Knoxville News Sentinel
Why Tennessee football was the only option for Oak Ridge TE Malik Howard
- Title
- Why Tennessee football was the only option for Oak Ridge TE Malik Howard
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Malik Howard depends on consistency.
Oak Ridge football's star tight end can read a shifting defense just as well as any quarterback, but off the field, Howard keeps things simple.
It's why the emergent chef, learning how to cook before leaving for college, fixates on the same two recipes.
Howard is most comfortable around his family and friends. When the time came for the four-star tight end to make a commitment, he couldn't look past his hometown.
Howard is the No. 2 player in the Knox News 2026 Elite 8 list. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Tennessee's Pride of the Southland Band practices its March to the Stadium to end 2026 band camp
- Runtime
- 40:01
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- » Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to date on local news in East Tennessee by following knoxnews on social media:
Twitter: @knoxnews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvillephoto/
And for UT sports:
Twitter: @GoVolsXtra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
- Title
- What it's like to ride Dollywood's new NightFlight Expedition
- Runtime
- 1:18
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The wait is finally over, and now the waiting in line can begin! After being announced nearly a year ago and an unplanned delay, Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition is ready to take flight.
Dollywood launched its newest ride with a dedication ceremony Aug. 14, inviting news media and a few season passholders to soar over the glowing mountains and plunge into rushing rapids.
"I think we're going to shock a lot of people. This ride is the most that we've ever spent in an attraction in our history. It's the biggest and most technology-advanced ride we've ever done," Dollywood President Eugene Naughton told Knox News.
The ride cost more than $60 million, Naughton said, which is more than the park spent to open DreamMore Resort and Spa 12 years ago. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Dolly Parton helps Dollywood’s new ride soar with a video message
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Dolly Parton welcomed the first riders of Dollywood’s newest coaster, just not in the way that she had hoped.
Dollywood celebrated the launch of NightFlight Expedition on Aug. 14 with a dedication ceremony in the park's Celebrity Theater. Parton – who has been dealing with health issues for nearly a year – originally had been scheduled to appear at the event but had to cancel the day before.
Instead, she shared her excitement for the new attraction via video and explained why she unfortunately had to miss the occasion. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- How Halls community raised Jarrell Chandler into Clemson football commit
- Runtime
- 1:04
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Jarrell Chandler finds peace within a gas station.
The Halls football star is often at the Weigel's on Ledgerwood and Maynardville Pike, ordering his usual: two slices of pizza, and a Gatorade or Body Armor to wash it down.
He'll switch it up on the weekends with his friends, opting for a pie at Gondolier or a Bel-Air Grill burger down the street. Wherever Chandler goes in Halls, he finds a community that, for years, has stepped up to meet his needs.
In return, he gives his all on Friday nights.
Chandler is the No. 3 player in the Knox News 2026 Elite 8 list, a collection of the Knoxville area's top college football prospects for the Class of 2027, selected by observations, 247Sports Composite rankings and discussions with the Knox News sports staff. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- One-way plan worries Union Avenue business owners, who want a full traffic study
- Runtime
- 0:41
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- City leaders could convert a key block of Union Avenue to one-way traffic, though business owners are starkly opposed to the change because they're worried the move will deter longtime customers.
Business owners and residents say communication from the city has been sub-par, and they want an overall traffic study conducted to see how the change will affect the flow of cars throughout downtown.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- How Pride of the Southland preps the soundtrack for Neyland Saturdays
- Runtime
- 0:39
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- With the Tennessee football season less than a month away, squad members hauled their heavy equipment through the sticky summer air to the practice field. For hours, they ran drills to sharpen their timing, fine-tune their formations and perfect their routes.
We're talking about the Pride of the Southland Marching Band, of course, whose music provides the soundtrack to Tennessee football Saturdays and whose traditions are woven into the fabric of Neyland Stadium.
See more from summer band camp at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- University of Tennessee marching band practices for upcoming football season
- Runtime
- 2:08
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Pride of the Southland Band is getting ready for the upcoming season. See inside the University of Tennessee marching band's summer practice.
