jones is staying the course. And it’s his own course.

29. Last Word: De-Annexation Theories, Clash on School Vouchers and Garth & Trisha - Friday, February 3, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and his administration come up with some surprises in de-annexation recommendations to the city task force on the issue. The three most recently annexed areas of Memphis were considered likely to be in the recommendations. Although the indication last year was that this would take a lot of discussion before someone actually wrote that on a Power Point presentation at City Hall. Not only did Strickland do that – he also included four other areas.

30. Back-to-Back Dak? Dobbs Shines at Senior Bowl - Friday, February 3, 2017

To say Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs might be the next Dak Prescott is a stretch. Or is it? Prescott, the former Mississippi State quarterback, caught the eye of the Dallas Cowboys with his MVP performance in the 2016 Senior Bowl. The Cowboys chose Prescott in the fourth round (No. 135 overall pick) of the 2016 NFL Draft, and it proved a fruitful pick.

31. Last Word: Booksellers Options, New Parking Spaces and The Memphis Open - Friday, January 6, 2017

Somewhere in the back of our minds, I think most of us knew there were probably some circumstances under which Booksellers at Laurelwood might remain open. And as it turns out there are some terms the owner is talking about just past the post-New Year’s shock of work that the store will close in February.

32. Dobbs Had a Great Run, But Manning is Still No. 1 - Friday, January 6, 2017

Tennessee senior Joshua Dobbs has created a quarterback controversy. Dobbs finished his college career Dec. 30 when UT beat Nebraska 38-24 in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. He accounted for 409 total yards – 291 passing and 118 yards rushing – and was chosen the game’s MVP.

33. What Lies Ahead for UT Athletics in 2017 - Friday, December 30, 2016

Hey Vols fans, Happy New Year. May your 2017 year in Tennessee sports be better than your 2016 year in Tennessee sports. Perhaps, a fresh start is what we all need. Let’s face it. The Music City Bowl wasn’t where Tennessee wanted the 2016 football season to end. The Vols were picked to win the SEC East Division in preseason and floundered to an 8-4 record in the regular season, 4-4 in the SEC. Their football season was about the norm for most UT sports in 2016: average. Here are some dates to mark in hope of better things ahead in 2017...

34. Last Word: Pro-Memphis On Different Terms, Trump's Pledge and Phil Gagliano - Friday, December 23, 2016

Be honest. How many of you are even at work Friday? And if you are, how many of you know there are cookies or egg nog in the break room? "He sees you when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awake."

35. The Alamo? No, Vols Rally Around Loss to Vandy - Friday, December 23, 2016

Tennessee’s football team can’t afford to get too merry when it goes into Christmas break this weekend. Not with the way it finished the 2016 regular season, and not with a chance for some redemption.

36. Dobbs’ Change of Heart a Great Gift to Vol Fans - Friday, December 23, 2016

In the spirit of the holiday season, Joshua Dobbs is the gift that keeps on giving. Despite all the disappointments of 2016 for Tennessee football, it would be a mistake not to appreciate Dobbs for what he is: a scholar, an athlete, a leader, a role model and a winner.

37. Long Offseason Ahead for Jones - Friday, December 16, 2016

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones has plenty of winning to do next year. For starters, UT (8-4, 4-4 SEC) needs to win the Dec. 30 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville against Nebraska (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten).

38. For Better or Worse, Dobbs Defines Jones Era - Friday, November 18, 2016

Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs will be one of 11 senior scholarship players honored at Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. home finale against Missouri at Neyland Stadium.

39. 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.

40. Brick by Brick, UT’s Season Falling From Rocky Top - Wednesday, November 2, 2016

When Butch Jones arrived at Tennessee, he adopted a “brick-by-brick” mantra for describing the building of the Vols program. And the bricks did appear to be getting stacked higher: five wins in 2013, seven wins the next year, and nine last season.

41. 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.

42. 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.

43. 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?’”

44. 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.

45. Tennessee Vols Doing What the Rest Of the Country Can’t: Come Back Big - Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Suppose Tennessee’s 5-0 start to the college football season (2-0 in SEC play) included only last Saturday’s impossible comeback victory over Georgia on the Joshua Dobbs Hail Mary pass on the game’s last play? That would be incredible enough, wouldn’t it?

46. 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.

47. High-Scoring Ohio Good Warmup for Florida Game - Friday, September 16, 2016

Tennessee football returns to normalcy this week, if you call a noon EDT kickoff normal.

The Vols survived a Thursday night scare in the season opener against Appalachian State in Neyland Stadium. Then they roared from behind last Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway and beat Virginia Tech 45-24 in the Pilot Flying J. Battle at Bristol before a college football record crowd of 156,990.

48. ‘Breathtaking’ Transformation in Bristol - Friday, September 9, 2016

This isn’t just any football game. It’s the Battle at Bristol.

