Big Orange Report January 2, 2026

 


The Real Season

The Tennessee basketball squads have completed the preliminary portions of the schedules and now it is time to get down to business in the Southeastern Conference. Both teams enter league play off mixed reviews from the early going but both are still ranked in the top 25 in the national polls as they gear up for the "real" season.
For Coach Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols, the search for the right combinations of players is still an ongoing process. That is what often happens when your team is relying on freshmen to step up and deliver solid performances against the opposition. Yes, the team has some veterans sprinkled in and those players will be major components in the early going in the SEC. Three experienced players, Janiah Barker, a 6-4 forward who transferred from UCLA, leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game. Combo guards Talaysia Cooper and Nya Robertson, like to launch the three-point shots. Cooper is a senior who transferred last year from South Carolina and she has been listed on some pre-season All-SEC teams. Robertson moved to Knoxville from SMU and 6-4 Zee Spearman left Miami to join the Lady Vols.
The ladies get league play underway at home against Florida on New Year's Day. They will be on the road for the next contest when they visit Auburn on Saturday with the SEC network carrying the broadcast with tipoff slated for 3 p.m.
After dropping three games in a row, Coach Rick Barnes men rebounded with an impressive victory over Louisville. Transfer point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie is still developing at the point, a position he did not play prior to his arrival on Rocky Top. He leads the team in scoring with an average of 17.6 points per game and he also has booked 68 assists this season.
Two rugged front court operators, Felix Okara and Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey are excellent defenders and rebounders for the Vols. Red shirt sophomore J.P. Estrella, a 6-11 front court mainstay, has recovered from an early season injury and will be a key for success in league play. Five-star freshman Nate Ament is still adjusting to playing on the perimeter rather than inside. Ament has struggled at times but does lead the squad in rebounding with seven boards per game and he is also averaging 15.3 points. Ament has been hot or cold with his three point shooting and that was a stable of his game when he was being recruited out of high school.
UT opens on the road on Saturday at nationally ranked Arkansas. ESPN 2 will televise the battle beginning at 2 p.m. The Vols will entertain Texas on Tuesday and again ESPN2 will broadcast the game with tipoff slated for 8 p.m.
Window Shopping
It is the time of the year when well over 1000 college football players jump into the transfer portal. They are seeking more money and/or more playing time with many hoping to move to a higher profile school.
It appears that the UT administration and boosters have a "war chest" of additional money that is going to make this a busy time for adding talent. One report swirling is that a single donor has stepped up to enhance the chances for landing a talented and proven, high profile quarterback.
Tennessee is in the market for some veteran help at running back, defensive line, the secondary and it does appear that Coach Heupel will be looking to add a veteran quarterback to the roster. It is unknown if the federal courts will grant Joey Aguilar another season and if not, the Vols would have only sophomore George MacIntyre and incoming freshman Faizon Brandon on the roster this spring.
There are plenty of quarterbacks already in the transfer windows and headed for new locations. One player that has been getting some discussions in Tennessee circles is Brendan Sorsby (6-3, 235, 4..6). He played for the Cincinnati Bearcats this season after transferring from Indiana. Sorsby passed for 2800 yards, 27 touchdowns and threw only five intercepted passes. He also rushed for 580 yards even after deductions for minus sack yardage.  
Pickens Honored
Recently the Knoxville News named Tennessee softball pitcher Karlyn Pickens as Sports Person of the Year. The senior from North Carolina is a two time All American and last year she recorded the fastest pitch on record for the college game at 79.4 miles per hour. One might expert that she will register a "heater" at 80 mph this spring. 

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