Volunteer Country

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray break down the commitment of latest Vols commit in 2023 ATH Cameron Seldon. The episode serves as the latest edition of the short video/podcast series entitled '3 & Out'

Host Jack Foster and analyst Matt Ray break down the commitment of five-star 2024 ATH Jonathan Echols in the latest edition of short video/podcast series '3 & Out.' Echols is the first commitment of the '24 class, a massive win for the Vols on the recruiting trail.

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray break down the commitment of latest Vols commit 2023 CB Cristian Conyer in latest edition of short podcast/video series '3 & Out'

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray break down the commitment of latest Vols commit in 2023 DE Tyree Weathersby in a new short series: '3 & Out'

Host Jack Foster and Bryson Wright of SB Nation Grizzlies talk how VFL Kennedy Chandler will fit in with the Memphis Grizzlies in year one, what their thoughts were on Chandler falling in the draft and more. 

Jack and Bryson also give their projected Tennessee Basketball starting lineups for the 2022-2023 season at the end of the show. 

Host Jack Foster talks Vol Baseball's Super Regional loss to Notre Dame that ended their season, looks back on an incredible season from the BaseVols and more.

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols preview Tennessee and Notre Dame in the NCAA Super Regional Tournament in Knoxville. 

Host Jack Foster and analyst Matt Ray answer all of YOUR questions from the past week regarding Tennessee Football and Recruiting. Is Tennessee still in good standing with Carnell Tate? How is Tennessee doing with Class of 2024 prospects? Can the Vols make a New Year's Six Bowl game this season? 

Jack and Matt answer all that and more in the latest Volunteer Country on SI MAILBAG podcast. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols talk Tennessee Baseball's NCAA Regional Sweep this past weekend, discussing pitching performances and hot topics heading into the Supers. Jack and Jake also predict when/if some longstanding Tennessee Baseball program records will be broken.

All that and more in the latest Volunteer Country on SI Podcast. 

In the first half of the show, host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols go into depth on Tennessee Baseball's NCAA Tournament Regional this weekend in Knoxville. 

In the second half, Jack is joined by Bryson Wright of SB Nation Grizzlies to talk about Kennedy Chandler's potential fit with the Memphis Grizzlies as the NBA Draft nears. 

Host Jack Foster asks Matt Ray YOUR mailbag questions in the latest Volunteer Country on SI Podcast.

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols talk all the latest with Tennessee baseball winning the 2022 SEC Tournament. Jack and Jake also take a quick look ahead to the NCAA Regionals in Knoxville and touch on Santiago Vescovi returning for his senior season.

Recapping Tennessee's Massive Recruiting Weekend, Jayson Jenkins Joins the Show

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols recap Tennessee Baseball's 10-1 win over Vanderbilt in their SEC Tournament Opener, touching on Trey Lipscomb's elite defense, Blake Burke's bat, Blade Tidwell's solid start and more. 

Jack and Jake also look ahead to Tennessee's second matchup in Hoover against LSU, which will take place at 8 p.m. CT in Hoover Met. 

Volunteer Country Podcast: Signees Christian Harrison and Dylan Sampson Join the Show

Volunteer Country Podcast: More Memorial Day weekend recruiting talk, Joshua Josephs joins the show.

Jack Foster and Riley Haltom are joined by Tess Darby for a special edition of the Volunteer Country on SI Podcast. Darby looks back on Tennessee's season that featured the first Sweet Sixteen run for the program in six years. Darby also shares her thoughts on the future, Kellie Harper, the freshmen's impact, life off the court and more. 

Host Jack Foster and Riley Haltom discuss the past week of Lady Vols action. 

Coming off a loss to Auburn, Tennessee beat Arkansas in overtime on Monday with a great, inspiring team win. However, the Florida loss causes worry to resurface, making Sunday's matchup with UConn all the more significant. Riley and Jack answer what went wrong against the Gators and what Tennessee needs to do in order to knock off the Huskies and regain momentum moving forward in the season. 