Find more photos here: bit.ly/45YrqxD
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to date on local news in East Tennessee by following knoxnews on social media:
Twitter: @knoxnews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvillephoto/
And for UT sports:
Twitter: @GoVolsXtra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
- Title
- Why Sevier County football TE Parker Newman is destined to be television star
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Parker Newman likes to talk. Maybe a little bit too much.
He gets it from both sides of the family. His mother, Michelle, fears she passed that trait to her only "know-it-all" son. Sevier County football coach Todd Loveday, a childhood friend of Newman's father, Mark, believes his chatty quality comes from his dad.
Either way, when Parker Newman sat down with a college football coach, he left the conversation with an offer.
Newman is the No. 4 player in the Knox News 2026 Elite 8 list, a collection of the Knoxville area’s top college football prospects for the Class of 2027, selected by observations, 247Sports Composite rankings and discussions with the Knox News sports staff. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Why Tennessee football will be better – or worse – than we think
- Runtime
- 52:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Is Tennessee’s schedule really that difficult? Would Josh Heupel’s offense actually miss a beat just because it has a young quarterback? Adam Sparks and John Adams challenge widely-held assumptions about the 2026 Vols with contrarian takes.
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to date on local news in East Tennessee by following knoxnews on social media:
Twitter: @knoxnews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvillephoto/
And for UT sports:
Twitter: @GoVolsXtra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.c...
- Title
- How Tennessee tackle David Sanders overcame his fear of being a 5-star bust
- Runtime
- 1:30
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee football has a problem on the offensive line. It's a good one, though.
Tennessee offensive tackle David Sanders is a rising star after a breakout Freshman All-American season. Sanders is mentoring freshman Gabriel Osenda, who shares similar pressures as a highly-rated recruit.
The offensive line is focused on building endurance after "wilting" in the second half of the 2025 season. Coach Glen Elarbee faces a difficult decision in selecting starters due to the team's depth and talent. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Tennessee football commit JP Peace, grandson of Phillip Fulmer, blazing own path
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Everywhere JP Peace goes in Knoxville, two names arrive first.
His father, Robert Peace, played linebacker for Tennessee from 2000-03, and Neyland Stadium sits on a street named after his grandfather, 1998 national championship-winning coach, Philip Fulmer.
Now, as he begins his senior season at Maryville, he's focused on building a reputation that belongs to him.
"It's definitely different than most people deal with, but I've learned to embrace it," Peace told Knox News July 16. He's No. 5 on Knox News' 2026 Elite 8, a ranking of the Knoxville area's top college football prospects. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Christa Pike will be allowed Buddhist advisor in death chamber
- Runtime
- 0:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Christa Pike was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer, 19. Pike was then 18.
Christa Pike will have a Buddhist advisor with her in the death chamber, an issue decided within the first hour of a hearing that started Aug. 11.
Both the prosecution and defense agreed, and Special Master Mark Ward eliminated the issue of the spiritual advisor from the schedule.
📹️Brianna Paciorka /The News Sentinel
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2026/08/11/hearing-for-christa-pike-starts-aug-11-in-knox-county/91248575007/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube
- Title
- If SEC expands to 19 members, which schools should the conference pursue?
- Runtime
- 46:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- If a bipartisan bill becomes federal law, then Congress will limit conferences like the SEC to no more than 19 members, in a bid to prevent mega-conferences.
Such a law wouldn't force the SEC to pursue further expansion, but it might spur another round of realignment as conferences race to 19. If the SEC did decide to add three more members, which schools should it consider?
That's the subject of debate on today's episode, as hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each make their case for which three schools would suit SEC expansion.
They agree on one school from the ACC to top the SEC's wish list. From there, Adams heads southwest for additional expansion, while Toppmeyer stays on the east coast and builds a case to further solidify the SEC's basketball bona fides.
Interestingly, neither host makes a case for the SEC to add either Florida State or Clemson, which profile as good cultural fits, but their football programs are losing ground in this pay-for-play land...
- Title
- Get a peek inside Knoxville's new Hattie B's, full of Tennessee pride
- Runtime
- 1:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Hattie B's Hot Chicken is making sure its first Knoxville location features the right amount of orange for Vols fans before the restaurant opens this week on the Strip.
