Tennessee
The Weekender: Tennessee Football Sticks with Regular Spring Game Format, Miami Hires Duke Assistant Jai Lucas and George Mason Baseball Has a 23-Run Inning
Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what’s next.
Tennessee Football Sticks with Regular Spring Game Format
In an era of college football where many teams are taking a different approach to spring ball, especially the spring game, it seems as though Tennessee isn’t following that same mindset as Vols head coach Josh Heupel announced on Friday that Tennesee will hold its spring game in the usual scrimmage format.
“It’s important in particular for our young players to get a taste of what it’s going to be like in the fall to play in front of a crowd, big stadium,” Heupel said. “We open up on the road this year. You don’t want that to be the first time they’ve played in front of a bunch of people.
“So that experience, it can create urgency, understanding what it’s going to feel like as they finish up spring ball and go into summer. At the end of the day, we have to accelerate their growth curve. A spring game in those settings is part of accelerating their growth.”
Whether it’s due to a longer season, the transfer portal or something else, many of the top programs across the country, including Ohio State, are changing the format of the spring game – and spring practice as a whole.
That said, it will be interesting to see what other changes are made in terms of spring ball in this new era of college football with the expanded CFP moving forward.
Miami Hurricanes Hire Duke Assistant Jai Lucas
With Duke favored to win the NCAA Tournament, it will have to do so without one of its assistant coaches, as Jai Lucas was named the head coach of the University of Miami men’s basketball team on Thursday.
While the hiring isn’t a surprise, the timing certainly is. Lucas leaves the Blue Devils less than a week before the ACC Tournament and in the middle of what could be a national championship run. Most hirings used to happen during the offseason but in the new age of college sports with the transfer portal and NIL, that will no longer be the case, at least in basketball.
If Duke were to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, its season would go until early April. With the transfer portal set to open March 24, Lucas would miss the first two weeks of the portal if he were to stay at Duke. Hence, he has decided to leave the Blue Devils after Duke beat North Carolina Saturday night for his first job as a head coach so that he will be with Miami when the portal opens.
“Timing, look, it’s not ideal. But there’s no other option,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said last Thursday. “This is the only thing that could have happened. Jai will coach our last regular-season game. And then he’ll have to move on to focus on his new job. And for us, we’re going to focus on the job that we have here, which is making a special run. Jai wanted to stay. This wasn’t a decision that Jai made. This is me and him working together.”
The 36-year-old is the son of former Maryland All-American John Lucas Jr., who was the No. 1 pick in the 1976 NBA draft. Lucas replaces Jim Larranaga after the 75-year-old stepped down in December in the middle of his 14th season with the Hurricanes.
George Mason Baseball Scores 23 Runs in an Inning
With the game tied, 0-0, George Mason rattled off a 23-run second inning against Holy Cross last Tuesday, breaking a Division I record that had stood for 42 years.
After the first batter of the inning grounded out, the floodgates opened for George Mason in a 23-run inning that had plenty of excitement:
- 11 hits (seven singles, four doubles)
- Eight walks
- Five batters were hit by pitch
- 19 consecutive hitters reached base either with a hit, walk, hit by pitch or fielder’s choice
- Five pitchers
The previous NCAA Division I record for most runs in an inning was 21, done by Valparaiso in 2010, Wichita State in 1984 and Penn in 1983.
It’s been a college baseball season full of plenty of runs so far, as Rhode Island and William and Mary combined for 58 runs (36-22) on Feb. 16, Oregon scored 35 runs in a game on March 1 and now this.
ICYMI
“Long Way to Go”: Ryan Day Wants Lincoln Kienholz, Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair to Show Toughness, Leadership During Ohio State’s Quarterback Battle
Ryan Day says there’s a “long way to go” in Ohio State’s quarterback battle but wants to see Lincoln Kienholz, Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair show toughness and leadership this spring.
New Ohio State Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia Wants to Put Players in Position to “Play Fast and Play Aggressive”
Matt Patricia’s defense will utilize a variety of packages, but his goal is to keep things simple for Ohio State’s defenders so that they can play fast and aggressively.
“It’s Your Job to Bring Value”: Will Howard Says Billy Fessler Taught Him “More Than A Lot Of Guys Could Have” Last Year and Keenan Bailey Praises Fessler’s Football Mind
Will Howard says Billy Fessler taught him “more than a lot of guys could have” last season and Keenan Bailey said Fessler is “one of the smartest football minds” he’s been around.
What’s Next
- 34 Days: Ohio State Football Spring Showcase
- 174 Days: Ohio State Football season opener vs. Texas
- 237 Days: Jim Knowles returns to Columbus
- 265 Days: The Game
Tennessee goes wild for In-N-Out’s burgers east of the Mississippi
Animal‑style arrives in Tennessee, In‑N‑Out’s first locations east of the Mississippi River.
