University of Tennessee Athletics
NEW BROADCAST TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR TENNESSEE FOOTBALL GAMES ON CSS
August 19, 2006 | Football
Aug. 19, 2006
Beginning with the season opener versus California, Tennessee fans will see a new announcer team for the popular CSS Monday Night Football Replay.
CSS (Comcast Sports Southeast), in conjunction with Host Communications (the Vol Network), has named veteran sportscaster Randy Smith and former Tennessee quarterback Pat Ryan to call Tennessee football on CSS this fall. In addition, former Volunteer Mike Stowell will fill the analyst spot for select games. The announcement was made Saturday by CSS Vice President and General Manager Mark Fuhrman and Steve Early, the Vice President and General of Host Communications/Vol Network.
Smith and Ryan replace Bob Bell and Terence Cleveland, who had broadcast the games on CSS since its inception seven years ago. Cleveland, a former Tennessee wide receiver, cited added business responsibilities and travel for his decision. Bell, a long time Nashville sportscaster, said his new daily radio show would make doing the games this season very difficult.
"Bob and Terence are both terrific ambassadors for the University of Tennessee and they did a first class job building our audience for Tennessee football replays," UT Director of Athletics Mike Hamilton said. "They have provided a good foundation for Randy and Pat to build on and we are excited about what they will bring to these telecasts."
Smith is the sports director at WRCB-TV in Chattanooga and is remembered by many as the long-time scoreboard host for the Vol Radio Network, a position he held throughout the 1980s and 1990s. For the past seven seasons, has been the play-by-play announcer for Tennessee basketball games on CSS.
Ryan played quarterback at Tennessee from 1974-77 and then went on the play in the NFL with the New York Jets from 1978-89 and with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1991. Ryan has extensive experience in the broadcast booth, serving as the color analyst on the Tennessee Titans radio network from 1999-2004.
"Randy has been a valuable member of the Vol Network team for many years, serving in a variety of roles," Early said. "Randy and Pat make a dynamic team in terms of their broadcasting experience and football knowledge. Mike will be a strong complement to both the CSS telecasts as well as the Vol Radio Network."
Stowell, who was an offensive lineman at Tennessee from 1989-92, will be Smith's color analyst on selected road games where Ryan has schedule conflicts. In addition, he has been tabbed as an analyst on the Vol Network's Final Scoreboard Show following each Tennessee game.
Comcast Sports Southeast/CSS will air replays of the Tennessee football games every Monday night at 8 p.m. Eastern time. CSS is now carried in more than 5.5 million cable homes in the southeast.
VOL CALLS KICKS OFF SEASON STATEWIDE MONDAY
"Vol Calls," the University of Tennessee's weekly, statewide call-in radio show, kicks off its 18th season Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time / 7 p.m. Central from the Texas Roadhouse across from West Town Mall in Knoxville. The program can be heard on close to 70-plus stations across the state of Tennessee and the Southeast that make up the Vol Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the show at utsports.com.
Bob Kesling, the voice of the Tennessee Volunteers and UT's director of broadcasting, serves as the show's host. Coach Phillip Fulmer appears on the show each week during football season. "Vol Calls" is the exclusive radio program where Tennessee fans can call in and talk with the head coaches of the Volunteers. Vol Network veteran Brent Hubbs teams with Kesling to answer questions and provide insight on University of Tennessee athletics. During football season former Vol standouts Tim Priest (1968-70), Jeff Francis (1985-88) and Mike Stowell (1989-91) will join Kesling as rotating special guests.
Patrons visiting the Texas Roadhouse location have the opportunity to register for prizes and tickets to University of Tennessee home football games and Tennessee's bowl game.
"Vol Calls" runs for 36-straight weeks from August 21 to April 23. Fans can place a "Vol Call" anywhere in the United States by dialing 1-800-688-8657 or Tennessee customers of Verizon Wireless can dial *UT.
