@wesrucker.bsky.social
Hank's dad. Lauren’s husband. Award-winning and award-losing journalist, now covering the Tennessee Volunteers for WBIR. Two-time learner of walking. Grower of legal flora.
Today's 10 at 3 has been uploaded to the WBIR+ SmartTV app, the 10News mobile app, on the podcast feeds and right here on WBIR's website
It's me, Elijah and Tom today, talking Cade Phillips' injury, Tennessee's defensive coordinator search and more
www.wbir.com/video/sports...
10 at 3 going live in about one minute
09.12.2025 19:58 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Today's "Spotify, Take The Wheel" playlist opener en route to the studio was "Cross The Track" by Maceo Parker.
Oh, hell to the yes, this is gonna be a good day.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULBD...
Link to today's entire 10 at 3 👇
www.wbir.com/video/sports...
Whoever runs the Tennessee defense under Josh Heupel must take the job understanding that traditional numbers like points and yards allowed per game are different in this system.
There are more plays in Heupel games. Efficiency numbers tell the story, good or bad.
Link to today's full 10 at 3 👇
www.wbir.com/video/sports...
The stakes are what they are at places like Tennessee, and Tim Banks will be well compensated no matter what he does the next few years.
But, still, it's not fun for families. It never is.
Today's full episode 👇
www.wbir.com/video/sports...
Life changes quickly in the coaching business. Tim Banks was a finalist for the Broyles Award last season, and now he's out as Tennessee's defensive coordinator.
Security doesn't exist in that profession. For anyone.
Me cutting and editing and posting vertical videos to promote 10 at 3 on all the socials
08.12.2025 22:32 — 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Some tech issues that popped up just before today's show made the thing a team lift, but the people here at WBIR are awesome, awesome, awesome, and they got the thing in the air.
Thank you to them, as always.
The story on Tennessee junior forward Cade Phillips being out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery
www.wbir.com/article/spor...
10 at 3 going live in one minute
08.12.2025 20:02 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Trusting my math is something only an idiot would do, but I think Tennessee is on the hook for $4.2-4.3 million for Tim Banks minus whatever he makes at a new job.
He's getting his base + supp pay from UT in monthly payments, but it will be mitigated if he takes another job.
An updated story confirming the departure of Tim Banks as Tennessee's defensive coordinator and the Vols naming William Inge the interim DC for the Music City Bowl 👇
www.wbir.com/article/spor...
Things could have been different without losing those two star corners for an entire year, and Tim Banks didn't turn from Broyles finalist to dumb-dumb overnight.
But the way Tennessee played defense this year, and the way things went against Vandy, a head was going on a spike.
Me tonight while thinking about the CFP committee having an impossible job thanks to the insatiable greed that berthed this mega-conference era …
07.12.2025 05:11 — 👍 10 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0Imagine trying to explain Indiana football to someone who just got back from two years on Mars or in a coma.
07.12.2025 03:53 — 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0This Heisman ballot is gonna be one of the toughest I've had to fill out.
Not necessarily a bad thing. No one has run away with it, which is exciting.
But who really deserves it? None of these guys are just screaming "Heisman Trophy winner."
I don't remember the last time I saw a team bet absolutely annihilated on the glass and win by double digits.
That's wild.
Vols out-rebound Illinois 46-31, and they lose, 75-62.
Illinois got absolutely manhandled by Tennessee and then got off the ropes and flipped the script.
Good team led by a good coach.
Doesn't excuse Tennessee's performance, though.
Add offensive rebound backbreaking three into the mix.
Another deserved loss this evening.
Not the end of the world if they learn from it. But they absolutely need to learn from it.
Vols finally started making shots
But Illinois made big shots in return
If you don't get yourself in a hole, this doesn't happen
Big three from Bishop Boswell
Tennessee needed that
But then a three on the other end
Vibes ... not great
Another mindless turnover
This is not gonna be a fun 10-day, game-free stretch for these Vols
Final exams in the classroom and Junction Boys every other moment of the day
Ament huge slam, crowd gets loud ... and Illinois hits a three on the other end ... and then Tennessee misses a three
Seven minutes away from a frustrating week for the Vols
Missed shot, foul on the rebound, head the other way for a one-and-one
Lot of whistles recently, and Vols wobbling hard
When officials call it tight early to keep a game calm and then eventually loosen the reigns, I get it. Don't always love it. But I get it.
Calling nothing and then calling everything, on the other hand, makes no sense to me. I don't know how coaches and players deal with that.
If they'd given Illinois three free throws for that, Rick Barnes would be getting sent to jail right now.
07.12.2025 02:30 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0What a play there by Tennessee's Amaree Abram
Wow
