Vol Report: Tennessee Focused for Game Against Alabama

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee football team continued to display excitement and focus at the challenge posed by No. 1/1 Alabama as it wrapped up practice on Wednesday night at Haslam Field.

"We had a good practice out there today, I think that a lot of our guys are excited about this week," head coach Jeremy Pruitt said. "It's a great opportunity, you don't get but probably one chance in the season to play the team that's considered the best team in the country, and I think these guys probably are."

Pruitt will be very familiar with the Alabama team after serving on Nick Saban's staff for eight years, including the last two as defensive coordinator. And while Pruitt helped lead the Crimson Tide to four national championships, including the 2017 title, during his time in Tuscaloosa, Pruitt said the main reason he coaches is to help student-athletes achieve their goals.

Many of his players at Alabama, Florida State and Georgia have all spoken about how Pruitt has helped them on and off the field.

"Everywhere I've coached, I've really had one goal, and that was to help the players get what they want," Pruitt said. "I think it's why we're in the business. We're in it for the players. It gives us a great opportunity to give back to them. I know me as a player growing up, I was very fortunate to play for a lot of really good coaches that not only helped me as a football player, that helped me off the field…And there's good times and there's tough times, and I think you grow in that as you build teams and as you build a relationship. I have lots of good memories of the guys that I've coached at Alabama. The relationships that we have will last forever, just like the ones at Florida State and Georgia and the ones I had in high school and the guys we have here at Tennessee. I think that's what coaching's all about, and, to me, it's why I'm in the business."

For the third straight week the Vols will face a ranked opponent as they welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide into Neyland Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. for the annual meeting on the Third Saturday in October. The game will air live on CBS with Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson calling the action. Saturday will mark the third time the Vols have played live on CBS this season.

"It's a great opportunity for our guys to compete against one of the best teams in the country, and I think our guys are looking forward to it," Pruitt said.

"(Alabama's) explosive, they can break tackles, they're physical, lots of complete football players. There's lots of guys on their offense and defense you'll be watching play for a long, long time, so got really good players, very well coached. They play the right way. We'll have our hands full for sure."

Third Saturday in October
The Vols are 38-55-7 all-time against the Crimson Tide, having played every year since 1928 with the exception of 1943. Tennessee is 20-25-1 at home against Alabama. The game was traditionally played on the third Saturday in October prior to the 1992 football season, when the SEC split into Eastern and Western divisions. From 1995 to 2015, it was only scheduled for that date six times, though it was scheduled for that date in 2016-18.

"I think everybody that's in the business that we're in are competitors," Pruitt said. "We're playing a football game and that's what we do. That's what we get paid to do and coach to do, so obviously we're going to give our all to be at our best."

Tennessee Welcomes SEC Nation to Rocky Top
Tennessee will welcome SEC Nation to Rocky Top this weekend for the Third Saturday in October matchup between the Vols and Crimson Tide. SEC Nation will be airing live from 10 a.m. – Noon ET from Ayres Hall, the show will delve into the storylines of the Southeastern Conference football, the weekend's biggest matchups and more before the 3:30 p.m. start time.

SEC Nation includes live reports, analysis and features surrounding the world of SEC football, as well as special appearances from hometown favorites throughout the morning. Laura Rutledge hosts the traveling program show, navigating the Saturday morning conversations with analysts Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears and Paul Finebaum along with reporter Lauren Sisler.

This will be SEC Nation's sixth time in Knoxville and the Vols' 15th total appearance on the show.

Vols are ALL IN Against Alzheimer's
Vol fans can go ALL IN to boost Alzheimer's research at The Pat Summitt Clinic at The University of Tennessee Medical Center. Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network have joined forces with the medical center and ask fans to join them in ALL IN, a program where everyone with the Volunteer spirit can help tackle major diseases that impact Tennesseans.

The inaugural effort is ALL IN Against Alzheimer's and will benefit the Alzheimer's Research Initiative, a fundraising endeavor to increase research capabilities by the medical center's team at The Pat Summitt Clinic.

Fans can pick up an official ALL IN shaker for just $5 at several retailers throughout the state of Tennessee, including: Pilot, Food City, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Kubota, Kroger, Long's Drug Store, Orange Mountain Designs, Alumni Hall, HoundDogs, the gift shop at The University of Tennessee Medical Center, the Vol Shop (and Tennessee Team Shops inside Neyland Stadium), and VolWallArt.com.

Every shaker purchase includes a free 20-ounce fountain drink at any home football game this season at Neyland Stadium.

Support of the Pat Summitt Clinic's Alzheimer's Research Initiative is critical to the advancement of early diagnosis, treatment, and one day, a cure. All philanthropic gifts remain in East Tennessee supporting the Pat Summitt Clinic team in research, education, treatment and care of patients and families in our community. Hope lies in the research.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Vol Report: Tennessee Focused for Game Against Alabama

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