The Mike Keith Show (Apr. 2, 2026)

Another week, another edition of the show. This week featuring Tennessee Football transfer safeties Dejuan Lane and TJ Metcalf, baseball's Tyler Myatt, and insight into Tennessee's pro day from a longtime NFL pro, Jon Robinson.

Transcript

SPEAKER_14 0:00

From the banks of the Mississippi to the peaks of the smokies, this is the home field of champions.

SPEAKER_15 0:21

Landing on the neck and hands on this fight, history, scores for tennis things.

SPEAKER_14 0:26

More than 75 years of broadcast excellence. We are the Fall Network. We're big orange fans. Get ready for game day. Your guide, the voice of the fall. Mike Keith. Delivered by Uber Eats.

SPEAKER_11 0:48

So glad to have you with us for the Mike Keats Show presented by Uber Eats, or as we say, delivered by Uber Eats. On game day, you don't want to miss a single play. Uber Eats brings your favorite food right to your door. Wings, pizza, burgers, whatever you're craving, just to tap away. Download the Uber Eats app and use the code GOBIGORANGE to get$15 off all orders. Uber Eats, official on-demand delivery partner of the balls. Let's eat. Dr. Brock is here. Andy Brock. Welcome.

SPEAKER_08 1:20

It's good to be here. Have you been doing baseball? Well, I am on the Sunday, Easter Sunday game with uh LSU in town. First two are on network, and then Sunday. We've got it. Who's your partner on Sunday? It is Redmond Walsh, former Crazy C closer.

SPEAKER_11 1:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_08 1:35

He's doing a great job this year. And what time is the Sunday game for those who don't know? It is at one o'clock Eastern. That is first pitch on Sunday.

SPEAKER_11 1:44

One o'clock Eastern. Sarah Detweiler is the host of the Everything Orange podcast, and she is with us here on the Mike Keith Show. Hello and welcome.

SPEAKER_21 1:51

Hey Mike.

SPEAKER_11 1:52

How are you?

SPEAKER_21 1:53

Doing great.

SPEAKER_11 1:54

This segment of the program is brought to you by Clayton Homes, Oakwood Homes, and Love Homes of Tennessee, helping families across the state find their dream homes. It's hard to believe basketball's open. That was uh that was very sudden, how it just ended, which was um difficult because I mean nobody likes to lose, and that was a very disappointing loss with how Michigan sort of took it to Tennessee. Tough way to go out. But I'll tell you the thing that really stands out to me in having the chance to be around the team and the fact that they allow us into meetings on the road, Chris Lofton and and me as well. Um, they allow us to sit in on film. The hard work that goes into beating Miami of Ohio is followed up by harder work going into beating Virginia, and then even harder to go beat Iowa State and come up a plot with a plan um that would stop Milan Momchilovich, the great three-point shooter, and then you get out of the United Center after midnight central time on Friday. You get back to the hotel 1.30 ish, eat a little something, go to bed about 2.30, and then you're right back up to start on Michigan. And all of Saturday is Michigan, and you get up Sunday morning, and Sunday morning is Michigan, and then you're playing at 1.15 Central, and then the game's over, and you just stop. Andy, that's um that's the difficult things about losing in any playoff situation is the fact that everything just stops so suddenly. And with basketball, I would contend it's even tougher than football because you're playing multiple times per week.

SPEAKER_08 3:51

And there's no bigger sprint than the March Madness tournament. Tennessee opened the tournament Friday and then they were out the following Sunday, but yet you feel like that they were in the tournament for a long time because they were. They were one of the eight teams in the Elite A, but it just it's so hard when you're scouting different teams, you don't know who you're going to play. It is a and you can speak now from your experience, your first time, Mike, just how draining it is. Every day is packed full. You are sprinting to try to get to the end, and only one team gets to be truly happy at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_11 4:23

Yeah. That's true. Here, here's one for you, Sarah. So Tennessee's in the Elite Eight. I think they were ranked, what, 23rd at the start of the tournament? In the polls? Yep. 23rd. So here's the question that I have for you, Sarah. Where will Tennessee be ranked when the final polls come out after the national championship game?

SPEAKER_21 4:43

Oh, that's hard.

SPEAKER_11 4:44

I mean, is it like football that it kind of ends with the top 12 or the 12 teams that were basically in the playoff or somewhere around in there? I mean, do they end up eight?

SPEAKER_21 4:56

I don't think that they'll end up eight. I think top 15 feels right to me.

SPEAKER_08 5:02

Yeah. I I feel like like logically you could just take the top eight teams and throw them up at the top eight, but it's still a vote, I guess, at the end of the day. So not everyone's going to abide by that technical logic. So I'd say about 14, 15.

SPEAKER_11 5:15

I'd say that's right. They're already working on the new team. That's what's crazy is how fast how fast the spread is there and seeing who will be back, trying to figure out who wants what in terms of dollars, um, who will choose to walk away, who will choose to stay. Maybe everybody will choose to stay. Maybe they'll work it out. How many they will bring in. Um obviously gonna bring in three freshmen at this point. Do they sign somebody else? They did last year. They went and got Troy Henderson in the late period. Um surgeries for some, rehab for some. Um it's it's funny. Very few teams returned players last year that Tennessee played. As I studied them, it was incredible how many teams didn't return a starter. I wonder now, as we move forward, are teams gonna try to return more people?

SPEAKER_08 6:16

I think with the age of NIL teams have to decide are they buyers or are they builders? I think you can be both, and I think teams at the caliber of Tennessee will be both. But you think of how Rick Barnes has been able to build and develop, and I think you're gonna see that with the freshman classes they built over this year. They're only gonna get better if if they choose to stay with Tennessee another year. So I think Tennessee is is the perfect example of being able to mix both. You're gonna see them go after some pieces that they need to fill based off losses that they're gonna need to uh help get them back to the stage next year. But I think build is is what Tennessee's identity really is.

SPEAKER_21 6:53

Yeah, and and I think with Coach Barnes too, he he mentioned it time and time again this season. He never expected to have two, three freshmen playing on the floor at once. And he did that pretty much throughout the regular season. And so when there are so many questions for these younger guys of if I should come back, if it's a right decision for me, you look at all the opportunities that Coach Barnes was able to give them, that it probably gives you a little bit of hope that with the minutes that they saw this year, they're going to want to build off of that and come back next year.

SPEAKER_11 7:23

I think the three of us are gonna have the same Quen for the win, highlighting a great moment of performance in Tennessee Athletics this week, brought to you by Quent Appliance, your home to the best selection of GE appliances. Visit their showroom in Alcoa or at quintappliance.com. GE appliances built for America. So I'm gonna let Sarah Detweiler throw it out. And I bet Andy and I are going to agree.

SPEAKER_21 7:46

This week's cling for the win is Jordan Thomas being announced a 2026 Torchbearer recipient, which is the highest honor any student at the University of Tennessee can receive. He's one of nine this year. The last two from the football program were Joshua Dobbs and Trey Smith. So he's in really good company, and he exemplifies everything that it is to be a leader on and off the field. So uh a huge congratulations to him, and he is absolutely so deserving.

SPEAKER_11 8:13

You look at what Jordan Thomas went through, has the knee injury, it turns out to be much more serious as some of them do, unfortunately. Sometimes his football career is over. He not only chooses to come back and be a part of the football program as I guess he was called a student coach, getting young coaches ready to go into different levels of coaching, whether that be high school or college or the NFL. Who knows? He does so well in the classroom, and that's a big deal. To be a torch bearer at the University of Tennessee, regardless of if you're an athlete or not, well known or not, doesn't make any difference. It is an honor for a lifetime. It is something that you put on a resume and somebody's gonna go, wow. Especially somebody who's familiar with what that terminology means at the University of Tennessee. Now, is he on the Everything Orange podcast tomorrow? Do I have that right?

SPEAKER_21 9:08

Correct. Yes, he's on the Everything Orange podcast. So we deep dive into what this moment meant to him, we go through his journey and what his hopes are for the future as he navigates this new um path that he's going down.

SPEAKER_11 9:21

Andy, I have a question. Let's hear it. How did Sarah get Jordan Thomas on her show and he didn't come on this show instead? What is she what has she got? What kind of pull?

SPEAKER_08 9:35

She's got the scoop on this one. She does. Beat you to it.

SPEAKER_11 9:38

I don't know. Sarah. Did we get played dirty on this one?

SPEAKER_21 9:42

No, absolutely not. No. He was a ball leader. It was one of the first trips I went on. So I have known about him for a couple of years now, known his story.

SPEAKER_08 9:51

So you have a connection.

SPEAKER_21 9:51

So there's a little bit of a connection there, yeah.

SPEAKER_11 9:53

Still one year in, Mike. I'm still the newbie. Still the newbie. Well, I have a couple of other safeties on the show today, which is great. Dejahn Lane from Penn State, the transfer, and TJ Metcalf, uh, the transfer from Michigan. Both of their appearances are presented by Val Valeen. Good folks there. Love a quick oil change. Goes fast. And we love the fact that they're helping us uh secure those top guests. Because I don't have the friend card to play like Sarah Detweiler does. Soon you're building up your resume. Building your resume and your remote. Do I need to be more friendly? More accessible? Is it is it me?

SPEAKER_24 10:32

No.

unknown 10:33

Sonic.

SPEAKER_24 10:33

Surely not.

SPEAKER_11 10:34

Yeah, yeah. She says that through laughter. The show's only your name. Yeah.

SPEAKER_21 10:38

Right.

SPEAKER_11 10:39

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SPEAKER_19 11:54

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SPEAKER_01 13:44

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SPEAKER_11 14:37

This segment of the Mike Keith Show is brought to you by UT Medical, official health care provider of the Vols and Lady Vols. Tennessee safety déjon lane is presented on the show by Valvaleen Instant Oil Change. Welcome. So glad you're here. Thanks for having me. I'm so glad to be here. All right, so let's back up for a second. Okay. You played high school football very successfully in the state of Maryland. Yes, sir. All these Maryland dudes on Tennessee's roster. What's up with Maryland guys playing for Tennessee? What's is there a connection?

