Beer Barrel preview, hoops chatter, etc.

GoVols247’s full staff — Wes Rucker, Patrick Brown, Ryan Callahan and Grant Ramey —convened at Fort Rucker Studio and then Tennessee’s Anderson Training Center for all the latest from another busy week for Vols football and basketball.Football-basketball crossover season always features tons of news, so this episode features four segments rather than the usual three.All things Beer Barrel take center stage in the first segment. Tennessee plays at longtime rival Kentucky on Saturday night in Lexington, and there’s plenty to discuss heading into that big game. Both the Vols and Wildcats have quarterback conundrums heading into the game, adding another level of intrigue to a game that’s already really important for both teams.Tennessee football recruiting is the primary discussion point in the second segment of this episode. It’s been an interesting week for the Vols on that front, leaving some good news (the commitment of 370-pound Texas offensive lineman Kyree Miller) and some bad news (top-100 defensive line prospect Jay Hardy shocking the Vols and everyone else by committing to Auburn) to discuss. Where did things go wrong with Hardy? Is there any way for Tennessee to flip him? Where do the Vols go from here to address a position of serious need in the 2020 class? Those are the primary talking points of the second segment.As usual, answers to questions submitted on GoVols247’s CheckerBoard are featured in the third segment of the Thursday morning episode.Vols hoops joins the party in the fourth segment of this episode, and there’s a ton to discuss on that front, as well. Tennessee’s comfortable season-opening win over UNC Asheville on Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena offered plenty of promise and plenty of questions, as expected for a team that lost four players to the NBA after last season. A discussion on all things Tennessee basketball — including an update on the ongoing eligibility battle for 7-foot-1 forward Uros Plavsic — takes over in the fourth segment.The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Thursday morning, unless breaking news occurs before that point.