Mike Matthews to Return to Tennessee | Tennessee Vols Football

[@EricBJones]

Whatsup Indie I'm glad Mike Matthews is still a Vol 💯 And I agree This staff went to the tall and bigger stronger WR's especially with Bru McCoy & Dante Thornton 💯 so I agree with you on that I think they need a WR that's a burner that's quick and a tall bigger guy like 6'6 210 type WR that can run and get open cause they haven't had a WR that had that break away speed since Jalin Hyatt we need 1 again to get this vertical passing game going again like it did in 2022 💯

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I could be wrong, but I really think that's the reason for the exodus. Out of all of the guys who left, none were playmakers, including Squirrel. I felt Squirrel used to be, but that wasn't the case this year, injury or not. I'm excited to see the new unit in action. I stand by what I said yesterday. I believe the new unit will be better than last year's, and frankly, I don't think it will be close.

[@user-zq9zp9sj8s]

Glad things are coming together. We needed a shake up. Coaches need to get the Gameplan back.. use these guys and GBO🧡.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

The most eye-opening thing about these guys who were rumored to go to the portal and then come back is that they supposedly had questions about the scheme and how the offense would run moving forward. If true, this could be the best thing to happen to the program.

[@EricBJones]

And Indie I am sure Amari Jefferson ends up a Vol 💯 but I hope Tennessee gets the Branch brothers 💯 throw what they want at them to get them Cause even if the brother that plays safety or CB whichever ain't as good the Branch brother that's a WR is worth it and they a package deal gotta take both brothers to get them 💯! GB🍊

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I agree. I think Jefferson comes to Tennessee. I would love to have the Branch brothers, and I would throw the money at them, too. I'm not getting my hopes up until they visit, though. Hopefully Tennessee can get that set up.

[@kimberlydunn954]

Hang in there Mike you are going to be great !!

[@bradsayles3963]

Boo will get some significant time at receiver next year too I’d think. Great show Frank!

[@hillvolfan]

Now if we can make use of him and he can deliver then we will be a better team for it. Someone has to block for Nico tho.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I'm interested to see if they add another interior OL. I think it's possible, but at some point, one of these guys they've recruited needs to play a role.

[@rockytopronnie]

Thanks Frank! Good news to start the weekend! 🏈🏈🏈

[@steveo7064]

This is great news. I’m glad he’s staying with the Big Orange. Remember these young men are 18-21 years old with family, friends and fans coming at them from every angle. I agree with you. Must have one more and possibly two. I doubt the Vols are serious contenders for the Branch Brothers now. But WTH do I know, lol.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I agree on everything you said. I think anyone getting their hopes up for the Branch brothers are setting themselves up for disappointment. If they visit, maybe I change my mind. At this point, I don't think it's serious, either. Your third sentence is dead on. Family is involved, agents are involved, and money is involved. I know in pro sports, players are given financial literacy when they entered the league. I don't know if they're doing that in college or not. Some of the money these kids are getting is life changing. In this day and age with money involved, I will never make a comment about the loyalty from a player like I see people do. It's easy to say, but if most people get life changing money, they're going to take it. JMO

[@KerryCarson-r3n]

GREAT NEWS GO BIG ORANGE

[@jessearms2954]

Hell yeah! GBO! What's up Frank? Hope all is well! 🍊

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

What's up, Jesse! Hope all is well with you, too. Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@darrenweaver1275]

I agree spend some money and get a gamechanger or 2. Just curious if you know how these teams projected NIL spending is allocated. For example is the suspected 14 million tennessee spent spread out thru all of tennessees sports teams. As good of athletic programs as we got that's gonna get spread thin

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I don't have all of the answers, but I've seen a number of $22 million that programs have to allocate across the different programs. My understanding is the $14 million is to football. I could be totally wrong on all of this because it's confusing, so that would indicate around $8 million to spread around the other programs. I would think men's basketball commands the next highest amount, then either baseball of Lady Vols basketball. Again, I could be wrong on everything I said, but this is my understanding of it.

[@darrenweaver1275]

@TheHouseofOrangeTN thanks for the explanation it is confusing it would be nice if these collectives were more transparent so doners would know wre there money is goin. Cause what I've seen in these playoffs it's gonna take some money to dance

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

@@darrenweaver1275 Yes, you're exactly right. My guess is that different schools allocate their money differently. Case in point, Ohio State's $20 million roster vs. Tennessee's roster. There is a definitely no transparency with it.

[@robertduncan5696]

Glad he is staying he is going to be #1 receiver next season thanks for the update

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

He definitely should be. I feel a lot better about the WR room now. I think there is a lot of potential there.

[@davidburgess2610]

Great news GBO

[@waynepruett2492]

Route running, getting separation and catching any ball that hits your hands are the traits I want to see in our receivers. I want to see our Coaching Staff allow more receivers to get snap counts, not just riding 3 and only 3. We wore Dylan Sampson out this year and he was not able to go in the big playoff game. I say we need to add one running back to our roster and we need to use at least 2 backs in the fall, not ride or die with one back.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

What's funny is the three traits you mention seem simple, but we haven't seen them for at least the last two years. I've openly said, if a guy can't catch the football, he shouldn't be playing in the SEC. I want to see more substitutions if they're not going to go at a fast pace. That gives guys more snap counts like you said, and guys get better with experience in games. I think Lewis and Bishop will split the load. From my understanding, they are trying to get another RB. I saw a guy from South Dakota State mentioned, but not sure how serious. I can't see any way they go into the season with just four RB's, especially when two of them are true freshmen.