SPEAKER_06 15:13

So I think the whole, you know, DMV has a nice pipeline for all sports, not only football, but you know, football is one of them. So I'm sure a lot of uh colleges across the country are trying to go go grab those guys. So it just so happened that a few of those are here.

SPEAKER_11 15:28

All the ball in the DMV, which is DC, Virginia, and Maryland, all sports are really competitive. The competition is heavy duty. Who were some of the best players you played against in high school? Anyone really jump out to you that's going on to become a star?

SPEAKER_06 15:45

Well, I can't give you a couple names because I have to give you all of them, but you know, there was definitely a uh a good amount of guys at each position that, you know, were very talented at football. And um, you'll probably see him here at the next level. I played in the MIAA conference. Um there was a good amount of guys there, and then there's a a few guys that played at WCAC, uh, the good councils, the maths, and teams like that. So we had a good amount of leagues and a good amount of guys that came from those schools.

SPEAKER_11 16:17

Was football your only sport?

SPEAKER_06 16:18

No. So in high school I ran track, I played basketball, and I also played football. But, you know, I just happened to fall in love with football a little bit more than the other sports. Did you know you would be a safety when you got to college? I did. I think I would say probably my freshman year of high school. I was on a JV team at the time, and I was originally playing corner, but uh one game against Pacordia Prep, I had got changed to safety, and that's probably like the most fun I've ever had in my life. And that's when I I really truly believe I fell in love with the sport of football, and I I decided to ride it out from there.

SPEAKER_11 16:54

You got a baptism under fire at Penn State, you had to play as a freshman, and maybe you were physically ready, but not totally mentally ready. How does that experience sort of craft what you are as you come to Tennessee now?

SPEAKER_06 17:10

Yeah, so if you're not making mistakes, you're not learning. So I was kind of glad that, you know, I had to touch the oven and get my hand burned a couple times because, you know, you learn from it. And that's that's what I'm bringing here, you know, my learning ability. And the thing is to all you have to do is be a player on the rise and not make the same mistakes twice. That's how you grow as a player, that's how you grow as a person. So, you know, that's that's basically been my mindset throughout all these years.

SPEAKER_11 17:35

Where do you think you improved the most from your freshman year to sophomore year at Penn State?

SPEAKER_06 17:40

I would just say knowing what I can get from different formations, uh learning how to read, run, play, play action, uh, and yeah, just mental. I wouldn't say I improved incredibly physically, because I think that was already there, but just knowing the game and knowing what can happen, I think I improved on that. How were you used in the secondary at Penn State? Yeah, see, um, Jim knows drew up a lot of, and before Jim knows I had Tom Allen as my uh decorinator, um, but easy decorinator. We had to do, we got to do a bunch of things. We got to blitz, we got to cover, we got to do, we got to uh fit the run. So, you know, pretty much all those things that you'll be able to do at the safety position. What do you think you do best at the safety position? What do you take the most pride in? I really like our hot zone coverages, um, being able to be backed up because you know at safety, most of the time, uh you're the only one back there. But sometimes when you get a drop down in the coverage, you're a little bit protected over top. You're allowed to, you know, really let your instincts take over and be a little bit more risky because you know you have that protection behind you.

SPEAKER_11 18:45

Anthony Poindexter was your coach at Penn State. He comes to Tennessee, Jim Knowles comes to Tennessee. When you knew you were gonna leave Penn State, was there much doubt that Dejahn Lane would come to Tennessee?

SPEAKER_06 18:58

No, it all happened so fast that, you know, I don't know where my head was, but I do know that they definitely made the the transport portal process a lot easier for me. You know, I love the system, you know, I love my coaches. So, you know, they definitely made it a lot easier to make a transition during the transport portal process and even now during you know spring ball. What do you like so much about Jim Knowles' overall scheme defensively? He just allows us to do everything, like from the the uh D-line positions, from the lineback positions, corner, safety, whatever you play, you'll be able to do everything. As I stated earlier, you're allowed to blitz, you're allowed to fit the run, you'll be in the post, you'll be in the half, you'll be doing a whole bunch of things to you know really showcase your abilities. And that's what I appreciate about the defense.

SPEAKER_11 19:46

Are you able to help your teammates in the Tennessee secondary learn Jim Knowles defense?

SPEAKER_06 19:53

So this is year two in the system for me. So, you know, I've been in it before, so I have a little bit more experience than others, so I'm definitely able to, you know, help direct others, you know, if they're lost, they're able to, you know, come and question me in the meetings on the field, and I'm always able to give them a little bit more game because I do have that, you know, year two experience. So you've been at the University of Tennessee for roughly two months, yeah.

SPEAKER_11 20:19

What's it been like?

SPEAKER_06 20:20

You know, it's awesome. Um, it's a nice city. Um, there's great food options, yes, it's very nice people, nice weather, and yeah, I'm loving it so far.

SPEAKER_11 20:31

Now you have a brother that plays in the NFL. Yes, sir. Rayon. Is he still with Jacksonville?

SPEAKER_06 20:36

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_11 20:36

All right, so what is he as a pro guy able to impart to you from a football standpoint and from a mental standpoint of preparing yourself to play?

SPEAKER_06 20:48

One thing about it is, you know, always have confidence in yourself. Um, coming up uh really throughout all his career, especially high school, you know, he was really, you know, swept under the rug, maybe because of his size. Um, you know, he got to college, he wasn't really looked at as much until he made people look at him as much. Um, you know, he dominated on defense, he dominated on special teams, and he just always just kept digging his way to the top, no matter how much dirt they put on top of him. So, you know, I would never say I can't do anything, you know, because you know, not only him, but my whole family has taught me that whatever I put my mind to, I can do. So that's definitely a bit of game that, you know, he's given me as I, you know, continue on my journey.

SPEAKER_11 21:31

You took pride in your special teams play as in state. Do you expect to be heavily involved on special teams at Tennessee?

SPEAKER_06 21:38

You know, yes, sir. I would love to, you know, be a guy on special teams because, you know, like I said just now, you know, my brother, he didn't make his name on special teams, but you know, that's another thing that he excelled at. And, you know, right now he's he's he's making a living on special teams and also defense. So, you know, I take special teams very seriously. I hope to be a big part of this project team here.

SPEAKER_11 22:03

Dejaan Lang, thank you so much. Thanks for having me. His appearance is brought to you by Valvaleen Instant Oil Change. Switch to the winning oil change team by joining Valvaline Instant Oil Change. Visit vioc.com slash switch by April 30th for your oil change offer. Got more of the show right after this.

SPEAKER_25 22:30

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SPEAKER_14 24:49

Mike Keith continues, delivered by Uber Eat.

SPEAKER_11 24:55

This segment of the Mike Keith Show is presented by First Horizon Bank, official Bank of the Balls. This is John Robinson. He is senior personnel executive with the Miami Dolphins. John's been part of the NFL since 2002, has seen a lot of pro days, including the one that happened here a couple days ago in Knoxville. John, thanks for taking the time. Absolutely, Mike, great to be here. Questions about pro days. Who runs a pro day on a campus of a university?

SPEAKER_09 25:33

Well, it's really up to the campus and the and the individual school. A lot of times there's a scout or you know a team of scouts that kind of take charge, they set up the flow of the events. Some schools it'll be more the strength coach. You know, the strength coach and the head coach are always involved in in kind of the layout of the day. Uh, but typically the strength coach will kind of turn it over to the scouts because they know what we're looking for and they know the flow of events. And you kind of want to get it done in a timely fashion. You don't want to be here all day. So there's usually a group of scouts that work an area and they've done a million of these things. So they've got a flow of how they go, and the strength coach turns it over to them. So it's a collaborative process. It's a very collaborative process. Um, you know, we guys that went to the combine, there's certain things that you still want to see them do. Guys that weren't invited to the combine, they've kind of go kind of go through the full gamut of testing, if you will. Um, so different athletes are going to be asked to do different things.

SPEAKER_11 26:28

So is there a standard number of things that you always want to see at a pro day, or does it very much vary from school to school, prospects to prospects?

SPEAKER_09 26:39

I think it varies from prospects to prospects and position to position, really. You know, if you're going to look at, you know, let's just say there's a defensive lineman or a group of defensive linemen that maybe aren't necessarily pass rushing defensive linemen, but they're really more run-stuffing defensive linemen, and the set of drills that you're going to put them through are going to be more run-specific, maybe than pass rushing, right? Because you're trying to hire them to do a specific job, play nose tackle. Um, typically that guy's not going to be involved in the pass rush. So you want to see kind of how he moves in run-oriented drills or a slot receiver. You're not going to ask him to run a lot of outside receiver routes. So you kind of tailor the workout to the um specifics of the position.

SPEAKER_11 27:23

The three-cone drill. We hear a lot about the three-cone drill. Somebody had a great time in the three-cone drill, somebody didn't have a great time. What is the three-cone drill and why is it important to an NFL scout?

SPEAKER_09 27:37

Well, a lot of guys aren't running it very much anymore, you know, but it it's really a it's a change of direction drill, and you get to see a lot of things, you know, accomplished. You get to see their ability to start, come out of a stance, accelerate five yards, touch a line, turn around, come back, touch the same line that they started from, and then accelerate and change direction and kind of run like an L or they make a 90-degree turn and they go to another cone that's five yards away, and they have to do a figure eight around that cone and finish back through the line. So you're getting to see a lot of different athletic movements from acceleration to their ability to bend, their ability to dip and turn, and then sprint through the line. How much of it is just their ability to remember all that? You would be surprised at the number of players that it looks like they've ran it for the first time, uh, even though they've probably practiced it, you know, 300 times. But there's there's there's techniques involved. A lot of guys are coached up on how to do it. And you know, a lot of it depends upon footing and and their ability to bend and their foot placement because you'll get a lot of guys that slip, you know, because they don't have really good body control. You gotta know when to accelerate and when to decelerate to get your body to change direction to come back around.

SPEAKER_11 28:49

Does a best three-cone drill of all time from a player jump out to you in your 20 plus years of doing this?

