Alabama

Inside AJ Russell’s return to Tennessee baseball against North Alabama

Published

10 months ago

February 25, 2025

Press Room

Inside AJ Russell’s return to Tennessee baseball against North Alabama

Cannon Peebles wanted to clap for AJ Russell but he couldn’t.

The Tennessee baseball catcher did the best he could, pounding his right hand into his glove three times.

Russell stood 100 feet away on the right-field warning track, firing the ball toward Peebles as he was introduced at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as the Vols starting pitcher against North Alabama.

“I have been looking forward to this for a long time with sitting out a lot last year and watching the first few games of this year,” Russell said. “I just kind of went out there and had fun.”

Russell made his much-anticipated return Tuesday, eight months after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was electric, striking out the three batters he faced looking in an inning of work in No. 1 Tennessee’s 7-5 win at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

AJ Russell struck out the side in his return for Tennessee vs North Alabama

Vols coach Tony Vitello made the offer Tuesday morning.

Would Russell, who starred at Franklin High located south of Nashville, rather pitch against North Alabama or face Tennessee’s hitters Wednesday? It wasn’t a real question to Russell. He wanted to throw in a game.

“I got the text in class and I was kind of fidgeting the rest of the day,” Russell said.

Russell was announced as the starter at 3:10 p.m. ET. At 3:58, he emerged from the Tennessee dugout to warm up. At 4:32, he threw a 94 mph fastball for a ball on his first pitch since May 26 in the SEC Tournament.

“I just let it rip,” Russell said.

Vitello told him he had five batters. He only faced three.

Russell touched 96 mph twice, including to strike out North Alabama leadoff hitter Jonathan Lane in an eight-pitch at-bat.

He sprinkled in 86 mph breaking balls, but leaned on his deceptive fastball that has him projected to be an early pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He struck out Alex Wilson with a 95 mph fastball, then did the same for a four-pitch strikeout of Matthew Delgado.

The junior threw 11 of 17 pitches for strikes, looking like he did as a star reliever two years ago and as the expected ace last season.

“I was just glad he didn’t try to do too much,” Vitello said. “It almost looked like he was being more methodical than I have ever seen him.”

How AJ Russell returned eight months after Tommy John surgery

Vitello’s favorite moment from Russell’s return wasn’t a pitch. It was a hug between Russell and longtime Vols trainer Jeff Wood.

The pitcher and trainer have spent a lot of time together in the past year. Russell started strong as Tennessee’s Friday night starter last season. But soreness showed up early in the season. He sat out, then came back and sat out again. He came back one more time before he was shut down in May and destined for surgery in June.

“I learned how much this game means to me and how much I love pitching,” Russell said of the past year.

Russell worked extensively with pitching coach Frank Anderson and director of pitching performance Josh Reynolds during his rehab, which Vitello said he attacked like a “psycho.”

He got past the worry and fear the first time he threw the ball when it felt like it used to. He has thrown bullpens and to live hitters in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, Russell saw the ball start moving the way he wanted it to.

“He basically got the point where we couldn’t slow him down,” Vitello said.

The Vols will continue to work Russell back into the fold carefully. His next outing likely will be one inning as he works toward throwing multiple innings. Vitello knows Russell ultimately wants to start, which the Vols envisioned as a possibly at the midpoint of SEC play.

“His work and his character will lead him into forcing our hand a little quicker than we want,” Vitello said. “But we’re also going to be pretty dang patient.”

The Vols burst out of the dugout at the end of Russell’s inning Tuesday. He offered a shrug as he walked toward the gap to enter the dugout.

Russell was back.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

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Alabama

Alabama offensive lineman transferring to Georgia Tech

Published

3 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Georgia Tech

Joseph Ionata, who spent two years with the Tide, will be joining former teammate Jaylen Mbakwe.

Georgia Tech fans celebrate during the second half against Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2025)

A second former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide is transferring to Georgia Tech.