Opening day for the Nashville-based chain at 2001 Cumberland Ave. is Aug. 12, and Knox News got a behind-the-scenes look at what customers can expect. See more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Sevier County QB Cooper Newman has records, awards but 2026 is about his team
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Cooper Newman has taken Sevier County to back-to-back state championship games. He's a TSSAA Class 5A state champion, a Mr. Football winner and a two-time All-PrepXtra Offensive Player of the Year.
But, with one final season with the Smoky Bears ahead of him, the quarterback's focus is on the teammates he's grown up with.
"I'm super excited to go out with my guys. One last ride and just enjoy it all," Newman told Knox News July 16. He's the No. 6 player on Knox News' 2026 Elite 8 list, a list of the Knoxville area's top college football prospects, and the highest-rated quarterback in the area.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- A look at move-in day at the University of Tennessee
- Runtime
- 0:41
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- It's move in time at the University of Tennessee!
Students and their families stand in line to move their belongings into Poplar Hall on Aug. 9. See more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- See what the first day of Knox County Schools looked like in 2026
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- It's the first day of school and we visited Pond Gap Elementary, Karns Middle and Austin-East Magnet High School.
See photos at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Maryville football Wyatt Wilber's recruitment took off just as senior year approached
- Runtime
- 0:53
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- For most of the 2025 TSSAA football season, Maryville's Wyatt Wilber was one of the youngest players on the field, but it barely showed.
"I kind of just went in with the same headspace every game and just played my game throughout it," Wilber told Knox News July 16 of his breakout season.
Wilber is the No. 7 player on Knox News' 2026 Elite 8 list. The Elite 8 is a collection of the top college football prospects in the Knoxville area. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- A historic home's surprising journey from $1M mansion to parking lot
- Runtime
- 0:56
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Smith/Coughlin House was once a crown jewel along the architecturally showstopping Lyons View Drive. Now it's a parking lot.
Built by Charles Barber, who co-founded BarberMcMurry Architects in 1915, the Italian Renaissance Revival home was completed around the same time the firm began, according to documents prepared for a historic overlay designation application on the Knoxville-Knox County Planning website.
The house at 5305 Lyons View Drive − today known as Lyons View Pike − was built for James Allen Smith, a businessman known for his role in creating one of Knoxville's most iconic brands: White Lily Flour. Later, it was owned by the Coughlin family. When the Coughlins sold the house in 1999, it became the focal point of a local battle between preservation and progress. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Why Maryville QB Will Jones would rather talk about anyone but himself
- Runtime
- 0:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Will Jones has been Maryville High School's quarterback since he was 14 years old, and hasn't let go of the job since.
An injury pushed him to start as a freshman in 2023, before he thought he was ready. Three years of work in the weight room and varsity reps later, the game has slowed down in front of him, and he thinks the payoff comes in his last ride as a Rebel.
Jones kicks off the Knox News' 2026 Elite 8 list, ranked No. 8. The Elite 8 is a collection of the top college football prospects in the Knoxville area.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Knoxville church got its name from 'King of the Underground Railroad'
- Runtime
- 0:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Did you know two Knoxville churches are connected to the Underground Railroad?
Knoxville's Logan Temple A.M.E. Zion Church is named for Rev. Jermain Wesley Loguen, an abolitionist known as the "King of the Underground Railroad." Loguen escaped enslavement in Tennessee and is credited with helping about 1,500 enslaved people attain freedom.
Greater Warner Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church in Knoxville is recognized as a former station on the Underground Railroad. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Why Knox County Schools is losing students despite the population boom
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- No single factor explains where Knox County students have gone. But data and interviews with experts suggest a growing number of families are charting a different educational path through private schools, homeschooling and other alternatives that have expanded rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- William Johnson was freed by one president, invited to White House by another
- Runtime
- 1:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Also known as Emancipation Day, the Eighth of August recognizes the date in 1863 when Andrew Johnson, the state's military governor during the Civil War and eventually a president of the United States, freed the slaves he held in bondage at his Greeneville plantation. One of the men he released that day was William Johnson, who went on to live a fascinating − and well-documented − life.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- What brought Chris Lofton back to Knoxville, scouting report for Tennessee basketball
- Runtime
- 2:40
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Former Tennessee basketball guard Chris Lofton didn't leave Knoxville behind when his decorated college career ended. Now a part of Vol Network and whose jersey number was retired in 2023, Lofton makes sure his connection to Tennessee has remained strong.