Host Jack Foster and Riley Haltom are back with another Lady Vols podcast recapping Tennessee's disappointing road loss to unranked Auburn last Thursday. Jack and Riley go over what led to the defeat, noting confidence, turnovers and a lack of defensive discipline, while surprising, led to the upset loss. 

Looking ahead to Arkansas, a rematch of the January 2 matchup that happened in Fayetteville, Jack and Riley discuss the impact the fans can/need to have for UT to effectively rebound also touching on the need for s strong defensive performance against a Hog squad that put up 90 against No. 12 LSU. 

Jack and Riley tell you everything you need to know and more for the Lady Vols next SEC showdown, an important one as the Big Orange Women face a grueling schedule of three games in seven days with road matchups against Florida and UConn to close out this week's trifecta of matchups. 

VC on SI: Recapping Junior Day, Talking Late 2022 Cycle Finish

Host Jack Foster and Riley Haltom are back with another VC on SI podcast episode talking Lady Vols. 

-Role player F/C Keyen Green is now out for the season with a torn ACL, what's the impact? 

-The Lady Vols are 18-1 and on top of the SEC, but turnovers have been an issue. 

-Rae Burrell's impact since seeing increased minutes

-Jordan Horston is playing out of this world, which is leading to impressive Lady Vols wins

-Big Picture talk in regards to rest of season

-Is there a kryptonite to the Lady Vols dominance?

Riley and Jack talk all that and more in the latest edition of the Volunteer Country on SI podcast. 

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray bring you a BONUS Volunteer Country on SI Podcast episode after defensive end Tyler baron and running back Dee Beckwith entered the transfer portal on Thursday, along with long-snapper Will Albright. Jack and Matt the significance of Baron leaving, why Beckwith left and more. With Baron gone, a spot opens up on Tennessee's pass-rush for competition to see the field immediately alongside Byron Young, and a good candidate to earn said playing time is Albany transfer Jared Verse should he commit to Tennessee. The Vols are in the thick of the Verse commitment which could end at any time now. Matt gives his insight on the situation, talking other schools who are competing with Tennessee for the CAA 2021 TFL leader. 

Host Jack Foster and Riley Haltom return to give an update on the Lady Vols. Star forward Rae Burrell made her return to the floor against Arkansas and will be slowly eased back in moving forward. The Lady Vols won their first pair of games in SEC play, knocking off Alabama in Knoxville then defeating Arkansas in a gritty, road win. Up next for Kellie Harper's squad is No. 25 Texas A&M in TBA. What should we expect from the Aggies and what are the keys to a victory? Riley and Jack tell you all you need to know regarding the Lady Vols as they look to get their first home win of 2022. 

Host Jack Foster is joined by Matt Ray and new Volunteer Country contributor CJ Eldridge to talk the latest on Tennessee's remaining 2022 targets and look forward to some players that Josh Heupel is likely to target in the 2023 class. Matt and CJ also discuss their thoughts on what to expect this winter as Tennessee plans to hit the transfer portal. 

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray go over Tennessee's loss to Purdue in the Music City Bowl and the wild, controversial ending. Although the Vols lost and ended the year with a 7-6 record, there is a positives when looking back on how Josh Heupel did in year one, which should ignite more hope in Vol Nation than any year has in recent memory. Jack and Matt talk all that and more in the latest episode of the Volunteer Country on SI Podcast.

Host Jack Foster and Riley Haltom recap the weekend action for the Tennessee Lady Vols and BasketVols, or lack thereof for Rick Barnes' squad as Tennessee-Memphis that was going to be played in Bridgestone Arena was cancelled due to COVID-19 complications for Memphis. Jack and Riley discuss the chaos that reigned on Saturday and how Tennessee responded with an intra-squad scrimmage. Up next for the Vols is a tough game against No. 8 Arizona, and Riley notes that Tennessee will have to bring it order to get a win in TBA.