SPEAKER_09 28:57

Uh not that I can remember. Like all of that stuff goes into the, you know, the metrics and all the analytical data with when you're trying to gauge athleticism. Um, but I don't think that you know, you've got a player, let's just say, graded in the fourth round, and then all of a sudden he runs a really good three cone, and you're gonna say, All right, we're gonna take him in the second round right now because he's got a great three cone. It really doesn't happen.

SPEAKER_11 29:20

But do you remember a player who just did it exceptionally well that everybody went, whoa, how about that?

SPEAKER_09 29:25

I think, you know, back to my days in New England, you know, Danny Woodhead and and Wes Walker and all those guys, those kind of slot shifty receivers, they were pretty good. I mean, let's be honest, they got a low center of gravity, they're not real tall. So their ability to change direction, and if you think about how they played stylistically once they got in the league, they were shorter, quicker. They may not have had great long speed, but that drill is really measuring short area, quickness, which those guys were, you know, really exceptional at.

SPEAKER_11 29:55

You said the three-cone drill is not as big as it once was. What are the most important drills that you want to see in a pro day at a college or university?

SPEAKER_09 30:05

Yeah, I think really it's it's it's really more the the drills. You know, you're you you scouted these players, you've watched them play, you know, in the fall. The guys that have gone to the combine and and ran, maybe they ran a slower time than you anticipated, they get another chance to run it pro day. Does it confirm the play speed you saw on film? Um, but it's really, you know, the drills. Like, does the receiver, does he run through and make the catch? What is he catching with his hands? Is he catching with his body? How does he track the ball? For an offensive lineman, what is his hand placement, what's his technique like uh when he's doing drills, all the position specific stuff. I pay more attention to them actually doing football stuff as opposed to some of the testing stuff that we do.

SPEAKER_11 30:47

Talk to me about the 40 for a second. If a guy runs a much better 40, a much better 40 on his campus than he did in Indianapolis at the Combine, how do you weigh the two?

SPEAKER_09 30:59

I was always uh an advocate for taking the best 40. Like I don't think you average the two times. I mean, he ran what he ran. Um, you know, maybe he had a bad day at Indy, maybe he had a really good day at Indy and he had a bad day at pro day. Uh, there's a lot of factors that go into the performance of the guys. Um, so if a guy runs, you know, faster on one of those two you know attempts, take the fastest one.

SPEAKER_11 31:23

If a guy has a bad pro day or a bad combine, maybe he had stage fright, so to speak. How much do you weigh that in your evaluation of his mental makeup as a potential NFL player?

SPEAKER_09 31:36

Yeah, it's part of the process. You know, you kind of want to know like what, you know, how much stock did he put into it? Did he take it seriously? You know, it's really a job interview. You know, it's uh this is uh this is an interview of their athletic performance, of their ability to go out and perform, you know, whatever position they play. Uh so I think that weighs into you know your decision making as you're as you're looking at prospects. But I don't think you necessarily, you know, downgrade a guy a lot because he didn't really have a a good workout. You know, at the end of the day, you know, you're you're drafting and you're hiring offensive linemen to get on people and block them and move them. On defense, you're getting, you know, you're hiring a corner to to not let his guy catch the ball. So I I think at the end of the day, uh the the film and and their game tape is what matters the most. Um, but it's really just another piece of the puzzle.

SPEAKER_11 32:28

Interviews. A lot of interviews are done in Indianapolis. Sometimes there are follow-ups or even first interviews on campus. Are you looking for something different in an interview on campus than you would have in one of the 15-minute interviews or 12-minute interviews in Indianapolis?

SPEAKER_09 32:43

Yeah, I think you're really kind of getting trying to get to know the prospect a little bit more. You know, you only got so, you know, so much time in in Indy to visit with those guys. A lot of times they won't open up. You know, they've been coached to try to get through the 15 minutes and then go to their next one. Um, here on campus, they're they're a little more comfortable, right? It's where they've played for, you know, three or four years, or in today's NIO world, maybe six months, you never know. But you're trying to get them in a comfortable setting, seeing kind of what makes them tick, get to a little know a little bit more about them, their background. And then, you know, you really get to dive in into the film. And like you're pulling up the film, is like, well, what is this defense called, or what is this offensive formation called? What's this play called? If you're quarterback, what are you looking at? What are you reading here? If it's a receiver, what coverage are you seeing as you come out of your, you know, your stance? All of those things. You just got more time to delve into, you know, the makeup, the mental, the character of the player. Has the evaluation process changed since NIL became a factor? Um, I don't know that the evaluation has changed, but you know, obviously that was, you know, when I first started, that was always one of the questions like, well, how is this player gonna be able to handle you know the financial components that comes with playing football professionally now? How's he gonna be able to handle the money? Is he gonna because we all have stuff that we deal with in in life, and usually, you know, with more money becomes more people that want to church, hey, can you do this? Or you know, you want to go on this business deal. So I think in NIL has actually helped, you know, the standpoint of, you know, these guys now, they're they're coming into the NFL. Some of them they're not financially set, but they're way better off than they were in high school. So that's one piece of the puzzle that they've kind of already at least shown you what they're gonna be able to handle. At the end of the day, the guys that are mature enough and they have a support system around them that can help them navigate, you know, the financial things that come up. I I think it's actually benefited the league because it's one less thing that you really have to worry about a player when he comes into the league.

SPEAKER_11 34:48

No matter what role you have been in in NFL personnel, you have always met a guy who loves to get on campus. You you love to dig in just like a pro day. It's a it's a big thing for you. Why has that been important for you in your career to not only be there for pro days, but spend time watching tape on campuses, going to practices, going to games, so on and so forth.

SPEAKER_09 35:11

Yeah, I just think you're just trying to get as much information about the player as you can. You're hiring them to do a job. And unlike the, you know, the college game now, where they can transfer, you know, after a year and they got you've got the player for three, four, you know, if it ends up being a good player, hopefully 10 years. So you want to really know that player. You want to get around the staff and not necessarily see, you know, how does he interact with, you know, the head coach or the AD or the GM, but how does that player treat the fourth guy in the equipment room? How does he handle you know the seventh trainer that takes care of him in the training room? Because I'm a big believer in like you should treat people the way that you want to be treated. And like when you can kind of get to know those things about players, about how they're treating people that may or may not affect their, you know, their careers, I think that says a lot about a player and what you're gonna be buying when you draft a player.

SPEAKER_11 36:09

Not only about character, but also about awareness, how they're being perceived, which shows that the athlete has a bit of a worldview.

SPEAKER_09 36:17

Correct. And like you you'd never know. You know, I've got two daughters, one's in college and one's in high school. And I've told both of them, like, you can go and get your degree, and you know, whether it says University of Tennessee at Knoxville, yes, that can open doors for you, but you never know who you're gonna come across in life that can impact or give you an opportunity to further your career. So same thing for these guys. Like, whether it's the head coach, they probably know who the head coach is. They may or may not know who the GM is, but are they treating, you know, maybe a scout that they think is just kind of low on the totem pole? How are they treating that guy, you know, compared to how they would treat Andy Reid if he's on campus? Right. So uh they don't know how much of a say that scout has. So again, it it's a job interview. You're constant, these guys are constantly being evaluated. Are they treating everybody, you know, that's in the pro day, that's running the pro day, that's trying to get an assessment of their value to their teams. Um, are they treating everybody the same? Are they working hard? Are they into it?

SPEAKER_11 37:14

The pro days on college campuses are part of the puzzle, along with everything that goes on at the combine. And some not everybody gets invited to the combine, but they're pieces of the process. It feels like the senior bowl in Mobile has taken on greater meaning in the last 10 years. Why is that? And and why do you want to see the senior bowl tape if a player's willing to go there?

SPEAKER_09 37:39

Yeah, I again I think you're you're seeing them do football stuff. You know, I think that the the combine has kind of morphed into, you know, the medical is extremely important. These guys do extensive physicals with, you know, team doctors and trainers. You know, they get some guys, you know, have 10 MRIs on different injuries. You, you know, you want to make sure, you know, no different if you're buying a car, you want to make sure that the engine runs and you know the tires aren't going to fall off. There's a whole media component now where the guys spend a day with the media and doing filming and stuff, and it's not really football, right? So the senior bowl gives us a chance as evaluators to go down there, see how they handle, you know, how do they handle waking up in the morning, going to the meeting, getting breakfast, getting dressed, going to practice, coming back from practice, having another set of meetings, then meeting with clubs. Like it's really more like a day in the life of an NFL player where you have a routine, and the quicker those guys can assimilate themselves into a routine and be productive and have a productive week at the senior bowl, handle the daily routine, like I think that bodes well for them in their NFL career.

SPEAKER_11 38:42

What is your favorite part of evaluating prospects when you come to various campuses?

SPEAKER_09 38:47

Occasionally I'll run drills. And you know, I love putting my hands on on guys um and and and having seeing them asking them to, you know, maybe it's if it's a defensive lineman, you know, run through the pass rush bags or do a block reaction drill. It's really I like explaining a drill to a player and seeing with as minimal amount of instructions, can they go execute what I'm asking them to do? Because that's the game of football, right? Like the offensive, the defense is called, and then the offense comes out and you think it's gonna be this, but it's something different, and you've got to deduce all that information really quickly and get yourself in a position to help the other 10 guys on defense make a play. So I enjoy one-on-one time with the prospects when I get an opportunity to do it. Um, that's always a fun part for me. The old coach comes out. The old coach.

SPEAKER_11 39:41

All right, so last question I gotta ask you about quarterbacks because most of the people watching and listening have seen the quarterback pro days on campus, and there's no pass rush, there are no defensive backs. So when you see a quarterback throwing on campus, what are you really looking for? What does he tell you through that part of his process?

