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Why Cannon Peebles changed his walk-up song before two-homer game for Tennessee baseball

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Why Cannon Peebles changed his walk-up song before two-homer game for Tennessee baseball


Cannon Peebles has made some adjustments in the batter’s box lately.

The Tennessee baseball catcher also made one before he is in the box. He flipped his walk-up song to “My Girl,” the 1965 classic by The Temptations.

“It is a song that kind of keeps me loose,” Peebles said. “Going up to the plate smiling, having fun. I think it fits my vibe. If you know me, it fits my vibe.”

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The vibes were good in the Vols’ series opener vs. Kentucky on April 18.

Peebles homered twice and had three hits in Tennessee’s 8-2 win against Kentucky at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The switch-hitter homered from both sides of the plate while delivering his first two-homer game at Tennessee.

The junior had been using “I Got 5 on It” by Luniz throughout the season, a nod to wearing the No. 5.

Peebles is hitting .219 with seven homers and 23 RBIs this season.

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He was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer in Tennessee’s 10-8 win at Ole Miss on Sunday. He went 3-for-4 with two homers and a single against the Wildcats. He hit a three-run homer from the right side in the sixth inning then homered from the left side in the eighth inning.

He had one three-hit game last season, his first with the Vols after transferring from NC State.

“I think that he’s matured a lot and I think he’s kind of starting to find his ideal personality,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said. “I think he’s finding his way and (Tanner Franklin) and him, those guys are juniors that’ll play pro ball and stuff like that, but they are still young. So you want to have high standards, but you also want to leave room for guys to kind of navigate their way through the waters and find the best version of themselves.”

Peebles also hit a crucial homer in Tennessee’s series at South Carolina, coming off the bench to hit the eventual game-winning homers in a 7-5 win.

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The Virginia native was an All-ACC freshman selection at North Carolina State in 2023. The switch-hitting catcher hit .352 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs in 39 games. He had .697 slugging percentage and a .456 on-base percentage. 

He transferred to Tennessee but had an up-and-down season first season. He hit .216 with two homers and 24 RBIs, but became a valuable pinch hitter. He battled for an eight-pitch walk as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of Tennessee’s comeback win against Florida State in the College World Series. His walk extended the inning, which led to four Vols runs and a win that catapulted UT to its first national title.

Peebles is giving Tennessee even more now with vibes as good as sunshine on a cloudy day.

“The bat is heating up now in the perfect time and he is playing great defense behind the plate,” pitcher Liam Doyle said.

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Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.





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Titans May Have Gotten Win in Bye Week

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Titans May Have Gotten Win in Bye Week


The Tennessee Titans are sitting at home for their Week 10 bye, but they may have seen their outlook improve for the future.

The Titans came into the week in a tie for the No. 1 overall pick’s top odds with the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, but results for the early slate of games in Week 10 have pushed Tennessee in sole possession of the chances for the top selection.

The Saints came in as underdogs on the road against the Carolina Panthers, who were coming off a massive win against the Green Bay Packers on the road.

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Despite the Panthers’ momentum, the Saints were able to grab their second win of the season thanks to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. The second-round pick out of Louisville completed 19 of 27 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

The Jets started the season 0-8, but they have now rattled off back-to-back victories against the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

Despite trading several of their top players at the trade deadline earlier this week, the Jets are in the win column again thanks to a pair of special teams touchdowns to beat the Browns.

The Titans could snag the No. 1 overall pick for the second year in a row. If the Titans were to lose their final eight games, they will be on the clock at the start of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Things have been rough for the Titans in their rebuild this season. This year’s top pick Cam Ward has demonstrated signs of being a franchise quarterback, but he has also been put in a tough position with the lack of talent around him.

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The Titans need a lot of help in the development department, so having the top selection will be crucial. There’s a good chance the Titans won’t be looking for a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick, so they could use the top selection to trade back in the draft for even more picks, generating them into players who could work down the line.

At the end of the day, the Titans still need to draft the right players, regardless of whether they have No. 1, No. 2 or No. 32, but having the top selection open things up for the team.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!





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How J.P. Estrella ‘changes everything’ for Tennessee basketball’s offense

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How J.P. Estrella ‘changes everything’ for Tennessee basketball’s offense


J.P. Estrella backpedalled down the court.

The Tennessee basketball forward had already nodded his head and flexed after dunking for second-chance points. He threw in a clap for good measure, the smallest of his celebrations after a flurry of eyebrow-raising scoring plays against Northern Kentucky. 

“It changes everything and he can do more,” Vols coach Rick Barnes said. “I promise you he can do more of that.”

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Estrella gave the latest glimmer of his vast offensive talent for No. 17 Tennessee (2-0) in its 95-56 win against Northern Kentucky (1-0) on Nov. 8 at Food City Center. He scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds, leading to Barnes’ glowing review after he poured in points in 20 minutes.

The 6-foot-11 Estrella had a 12-point, five-rebound debut against Mercer on Nov. 3, which was a good start in his first game back following foot surgery in November 2024.

His game against Northern Kentucky was a declaration of the offensive talent the Vols have always known he possessed. 

“It really helps because nobody can really stop him down there in the paint,” Vols guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie said. “If he is using his size and playing how he has been playing, we should be really good.”

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Estrella is Tennessee’s best post-up threat and around-the-rim scorer, which is what he was expected to be.

Felix Okpara and Cade Phillips both can score, but not like Estrella. He’s a player the Vols can play through and toss the ball into with his back to the basket whenever they desire. He also can step out and shoot 3-pointers.

It’s that skill that made him a four-star recruit and a player the Vols — as well as the likes of Duke and Kansas — coveted. He flashed it as a freshman in 2023-24, but missed all but three games in the 2024-25 season due to a foot injury. 

The sophomore from Maine is finally healthy and is a perfect fit for a team that will lean heavily on Gillespie and Nate Ament to be the leading scorers. He looks like the top candidate to be the third-leading scorer.

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But there is no question he changes the offense as defenses have to watch him closely.

“They’ve got to respect him,” Ament said. “They have to help on his post-ups. The better he is playing offensively, the better we will be playing as a team.”

Estrella proved that against Northern Kentucky with every touch. 

He scored through contact. He made multiple short lefty hook shots. He got second-chance points. He tipped in his own miss. He facilitated his teammates scoring. He placed himself well to get the ball and score.

After it all, Barnes still thinks Estrella has no clue how good he can be yet. But he thinks he will find out — and Tennessee will be at its best if he does.

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“There is so much more there,” Barnes said. “I think he will get there.”

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.





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Medical expert speaks on measles impact in Middle Tennessee

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Medical expert speaks on measles impact in Middle Tennessee


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