But it has been a while − more than six years − since Lofton hosted a signature event here. Lofton sported the bright, familiar smile as he coached children decked in Vols gear during his skills camp at Next Gen Athletics on Aug. 6. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Fans aren't the only ones cheering on the Volunteers!
- Runtime
- 0:37
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- See Smokey XII get some preseason work in at Tennessee football's Aug. 6 practice. See more photos of the Tennessee mascot at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Spirit Halloween returns to Knoxville. See inside
- Runtime
- 1:11
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Halloween-lovers, the wait is over. Spirit Halloween opened the doors to several of its Tennessee pop-up locations in early August.
The company, which has no permanent storefronts, is known for its banners that begin showing up on empty retail locations across the country. Spirit Halloween openings have become one of the first signs that spooky season is upon us.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Betsy Henderson wins Knox County mayor race
- Runtime
- 2:24
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Republican Betsy Henderson, the first woman elected Knox County mayor, told supporters she’s eager to get started. She'll assume the job Sept. 1, taking the reins from term-limited Glenn Jacobs.
“I’m deeply, deeply honored,” Henderson said. “I want to start by saying thank you to so many people. Thank you to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for this opportunity. I want to thank my family, husband, my children, my parents for their support.
"Who would have thought that the daughter of a Greek immigrant would be standing before you as mayor-elect of Knox County. The American dream is alive and well."
Follow along with more results and election updates at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Marsha Blackburn's full victory speech after winning Tennessee governor GOP nomination
- Runtime
- 16:07
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Marsha Blackburn appeared onstage in Knoxville surrounded by her family and prominent Republicans from East Tennessee, including elected officials, cabinet members and donor Jim Haslam.
The crowd chanted "Marsha Marsha Marsha" as she walked on stage while "My Tennessee Mountain Home" by Dolly Parton played on the speakers.
“I am so honored, humbled, grateful to accept your Republican nomination for the office of Governor.This night really does belong to the people of our great state,” she said.
“Here is what you can expect. I will keep Tennessee the most conservative, well-led, well-governed state in the United States of America,” she added.
To read more about Blackburn and other elections in Tennessee, click the link below:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/08/06/knox-county-and-east-tennessee-election-results-news-and-analysis--live/91184729007/
» Subscribe to KnoxNew...
- Title
- Police Chief Paul Noel was suspended for inappropriate texts. Here's what we know
- Runtime
- 1:29
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Mayor Indya Kincannon announced the one-month suspension of Knoxville Police Department Chief Paul Noel at an urgently called news conference on Aug. 6.
Here's what we know about the developing story. For updates, visit knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Mayor Indya Kincannon suspends Police Chief Paul Noel for inappropriate texts to a subordinate
- Runtime
- 2:13
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Knoxville Police Department Chief Paul Noel is suspended one month without pay after an independent investigation revealed he was “inappropriately texting” a subordinate, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon announced Aug. 6.
"I'm shocked, disappointed and disheartened," she said at the hastily called press conference that included Noel.
Kincannon said she received the results of the independent investigation Aug. 4 that revealed Noel's inappropriate texting with a subordinate officer, who is a woman. That officer remains employed and is not facing disciplinary action.
To read more, click the link below:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2026/08/06/knoxville-police-chief-paul-noel-suspended-for-inappropriately-texting-subordinate/91199209007/
- Title
- Mayor Kincannon suspends Police Chief Noel over inappropriate texts with subordinate
- Runtime
- 17:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- » Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to date on local news in East Tennessee by following knoxnews on social media:
Twitter: @knoxnews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvillephoto/
And for UT sports:
Twitter: @GoVolsXtra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/
- Title
- Freshman WR TK Keys calls Faizon Brandon's passes 'sizzling'
- Runtime
- 0:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Freshman wide receiver TK Keys noticed Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon's strength gains this offseason, saying his passes are harder and faster.
Read more from Tennessee football's first day of preseason practice at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Josh Heupel calls Knoxville's Tyreek King "explosive" at fall practice
- Runtime
- 0:42
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel praised freshman Tyreek King for hitting the ground running on day one of fall camp.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Everything Josh Heupel said on day 1 of Tennessee football fall camp
- Runtime
- 11:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Coach Josh Heupel sounds like every Tennessee football fan who wants to over-analyze the quarterback competition between George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon.