In-N-Out Burger will soon be opening its fifth Tennessee store.
The beloved burger chain lists six locations as “opening soon” on the Grand Openings page of its website, including a restaurant in Madison. The Madison location will open at 1900 Gallatin Pike North, about 13 miles northeast of Nashville.
The store also plans to open stores in Arizona, Utah, Idaho and two in California, USA TODAY reported.
Find your next meal on DoorDash
In-N-Out, which announced plans for a major expansion and a new headquarters in Tennessee in 2023, opened its first Tennessee restaurants in December 2025.
The chain, known for animal-style fries and double-double burgers, opened locations in Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, Murfreesboro and Lebanon in early December. It then opened a fourth Tennessee restaurant in Franklin just a few months later.
Here’s what else to know about the West Coast-based company’s expansion into the Volunteer State.
Why is In-N-Out expanding to Tennessee?
In-N-Out is moving to Tennessee to establish a $125 million corporate hub in Franklin, on the Berry Farms site near Interstate 65. It’s estimated that In-N-Out’s expansion into Tennessee will create 275 jobs and a $125 million investment in the state.
Lynsi Snyder confirms relocation to Tennessee
In 2025, billionaire heiress Lynsi Snyder announced she would relocate her family to the Volunteer State as the company expands eastward.
In a podcast appearance with conservative host Allie Beth Stuckey, Snyder cited frustrations with California’s high costs and regulatory burdens on businesses and families.
“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,” Snyder said. “The bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office out there, growing out there.”
After facing criticism for her comments, Snyder clarified that moving to Tennessee offers In-N-Out associates “wonderful opportunities” to buy homes, raise families, and participate in the company’s growth in a new region.
In a video posted to social media, she called the move “a very healthy plan for our growth,” highlighting opportunities for employees in Tennessee and potentially neighboring states.
How many In-N-Out stores are coming to Tennessee?
During a Nashville Business Journal event in 2025, Snyder said that the company is eyeing 35 locations across Tennessee in the coming years.
How many stores does In-N-Out currently operate in Tennessee?
As of July 2026, In-N-Out operates the following stores in Tennessee:
- Antioch: 4242 Century Farms Terrace
- Franklin: 1951 Double Double Drive
- Lebanon: 915 South Hartmann Drive
- Murfreesboro: 2508 Medical Center Parkway
- Madison: 1900 Gallatin Pike North (Opening soon)
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.
Tennessee
A Tennessee woman was heard screaming, ‘he’s got a gun.’ Now her husband is pleading guilty to her murder.
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (WSMV) – A 72-year-old man in Pickett County entered a guilty plea to the second-degree murder of his wife Theresa Marie Foutch.
Johnny Ray Foutch was sentenced to 20 years in custody of the Department of Corrections at 100% day for day, said District Attorney Bryant C. Dunaway.
Theresa’s adult sons were consulted about the plea and were supportive of the sentence.
Dunaway said that the incident in question took place on July 13, 2025, at their home in Byrdstown. The Pickett County Sheriff’s Office paid a visit to their home after Johnny’s daughter requested that officers check on the married couple.
When Chief Deputy Steve Wilbur arrived at the home and approached the front of the house, he says he overheard a man and a woman arguing inside.
He said he then heard the female voice yell, “He’s got a gun.” That’s when he says he heard a gunshot.
The deputy took cover outside the home. Moments later, Johnny walked out the front door holding a Sig Sauer handgun.
Wilbur secured Johnny and went into the home, where he found Theresa lying face down in the living room. She appeared to have been shot in the back.
Officers searched the home and said they found a shell casing on the floor of the dining room, just 10 to 15 feet away from Theresa’s body.
Dunaway said that a forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy determined that Theresa’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to her back. The manner of her death, the pathologist said, was homicide.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The State of Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday is set to begin at the end of July in 2026.
The holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 31 and runs through Sunday, August 2 at 11:59 p.m.
Certain goods may be purchased tax-free during this weekend event.
“Certain restrictions apply. Items sold online are also eligible. Items must be purchased for personal use, not for business or trade,” the Tennessee Department of Revenue said.
Previously, the state has listed the following items that are and are not tax-free:
Clothing
- Tax-Free: General apparel that costs less than $100 per item. Things like shirts, pants, socks, shoes and dresses.
- Not Tax-Free: Items over $100, jewelry, handbags and sports equipment
School Supplies
- Tax-Free: School supplies that are less than $100 per item. Think backpacks, pencils, notebooks and art supplies.
- Not Tax-Free: School supplies more than $100 each.
Computers
- Tax-Free: Computers less than $1,500. Laptops and tablets as well.
- Not Tax-Free: Storage media like flash drives, printer supplies or household appliances.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
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