The Lady Vols lost their first game of the season in a 74-63 defeat to No. 3 Stanford, but a terrific third quarter performance shows that Kellie Harper's team can compete with some of the best in the nation. 

Jack and Riley discuss everything you need to know regarding Tennessee hoops and more in the latest episode of the Volunteer Country on SI Podcast. 

Host Jack Foster and brand new guest Riley Haltom bring you the return of the Volunteer Country on SI Podcast talking Lady Vols and Vols basketball. The Tennessee men dropped an ugly one to Texas Tech in Madison Square Garden due to shooting woes, but they followed it up with a 40-point blowout win over UNC Greensboro. Which Vols team needs to show up to secure a win against Memphis?

The Lady Vols are 9-0 and No. 7 in the Top 25 poll, the best ranking since 2018. And a big reason has been Tamari Key's six double-doubles. The Lady Vols will face their most formidable opponent yet, though, as the reigning national champions in Stanford are coming to town on Saturday. Jack and Riley discuss the keys to victory for Tennessee to keep the undefeated season going.

Subscribe to the Volunteer Country on SI podcast wherever you find your podcasts for coverage of the basketball season as well as football, baseball and recruiting!

Ahead of a big day for Tennessee Athletics with Tennessee basketball and football playing on Saturday, host Jack Foster and Matt Ray have you covered on it all. Jack and Matt give their predictions for the Vols Week 12 matchup against the Jaguars and what will happen when Rick Barnes and co. travel to Connecticut to take on No. 5 Villanova. Matt also gives the latest on recruiting surrounding Tennessee football in the latest edition of the VC on SI pod. 

Happy Veteran's Day! 

🚨 Name Change 🚨: VR2 on SI is NOW Volunteer Country on SI. Jack and Matt go into detail on the name change at the beginning of the pod.

Podcast Description:

Host Jack Foster is joined by Volunteer Country lead publisher Matt Ray for the first time in a while to discuss the latest on recruiting, going into depth on the likes of Walter Nolen, DeMario Tolan, Zahquan Frazier and more! Jack and Matt also discuss what Georgia brings to the table when they come to Knoxville this weekend and what Tennessee needs to do to contend with the No. 1 team in the country. 

Link to Matt and John Garcia Jr. of SI All-American's Walter Nolen Exclusive: https://www.si.com/college/recruiting/football/exclusive-walter-nolen-family-reflect-on-recruiting-process

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols are back for another VR2 on SI Pod talking the battle of the border between the Vols and the Wildcats. Now that Tennessee is presumably the healthiest they have been all season, will this Vols team be unlike something anybody has seen all year? How much impact will Kentucky's rushing attack have on the Vols? Who are the x-factors if the Vols are to pull out a big SEC road win?

Later on, Jack and Jake touch on Tennessee's 103-62 win over Lenoir Rhyne in the exhibition and briefly look forward to UT Martin on Tuesday.

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols return for the weekly podcast to discuss Tennessee's Week 8 loss to Alabama, going over the positives from the first three quarters and change, and the negatives from the final stretch of the fourth quarter. The passing game was electric, but the run game took a hit. Which aspect of the Vols' offense means more? The defense bend but did not break until the fourth quarter, when Heisman candidate Bryce Young buried Tennessee in the end. However, the energy Tennessee is bringing to the field, such as on the road in Alabama, should bode well with a softer schedule to close out the season outside of Georgia. Listen for a full recap of the game and what the Vols should focus on during the bye.