SPEAKER_09 40:05

So I I think the one thing that I try to glean from uh a quarterback throwing on campus is can I hear the football when it comes out of his hand? It's much like uh, you know, when you shoot an arrow. If you shoot a really strong, it'll it'll whistle. So I want to hear the the ball, how it comes out of the quarterback's hand. Does it come out with some velocity? Do you hear a little bit of whistle and a little spin when he lets it go? And then the overall accuracy, you know, of the pass. Like if the receiver's running up you know, a 15-yard in cut, like is he putting the ball in a place so that the receiver can catch it and then do something with it? If he's if he's placing it behind him, well then the NFL game boils down to you know milliseconds on whether it's a touchdown or whether it's a you know a tackle. So the placement and the accuracy of passes, being able to hear the football to come out that comes out of his hands, and then the overall leadership. Like, does he the group of receivers, running backs, tight ends that he's throwing the ball to, is he kind of galvanizing that group for the day? Is he taking on a leadership component? Thanks for taking his, I guess, under the helmet a little bit.

SPEAKER_11 41:15

Appreciate it. It's been great, Mike. John Robinson, senior personnel executive with the Miami Dolphins with us on the Mike Keith show. We've got more coming up right after this.

SPEAKER_02 41:23

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SPEAKER_11 41:57

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SPEAKER_25 42:24

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SPEAKER_12 42:54

Hey, this is Rick Barnes. The great John Wood said, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. That's why I put such an instance on preparation. I get to the gym early before everyone else, so when they walk through the doors, I'm ready. Food City does the same thing. Long before the doors open, they're stocking produce, cutting certified Angus beef, and prepping ready-made meals. So when you walk into a Food City or the Food City's dinner, we're going to be prepared.

SPEAKER_11 43:50

Hey Ball fans, join us Thursday, April 16th. That's in two weeks, at the ball shop at the student union on the UT Campus Complete. The ball. Blaine Brown of Tennessee Baseball, Sage Marjatko of Tennessee Softball will be at the University of Tennessee Student Union location, signing autographs and meeting fans from 6 to 7:30 Eastern. Free parking available in lot nine, which is adjacent to the Vol Shop student union location. Join us for an exciting evening and the opportunity to meet Blaine Brown and Sage Marjetko two weeks from tonight, Thursday, April 16th, and it's presented by our friends at Champion. This segment of the Mike Keith Joe is brought to you by Pilot, the official travel partner of Tennessee Athletics. And with us is Alicia Longworth, the Deputy Director of Athletics here at the University of Tennessee. Ironic that we would be talking about softball and baseball players because that's where we're going to start the conversation. Tonight, 6 o'clock, Sherry Parker Lee Stadium. You may have heard this, but just to repeat, Leanne Morgan is on hand.

SPEAKER_24 45:03

She is. She was supposed to throw out the first pitch this past weekend, had some travel issues, but she will be here tonight and she will throw out the first pitch, and we're excited to have her. She's turned into one of our biggest fans. She loves this place and she loves coming back and going to sporting events.

SPEAKER_11 45:18

She was pretty athletic, I think, growing up too. I'll be interested to see if she can gun it in there. A lot of talented people from Adams, Tennessee play a little baseball against those folks back in the day. All right. So that's about softball, baseball, huge weekend against LSU. Saturday is going to be a special day.

SPEAKER_24 45:36

Yeah, Mike loves dark mode. So I think he only invites me on to talk about dark mode. Yeah, Saturday night. Um, we're breaking out the dark mode uniforms. Um, fireworks coming back. We've only seen fireworks in Lindsay Nelson Stadium the first game of the year this year. So coming back on Saturday, maybe with a little extra something. So as we said when we started the year, um, brand new ballpark, brand new experience. We wanted to just keep making it better and better. Um, Hope Ball Faithful is out and uh in all numbers. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, big weekend.

SPEAKER_11 46:06

Game time on Saturday is 6 p.m. 6 p.m. Okay, dark mode. Orange and white game. A week from Saturday, April the 11th. Let's talk about what's going to go on. We know that uh whatever is going to happen football-wise is going to start around two o'clock. It is not like back in the olden days when they used to play a full-scale game with the teams divided up. It's going to be more situational, more practice-like. Still a chance to see the players, to see 46 newcomers on the team. The day starts at Vall Village at 10:30 Eastern. Correct. What's Vall Village all about?

SPEAKER_24 46:44

So Vall Village for the spring game is over in lot nine. So it's right across from gate 21. Um, we'll have a stage, we'll have musicians. Stirl will be there, everybody's favorite Stirl, um, spirit squads, food vendors, um, just a whole experience for families to come out, hang out, um, enjoy a little fun before they go in, and as you called it, watch um what we're calling the orange and white experience. I'm like our fans. I haven't been to practice, I haven't seen anything. I know you've seen them more than I have, so I'm excited about the 11th to get in there and see them run out on the field for the first time.

SPEAKER_11 47:14

And we will have a broadcast on the Ball Radio Network uh beginning at two o'clock. We'll be on from two to four. The the broadcast itself will be much more about the position battles, the different things that are going on with the team. Uh Brent Hubbs and Jason Swain on the field doing interviews. We'll have a lot of things going on. We'll hear from Coach Josh Heipel on your favorite Vol Radio Network station, two to four on Saturday, week from Saturday, April the 11th. Now, let's talk about tickets. Sure. It's a free event, but you need a ticket.

SPEAKER_24 47:49

Well, you we we would like for you to go on and claim a ticket. You don't have to get a ticket, it just gives us an idea of numbers so that from staffing purposes and all the things that we have to do to have an idea of how many people are coming. But if you wake up on Saturday morning and you want to drive over to Nealand Stadium and come in, you'll be fine. You can walk in. We will let anybody in. But yes, if you're planning to come, um, if you could go and click the link and redeem that ticket just to give us an idea of how many numbers we think we're gonna have.

SPEAKER_11 48:16

Easiest way to do it is to go to utsports.com and on the top you can pick among the sports. Obviously, go to football. If you go to the news tab within football, it's right there. And you can claim your tickets right there. Very easy to do utsports.com. And um, I mean, it's like a party. Yeah. You want to know who else is coming to the party? Correct. Already a lot of tickets claimed.

SPEAKER_24 48:39

It's it's exciting. Um, I think, like me, like everybody, I think everybody's excited to see what would you say, 46 new guys.

SPEAKER_11 48:46

46 sneak players, yeah.

SPEAKER_24 48:48

And a free experience to bring your family out to go into Nealand. Um, we only get so many of these a year, right? We only play seven home football games in the fall, maybe eight if we can host a home um playoff game.

SPEAKER_11 48:58

I like the spirit.

SPEAKER_24 49:00

You know, concerts or special events, but you know, for the spring game to be able to come out and and see Nealand and see that the team, it's a pretty special special thing.

SPEAKER_11 49:07

10:30 Bald Village, two o'clock is when it will all start football wise. Gates to enter.

SPEAKER_24 49:15

Yep.

SPEAKER_11 49:16

North side?

SPEAKER_24 49:17

Yes. Everything will be um on the north side, so northwest, northeast, um, and then gate 20, which is kind of coming back towards the west, but nothing on the south end. So gate 10 is completely offline, gate nine is completely offline because we're renovating that plaza area outside of gate nine, and we're renovating gate 10, which is the ramp that goes upstairs. So because both of those we can't get people in and out of there. Um, the fire marshal has asked us to close the south end zone just uh for safety purposes.

SPEAKER_11 49:46

Okay. So gates 20 through 24 is where you would have a chance to enter. I I love orange and white Saturday.

SPEAKER_24 49:52

It's kind of an anniversary for you. It's the first thing you did last year. It was the first thing I did. So I'm excited that I'm here to remind you of that. No, you did great. We did it, but uh and you kept coming back and you got a full year. This is so exciting for me.

SPEAKER_11 50:05

A full year that I've made it this far. Yes. Well, thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah, um excited about that, excited about everything to come. And I mean, just tons of things going on in the spring around here. Hopefully, uh going to be playing baseball and softball well into June.

SPEAKER_24 50:23

Yeah, and that's the goal, right? We um want our teams in their seasons to stay on campus as long as they can. So hosting regionals and super regionals for both baseball and softball. Um, that's what we're trying to do. That's what we're all working for every single day. Um, so you know, it's it's April, and we still hopefully have three more months of sporting events on campus here so our fans can come out. So, and then hopefully we'll just take a break for about a month and a half. We'll be right back in August.

SPEAKER_11 50:48

And then everybody's obviously asking about Adidas. That comes online in July.

SPEAKER_24 50:54

Yeah, July 2nd will be our launch date. Um, we've got a full month of programming planned for July. Um, because you know this, we don't do things small around here. So we want to take advantage of this. Um, you know, exciting for the rollout, really exciting of how we're gonna get our student athletes involved in it, um, just different than anything that we've done before. So should be a really cool month for us and just really exciting that partnership. They're excited to partner with us, and we're excited to have them back as well.

SPEAKER_11 51:22

Alicia Longworth, Deputy Director of Athletics, University of Tennessee. Thanks for swinging by.

SPEAKER_24 51:27

Thanks for inviting me back.

SPEAKER_11 51:28

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SPEAKER_14 51:48

Catch up on today's show Anytime.

SPEAKER_19 51:51

Presented by Uber Eat.com.

SPEAKER_14 51:55

Mike Keith. We are the Fall Network. The weekend's coming. Time to get ready for Big Art Action, the voice of the Falls. Mike Keith is here with your weekend scouting report, delivered by Uber Eats.

SPEAKER_11 52:12

Thanks for sticking with us to Mike Keith Show, delivered by Uber Eats, our great friends. Back with us once again, Dr. Andy Brock, Mr. 865. Thank you. That's me. Do you have that on your license plate? I wish. Sarah Detweiler is the host of the Everything Orange podcast. Jordan Thomas, the special guest tomorrow. Sarah, tell everybody why that's special.

SPEAKER_21 52:36

Well, he was announced one of the 2026 Torch Bearer recipients this year. It's the highest honor a student, not just a student athlete, but a student in general at the University of Tennessee, can receive a leader in every way possible on the field, off the field, in the community. He is fantastic. And you get to hear more about his story and his journey that has changed from what he originally thought to what it is now.

SPEAKER_08 52:58

Andy, were you a torch bearer? Far from it, from what Jordan Thomas has done. All right. And a lot of our athletes over the years.

