To better take advantage of the new landscape in college athletics, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is resurrecting its football program. The “Docs” will feature M4 athletes who average 27 years of age. The next revolution in college athletics is here! #EverywhereUT #April1
CHARLIE'S HUSTLE⚾️🍊
It was the moment I knew this Tennessee Baseball program was different.
It happened in November in Chattanooga.
The Vols were playing game three of their best-of-3 Fall World Series at AT&T Park. The roster was evenly split into two teams - Orange and White.
The third out of an inning had just been recorded.
The door to the bullpen in left field swung open. A catcher in full gear sprinted across the outfield grass, through the infield and took his position behind home plate.
It was Charlie Taylor.
I appreciated the hustle and assumed he was entering the game since both teams carried two catchers.
He wasn’t.
Charlie had noticed from the bullpen that the other catcher on his team, Cal Stark, was on the bases when the inning ended. Instead of letting his pitcher stand out there a few extra seconds longer, waiting for Cal to gear up, Charlie sprinted in to catch the warmup pitches.
Then he sprinted all the way across the field and back to the bullpen in left field.
For the third time in four years, the Vols are headed to Omaha for the College World Series. They’ve won 55 games. They lead the nation with 173 home runs. They’re the SEC regular season and tournament champions. They’re ranked no. 1 in the nation and are the no. 1 overall seed in the tournament as they seek the first national championship in school history.
The roster is loaded with guys who will have their names called in this July’s Major League Baseball Draft. There are currently six Vols listed in the top 100 prospects.
There are many obvious reasons why the Vols win.
What I saw last November in Chattanooga isn’t in any box score or game summary but is reflective of a program, coaching staff, team chemistry and love for one other that is uncommonly great.
GB🍊‼️
Tony Vitello just gave one of the fiercest postgame press conference openings I’ve ever seen.
He was clearly upset with a question from yesterday asking if they lost tonight, would this season be seen as a success.
There was A LOT more involved with this.