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols breakdown the wild Tennessee-Ole Miss ending, going into depth on what it means for the fans, coaches and the players. Alabama looms as Week 8 draws near, and while Tennessee is a heavy underdog, health will be key in putting up a decent fight. Listen for a full breakdown and preview along with the Jeremy Pruitt saga in the latest VR2 on SI Pod!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols recap Tennessee's 45-20 win over South Carolina, going over the second straight impressive offensive performance from the Vols. As for Week 7, Ole Miss is coming to town, and Jake expects a high-scoring, close affair in a sold out, Checkered Neyland that will host the return of former Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols are back with another VR2 on SI pod talking about Tennessee's blowout win over the Missouri Tigers last Saturday, focusing on the success in the running game as well as the rush defense. This Saturday presents a ho-hum SEC opponent in South Carolina, but the Gamecocks look far from capable of handling the Volunteers in Knoxville. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols recap the Vols 38-14 loss to Florida, examining both the positives and negatives. Emory Jones had a field day, but the first half defense showed some promise, and Hendon Hooker played well yet again. The upcoming matchup against Mizzou is a key one for Tennessee's bowl chances down the stretch, in addition to how they adapt in their second consecutive road game. Listen for Jake's insight on how the Vols can take advantage of the Mizzou defense on the ground, as well as how JaVonta Payton and Velus Jones Jr. could come up big yet again. 

It's been almost 20 years since Tennessee beat Florida in The Swamp. The last time the Vols did, though, former Tennessee running back Jabari Davis was a part of the effort. VR2 on SI's Jake Nichols chatted with Davis, a self-proclaimed #GatorKilla, about this edition of Tennessee-Florida, with a bit at the end about the late Parys Haralson. 

Enjoy!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols tell you everything you need to know from Tennessee's 56-0 blowout of Tennessee Tech, focusing on which part of the Vols' game served as confidence boosters heading into SEC play. Florida us up this Saturday, and while Jake is not optimistic about the chances to win on the road, if Tennessee can connect on deep throws, have a strong pass-rush presence and run the ball efficiently, the Vols can make strides as a team in the Swamp. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols walk you through the Vols' Week 3 matchup that should not be close, but will serve as a great opportunity for Tennessee to fine tune many aspects of their game heading into their first road matchup against the Gators in Week 4. Byron Young will make his Tennessee debut Saturday, what does this mean for Tennessee's pass-rush? Listen for a full preview and more!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols discuss the inaugural 'Johnny Majors Classic,' touching on Tennessee's quarterback situation, the pass defense, elite special teams play and how Tennessee could not edge out Pitt due to penalties and turnovers. There are positives to be taken from the game for the Vols, but ultimately there are a lot of things for Josh Heupel and his squad to work on if they are going to compete with above-average SEC schools. Listen for all that and more on the latest edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols tell you everything of significance you need to know heading into Tennessee's Week 2 matchup against Pitt. For Tennessee to secure a win, the passing game has to be clicking, the linebackers have to be making plays and, most importantly, Neyland has to be rocking. Listen for a full preview of the game along with the significance behind the game being dubbed the 'Johnny Majors Classic.'

This Saturday's matchup between Tennessee and Pittsburgh will mark the first installment of the Johnny Majors Classic. Majors, of course, won a national title at Pitt and captured three SEC championships in Knoxville -- but only after completing a Hall of Fame career as a tailback for the Vols. 

Majors' coaching career at Tennessee coincided with the collegiate years of Ryan McGee, who worked as a video assistant for the football team before moving on to work for ESPN. 

Unfortunately, Majors passed away last summer. After his passing, McGee published a column as an ode to Majors, the man he called, "Coach." In that work, McGee detailed his daily conversations with Majors, with plenty of insight into the man we know as a college football legend. 

So, with Majors' memory being honored this Saturday at Neyland Stadium, McGee was nice enough to join VR2 on SI's Jake Nichols for a full conversation about the late, legendary Johnny Majors. 

Enjoy, and be sure and keep up with VR2 on SI for all things Tennessee Athletics. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols bring you another edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast going into depth on Tennessee's 38-6 win over the Bowling Green Falcons in the 2021 season opener. Joe Milton had a solid first quarter but struggled as the game went on. Jake dishes on what he needs to work on to become more consistent and applauds the running game for being the bright spot of the offense. The Tennessee secondary was great defensively, which gives Jake a lot to look forward to as the season progresses. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols are back for another VR2 on SI Pod to preview Tennessee's first regular season game: a home opener against the Bowling Green Falcons. What should Vol Nation expect to see from Josh Heupel's first game as Head Coach? What will Joe Milton have in store for his first start under center in Orange and White? Only time will tell, but Jake believes fans should expect a blowout that will serve as a great opportunity for many Vols to get their feet wet with the 2021 season and answer any questions remaining from fall camp. All that and more in the latest edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast!