SPEAKER_11 53:04

But I mean, you feel like the type of fine young man, upstanding young man who would have been a torch bearer.

SPEAKER_08 53:09

Just missed.

SPEAKER_11 53:10

You would have represented it well.

SPEAKER_08 53:12

I I think I would have, but I didn't get it.

SPEAKER_11 53:14

Oh, this hour of By Keith Show is brought to you by Food City, the official supermarket and tailgating headquarters of the balls. You know what we need to do? We need some text line questions. The Vall Network text line is 865-657-1278. Do we have text line questions?

SPEAKER_08 53:33

Oh, yeah. We've got we've got some for you, Mike.

SPEAKER_11 53:35

All right, let's go.

SPEAKER_08 53:36

All right, James from Cleveland. James from Cleveland. He's texting and he's got a question. Then I got a follow-up from this one as well. Okay. He says, Mike, how did you enjoy calling basketball games this season?

SPEAKER_11 53:45

Tremendous experience. It was it was great to get to go to really delve into that sport in a big way. I got to call 33 of the 37 games. It was fantastic. Being around Coach Barnes, the staff, the players, um, the access and uh really the courtesy they gave Chris Lofton and me was really amazing to kind of learn a lot of the insights about how they go through it. And when one says it's so hard to get to the elite eight, I saw up close how hard it is. And that was a great experience for me to be able to appreciate what everybody does and what a machine that is. Um, and to lose Justin Ganey, that's a big loss. Great for him that he's the head coach at North Carolina State, but man, he and other members of the staff are such a part of what Rick Barnes does to get ready. He really gives say-so involvement, however you want to put it, in the staff, in a lot of the the younger coaches, in some of the students who work with the program, the analytics, everything. I mean, he buys into all of it. And then to see him bring it all together is fascinating. And to learn how that works, and then to be able to try to tell some of that story on the radio, kind of knowing a little bit extra, was a tremendous amount of fun. And from a broadcast standpoint, and from a fan standpoint too, I wish it wasn't over. I would love to keep, I would love to keep going. I'm already excited about year two.

SPEAKER_08 55:26

Follow up on that. Okay, because now you have been with the program for a year, you've gotten no coach Barnes and how the machine operates. Obviously, three straight elite eights. Incredible. You're now one of the not just tougher teams in the SEC, but you're a perennial contender every year. What do you think, Mike, that Tennessee needs to do to get over the hump to a Final Four next year? What are some of the pieces? And I know we don't know who's back and who's where, but in your opinion, what's the next step?

SPEAKER_11 55:55

They've got to shoot the basketball better. I I think when you saw what that game was on Sunday, you understood that your chance in that game was you were gonna have to make shots in the first half to stay with them. Because listen, for however good your defense is, you're not gonna hold Michigan to 48 points. You're not gonna hold Michigan to 68 points. You could you could hold them under 80 and and play good defense. And had Tennessee been able to make shots in the first half, they're in that ball game because there were open shots that they didn't knock down. The biggest problem for Tennessee wasn't the three-point shooting, it was the fact that they were six of 24 from two. I mean, you can't make 25% of your two-point shots and have a chance. So I think whether it's returning players, adding players, whatever it is, Tennessee to get to that next level has to shoot the basketball better. Um less turnovers, yes. Better free throw shooting, yes. Great on defense and rebounding, yes, got it. But it's still about putting the ball in the basket. And you look at the four teams who are there this weekend, they can put the ball in the basket. So to me, you know, when you look at like the 24 team with Dalton Connect who could really put the ball in the basket, I mean, if they don't end up with Purdue at the end of that region, that's a final four team.

SPEAKER_08 57:32

Jazz Lanier last year is a guy that can make shots.

SPEAKER_11 57:35

You've got to be able to make more shots. And and hopefully the guys who return will improve. You know, you see a lot of guys on the team. Like I give you an example, Amari Evans. Amari Evans, I mean, when you see him put the ball up, he's got a nice stroke. He's just gotta hone the timing of it, coming off both feet, making sure the shoulders are square, the fundamentals of it, he can be a good shooter, a better shooter. And that's what it's going to take. And then, you know, if you have an opportunity to bring in a couple guys who can do it, that's a good thing. Sarah, what am I missing?

SPEAKER_21 58:10

No, no, no. You hit the nail on the head with the shooting. And I think that that's been a theme the past couple of years as well. You bring in a great guy like Dalton Connect, do you bring in a great guy like Chaz Lanier? I'm just curious, do you think that we're gonna find that guy in the portal this year, or do you think it's gonna be one of the guys who is either coming in as a freshman or a young player that steps up into that role?

SPEAKER_11 58:31

Yes. Yeah, Coach Bard said it. And I'm just parroting what the head coach said about shooting the basketball better. I think it's a priority. He's not gonna give up defense. But do you take a shooter or two or three and improve their defense? Because nobody teaches defense like this staff. And so much of it is fundamental. But what impresses me so much about it is the film study. And I've been around a lot of football where I've seen a lot of film study. It's like, hey, if they run the sweep this way, you want to be in this spot. But I had never been around basketball to the point where they study the exact same things. If you're on this guy's left side, you're gonna be able to do this. You want to make sure that you're at the elbow when he catches the pass. So many tricks and so much footwork, but also so much of just the mental uh that makes you a better defensive player because this staff is so good at it. And so I I think you can listen, guys who can shoot can just shoot. You can improve, but guys who can shoot can shoot. I've always contended that uh the good lord makes running backs, shooters, and guys that can really hit a baseball. You learn things, you improve things, but we've all known people when you see a running back, he has gifts that are not always about height, weight, speed. It's vision, it's cutting, it's you know, knowing how to make a tackle or miss in any way that you can for baseball. Some guys can just hit. I mean, Todd Hilton, Chris Burke, guys that I've been around, you know, for years in baseball. I mean, some guys can just hit. Why? I have no idea. You know, they have a beautiful swing. They they came out of the box with that swing. Basketball, they're just some dudes who can shoot. They just can't. You got me. You know, been around a few years. Chris Lofton. I mean, some of his shots you're like, there's no way he can make that. He did. Alan Houston, there's no chance he can make that. Going back to Mike Jackson in the 70s and Tony White, and you know, they've been guy after guy after guy. You've seen you're like, how do you do that? They just do. And Tennessee needs a couple more of those guys.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:08

Ronnie from Athens, Tennessee. Ronnie from Athens. He wants to hear about golf and tennis. Says he doesn't hear about them and wants an update on how those teams are doing.

SPEAKER_11 1:01:17

Men's golf, uh super. I think they're 12th in the country. Lance Simpson, uh SEC player of the week. Uh women's golf, I think, is 19th. And they're they're having an outstanding year. Um men's tennis, tough run right now. It's it is not going well for them right now. Hopefully they can get that turned around. Um women's tennis is going well. I think they're number 12. 12, yeah. They're 12. They're playing really well. And you had a chance, Sarah, to uh talk to at least one of the tennis players on the Everything Orange podcast, maybe more than one, right?

SPEAKER_21 1:01:55

Correct. One this season, but another one last season as well, and the coach from the first season of the podcast. So we've got lots of women's tennis over there if you want to check it out. But um, Kat and Layla, they're the two that we've done most recently. They are both still on the team. So you can learn a little bit about them. But yeah, what Coach O'Hate has done with that program is phenomenal.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:14

Something to also keep an eye on. Jackson Harrington of Tennessee Men's Golf will be competing at Augusta in the Masters next week.

SPEAKER_11 1:02:21

Man, that's can you imagine getting to play at Augusta?

SPEAKER_08 1:02:24

Unreal.

SPEAKER_18 1:02:25

That's unreal.

SPEAKER_11 1:02:25

Especially as a college boy.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 1:02:27

Fantastic. A break, and we've got more coming up. Mike Keith on the Vall Network.

SPEAKER_19 1:02:35

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SPEAKER_14 1:05:26

Wike Keith.

SPEAKER_11 1:05:28

This portion of the Mike Keith Show is brought to you by KUB Fiber, the world's fastest internet and Fall Nation's favorite way to connect. Tennessee safety TJ Metcalf is presented by Valvine Instant Oil Change. I've known who you were for a long time. Oh, really? Penson Valley. Yep. Yeah. So basically Birmingham. Birmingham. Yeah, basically Birmingham. Your dad played Ole Miss. He did. Yeah. And so then coming out of high school. You're four star.

SPEAKER_16 1:06:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 1:06:01

And you ended up at Arkansas.

SPEAKER_16 1:06:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 1:06:03

How did that happen?

SPEAKER_16 1:06:05

I'm big on like, you know, not going anywhere just based on like uh the type of school it is. But um, you know, I thought I thought I was gonna go and play early. I had that mindset, you know, to go and you know win a spot, you know, to learn and develop as well, but also, you know, go somewhere that I can make my name be known and uh you know get my feet with.

SPEAKER_11 1:06:25

All right, so how'd you get to defense? Because you're a good offensive player in high school too.

SPEAKER_16 1:06:30

Yeah, I was I was pretty good. Uh I mean I'm an overall athlete and I can still go out there and run some routes if they need me to. So like in middle school, I was playing quarterback, and then I played receiver and running back. So one game uh I wasn't playing offense. So the coach started me on defense, I was playing safety. And yeah, ever since then I've been a safety and I've been playing, you know, DB, nickel, whatever. Did you know you'd be a safety in college? I knew. Okay. My coach in high school, at my first high school, Spain Park, he told me that he'll think I'd be a uh deep defensive back in uh college. So, you know, look around.

SPEAKER_11 1:07:09

Well, it says on your social media profile, I hate wide outs. Yeah, I do. You you hate wide receivers?

SPEAKER_16 1:07:18

I hate wide receivers, yeah.

SPEAKER_11 1:07:21

But you seem so nice.

SPEAKER_16 1:07:22

I mean, on the football field, I'm a whole different animal. Really? I am you can flip it. I can flip it, I get active. Okay, so DK Medcalf is your cousin.

SPEAKER_11 1:07:32

Yes, sir. Yeah, he's my second cousin. Okay, so do you say I hate wideouts to him?

