Tennessee
Vol Calls: Hunter Ensley offers to run through wall for Josh Heupel, Tennessee football
Hunter Ensley, one of the heroes of Tennessee baseball’s national title run, made an intriguing offer to Vols football coach Josh Heupel.
“If you have room on special teams, I have another year of eligibility left,” Ensley joked during “Vol Calls” on Wednesday night.
“I played a little (defensive back) in high school – free safety. I think I’d be pretty good at kickoff (coverage) too.”
Ensley was in the crowd at Calhoun’s on the River for “Vol Calls” the weekly statewide coaches call-in radio show on Vol Network. He posed a fan question to Heupel. But it was more of a proposal, which Heupel jokingly pondered.
“We’ll run you down on kickoff cover,” Heupel said. “If you do a good job there, we’ll find a way to get you the pill too on offense. Alright?”
Bob Kesling, the Voice of the Vols, interjected with the perfect line about Ensley’s fitness to be a special teams player.
“He’ll crash into a wall for you,” Kesling quipped.
Of course, Ensley cemented his place in Tennessee baseball lore during the College World Series when he ran full speed into the left-center field wall to make a jaw-dropping catch in a win over North Carolina.
He left a mark on the wall and left the game with an injury. But he played through the pain the reminder of UT’s run to the national championship and scored the winning run in the 6-5 title-clinching victory.
On July 9, Ensley announced that he’s returning to Vols baseball for the 2025 season.
“I’d be good on outside contain too,” Ensley told Heupel, making his pitch to play defense for the Vols.
Ensley will stick to baseball. But he’s more qualified to play college football than just about any athlete playing another sport at UT.
Ensley was a two-time all-state football player at Huntingdon High. He led the Mustangs to a 13-1 record and an appearance in the Class A state semifinals as a senior.
And in 2019, Ensley was a finalist for the Tennessee Class A Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball awards.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.
Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:
- Davidson
- Sumner
- Maury
- Rutherford
- Williamson
- Wilson
- Coffee
- DeKalb
- Bedford
- Lawrence
- Putnam
The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.
The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.
Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.
“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.
According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.
Tennessee
Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.
ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”
In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.
The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.
ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.
This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.
Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Alex Golesh was introduced as Auburn’s head coach on Dec. 1. He served as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach from 2021-22.
Golesh announced the hiring of Jacob Bronowski as Auburn’s special teams coordinator. He served as the Vols’ special teams analyst in 2021 under head coach Josh Heupel. Bronowski was also under Heupel at UCF in 2020 as special teams quality control.
“His track record is outstanding,” Golesh said of Bronowski. “He developed multiple national award contenders, including a Lou Groza Award winner, and has led some of the top special teams units in the country.
“I saw up close when we worked together before that coach Bronowski understands that special teams can be a championship difference-maker, and he’s proven he can develop elite specialists. He brings exactly the attention to detail and relentless work ethic we need in our program.”
Auburn will play at Tennessee on Oct. 3, 2026.
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