Now that fall camp has concluded, host Jack Foster and Jake go over Tennessee's offensive line and defensive line performances in camp and provide an update on the QB situation on Rocky Top. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols are back with another football episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast giving an update on fall practices during the past two weeks, the quarterback competition and a specific focus on the performances out of the RB and WR groups. Jake also gives pro comparisons of Harrison Bailey, Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton to close out the show.

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols are back with an action-packed episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast going over Tennessee's Media Day to kickoff fall camp. Jake goes into depth regarding what was said about the Vols on offense, most importantly the quarterback battle, defense and the transparent, comfortable and confident vibe Tennessee football is bringing to the 2021 season. 

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray bring you another episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast, talking the latest big names to commit to Tennessee, such as Kalib Perry, Jack Luttrell and, most importantly, Addison Nichols. Matt loves what he sees in all three, but he emphasizes the impact Nichols will bring to Tennessee not only on the field, but in the locker room as well. Listen to all the info you need to know about the three commits on the latest edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast!

It's been awhile, but Jack and Jake are back for the newest football edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast. Jake  goes over the standout guys in the LB and DB position groups, going into depth on the newcomers in the process, and Jack has a beef with Texas about who the true UT is. Football season is upon us, and this episode is the first of many VR2 on SI pods talking about fall practices leading up to Bowling Green on September 2. 

Jack and Jake are back with another VR2 pod going over Tennessee's incredible showing in the first two days of the MLB Draft and about what's to come. Jake dishes his opinions on how Chad Dallas, Liam Spence, Max Ferguson, Connor Pavolony and Jake Rucker will fit in with their new teams in the pros. In addition, Jake and Jack go over the UT signees who were drafted and what that means for Tennessee Baseball's future. 

Tennessee Volunteers offensive lineman Parker Ball discusses the NIL process, his early opportunities, and more

It's been awhile since VR2's last pod, but Jack and Matt are back to talk about the plethora of visits to Knoxville from recruits, commits and non-comics alike. Matt dishes out his superlatives for the Vols' upcoming season based on what happened in the Spring, and three-star LB Tennessee 2022 commit Elijah Herring makes an appearance to talk about what he fell in love with on Rocky Top along with how it feels to be the first commit of Tennessee's 2022 class. All that and more on the latest edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols break down Tennessee's Super Regional sweep of LSU and talk about what that means for the Vols' confidence in the CWS. Jake has high hopes for the Omavols in the CWS but notes that Vanderbilt is an intimidating obstacle on the road to a CWS championship. 

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray discuss the significance of the news that Neyland will be at full capacity in the fall and the Malachi Wideman situation, as Matt gives his insight on where it all went wrong between Wideman and Tennessee.

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray are back with another football edition of the VR2 On SI Podcast talking about the multiple visits happening on Rocky Top from both committed and non-committed players. Matt also updates us on the transfer portal and breaks down the secondary and linebacker group from what he saw in the Spring. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols bring you another edition of the VR2 On SI Podcast talking Vol Baseball's Regional Finals win against Liberty to move on and host the Super Regional Tournament in Knoxville against LSU. Jake notes that LSU has a chip on their shoulder coming to Knoxville, but if Tennessee can remain stellar on the mound, hot at the plate, and electric in the stands, they are Omaha bound. 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols recap the Vols dominant win against the Liberty Flames in Round 2 of the NCAA Regional Tournament in Knoxville. Tennessee had hot bats early, but a dry spell from innings 4-7 worries Jake for the Vols chances at going far on the road to Omaha. Jack and Jake also take a look at the possible matchup against Duke or Liberty again in the Regional Final and how the atmosphere is in Lindsey Nelson Stadium during the tournament. All that and more in the latest edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast! 