Offensive lineman Joseph Ionata intends to play for the Yellow Jackets, according to On3. Ionata spent two years with the Tide and would be joining former Alabama defensive back and wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.

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Chad Bishop is a Georgia Tech sports reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Alabama

Alabama Farmers Federation endorses Kristin Nelson for House District 38

Published

15 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Alabama Farmers Federation endorses Kristin Nelson for House District 38

The Alabama Farmers Federation has endorsed Kristin Nelson in the upcoming special election for Alabama House District 38, a seat left vacant following the resignation of Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley). The district includes portions of Chambers and Lee counties.

Nelson recently secured the Republican nomination after winning a runoff election. The special general election is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.

“Kristin Nelson is a well-respected community leader in Chambers County, and we are proud to endorse her,” said Jason McKay, president of the Chambers County Farmers Federation. “We know she will represent us well in Montgomery and ensure District 38 gets the attention it needs in the business and agricultural arenas.”

Support for Nelson’s candidacy also came from farmers in neighboring Lee County. “Kristin Nelson is a strong conservative with incredible knowledge of House District 38,” said Robert Walters, president of the Lee County Farmers Federation. “There is no doubt she will work hard and represent the people of Lee and Chambers counties well in the Legislature.”

Nelson grew up along the Chambers-Lee county line and brings experience from both the public and private sectors. Her background includes seven years in city administration with the City of Valley and three years as a third-grade teacher with Lanett City Schools.

She has also been active in homeschooling through Classical Conversations, where she has served as both a tutor and a local representative supporting other families.

In addition to returning to part-time work with Harris Gray LLC, Nelson serves as worship leader at Fairfax Methodist Church, secretary of the Junior Variety Club and president of the EAMC Lanier Auxiliary Board.

She also founded the Chambers County Young Republicans and currently serves as the chair of the Chambers County Republican Party.

“The farmers of this district and I share the same strong work ethic and conservative values,” said Nelson. “It is an honor to have their support and to be able to represent them and all the people of this district in Montgomery.”

Nelson and her husband, Jeff, live in the Huguley community with their two teenage sons.

The Alabama Farmers Federation is the state’s largest farm organization, representing more than 360,000 member families. The organization uses a grassroots endorsement process that relies on decisions made by county Farmers Federation boards of directors in local elections.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].

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Alabama

Tuberville officially files for 2026 Alabama governor’s race

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Tuberville officially files for 2026 Alabama governor’s race

HOOVER, Ala. (WSFA) – Senator Tommy Tuberville officially filed the paperwork to run for governor at the Alabama Republican Party Headquarters in Hoover Monday morning.

“I want to make the lives of the people of this state better,” said Sen. Tuberville. “If I thought that staying in the U.S. Senate would be best for Alabama, I would’ve stayed. but I think the best thing for Alabama is for me to come back.”

He talked about the need to grow Alabama’s economy, with attracting manufacturers being a primary focus. Sen. Tuberville said that to do that, he would focus on improving the state’s infrastructure and making the state’s education and workforce systems more attractive to new residents.

When asked about cutting waste, fraud and abuse, a focus of his time in Washington, D.C., alongside President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Sen. Tuberville said, he expects to make changes if elected governor.

“You have a lot of different agencies here, we want to make them all better,” he said. “We also want to make sure that we save the taxpayers’ money, that we use it wisely and we give it back to them.”

The former Auburn football coach said he did not expect to go into politics, but now, he is ready to transition from national to state politics.

“It’s time to come home, put together a staff and worry about the state of Alabama and the people here,” he said.

According to Alabama’s constitution, someone running for governor has to have lived in the state for at least seven years. Some have questioned whether Sen. Tuberville fits that requirement. He said during the candidacy filing that the Republican Party of Alabama says he does fulfill the requirement.

The filing deadline for candidates to qualify for a major political party is Jan. 23.

Alabama’s Democratic primary has the following candidates: