Tennessee

Explaining Tennessee football fans to new Knoxville residents from California or anywhere else | Adams

Published

2 years ago

August 12, 2024

Explaining Tennessee football fans to new Knoxville residents from California or anywhere else | Adams

So many folks have moved to Knoxville from California that Tennessee’s fan base could be growing like a giant wave building at Huntington Beach.

Some of the new residents might retain their allegiance to previous schools. But others could become full-fledged “Volifornians.”

So, I’m here to help them with the transition.

If they’re wearing orange, they will fit in. But if they want to dive deeper into Tennessee fandom, here are a few things they should know.

A Tennessee fan gets nauseated when Charles Woodson’s name is mentioned

The former Michigan All-American cornerback who later became an NFL star beat out UT quarterback Peyton Manning for the Heisman Trophy in 1997.

UT fans blamed ESPN for going above and beyond in promoting Woodson. ESPN’s Chris Fowler responded by mentioning Tennessee fans in the same sentence with “trailer park trash.”

My take: Woodson was a terrific player and delivered significant plays in Michigan’s victory over Ohio State. But he couldn’t impact a game the way a quarterback could, which is why I didn’t include him on my Heisman ballot.

If I hadn’t voted Manning first, I would have favored Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf for the award. Never mind that he fizzled as a pro. He was so dominant in college that the Cougars were in the running for a national championship.

A Tennessee fan is familiar with General Neyland’s maxims

Although he coached his last game more than 70 years ago, the name of the stadium tells you how important he is to Tennessee football. He stressed seven basic principles that could tilt a game his team’s way.

You don’t need to memorize them. Just know they exist.

One stands out to me: “If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don’t let up … put on more steam.”

Tennessee’s 1998 team played up to that maxim in going 13-0 and winning a national championship, which explains why you still can see a 1998 license plate in Knoxville.

A Tennessee fan knows that officials favor Alabama

I can’t support that belief with any evidence other than that the SEC Office is in Birmingham and other SEC fan bases also have bought into the Alabama conspiracy.

My take: The Tide’s longstanding success has more to do with coaching than officiating. They were smart enough – or lucky enough – to hire Bear Bryant and Nick Saban.

Tennessee fans will never forgive Lane Kiffin

They fell in love with Kiffin in 2009 when he won seven games after succeeding Phillip Fulmer as coach. But the love affair was short-lived.

Kiffin left after that one season to take the head coaching job at Southern California. Fans were understandably outraged, and primed to fire up the mattresses.

Tennessee fans don’t believe Florida’s Jabar Gaffney scored in 2000

With 14 seconds to play, Jesse Palmer completed a 3-yard pass to Gaffney, who was open just inside the end zone. He caught the ball, dropped it, but held it long enough for an official to signal touchdown.

Tennessee fans disagreed.

My take: The call could have gone either way. But if the pass had been ruled incomplete, the Gators likely would have won on the next play or the one after that.

Before Gaffney’s catch/drop, Palmer had completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Reche Caldwell, but the TD was nullified by a penalty for ineligible receiver downfield.

Just another reminder that Florida coach Steve Spurrier vs. UT’s defense was usually a mismatch.

Tennessee fans get nervous when things are going well

When the Vols seemingly have been on a championship path after 1998, they repeatedly have swerved terribly off course.

In 2001, Tennessee was on its way to the SEC championship – and a shot at the national title – before fading in the second half against LSU, which had lost its starting quarterback and running back to injury.

But backup quarterback Matt Mauck rallied the Tigers for an improbable 31-20 victory.

You don’t have to back up that far to understand why Tennessee fans brace themselves when football glory seems right around the corner. In 2022, the Vols were 9-1 and still in the running for the College Football Playoff when they were overwhelmed by underdog South Carolina in an inexplicable 63-38 defeat.

My take: Tennessee fans aren’t just being superstitious or negative when they imagine a dark cloud building in a clear blue sky. Their sense of misfortune is founded in fact.

ADAMS: Tennessee football would have more national titles if NIL had come sooner

I only gave two examples, but there are plenty others – like in 2020 when the Vols opened the season with victories over South Carolina and Missouri to stretch their winning streak to eight games. They lost their next six games and finished 3-7.

Don’t ask: “Who was UT’s coach that season?”

As a new Tennessee fan, you should know the Jeremy Pruitt error is best forgotten.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

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Tennessee

2026 Tennessee football preview: Grady Dangerfield

Published

6 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Press Room

2026 Tennessee football preview: Grady Dangerfield

Redshirt freshman kicker Grady Dangerfield enters his second season at Tennessee in 2026.