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols recap Vol Baseball's 9-8 win against Wright State via a Drew Gilbert walk-off grand slam in the first round of the Regional Tournament. Jake notes how unbelievably electric the atmosphere was in Knoxville and how that grand slam may have been one of the best moments in Tennessee athletics history. Jack and Jake also look forward to the Vols date with Liberty in round 2 of the tourney and more in the latest episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols preview Vol Baseball's regional over the weekend that will be hosted at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Jake goes over how he expects the atmosphere to be, key players, and the other teams in the tournament (Wright State, Liberty, and Duke). All that and more in the latest edition of the VR2 On SI Podcast!

Jack and Jake are back at it with another podcast recapping the Vols loss to Arkansas in the SEC Tournament Final. Jake takes a look at the bullpen's lackluster play and the Vols inability to get guys home. However, Jack and Jake make it clear that all heads should be held high for the Vols. Finally, Jack and Jake take a look at the regionals coming up for the Vols that will be hosted in Knoxville.

Host Jack Foster and Matt Ray break down the performances of the Vols' offensive line and defensive line in the spring, and Matt gives his depth chart predictions heading into the fall. Matt also fills you in on what to expect with the recruiting period opening within the next week. All that and more in the latest episode of the VR2 On SI Podcast!

Host Jack Foster and Jake Nichols recap the Vols blowout 11-0 win against Alabama in the fourth round of the SEC Tournament, diving deep into Blade Tidwell's performance and the Vols success at the plate. Jack and Jake also look forward to the Vols game against Florida in the semifinals and more in the latest episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast.

Host Jack Foster and analyst Jake Nichols break down the Vols win against Mississippi State in the third round of the SEC Tournament and their loss against Alabama in the second round. Jake describes what he has seen from the Vols that he likes and what they could do better in their rematch against the Crimson Tide in round four of the tournament. Jack and Jake also look forward to how the Vols could fare in the rest of the SEC Tournament in the latest edition of the VR2 On SI Podcast!

Host Jack Foster and analyst Jake Nichols preview the 2021 SEC Baseball Tournament, specifically the Vols chances of going deep in the tourney and keys to success. Jake dishes out stats on the Vols historic season and explains the environment surrounding the tournament in Hoover, Alabama. An SEC Baseball Tournament Recap Podcast will be in this feed upon conclusion of the tourney as well!

Host Jack Foster and analyst Matt Ray go over post-spring WR and TE breakdowns along with reacting to the news of William Mohan and Kamal Hadden transferring to UT, and Brian Grant committing to UT. Matt also has some more transfer portal news before Jack closes out the show in the latest episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast.

Host Jack Foster and analyst Jake Nichols recap the exciting series between the Vols and the Razorbacks on this edition of the VR2 on SI Podcast, going over what the Vols did right and what they could've done better, and also awarding an MVP for the series.

Listen to host Jack Foster and analyst Matt Ray go over some positional breakdowns along with transfer portal news, the developments in the Ja'Waun James situation, Da'Jon Terry's fit with the Vols, and more in the latest episode of the VR2 on SI Podcast.

Jack Foster and Jake Nichols dive into the top-five matchup as the Tennessee Volunteers play host to top-ranked Arkansas this weekend in front of a capacity crowd at Lindsey Nelson Stadim. 

VR2 On SI Podcast: Brody Foley Commits, NFL Draft and Transfer Portal Talk

The VR2 on SI crew answers your questions during the 4-11-21 mailbag podcast

The VR2 on SI staff breaks down the week's happenings in Knoxville.

Jake Nichols hosts the VR2 on SI podcast, as he is joined by lead editor Matt Ray to breakdown Tennessee's depth chart release ahead of the South Carolina game. 

Coveted SI All-American Candidate J'Marion Gooch has announced his commitment to Tennessee, as the Vols flipped him away from Auburn. The VR2 on SI staff breaks down the commitment here.