[@Ryan-mx2kr]

This is great news. A lot of people on all the Tennessee sites owe Big Mike an apology. Lol!!!

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

It's what happen when people jump to conclusions. Too many people made the mistake of thinking the 247 transfer portal database is the official portal database. It's not, and that's why I've said on my videos that he's not officially in. Honestly, I thought he was gone, but I'm ecstatic that he's back.

[@RandyShelton-k3n]

Great news Frank!! Now get Amari Jefferson,

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

Yes! It seems like a good possibility. I'm thinking one more besides Jefferson and we're set.

[@paulstruxness2043]

I’m not surprised at all. Without official documentation on the board it had to be a false alarm. The staff response to all the speculation was too casual not to be purposeful. Coaches wanted all the exits that went forward quickly. Mathew’s was always in the fold.

[@rhrh2025]

Great news.. now, let him play more!

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

Don't think that will be an issue next year. He will play a lot.

[@stevecampbell5314]

I would imagine a couple of them were shown the door.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I'm thinking that during the end-of-year meetings, some maybe weren't told directly to leave, but they got the hint.

[@dennisdewald6729]

Frank, any word if they're going to get a big time running back? We need R/B's badly

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

The only guy I've seen mentioned is a RB from South Dakota State. I haven't seen anything at this point about him visiting. Other than that, I haven't seen any mentioned. IMO, they definitely need another one, though.

[@larrymayberry7016]

Wish with the tall receiver they would have tried more 50/50 throws

[@LowellGreene-gy6fg]

GBO!

[@Toddsmith-q5l]

He was the 6th or 7th WR. He wasn't starting he got alot to prove or we right back were we started

[@joelcooper3469]

Of course I'm glad MM is staying at Vols.....but I wonder how many times we will have to re-re-recruit this guy? Portal gotta get fixed.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

That's a great question, and I've wondered it about a few of these guys. Unfortunately, it's probably a yearly thing at this point with NIL and all of the tampering that's going on.

[@richardwest-q8w]

New terminology for College Football. The end of the each calendar year shall be known as the "Silly Season". This terminology is borrowed from NASCAR, but it perfectly describes the end of each calendar year in College Football.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

Haha you're exactly right. This is perfect. This beats my idea of "Anarchy Rules".

[@andersonhutsell8368]

Just to set the record correctly; UT "backed off" Amari Jefferson during the recruitment. They may have backed off because they read the "Tea Leaves" that he was all about 'Bama, but they were not still talking to him when he committed to UA..

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

Your last sentence is it. They didn't back off because they didn't want him. It seemed obvious for a bit that he was Bama bound. He was actually a baseball commit to Tennessee at the time, too.

[@TalkinTenn]

If the Vols get branch still and say Jefferson or benson you could possibly see stayley leave next unless the staff plays more than 3 WR’s

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I think Staley is good to go. Until Branch makes it to campus, I don't think it's serious with him. The VQ mods also seem to think that Benson isn't a priority. My thought is Jefferson and probably someone we haven't heard them involved with, yet. JMO

[@TalkinTenn]

@ I definitely think they still go after Jefferson for the simple fact he was previously committed to Tennessee to play baseball and honestly I hope they do get branch still because if a talent like that is interested in your school at all you can’t turn him down… I just wonder if that were to happen Would Staley feel like he is to far down in the depth chart to get playing time! I hope I’m wrong and that he wouldn’t leave because I hope with all of the talent Tennessee has now at wide receiver that the staff will start rotating receivers a lot more kind of like the defensive line this year

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

No, Staley won't leave. Trust me when I tell you that Staley wanted to be a Vol for a long time. He's going to play a lot next year. My opinion based on what I've read is that they will add Jefferson. Besides that, I think one more. They've been trying to get Branch to campus, but IMO, it's not serious until he visits.

[@TalkinTenn]

@ oh I agree it’s not serious until branch visits. I’m saying that if branch visits and commits to Tennessee Staley will than be behind Brazzle Matthews and branch and maybe even one of the freshmen coming in or if we get Jefferson also…that would just depend on how the coaches feel about Staley but he would for sure be fourth on the depth chart at worse

[@Ryan-mx2kr]

Who is to say Stayley won't be the best receiver out of the bunch?

[@GBOkylebeach865]

Blows my mind that he's actually staying I just knew he was gone

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

Same here. I even made a comment on someone's post yesterday that I thought it was 100% that he was gone. I'm pleasantly shocked that he's back.

[@haroldtate1322]

we need to put wr in motion like Ohio state did against tenn to much trying to win 1on 1 battles .

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

Yes, I totally agree. I've watched every team in the playoffs so far use motion except for.......you guessed it, Tennessee. They have got to incorporate some of this into the offense moving forward. Let the playmakers make plays in space. I don't understand why they haven't been doing this.

[@chuckb1448]

Ok great... now he has Got to Take Care of Business

[@GBOkylebeach865]

Yeah Tennessee had not drug it out as long as they had he probably would have left they gave him plenty of time to think about it😊

[@dave0051]

Still need an elite proven receiver. Branch is not visiting and Benson is everything but elite.

[@TheHouseofOrangeTN]

I don't think either is visiting. According to the VQ mods, it doesn't sound like UT is serious about Benson. I'm not sure where they go at this point unless a big time guy hits the portal as teams continue to be eliminated from the playoffs. To me, they should have been aggressive early. Now it's coming back to bite them.

[@dave0051]

@TheHouseofOrangeTN They said the were going all out looking for receivers when it looked like Mike Matthews was gone. They still need to go all out to find an elite receiver. Now that Matthews is back they seem to have backed off going all out for receivers.