When Tennessee plays Virginia Tech on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, about 150,000 fans are expected to be in attendance, making it the largest crowd ever to watch a football game.

49. Vols Can’t Afford Another Iffy Effort at the Speedway - Friday, September 9, 2016

Imagine if Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd hadn’t recovered the fumble by UT quarterback Joshua Dobbs in the end zone for a touchdown in overtime last Thursday night.

50. Once QB Country, SEC Now Has Only A Few Proven Players at the Position - Friday, August 26, 2016

At SEC Media Days this summer in Hoover, Ala., the 14 head coaches brought along more starting offensive linemen (5) than starting quarterbacks (3). Such is the state of the most high profile position in the Southeastern Conference at the beginning of the 2016 college football season.

51. 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.

52. Dobbs’ Health is Priority No. 1 on Road to Being No. 1 - Saturday, July 23, 2016

Tennessee’s football team had nine players earn All-SEC preseason honors and got the nod as favorite to win the East Division as SEC Media Days concluded last week in Hoover, Alabama.

All signs point to the Vols making a return to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta for the first time since 2007, with their two biggest games are at Neyland Stadium this year against Florida on Sept. 24 and Alabama on Oct. 15.

53. Too Big To Ignore: The SEC and Its Ever-Growing Football Media Days - Saturday, July 16, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – The SEC football preseason always has been loud. More than 30 years ago, the noise came via the Skywriters Tour and the rattle and roar of a DC-3 propeller plane carrying rumpled, hardworking – and often hard-drinking – sports writers to the 10 Southeastern Conference campuses for essentially unfettered access to the league’s coaches and players.

54. Does Tennessee Have its Swagger Back? Vols Say it Never Left - Thursday, July 14, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – This spring, senior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin walked into the office of Tennessee head coach Butch Jones and asked permission to show the team a video he put together.

Jones didn’t even ask to preview the video, just gave Reeves-Maybin the go-ahead to run his 25-point presentation. Reeves-Maybin easily could have made this a highlight reel of himself. After all, he led the team with 105 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, plus had six sacks and forced and recovered two fumbles.

55. Confident Serrano Playing for Future at UT - Saturday, February 6, 2016

Tennessee baseball coach Dave Serrano wasn’t setting the bar too high when he met with the media for his 2016 preseason press conference.

Serrano made that mistake before the 2015 season with talk of reaching an NCAA regional and perhaps Omaha, Nebraska, site of the College World Series.

56. 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).

57. Can Vanderbilt Pull Off One More SEC Win Against Vols? - Saturday, November 28, 2015

Tennessee football fans already are talking about their bowl destinations for the Christmas holidays.

Will it be the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, the Music City Bowl in Nashville or the Outback Bowl in Tampa?

58. 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).

59. 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.

60. 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.

61. College Football Notebook: As Usual, LSU And Alabama Control SEC West - Tuesday, November 3, 2015

So here we are back at a familiar place: LSU vs. Alabama in a game that goes a long way toward determining the SEC West champion. And by extension, in all probability, the SEC champion. (Sorry Florida, but in this corner, we’re not true believers yet.)

62. 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.

63. 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.

64. College Football Notebook: For Once, Vols on Right Side of Comeback - Tuesday, October 13, 2015

After three times blowing double-digit leads this season, the University of Tennessee Volunteers rallied from a 21-point deficit to upset Georgia 38-31 on Saturday, Oct. 9.

It was a history-making day for quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who threw for 312 yards and rushed for 118 yards, marking the second time in Tennessee history a player had more than 300 yards passing and more than 100 yards rushing. (Dobbs did it for the first time in program history against South Carolina in 2014.) Dobbs also accounted for five touchdowns: three passing and two rushing.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. 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.

69. Alabama Still Team to Beat, Tennessee On the Rise in 2015 Football Season - Friday, August 14, 2015

Dak Prescott, the best returning quarterback in the Southeastern Conference, isn’t buying the national narrative that the league is “down” because the first College Football Playoff title game featured Ohio State beating Oregon.

70. Stepping Up - Thursday, August 13, 2015

Last season, Tennessee went into November with a 3-5 record and without a win in the Southeastern Conference. The Butch Jones rebuilding program was still taking baby steps.

But when an injury to senior Justin Worley opened the door for Joshua Dobbs to become the starting quarterback, baby steps became long strides for positive yards and more wins than losses.

71. Preseason Analysis: Vols Will Defeat Oklahoma, Finish 8-4 - Saturday, August 8, 2015

Tennessee’s football team has something to prove as it concludes the first week of preseason practices and moves forward to the 2015 season.

The Vols must prove they belong in the national picture in Butch Jones’ third year as coach.

72. Changing Hometown, Careers Pays Off for Hyams - Saturday, May 9, 2015

Jimmy Hyams moved to Knoxville from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the summer of 1985 looking for a fresh start to his journalism career and found a job as a sportswriter for the Knoxville News Sentinel.