The 6-foot, 215-pound kicker appeared in two games for the Vols in 2025. He recorded 257 yards and three touchbacks on four kickoff attempts against UAB and New Mexico State.

Against the Blazers on Sept. 20, 2025, Dangerfield had three kickoff attempts for 195 yards. He also totaled 62 kickoff yards on one attempt versus New Mexico State on Nov. 15, 2025.

Dangerfield committed to Tennessee in Oct. 2024 over Navy and Virginia Tech. He was a Kohl’s Kicking five-star prospect and the No. 41 ranked kicker in the nation.

Dangerfield went to the Vols from James Island Charter High School in Charleston, South Carolina.

Tennessee will kick off its 2026 football season Sept. 5 versus Furman at Neyland Stadium. The season opener is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EDT (SEC Network+).

The Vols will also host Kennesaw State, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky and LSU, while playing at Georgia Tech, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt during the 2026 campaign.

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Tennessee

Tennessee AMC theater worker, 85, receives $146K from strangers for retirement after viral video

Published

16 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee AMC theater worker, 85, receives 6K from strangers for retirement after viral video

A viral Tennessee movie theater worker, 85, was surprised with $146K as strangers rallied together to help her “enjoy retirement.”

Mary Ellen Eron was seen hauling a heavy black garbage bag and pushing a cleaning cart during her shift at the theater in Maryville, Tenn., which has since been viewed more than 13 million times.

“Let’s secretly help retire this beautiful woman. No one deserves to work at this age,” movie customer Brooklyn Green, who filmed the video, captioned the post.

Green launched a fundraiser last weekend after watching Mary, who has been a movie theater staffer for 45 years, hard at work – even though she’s a stranger.

“I knew nothing about her. I didn’t even know her name when I went to the theater,” Green told WATE reported. “I just decided that she was working so hard, and I aspired to be like her one day.

“Her physical appearance didn’t look too comfortable, especially since the way she was working so hard.”

Green set a target of $200,000 – and she raised $146,317 before pausing donations. More than 7,500 people donated to the charitable cause.

On Wednesday, Green posted the moment that she presented Eron, who helps the homeless and her local church, with the total figures from the crowdfunding page.

“Oh my goodness. That’s a lot of money,” Eron said as she realized the number on the piece of paper.

“That’s a lot of money and you deserve every bit of it,” Green said.

The clip also featured a message from Eron, who addressed the people who had contributed.

“Thank you so very much to all the wonderful people that have donated money to the GoFundMe,” she said.

“I’m overwhelmed and certainly blessed by the Lord and you wonderful people. Thank you once more.”

The theater’s manager revealed it will be Eron’s decision when she retires.

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Tennessee

Tennessee Baseball Breakout Star Announces He Won’t Enter the Transfer Portal

Published

1 day ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee Baseball Breakout Star Announces He Won’t Enter the Transfer Portal

The Tennessee Volunteers have had their fair share of bad news as of late when it comes to the college baseball transfer portal, but luckily, they have received some great news.

The great news that they have received is that they will be returning one of their breakout stars from this past college baseball season, as he has no intentions of entering the college baseball transfer portal.

Trent Grindlinger Will Return to Tennessee

Tennessee’s Trent Grindlinger (30) begins to celebrate what he thought was a home run but was eventually called foul during a college baseball game between Tennessee and LSU at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee., on April 3, 2026. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The player who is set to return to Tennessee is Trent Grindlinger, who was electric this season and is expected to be a future top 10 MLB draft pick. This is expected for the first draft that he is eligible for, which is the 2027 MLB Draft rather than this upcoming draft that will feature multiple Vols, including Tennessee ACE, Tegan Kuhns.

Grindlinger finished last season with a batting average of .345, while hitting eight home runs and only striking out 28 times. This would be an electric season for the talented Volunteers’ batter, and he is set for a season that could and should be even better than that, which would be good enough to consider for some major college baseball end-of-the-season awards. He is just one of the few players who opted to stay and return rather than enter their name into the college baseball transfer portal, but if they were going to return anyone, he is the player they would want to return in the field.

Had he entered the transfer portal, there wouldn’t be a single college in the nation that wouldn’t want to add him, as every college would want to add the elite prospect. Not only that, but he would become the nation’s No. 1 player on the portal more than likely.

Luckily for the Vols, though, they don’t have to worry about that.

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