SPEAKER_16 1:07:38

I I'll tell him that. No, I mean, we got a cool relationship, so I mean, I don't I ain't gonna do that to him. No, but I mean, he's pretty good at yeah, I know he's big. Yeah, he's blissed.

SPEAKER_11 1:07:51

Some Tennessee fans will remember you because in the 2024 Tennessee, Arkansas, Ape. Yeah, look at you. TJ Vetcalf, seven tackles, played a pretty good game in the in the upset win.

SPEAKER_16 1:08:03

Yeah, that was a that was a good game. Uh that was one of the highlights of my college career. Uh, I think Tennessee was ranked number four. And you know, we talked about that the whole week. Um, and then just after the game, but you know, the fans rushed the field. I mean, that was an amazing experience. You know, it felt unreal. And now you play for Tennessee. Now I play for Tennessee. Now that actually feels unreal. Because I mean, I I said a lot of Tennessee was my first offer. And, you know, even Coach Gardner, the one that's offering me, he's still here. And so, I mean, everything is coming full circle. And, you know, I'm just blessed to be here.

SPEAKER_11 1:08:37

Had you stayed in contact with Coach Gardner?

SPEAKER_16 1:08:40

Uh, not I wouldn't say, not really, but um, we always had that, you know, close connection, even when I met him, even when I first called him. Um, I know his wife is from uh the Birmingham area, so uh my parents and Coach Gardner, they were always tight. And then my dad always keeps contact, you know, with coaches.

SPEAKER_11 1:08:58

So how did you end up at Michigan after two years at Arkansas?

SPEAKER_16 1:09:02

They were one of the first schools to reach out to me. And um, and I was recruited by Michigan in high school, and um, you know, like I said earlier, like I didn't want to go anywhere based off the school name, but I mean, at the end of the day, it's Michigan. Sure. Um I learned a lot there. Uh going like in that process of going there, um, I learned a lot. Like just, you know, being on a visit, seeing what everything is about. Um, when I walked in, my eyes got so big because as soon as you walk in, you see like a list of all Americans, you know, the greats that went through Michigan. And I in my mind, I'm like, I gotta be one of those guys. And um, I mean, that was that really. And that was my only visit when I hit the portal. Um, and I kind of knew then where I was gonna go.

SPEAKER_11 1:09:53

You decide to come to Tennessee after a year at Michigan and two years at Arkansas. What did it for Tennessee? Because I mean, you were a highly recruited transfer guy. Yeah. What did it for the Vols?

SPEAKER_16 1:10:07

Really just, you know, coming here knowing that I can have an opportunity to, you know, finish this thing out the right way. Um, you know, unfortunately, you know, things happen uh in my previous school, but um I feel like I I could be comfortable comfortable here, you know, coming in with the coaches, especially Coach Dex. He's been recruiting me since high school as well, when he was at Penn State. I won't say I turned him down. Uh, you know, I always kept in contact with Coach Dex. Uh Anthony Point Dexter. Yeah, right. Uh I always kept in contact with him. Um when I hit the portal the first time out of Arkansas, no, he was one of the first ones to call me as well. Um, and then it was no bad, no harsh feelings after that. Um I hit the portal leaving Michigan and you know, same thing, he called me, telling me he's coming to uh Tennessee. Um, I didn't want to rush anything, wanted to play everything right. Um, but at the end of the day, I felt comfortable with him and met Coach Knowles, met um more of staff, um, talked to Coach Highpool. Everything went great and you know he made my decision there.

SPEAKER_11 1:11:15

How much better of a version of TJ Metcalf is Tennessee getting at this moment than they would have gotten coming out of high school? I like that question.

SPEAKER_16 1:11:27

Thank you. I don't know, man. They're gonna get a they're gonna get a I think they're gonna get a great one. Um I know coming out of high school, I had that hungry mindset of um I want to go somewhere I can leave my legacy behind. I want to go somewhere that you know I can really say that I'm proud of what I've done there, proud of the way I treated my teammates there, I'm proud of the way that I displayed my talents on the football field. And um I feel like everywhere I've been, um I move like a pro when it comes to take care of my body, um, not missing out on any opportunity. Um, you know, in the weight room, on the field, walkthroughs, you know, you name it. Um, but to answer your question, I think they're gonna get a more improved. Uh you know, I've learned a lot, you know, the of these years, uh, played a lot of football. Uh they're gonna get a highly experienced, you know. It's kind of funny to say this, but veteran player, uh going to my fourth year.

SPEAKER_11 1:12:26

You're not even 21 yet.

SPEAKER_16 1:12:27

I'm not even 21.

SPEAKER_11 1:12:28

I mean, because some guys who've transferred a couple times are like 25. I mean I mean, you get it, but you won't turn 21 until May. Yeah, until May. And so you haven't reached your physical potential yet, have you?

SPEAKER_16 1:12:43

I don't think so. I got a long way, I I would say I still got a long way to go. And you know, I'm looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_11 1:12:50

What do you like about Coach Owings and the training staff in terms of what they've been able to do with you already in a couple months?

SPEAKER_16 1:12:58

They focus on you know what the players need, uh especially you know, they focus on what I need and what I need to, you know, grow and develop. You know, it's not too much pressure. Um I, you know, get in, do what I need to do, make sure I'm communicating with the trainers. They do an awesome job communicating with me, make sure that I have plans set up in my recovery and my treatment and my prehab and my rehab. Um and then we'll coach Orange, you know, he is a great guy. But when it comes to you know doing stuff in the weight room and you know, doing stuff the right way, he's on us about it. And, you know, I love that 100%. And you know, everything has been great so far. Um, I love the workouts. You know, it's back into the SEC workout, so you know it's a little bit different. It kind of reminds me of what we did at Arkansas, and you know, it's everything is just building us to become, you know, bigger, faster, and stronger. And that's what it's about at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_11 1:13:54

How much do you enjoy the speed work? Because you you can run run. You can't, you know, you don't just run, you can run run. Yeah, I think I can run. That's an element that Tennessee has not had it at the safety position all the time, is that kind of speed. What else on top of your speed do you see yourself adding to the Tennessee second era?

SPEAKER_16 1:14:16

You know, just playing with intelligence, uh, just knowing the game, uh, you know, knowing different formations, being able to read out uh different things, um, really just playing comfortable back there, not you know, being too fidgety or playing with clean feet, you know, all those different types of things. Then at the end of the day, just making plays on the ball, uh, always flying around to the ball. I mean, you can look at me in practice, I'm always gonna run to the ball, coming out the post, coming out at a high field. Uh, it doesn't matter if I'm blitzing and they run the ball opposite of me, you know, gonna chase it down. So, you know, just playing with that high energy all the time. And communication is a big part as well.

SPEAKER_11 1:14:54

You are not afraid of contact. That's obvious. But at the same time, you're also looking for the football. Yeah. Because you want picks.

SPEAKER_16 1:15:03

Right. You want to score. I do. I haven't had a pick six in my college career yet. It's time. It's time for you can do two or three this year if you want. Especially in this defense. Yeah. Got me doing a lot of different things, uh, both safety spots, uh, which I love that I believe I'm a versatile guy. And I feel like that kind of shows, you know, me playing uh nickel at Michigan and moving around in safety spots, show how versatile I am.

SPEAKER_11 1:15:29

Tell me about Tevis Metcalf.

SPEAKER_16 1:15:31

Oh, my brother, he's great. I love him.

SPEAKER_11 1:15:33

What's he going through in this process now in Tennessee?

SPEAKER_16 1:15:36

You know, like everybody's process is different, but with him, I feel like he's taking his time to really grow and become the player that he wants to be. Um, I feel like in this defense, um they got the nickels like moving around in different spots. In high high school, he played corner. Uh once he got to college, you know, splung that corner and nickel. Yeah, I f I feel like he really found his spot here at Nickel. Um, he's he's learning the defense. He's, you know, I could say he's a vet as well. I know the um like on field play, you know, hasn't shone yet, you know, because but I think he's gonna get his opportunity this this year, and I think he's gonna shine. And you know, he's been enjoying every moment then here. Um just like me, he loves it here. Loves the way we do our uh everything in like the nutrition, uh, strength and conditioning, the practices, the schedule, all of it. I think he loves it. The greatest safety in Tennessee history is Eric Berry.

SPEAKER_11 1:16:40

Yeah, I'm sure you know that name and and understand what that kind of tradition is. Not saying that you have to be Eric Berry, although that would be great. But for your senior year and for what you're gonna put on tape for the NFL and for what you're gonna do on the field for the University of Tennessee, uh what do you want to have happen? What are the most important things?

SPEAKER_16 1:17:03

The most important thing is for for me is um to be a team player, to win. Um to I don't want my coaches to be afraid to put not just me, but my teammates in positions to be successful. And I think that's the biggest thing. You gotta be in position and you know do anything. And um I just know that once I'm in those positions to be successful, then that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna be successful at it. Um but to answer your question, I mean, I'm kind of come here to, you know, make plays to bring that energy all the time. Um I like our room, I like the whole defense. I love them. They got great energy. Um, you can see guys making plays left and right. Um, and it's been high tempo, high energy. And you know, I love it. I just can't wait to see what it looks like once we get out there in Needland Stadium. And that's why I can't I can't wait to play in that stadium is gonna be good. Because I mean our first scrimmage out there, you know, it felt great. Man, it's great to have you here. So I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_11 1:18:08

Been a fan for a while, sir. TJ Medcap brought to you by Valvelline Instant Oil Change. Switch to the winning oil change team by joining Valvelline Instant Oil Change. Visit VIOC.com slash switch by April 30th for your oil change offer. Got more of the show, right after this.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:30

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SPEAKER_12 1:19:00

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SPEAKER_25 1:19:33

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SPEAKER_22 1:20:00

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SPEAKER_14 1:20:56

It's time for the show within the show.