73. 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.

74. 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.

75. Jones, Vols Make Honor Roll With Recruiting Class - Saturday, February 14, 2015

KNOXVILLE – Butch Jones has done it again.

Tennessee’s football coach has created a national buzz with his 2015 recruiting class.

UT finished with the No. 4 class in the nation as rated by 247Sports and ended up ranked No. 5 by Rivals when the Feb. 4 national signing day was over.

76. Vols’ Jones Continues to Impress With Recruiting Skills - Saturday, February 7, 2015

KNOXVILLE – National signing day is in the books, and Tennessee football coach Butch Jones and his staff can relax and savor another top-tier recruiting class.

Oops. Wait a minute. No time off for Jones and his assistants when it comes to recruiting. They’re already busy putting together the 2016 class, and looking at recruits for future classes.

77. Murfreesboro, Nashville Players Get Jump on UT Careers - Saturday, January 24, 2015

KNOXVILLE – Jack Jones didn’t want to waste any time getting started with his football career at the University of Tennessee, so he graduated in December from Murfreesboro Oakland High School.

78. Vol Players See TaxSlayer Win as a Big Step for Program - Saturday, December 27, 2014

KNOXVILLE – Christmas break has come and gone for the University of Tennessee’s football team. Now it’s back to business.

The Vols return to campus for practice Saturday and, after a Sunday practice, fly to Jacksonville for the Jan. 2 game against Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl, formerly the Gator Bowl.

79. SEC Title Game One Chapter in Great Season - Tuesday, December 2, 2014

In this, the last of the season’s weekly college football notebooks, we take a quick spin around the SEC now that the regular season is finished.

SEC championship game: Sure, a lot of people picked Alabama to be in next Saturday’s game at the Georgia Dome. But be honest now, did you have their lone loss coming at Ole Miss? No, didn’t think so.

80. Dobbs the Latest in Line of Dual-Threat UT Quarterbacks - Saturday, November 29, 2014

If the University of Tennessee’s football team gains bowl eligibility with a victory Saturday at Vanderbilt, it can look back to a quarterback change Oct. 25 against Alabama as a pivotal point in the season.

81. Just When We Started to Feel Good About UT Football - Saturday, November 22, 2014

KNOXVILLE – All seemed so right for the University of Tennessee’s football team for 36 hours or so after last Saturday’s 50-16 victory over Kentucky at Neyland Stadium.

UT (5-5, 2-4 SEC) won its second straight conference game and moved within one victory of gaining bowl eligibility for the first time since 2010.

82. SEC West Race Opens Up to Possibilities - Tuesday, November 18, 2014

“One of the greatest drives in Alabama history, probably.”

Those were coach Nick Saban’s words after quarterback Blake Sims led the Crimson Tide on a 15-play, 76-yard put-away drive against Mississippi State. Before the drive, the lead was 19-13 Alabama. After it, 25-13. Though the Bulldogs would score a touchdown near game’s end and try an onside kick – Alabama won 25-20 – it was that drive that could be the defining memory when the College Football Playoff Selection Committee actually selects and seeds the final four.

83. Vols Unlikely to Repeat November 2013 Collapse - Saturday, November 15, 2014

KNOXVILLE – University of Tennessee football coach Butch Jones doesn’t have to remind his team about the disappointing fade last November.

UT went 0-3 to start what has historically been its best month of football. First, the Vols lost to Missouri and Auburn. Then a 14-10 loss to Vanderbilt in Neyland Stadium knocked the Vols out of bowl eligibility.

84. 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.

85. Tigers One Win From Bowl Eligibility - Tuesday, November 4, 2014

It has been six years since the University of Memphis football team played in a bowl. But it’s now just about impossible to imagine that streak extending to seven seasons.

The Tigers beat Tulsa 40-20 on Halloween night at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for their fifth win. Get to six, and they’re bowl eligible.

86. South Dominates First Playoff Rankings - Thursday, October 30, 2014

The first College Football Playoff Rankings were released this week and if the playoff started today Mississippi State and Ole Miss would hold seeds one and four respectively, with Florida State No. 2 and Auburn No. 3.

87. Vols Resurrect Fond Memories of ‘Wide Receiver U’ - Saturday, August 16, 2014

None of the receivers on the University of Tennessee football team were born when the program was dubbed “Wide Receiver U” in the 1980s.

Guys like Tim McGee, Anthony Miller, Alvin Harper and Carl Pickens paved the way for UT to become the premier destination for wide receivers seeking stardom into the 1990s.

88. Volunteers Keep Goal Simple: Respectability - Friday, August 16, 2013

College football coaches aren’t ever going to admit to looking down the schedule and circling the games that will define a season.

So first-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones isn’t going to tell you that home games against Austin Peay, Western Kentucky and South Alabama are in the bag, but they better be.