Episode 140: Vols in win-or-no-bowl mode

GoVols247's Wes Rucker went into Fort Rucker Studio solo this week — which made sense, given the staff’s location all over the country during this holiday week — but nonetheless served as conduit to anything and everything related to this season’s crucial Vols-Dores game at Vanderbilt Stadium. A brief intro on all things Vols football and hoops set the stage for an episode featuring interviews of three pertinent Vols — first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt snd senior defensive linemen Shy Tuttle and Paul Bain. Tuttle and Bain have a ton to play for this week, because a loss to the Commodores might be the final game of their careers at any level of football, especially in the case of Bain, a former walk-on who plans to enroll in dental school following his playing days. Neither D-linemen wants to be part of the first Tennessee team to lose three consecutive games to Vanderbilt since the mid-1920s. Both are playing for plenty of “pride” — a word Pruitt has used plenty of times this week. Speaking of Pruitt, a mid-week interview with the head coach featured plenty of discussion on all things Vols-Vandy, including the health of three Tennessee offensive starters — sophomore quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, junior wide receiver Marquez Callaway and sophomore running back Ty Chandler — and the list of players who won’t play Saturday in order to keep them eligible for a redshirt under new NCAA rules and regulations. Pruitt also praised several things about the Commodores, especially senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur and junior running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and the toughness Vandy has seemingly always had under veteran coach Derek Mason. It’s Vols-Vandy week. Make a plate full of festive leftovers, sit back, watch some football, pop on this podcast and get yourself ready for Saturday’s win-or-no-bowl showdown.