SPEAKER_11 1:21:06

It's Kibb's Corner with Ross Kibbitt, Tennessee assistant baseball coach, recruiting coordinator, presented by his favorite restaurant, Calhoun's. Calhoun's with nine locations around Knoxville. It's a taste of Tennessee. Ross Kibbett, welcome. And we have a special guest who I'm sure has been to Calhoun's. He has on multiple occasions, maybe even for special occasions.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:31

He grew up an enormous Tennessee ball fan. He's from Taswell, Tennessee. The triple crown winner, Mike, last year in junior college at Walter State. He's a transfer student. Uh red shirt sophomore. In freshman year, you got hurt, but over 30 homers, over 100 RBIs, and he scored a bunch of runs as well on a team that went uh to the College World Series for junior college. Tyler Myatt. Tyler, it's great to have you.

SPEAKER_11 1:21:57

Now, the big thing, the porches in JUCO are not short.

unknown 1:22:02

No.

SPEAKER_11 1:22:02

I mean, it's not like you're playing on 280-foot fences. I don't know. Walter's is pretty short. Well, but I mean, you hit I mean the stories about some of the bombs you hit were pretty strong. Yeah, none of them really that close.

SPEAKER_05 1:22:16

You're allowed to gas yourself up on Kipps Corn.

SPEAKER_11 1:22:18

Yeah. Because it's a shout-out show. It's a shout-out show, yes. Shout out Walter State.

SPEAKER_05 1:22:22

Your first game that you went to as a Tennessee baseball fan was when?

SPEAKER_17 1:22:30

It was actually against the Van D boys. It was when Evan Russell hit the three home runs, two off Jack Lodder, then the last one was off the fleet. Yeah. That was exciting games. Yeah, it was crazy. We was uh I was actually on the video that they showed Thursday before we left. I was actually in both of the the replay videos. No what? Where were you sitting? I was sitting in the family section on both times. And how do you get those tickets? Pretty penny. It was a pretty penny. Uh I think I was sophomore. Sophomore year was Evan Russell.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_17 1:23:05

I think it was sophomore year. Oh, of high school, sophomore. Yeah. And then the 24 team at Vandy. Gotcha. When Simo hit the the one to right field.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:16

Growing up a balls fan, is it kind of surreal that you get to play every day now for your hometown team?

SPEAKER_17 1:23:23

Yeah, it's kind of crazy. The fall still didn't seem real at all. Like it was, I was still in the like, am I really here? I would say the first real moment was like the first two weeks of school. I walk in here and all the football was practicing. I was like, Yeah, these dudes are huge. Like, I don't like I'm pretty short, dude. Like he says he's 6'1, but I'm 6'2. I'm as tall as he is. Sometimes are you 6'2? No, I'm I'm like 5'11. He's not. He's not. I'm a short guy.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:48

I'm not. So that we could get into this argument for 20 years.

SPEAKER_17 1:23:50

When I stand on first base, though, I'm up there with him.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:53

So the counts. I like when he stands up there on first base, which you've done a really nice job here recently. What has pinch hitting done to kind of spark or get you going again to now every day in the lineup?

SPEAKER_17 1:24:05

Yeah, I feel like it's when he tells me when we do our little dab up and hug before every game, he's like, be ready. I was like, okay, let's be ready for this A B. But more it's like, put all one energy in one A B, and then I know I'm gonna be done short time after that. So why not get the most out of it? Can I ask a pinch hitter question?

SPEAKER_11 1:24:22

I I've I've always been fascinated with this with guys who are really good pinch hitters. What's your routine to be ready, especially not knowing when that at bat is gonna come?

SPEAKER_17 1:24:34

Anytime past the third inning, I'm almost always in the wait room between innings, like doing jump rope or something. Me and Keegan's kind of like been together, like what to do, what not to do, but kind of like normally when I have an idea I'm about to pinch shit, I'm probably in the dugout no more than 15 minutes. Like it's I'm always going back there, like doing something. Does somebody come get you? Um usually, right? Yeah, me and Chuck don't normally talk a ton throughout the game, and he's like, all right, we lose just in case. So just leave the dugout and go to the weight room.

SPEAKER_05 1:25:03

What about the adjustments? So you put up these huge video game numbers at Walter State. You guys win a ton of games, you play forever, have a great summer. You were in the Apple League first, and then you went to Cape Cod and had an unbelievable summer. We're sweating it out, hoping that you don't sign. And then you have a fall that might not have been up to your expectation or your standard, and then now you're adjusting to Division I pitching, but more specifically SEC pitching. How has your game changed or maybe even stayed the same from this is what I do great, I've done it my whole life, to hey, I need to adjust because the arms in this league are a little different.

SPEAKER_17 1:25:39

Yeah, the adjustment was definitely real, but I feel like the struggle in the fall was definitely needed because I was basically hot for a whole year, but then coming in the fall, having some struggles. It was kind of like a humbling moment, and I needed it because I couldn't do the same stuff I didn't juco now to D1 level. So definitely had to adjust.

SPEAKER_05 1:25:54

What about defensively? Because we've played you all over. You've played some third, some second, you've gone out to the outfield and made some plays, and then DH, which is a position that's harder than what most people think. How have you kind of handled the multitude of spots?

SPEAKER_17 1:26:09

Yeah, you know, I kind of like it, especially uh I'll say it like with the scout meetings and stuff. They they ask me, like, you know, what can you play, what can you not play? And I just kind of put myself on like, I want to be able to have my body wherever I can play, you know, whatever team that hopefully drafts me one day, but also mainly just to get on the field for Tennessee, you know, because that's I don't care if I have to stay here for three more years, like I want to play. You like hearing that.

SPEAKER_11 1:26:31

I do. Yeah, three more years. What did you, position wise, what would you say you came to Tennessee as? If somebody had stopped you in the mall and said, hey, you're gonna play for Tennessee, what position do you play? What would your answer have been? I honestly just said utility. Utility. Okay. I mean, that's a great way to come in to be th not to say because some guys say, I'm a shortstop. And they say, Well, what else can you play? I don't play anything else. I'm a shortstop.

SPEAKER_17 1:26:56

Every shortstop thinks that they're just a shortstop. Yeah. Yeah. Because last year I kind of played, like obviously I didn't play that much defense on the field, but like on IO, I would just try out different stuff. Like I'd go to first, third, second, left, center. Like I would just kind of go everywhere.

SPEAKER_05 1:27:11

I'll compliment our guest. He's done an unbelievable job since we got him. And I think some of the errors this season have been just because of reps. He hasn't had that many reps. And and this isn't a jab at the junior college, but when you don't get the game reps, it's hard to come to the SEC speed and be a premium gold glover. But you've made some plays at Georgia, you've turned some double plays, you've gone out the left and made some plays early in the preseason. I I think he's kind of underselling the versatility. And it's versatility is accessibility. You get to get in the lineup more when you can play there. So I will compliment, kudos, shout out to Tyler for being a good defender. That's way. You'll take it. Yeah, I'll take it. Well, what about the recruiting process? You're going through it, teams are starting to call. Oh yeah. And then you get a call from Coach Elander that now Tennessee's putting their hat in the mix. What's that day like?

SPEAKER_17 1:28:06

Yeah, it was definitely wild. Uh it's a funny story. Like, all these schools, basically a ton of schools in the country were texting me. I was like, so where's the boss? Like, what are we doing? It was the Saturday before Saturday, y'all played in Kentucky. And I remember you came to watch me when we played down here at Pelissippi, and I was like, I done good. I went like three for three. Had like four RBIs. Every damage. And then the other kid that y'all were y'all came to watch didn't do so hot. So I was like, maybe, maybe this is the time. So Saturday that you text me before my sister played at Walter State 2. She was pitching at the time, done really well. But it was like a sophomore day for JUCO. And she actually got a pinch hit and she hit home run. So it's just it was kind of crazy. And then like 30 minutes later, you texted me, and I just started bawling my eyes out. And I was like, this is unreal. Showed my mom, she was crying. Is it an offer at that point?

SPEAKER_05 1:29:00

No, it was just a text. Okay. It was just a smile. I needed him to come to the game the next day, I think. Yeah, because at V and E were like, hey man, we gotta press this because he's starting to get some eat. And I think that's the the text is like, hey, I I think it was Easter Sunday. Yeah, it was you need to come on Easter. Well, I was following you.

SPEAKER_17 1:29:17

I text him, I was like, dude, I'll come tomorrow.

SPEAKER_11 1:29:19

I was following you through the year, and I'm thinking, surely we're gonna offer him, right?

SPEAKER_10 1:29:24

I mean, he's come on, Kiv.

SPEAKER_11 1:29:25

He's really, he's really good. I mean, as a fan, that's what you do. You know, you sit and you follow guys, and you're like, and sometimes their skill set doesn't, you don't feel like it'll translate. I get it. The fans don't know. But when you got a guy putting up these numbers, and he's local, and he's yeah, and it's good Juko ball in this state. It's always been good juko ball.

SPEAKER_17 1:29:45

And the the junior college he was at is one of if not the top one of the country. We would have scrimmages at schools would come watch it. We have red shirts over at the 96. Like it was kind of it was kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:56

What what about the off-the-field stuff? How many tickets are you having to get for every game? I know your parents come a lot. Your twin sister, right? Shout out, twin sister, gets to come to the games. How's that been?

SPEAKER_17 1:30:07

It's kind of crazy. I think one game I had, it's like two weeks ago, I had 20 people show up. It was like, it was a ton of people. I was like, I I don't know if I can get them, but I can drive. But luckily, we have some some out of state kids that their parents like don't get to come to every game.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:20

So I can what are you majoring in?

SPEAKER_17 1:30:22

Communications.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:22

Okay, what would you like to do after you're done in the major leagues? It's a great question. I don't really know. But this would be cool. You could do this. This is fun. Yeah, you it's harder than it looks. It does look harder. Believe me, Mike has to keep me on task. Growing up in the Knoxville area, who was your favorite player? It could be football, basketball, baseball. Who who did you idolize, you know, when you're putting the jersey on in middle school and saying it's Vols Day? Drew Garrett was always fun to watch. Yeah.

SPEAKER_17 1:30:52

But I would say Jordan Beck was cool. Yeah. Big leader. That's kind of a recent one. Trey Lipskin was fun to watch. Trey Lipscomb was fun. Yeah, he's he is an unbelievable human. Yeah, it was cool to he came to talk to us that one time. That was that was really cool.