“We analyze every throw, every practice, the read, the fundamental, the technique,” Heupel said on Aug. 5 after the first preseason practice. “You’re looking at every individual play (to see if) there are areas of growth. Guys that keep making the same mistake twice, a third time – that’s when you get concerned.”
Quarterback competitions are ripe for dissection and over-analysis. Each public comment by a coach or player is picked apart. Every video clip of a pass is assigned extra importance.
That process started as soon as the Vols kicked off preseason practice, one month before No. 18 Tennessee plays Furman on Sept. 5 (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+/ESPN+).
For more from the first day of fall camp, click the link below:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/spo...
- Title
- See Tennessee football QBs George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon at the 1st day of practice
- Runtime
- 1:24
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee quarterbacks George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon are battling it out for the starting job. Watch them throw passes on first day of practice.
Could MacIntyre's and Brandon's personalities hint at their skills? Adam Sparks reports: bit.ly/3TDR6Nb
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to date on local news in East Tennessee by following knoxnews on social media:
Twitter: @knoxnews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvillephoto/
And for UT sports:
Twitter: @GoVolsXtra
Facebook:...
- Title
- Josh Heupel on how Derek Owings is transforming Tennessee's strength program
- Runtime
- 1:06
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Josh Heupel changed his offense and coaching staff more over the past year than at any period in his six-year Vols tenure. And those changes have become the core talking point of his preseason.
Among those staff changes is a new strength coach, Derek Owings. Since joining Heupel's staff in January, Owings has already helped players like DeSean Bishop dramatically increase their muscle mass and overall performance.
At media day on Aug. 4, Heupel said Owings has done an "elite job" and that his relationship with players is making all the difference.
To read more about changes Heupel made during the offseason, click the link below:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2026/08/04/josh-heupel-embrace-change-tennessee-football-jim-knowles/91077738007/
- Title
- Josh Heupel on Tennessee's QB competition, George MacIntyre or Faizon Brandon
- Runtime
- 0:33
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon is battling it out with George MacIntyre to earn the starting job this season.
But, at media day, Brandon said he didn't always like playing QB.
- Title
- George MacIntyre on social media, fan pressure of Tennessee QB battle
- Runtime
- 0:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel will have to name a starting quarterback soon but as the Vols open preseason practice, he's not ready to anoint George MacIntyre or Faizon Brandon as the starter.
The two quarterbacks went back and forth during spring practices and Heupel has been sure to avoid to give any indication that one had pulled ahead of the other. On Aug. 4, the day before the Vols' first practice, Heupel was still leaving the competition wide open.
At media day, MacIntyre shared how he is handling the competition by staying off social media and focusing on improving above all else.
- Title
- Did Josh Heupel change Tennessee football too much or just enough?
- Runtime
- 1:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Entering his sixth season as Tennessee football coach, Josh Heupel has become an agent of change.
Heupel changed his offense and his coaching staff more over the past year than at any period in his six-year Vols tenure. And those changes have become the core talking point of his preseason.
“Grow, change, evolve,” Heupel said at UT media day on Aug. 4, repeating his favorite buzzwords of this offseason.
- Title
- Watch Josh Heupel's full remarks at Tennessee football media day 2026
- Runtime
- 19:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Watch Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel address media and take questions during the Vols' preseason media day on Aug. 4.
Heupel discussed the ongoing quarterback battle along with Arion Carter's suspension and his expectations for the season ahead.
To read more about what Heupel said about the quarterback competition, click the link below:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2026/08/04/tennessee-football-josh-heupel-qb-george-macintyre-faizon-brandon/91126461007/
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to...
- Title
- The preseason US LBM Coaches Poll is out! Did the SEC get too much love (or not enough)?
- Runtime
- 41:00
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The SEC is mired in a national championship drought, but the conference still claims to have unmatched depth. That argument will gain steam after the release of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. Nine SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25, more than any other conference. That includes six teams in the top 11.
So, were Big Ten coaches in the wrong last week when they took a victory lap at the SEC's expense during the Big Ten's media days? As one Big Ten coach put it, the SEC would like to pretend it's still 2005. Ouch!
