Tennessee
Titans Welcome Five Coaches Through Bill Walsh Fellowship
In a display of their commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Tennessee Titans have handpicked five coaches to join the team for Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and training camp.
These coaches were selected through a rigorous process that considered their qualifications, experience, and potential contributions to the team.
They are part of the prestigious NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program, a platform that champions diversity in the sports industry.
The Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program, a cornerstone of the NFL’s commitment to diversity, utilizes NFL clubs’ training camps, off-season workout programs, and minicamps. It offers talented coaches a unique opportunity to observe, participate, and gain invaluable experience, with the ultimate goal of securing a full-time NFL coaching position.
This year’s fellowship began during mandatory minicamp on Monday, June 5, and will continue into the first few weeks of training camp.
“It’s a fantastic program,” Titans first-year coach Brian Callahan said. “I’ve come across multiple guys over my time in the league that have, in a sense, graduated from that program where they’ve made impressions, they’ve made relationships and it’s given them opportunities to get jobs in the NFL, which is ultimately what it’s for is exposing guys to the NFL, to the way of our coaching processing, and then a chance to get to meet people.”
The Titans currently have four full-time coaches who started their NFL careers as Bill Walsh Fellows on staff. These coaches, Kylan Butler, Lori Locust, Clinton McMillan, and Tracy Rocker, are shining examples of the program’s success. Kylan Butler began as a fellow in 2021 before being hired full-time in 2022.
“It’s a networking and relationship business, too. And so, let those guys meet people,” Callahan said. “Obviously, Clinton McMillan was a guy that was in the Bill Walsh fellowship program and ended up getting hired from it. So, they’re great opportunities. They’re competitive jobs to get now. These internships, we’ll have hundreds of applicants trying to get a chance to come in here.”
Lori Locust also went through the program, participating in training camp with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. Clinton McMillan started as a Bill Walsh Fellow, serving as a defensive assistant for the Titans in 2021. Tracy Rocker gained his first NFL coaching experience as a Bill Walsh Fellow in 2001 with the Indianapolis Colts and again with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006.
“And so, they’re very competitive, and the guys that we bring in, we feel like can one, help us for the part time they’re here and two, that they’ve got futures as really bright coaches in the NFL,” Callahan said. “So, it’s great to have those guys.”
Below is a list of the Titans’ 2024 Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellows:
Trevor Browder – Wide Receivers
Perry Carter – Defensive Backs
Earvin McKenzie – Strength & Conditioning
Seth Payne – Defensive Line
Juan Rodriguez – Offensive Line
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Storms are expected to roll through Middle Tennessee Monday morning into the afternoon.
A few storms could turn strong to severe with damaging wind as the main threat. The tornado risk remains very low.
Severe weather threats for Monday, June 1, 2026. (WZTV)
Some storms will bring heavy rain that could cause localized flooding. A second wave of storms is possible later in the day with similar threats.
A large portion of Middle Tennessee was upgraded to a slight risk, Level 2/5, for severe weather. The severe threat ends shortly before sunset Monday.
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The middle of the week looks much nicer with temperatures in the low 80s and lower humidity.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Tennessee softball’s opponent for the Women’s College World Series semifinals is set.
The No. 7 seed Lady Volunteers (49-10) will face No. 2 Texas (49-12) at Devon Park on June 1 (noon ET, ESPN). Tennessee and Texas played each other in their WCWS opener on May 28. Tennessee won 6-3.
In the previous matchup, Tennessee used both of its top two pitchers, Karlyn Pickens (15-7, 1.58 ERA) and Sage Mardjetko (16-2, 1.06 ERA). Mardjetko started and allowed just one hit in the first four innings. Pickens finished the game, allowing four hits and three runs but still recording the save.
“Knowing we’ve got to make quicker adjustments, we’ve seen them already,” Texas infielder Katie Stewart said of potentially facing Pickens and Mardjetko again. “Still knowing they’re a really good pitching staff and they’re going to bring it. Just being ready for that. I think just going back, watching film, looking at how we got out and building off that.”
Stewart, the SEC Player of the Year and Texas’ leader in batting average, home runs and RBIs, went 0-for-3 in that first game.
Texas coach Mike White is hopeful that the Longhorns’ familiarity with Pickens and Mardjetko from just a few days prior will help them “pick up where they left off.”
All three of Texas’ runs came in the later part of the game, with the Longhorns scoring off a throwing error and a two-run homer hit by Leighann Goode.
However, he also noted that Tennessee has another talented pitcher in Erin Nuwer (15-1, 0.99 ERA), whom the Longhorns could face for the first time.
“Well, it won’t help us if they throw Nuwer at us,” White said. “They have another one that’s out there that’s pretty good. We’re not forgetting her as well.”
Nuwer hasn’t pitched since Game 2 of the super regionals against Georgia, when she allowed two hits, two hit-by-pitches but no runs in 1⅓ innings. Nuwer’s last start was a complete game against Northern Kentucky in regionals on May 15.
“They have the luxury of us having to beat them twice,” White said. “These pitchers are so good now, they’re able to study what we did, what they did. It becomes that cat-and-mouse game of strategy. That’s what we love about the game, is all the strategy, kind of pitching nuances of the game. It’s going to be a fun matchup.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
Tennessee
Nashville’s Eastpoint Neighborhood groundbreaking marks largest affordable housing project in Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville’s newest neighborhood is starting to take shape. The Fallon Company broke ground on the Eastpoint Neighborhood, which developers say is the largest affordable housing project and investment in Tennessee right now.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell says the mixed-use development is designed to benefit all families, accommodating incomes from $20,000 to $80,000 a year. In addition to housing, the development will include upgraded parks and green space, on-site childcare, and retail space.
“This is gonna be how we build Nashville’s next great neighborhood,” O’Connell said.
“We’ll have upgraded parks and green space, it will literally have on-site childcare here,” O’Connell said. “Basically all the ingredients that happen in a great neighborhood are going to be here.”
The development comes as many Nashville families struggle to make ends meet.
“They’re working jobs that are $10, $12 an hour jobs and they cannot afford basic living expenses,” Tony Turntine said.
Turntine and his family are success stories of UpRise Nashville’s free career training program. Through that experience, he has seen firsthand how getting to a better life requires studying, working, mentorship — and help with housing.
“The affordable housing that gives them an opportunity to come out of some of the really lower income neighborhoods they’ve been in and have better, quieter, more wholesome places to live,” Turntine said.
“If people can afford a better opportunity, we see everyone blossom from it. It’s a great day,” Al Brady with UpRise said.
Turntine says the tough choices Nashville families face are real.
“Whether I’m gonna pay the car out or whether I’m gonna get food for the kids,” Turntine said.
Now living and thriving in a new opportunity, Turntine has made it his mission to help others get there too.
“We’re living in a better neighborhood now — we actually just moved last weekend to a house twice the house of what we were in before,” Turntine said. “When you make different choices in life, that gives you different opportunities.”
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
101st Airborne veterans get Purple Hearts years after an insider attack
As we honor those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice, it is also heartening to see the military right a wrong. Chris Davis brings us the moving story of a Purple Heart ceremony two decades in the making. It’s worth a watch.
A heartfelt thanks to all who bravely serve.
– Carrie Sharp
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