Tennessee
Cameron Sparks, A Monster in the Making
Whereas the state of Tennessee has gone by means of its dry patches on the recruiting path, it’s starting to pump out elite prospects routinely. Defensive again Cameron Sparks is a type of gamers, and the Baylor Academy product is turning into a sizzling title.
Most main applications are concerned in his recruitment, however Tennessee is the present chief. 2025 is a good distance away, and there is lots of room to go, however the Volunteers have had him on campus quite a few occasions since he started highschool.
His path to turning into an elite defensive again was completely different. Sparks did not haul in ten interceptions in a season or make flashy performs; he excelled in his position for a high highschool program.
Affected person Processor
Taking part in security is about studying what’s in entrance of you, particularly in case you cross-train. Sparks performs as a field-side security, boundary-side security, nickel nook, deep thirds security, overhang linebacker, and both security spot in Cowl 2.
That is so much to deal with for an underclassman, however Sparks understands what’s requested of him. He reads his keys nicely and transitions seamlessly between positions, permitting Baylor to run various defensive ideas.
He would not fly off the ball at the very first thing he sees. Sparks strikes patiently, taking part in his duty and never getting over-zealous. He maintains technical refinement, one other integral a part of slow-playing the preliminary actions.
Explosive Mechanics
When Sparks decides to assault, his athleticism jumps off the display. The 6-3 and 210 lbs. missile prices ahead, shortly shifting momentum from his heels by means of the entrance of his hips.
Sparks’s knees drive is elite; he repeatedly pushes his knees over his ft, consuming up the turf. He will get to his high velocity immediately, blowing by offensive gamers en path to the soccer.
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The distinctive factor about Sparks’s athleticism is his stop-and-start skill. He can break down in house in addition to he accelerates, which means he can transition between speeds and modify to the ball.
Elite Response Time
The distinction between an elite pre-snap processor and an elite post-snap processor is that in pre-snap, gamers get to the correct positioning, whereas in post-snap, they react to what’s taking place.
Sparks has each traits. He’s in the fitting spot earlier than the snap and might shortly convert what an offense is trying earlier than determining his greatest plan of action. It helps him play the run and go concurrently, a troublesome process for younger defensive backs.
One fascinating factor about his response time is how he slips blocks. Most defenders make exaggerated, exhausting strikes to get by blockers, however Sparks is aware of the way to learn physique language and sidestep his matchup.
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Tennessee
What coach Tim Corbin said about Vanderbilt baseball, Tennessee confrontation after Game 3
KNOXVILLE ― After the final out of Vanderbilt baseball’s 7-5 win against Tennessee on May 11, which clinched the rivalry series win for the first time since 2021, the teams had to be separated on the field after the benches cleared and several players appeared to exchange words.
A Vanderbilt program spokesperson said he was not aware of any ejections or suspensions stemming from the game.
“I didn’t know what happened really, until I was in the middle of it, but it was just two emotional teams that all played hard,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. “You know that boys will be boys.”
Tempers had flared all game. During the first inning, both teams were issued warnings after Vanderbilt catcher Colin Barczi took exception to Tennessee first baseman Andrew Fischer chirping at Commodores players while rounding the bases after a home run. Both Fischer and Barczi hit two home runs in the game.
“Rubber match, Game 3. Both have one win in the series. So, I mean obviously, both teams wanted it more than anything,” Barczi said.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @aria_gerson.
KNOXVILLE ― Ethan McElvain took the mound for the ninth inning against Tennessee in a move that felt like it could go either very well or very poorly.
McElvain has a 7.33 ERA this season, but the potential has always been evident with his mid-90s fastball. He gave up at least one run in his first nine outings of the season and multiple runs in seven of those, and though he was originally in the weekend rotation, Vanderbilt baseball moved him to the bullpen after five weeks.
Facing the top of the order, McElvain retired all three batters he faced, including striking out Andrew Fischer with a 97 mph fastball to close out the 10-6 win on May 10 and force a rubber match in the series.
Vanderbilt (35-16, 15-11 SEC) has dealt with inconsistent performances all season in part because of a young roster that has faced growing pains. But as the regular season comes closer to a conclusion, those same players have stepped up.
In the series opener, it was Brodie Johnston, who hit a ninth-inning home run in a 3-2 loss and made several key defensive plays. In Game 2, it was McElvain and sophomore Braden Holcomb, who had a home run and three RBIs.
“I think we’re as talented of a group as there is,” Holcomb said. “I think once, when we play with confidence, and we just go out there and let it go, I think we’re one of the best teams in the country.”
Holcomb has been rounding into form of late, with six extra-base hits in his past seven games. Most notably, he hit two home runs in a game against Alabama, including a walk-off to clinch the series for Vanderbilt. He is part of a formidable middle-of-the-order core with Johnston, Riley Nelson and Colin Barczi.
Younger pitchers have come in handy, too. Luke Guth got the Game 2 win with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts.
“I just trust him,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said of McElvain. ” . . . I think he’s really improved over the past couple ofweeks. I like where his mind is. I like where his delivery is. I like where the ball is going. I like his intent. It’s good. He wants to pitch. We’ve got to get him out there.”
Corbin says his teams typically tend to improve after exams are over before hitting a late-season peak. One game against the Vols doesn’t necessarily make that the case this time, but several players are showing positive indicators.
The win also erased some of the previous demons of Lindsey Nelson Stadium, where Vanderbilt got swept in 2023. Just two players who played in Game 2 were on the 2023 team, and only one was on the 2022 team that was swept at home by the Vols, starting what would eventually become a nine-game losing streak in the rivalry.
Now a younger group has the chance to create its own legacy in a series Tennessee has dominated of late.
“I wasn’t here (in 2023), but there’s a lot of guys on the team that were here, and I’m sure that feels really good,” Holcomb said. “Coming in this environment, getting a win, that’s going to set us up in the long run. So that’s good, and that’s important.”
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @aria_gerson.
An earthquake of 4.1 preliminary magnitude jolted parts of the southern U.S. on Saturday morning.
The quake hit about 13 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville, the U.S. Geological Survey said, around 9 a.m. local time.
Residents in Atlanta and parts of western North Carolina reported on social media feeling the tremors.
U.S. Geological Survey
The USGS initially reported the earthquake as a 3.5 magnitude quake before increasing it to 4.1.
There were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries.
Gabriela Reilly was making waffles with her husband when they felt their entire home shake in Braselton, Georgia, which is northeast of Atlanta.
“Our ceiling fan started shaking for about 10 seconds,” she said. “I thought a giant aircraft had flown low right over the neighborhood, but my husband said, ‘No, that was definitely an earthquake!’”
Earthquakes are not uncommon in the region. The Eastern Tennessee seismic zone is one of the most active in the Southeast and extends across parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
Two tremors struck in December 2018. One was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Decatur, Tennessee, which is south of Knoxville. It shook homes as far away as Atlanta.
Another earthquake struck a few days later with a magnitude of 3.0. Its epicenter was about two miles (four kilometers) southeast of Mascot, near Knoxville. It also was felt in parts of Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina.
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