On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss the Big Ten's chest-thumping and explain why they're OK with it. They also react to the coaches poll and offer a few SEC teams that could be overrated and underrated.
Toppmeyer says one Big Ten team in particular got snubbed in the rankings, and Adams reveals who he'd have ranked No. 1. (Hint: It's an SEC team.)
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» W...
- Title
- Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel called it 'bull----' about Arion Carter suspension
- Runtime
- 1:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel called the NCAA's decision to suspend linebacker Arion Carter as "bull----" at the Vols' preseason media day on Aug. 4.
Heupel's comments came six days after Carter was suspended by the NCAA for the first two games of the season against Furman (Sept. 5) and Georgia Tech (Sept. 12). The suspension stemmed from Carter returning to college after his agent paid for a $427 flight to an NFL pre-draft training facility, which amounted to an improper material benefit per NCAA rules.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell on adding Fatmata Janneh, Jada Eads
- Runtime
- 1:19
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Lady Vols basketball coach Kim Caldwell has only been with her brand-new roster for a couple months, but she has seen enough to call them "one of the closest teams I've ever been a part of" when she met with the media for the first time this summer Aug. 3.
- Title
- This neighborhood once had a miniature trolley. Only the tracks remain
- Runtime
- 0:40
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The small, unused train tracks off a neighborhood alley in North Knoxville were previously a bit of a mystery.
The case was cracked with the help of Redditor u/jaredmanley. As it turns out, the tracks have nothing to do with local infrastructure, and everything to do with one man's unique, joyful hobby. In the 1950s, Joe Bell, whose greatest love was the streetcar, built one right in his own backyard.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- 5 Tennessee players (besides QBs) that intrigue us in camp
- Runtime
- 1:03:58
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- We can talk about QBs and five-star freshmen on another day. Instead, Adam Sparks and John Adams discuss five under-the-radar players that could impact Tennessee’s 2026 season as the Vols kick off preseason practice.
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- Title
- From drumlines to drills, see inside all 13 KCS marching band camps
- Runtime
- 1:22
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- With the stands still empty and football season weeks away, 13 Knox County Schools marching bands traded the last days of summer break for long rehearsals, blazing practice fields and the first steps of this fall’s halftime shows.
See all of our band camp photos at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Coffee is getting sweeter, flashier and more viral in Knoxville
- Runtime
- 0:40
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- There are only nine seats inside the coffee shop, and a customer sits at each one. Overflow customers of Mia Piccola stand shoulder to shoulder and even more wait outside for a chance to try owner Nathan Kitner’s newest release: coffee, but in a clear plastic can.
These "shakeratos," as Kitner calls them, became a defining part of Mia Piccola's identity almost overnight. Customers can crack them open like a Diet Coke on the road – and, more importantly, post them on social media for their followers to see.
Mia Piccola’s newfound virality comes at a time Knoxville coffee shop owners are noticing a shift in customer tastes toward cold foams, wild syrups and other add-ins – whatever makes their drink taste less like coffee.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- What are Flock cameras and why are they controversial?
- Runtime
- 1:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Flock cameras are a law enforcement surveillance tools popping up in communities across the U.S. Some local leaders have privacy concerns.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office entered a 10-year agreement for surveillance cameras without disclosing the full cost to county officials. County commissioners and the mayor were unaware of the plan to build a surveillance center until after the cameras were set up.
Sheriff Tom Spangler has agreed to pause the camera rollout until his term ends in September following concerns from other officials. The sheriff's office used a procurement tool to purchase the equipment without oversight from the mayor's office.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Kelsea Ballerini gives Hilary Duff tasty surprise at Nashville concert
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Hilary Duff got a little taste of Nashville and Knoxville during a recent concert stop in Music City – all thanks to Kelsea Ballerini.
Country star Ballerini surprised Duff on stage with Hattie B’s hot chicken during Duff’s July 30 show at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville.
"We've gotten to put a 'Hole in the Bottle' in your neck of the woods, but we've never got to have Nashville chicken in our neck of the woods. It felt like it was time. Welcome to your second home,” the Knoxville native said while hand-delivering the meal.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