SPEAKER_05 1:31:07

Yeah. Trey Lipscomb, great story. I know it's your time in the corner, but didn't play for three and a half years. And then he finally gets a chance his fourth year, his red shirt year, kind of a similar story. And he goes off. He should be SEC player of the year, but he he wasn't because there's a lot of politics in it. Whatever. And then makes it to the major leagues in less than a full season. So I think he's a great story that we use in recruiting. What about some of the it's not going as you like, right? And you get taken out. How do you stay? And this is more for people that watch, especially kids, because everyone thinks, oh, you gotta play, you gotta play, you gotta play. How do you stay so hooked up, whether it be a pinch hit or spot start, to now here comes the production, I'm back in there, I'm ready to go.

SPEAKER_17 1:31:52

Yeah, it kind of gives you more motivation, but always look at it, but your attitude, because attitude don't slump, like it's gonna show up no matter what. You know, your hitting could go bad, fielding could go bad, but attitude, it's your choice whether you want it to stay the same or not.

SPEAKER_10 1:32:03

Well, and you're sort of a mellow guy, so it seems.

SPEAKER_17 1:32:06

Yeah. Which is a great way to be as a baseball player. Yeah, kind of always the same. Get it from a mom. She played softball too at uh Lincoln Royal University. Shout out. Shout out Harriet.

SPEAKER_05 1:32:16

I think too, another thing that that you bring to our club, like Coach Keith's saying, is the stability of you know what you're gonna get. But when you go to second base and you're playing Georgia, and this is a childhood dream of yours, and you turn a double play with Henry that saves a game, preserves a lead, and then we add on in the eighth to win the game. What's going through your head on the bus home besides elation? And like you take the jersey off and go, wow.

SPEAKER_17 1:32:41

Yeah, you know, it's kind of crazy. It's kind of my friends kind of remind me of it, like, hey, you're still there. Remember, like good or bad, you know, you got yourself there, but I'm like, I really want to do good though. But my best friend, Dakota, he's still at Walker State. He was like, you know, you probably just knocked on what a lot of people are never gonna do here, right? I was like, yeah, it's pretty cool, but you know, I still want to win. He was like, the winning is good, but you know, you're still there. And it's still pretty cool.

SPEAKER_11 1:33:06

What's the biggest transition for a junior college student when you go from junior college to a four-year school like Tennessee? It's a good move. Is it in the classroom? Is it the amount of stuff that you have to get done? Is it the overwhelming nature of going from a smaller place to a bigger place?

SPEAKER_17 1:33:26

What really stands out to you? I would say definitely all the classes are, but the teachers. I'm not I ain't gonna lie, Walter State was tough. Like that. School was tough. Really? And like we had a we still have a group chat from last year's team. They're like, Walter State was hard. Like the division one, division two stuff, like this stuff is a breeze.

SPEAKER_05 1:33:45

Shout out Megan Anderson for keeping us all hooked up. So she's done a great job.

SPEAKER_11 1:33:49

You're saying they really got you ready for this to where you feel like you can handle it because you've already boy, that's a real compliment to Walter State.

SPEAKER_17 1:33:58

Yeah, last year at one point I was taking seven classes. And I go in there and talk to Coach Shelton, and he's like, Why are you taking seven classes? Are you not coming back? And I was like, deep in my head, I was like, Well, I don't really know. I probably hope not, but I mean, I'll drop two if I need to. He was like, Yeah, drop two because you're coming back. And I was like, I was like, okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:34:15

In junior college, they have the ability to come back if they redshirt the first year. Three to play two. The guy's a I mean, he was the player of the year. Yeah, yeah. Kind of was. I do want him back. He said three years you heard it. What about off the field? What's something you like to do? Because obviously, local kid fans are are enjoying your production. You're you're a Twitter hero. Well, what do what do you like to do off the field?

SPEAKER_17 1:34:42

Love to hunt fish. Uh all my friends got big diesel trucks, so that's that's kind of cool. Country song. Yeah, I love trucks. That's I could I could do that when I get done. I really love to build trucks. You know, you love to build trucks? Yeah, like I just I just done some stuff to mine, so that was pretty cool. Ricky uh Ricky Martinez was making fun of my last truck. It had big spikes on my on the wheels, had like big 26-inch wheels and had like big orange spikes on it, and he kept making fun of me. But I got some different stuff on my my new one, so that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_05 1:35:14

I I don't even know how to follow up to the truck coach.

SPEAKER_17 1:35:17

I I walk everywhere. Yes, yeah. Love to fish, that's the biggest thing. Where do you like to go fishing? Norris Lake. Norris Lake. Nice. It's not it's big enough where it flows kind of over here a little bit, too, so it's not too far.

SPEAKER_05 1:35:28

Do you follow a lot of Major League Baseball?

SPEAKER_17 1:35:30

I follow players. Okay. You don't have a team? I like the Yankees. Hey, yeah. I knew you guys were gonna.

SPEAKER_05 1:35:37

Oh man. I appreciate you and and the way that you've gone about your business. Do you have any remarks on uh obviously it's an LSU week, right? It we're on to the next SEC series. Well, what does the next few weeks look like um for you and your teammates?

SPEAKER_17 1:35:52

Yeah, we're gonna go compete no matter what. Uh hopefully go win some more games, obviously, but you know, we're gonna go compete. We're definitely gonna hook it up this week to be over ready for this weekend.

SPEAKER_05 1:36:01

How does one bounce back from a tough week? And and obviously, you know, three one-run games in this league, it's so it you I don't know mathematically if the probabilities of doing that is is over like three percent if that it's low. It's gotta be low. But how does one reset their mind on a Monday or a Tuesday to get uh you know into this into this next SEC series?

SPEAKER_17 1:36:30

Yeah, it's definitely like the attitude thing, kind of what I talked about. But most of all, I definitely turn the page like what Coach E always says, you know, we gotta focus on this week and not what's behind us. Good guest.

SPEAKER_10 1:36:41

Great guest, local hero Calhoun, sponsor of Kibb's Corner. I'm happy every time I eat Calhoun. I am too. Tyler My thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Ross Kibbett, thank you. Thank you, Coach Keith. We say beat LSU as we go to break. Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_14 1:37:00

Your weekend scouting report with Mike Keith.

SPEAKER_19 1:37:03

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SPEAKER_07 1:40:03

That's back-to-back strikeout. Swing and miss for strike three. First strikeout, the first batter faced, and he gets a swing and miss loop. Swung on and miss.

SPEAKER_15 1:40:19

And Tennessee, for the 19th time this season, says Hello Win Column.

SPEAKER_11 1:40:25

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SPEAKER_21 1:41:23

Well, my hot take has to do with the softball program at the moment because I know March was a little bit of a tough stretch for them. They got their first loss of the season with Mississippi State, first road series loss against Florida, and first home series loss against Ole Miss this past weekend. But they have four more chances for some series wins over the course of the month of April. And I'm pretty confident that they'll be able to get all four of those series wins. Maybe not all of the games, but all of the series wins. I do think they will. Their toughest opponent is Alabama, but that's at home. So I feel like the energy at Sherry Parker Lee will be good and help fuel them to a win there. But then they've got Kentucky, Missouri, and um South Carolina that starts tonight. So I don't know. I I'm feeling pretty good that they'll be able to bounce back after a little bit of a tough march.

SPEAKER_08 1:42:12

Your hot take, Dr. Brock. Spring football is in the air. Yes. And it is uh there's no better time to start letting hot takes fly about a team months before they start their first game of the season. So I I'm gonna go ahead and say an early spring prediction that next year will be one of the more creative offenses of Josh Eippel's tenure. I just I can't help but think back to year one of Josh Heipel when you didn't know the quarterback battle. It was Handon Hooker, it was Joe Milton who kind of came on late. And Tennessee had a very creative offense that first year. It's the first big quarterback battle since that time. And I think you've got so many more weapons even in that year than you do this year from the receiver aspect, from what you have in the running back room, the tight end room. I just think you're gonna see a very creative mix. And I think with there also not being a string a spring transfer window, maybe just people are more at ease. You're you're you got your guys in the building, it just makes a different vibe, and you're able to maybe spend more details on making it to what you want to be in the fall than maybe you could last year.

SPEAKER_11 1:43:14

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SPEAKER_08 1:43:33

It needs to be a heavy lift for LSU baseball this week and their players inside Lindsay Nelson Stadium. I think the uh I've seen it across Twitter. Some former Vol players are trying to get fans up and ready to be at the stadium this week to support Tennessee baseball as they host a huge series against LSU. What is your heavy lift?

SPEAKER_21 1:43:53

You touched on this a little bit earlier, Mike, but I think it's going to be a heavy lift to replace associate head coach Justin Ganey. He understands point guard play at such an elite level. He's been here the past five years, and throughout those five years, he has had the assist rate that Tennessee has in the top 25 every single year. He is the best of the best. And we're so happy for him and so proud of him to get this opportunity to return to his alma mater, but replacing him is gonna be a heavy lift.

SPEAKER_11 1:44:22

Fascinating to see how Rick Barnes goes at this because he has such a wide-ranging tree that he could go get any of about 10 people that would make total sense. The other part of it, too. He knows everybody. Right. It's the craziest thing you've ever seen. I was told he knows Denzel Washington somehow. Of course he does. That's what I said. I if you'd have told me he knows George Washington, I would have believed it. You know, he could go out and grab a coach and just say, hey, come be part of our program, and guys want to do it because it's like I was talking earlier. He's so great to work for. You get so much responsibility. Everybody is such a part of the team. Those are good heavy lifts. There was good hot takes. You guys did great. Andy Brock, Sarah Detwater. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks, Mike. And thank you so much for being with us on the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats.

SPEAKER_14 1:45:25

Mike Keith talks big orange sports right here every week, getting you ready for changing.

SPEAKER_19 1:45:30

Presented by Uber Eats.

SPEAKER_14 1:45:32

Download the show at utsports.com. Mike Keith, we are the Ball Network.