Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello joined John Wilkerson and Vince Ferrara on Sports Talk 99.1 Thursday morning ahead of the start of fall practice and Vol football’s rivalry showdown against Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
Vitello discussed what’s set to be a huge recruiting weekend for Tennessee baseball, Drew Gilbert’s recent success in the MLB and much more. Here’s everything Vitello said on Sports Talk.
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On what it was like for Tennessee baseball newcomers to witness their first football gameday last week
“Yeah, they were excited beforehand. And then the feedback afterwards was pretty good. I think just the noise level, I think, is something new for people even if you’ve been to an NFL game or, like you said, with the portal some of these guys have been to other college football games, but the noise level and the crowd show out for a game that, had poor weather. I felt like we were reliving our spring last year, and then obviously not an SEC opponent or a top 25 opponent, but nonetheless, everybody was fired up and the excitement, you can quadruple it or whatever the appropriate number is for this weekend. I think the guys are anxious to see what the set looks like for College Gameday. They’re anxious to see a lot of what will come with Saturday’s game.”
On what Saturday will look like from a recruiting standpoint
“Well, we’re just gonna get on campus and eat breakfast and lunch at the stadium (Lindsey Nelson). We’ll take advantage of our facility as best as we can. When that thing is done construction wise, we’re going to want to do that. We’re going to have some areas in there, some kitchen areas and some other glass window areas where we can look at the field and host those guys. But for now, we’ll probably be listening to some construction going on. But we want to avoid all the traffic chaos.
And it’s. gonna be, I definitely do not want to say it’s going to be like herding cats. It’s going to be like herding All-Americans. This will be the most official visits we’ve ever had at one time. The most I’ve ever had, ever coaching. So definitely the quantity is there. And then as far as the quality, since I can’t say names, I’m comfortable in saying this, there’s probably at least three guys we are definitely wasting our time (with). They’re going to be first rounders or second rounders in the draft. I even made comment, I want, if Todd Helton’s around, I want him to get a picture with one of these other kids because I think he’s going to be an MLB Hall of Famer. I’ve never said that about a kid that I’ve scouted before. So that’s my best way of probably being too dramatic, but quantity and quality will be the best group I’ve ever been a part of.”
On how soon it’ll be before they begin fall ball
“So we’ll start up at the end of September. Our pitchers yesterday threw some bullpens, or at least a good chunk of them did. The next time they face hitters, or I’m sorry, get up on the mound, they’ll have hitters standing in is what I wanted to say. Then the next time they’ll face hitters, and then the next time will be a scrimmage game.
So three more visits to the mound, and we’re going have live action for our pitchers. I know when a guy’s usually banged up a rehabbing and guys are really curious on when they’re coming back. So that’s a sequence of events that we like guys to do as Coach Anderson likes those guys to get comfortable with the hitter standing there and then a hitter swinging. And then the next thing is a hitter swinging with defense behind you. So end of September, if this weather is the same it’s going to be really enjoyable action with all these new faces.”
On people saying he and Rick Barnes should be the gues picker on College Gameday
“I got about an hour of Coach Barnes over the weekend because we went over to the basketball practice facility, the Pratt Pavilion, and our players all know who Larry Pratt is. Doc Pratt is a massive help to all athletics here at Tennessee and just a stud human being to hang out with. So we go over there and Coach Barnes just happened to be there because some of their guys are putting in their early work. And it was the first time he and I got to spend some good time in a while. And I learned like four new things. I laughed a bunch. It was phenomenal. So I’d be all for doing anything with him, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case. This week, I can assure you, I’ve been told, I appreciate some people think I should be the guest picker. And then I’ve been told that Pat McAfee likes Drew Gilbert about 85 times.
So both of those things and ideas I like, but I already knew that everybody will like Drew Gilbert when they get to see him play at the major league level. It’s up for his opponents. And then, yeah, the guest picker thing, I don’t know. I made a comment yesterday that Coach Kivett liked— we needed to win more games last year for me to have the right to be the guest picker this year.”
On the video compilation of Drew Gilbert going viral
“Yeah, it’s entertaining for sure. And more than anything, it’s just pleasing to me that he did not get— I’m trying to not use locker room words here. But sometimes Major League Baseball will take that away from guys or the organization will kind of neuter a guy, if that’s fair to say. And it’s a part of what makes Drew go. Having said that, I did talk with Scott Boris Corporation.
Mr. (Scott) Chiamparino is actually kind of running the show for the Boris Corp. He’s an agent of Bryce Harper and he and I were texting last night and he said Bryce Harper was like that when he first got into the league and eventually he kind of learned how to gear down just a little bit but at the same time maintain that intensity. My hope is that Drew plays as long as Bryce Harper and in order to do that he’ll probably find in that sweet spot where he can’t necessarily be a maniac absolutely every single game. But Drew is going to be Drew. And if that makes you uncomfortable and you don’t like it, it’s not going to bother Drew. And that’s a good trait to have for an athlete.”
On who are the next two Tennessee players to make it to the MLB
“That’s a tough one. I think Blake Burke has really he’s been presented with a plan that if he executes it in the off season, he’s going to be one of those guys. So Blake Burke is certainly one in my mind that’s going to occur.
And then I’m going to go, that’s with facts that I’ve been given. And then without having the whole list in front of me, because it’s fun now that it’s a big list, I’m going to go with my heart. I’m going to go with my heart and my hopes and go with Chad Dallas, who I believe will be on campus this weekend. It’s either this weekend or the next football game. But I’m gonna go with Chad Dallas as a pitcher. He’s been in minor league ball for a while now and I really hope that works out. But I also know that’s a reality too that that could occur.”
On his thoughts on Tennessee football’s matchup with Georgia
“I think when you looked at the schedule early, well maybe it was just me, I was kind of griping. It’s like, man, that’s not a lot of time to prepare for one of the bigger named opponents on the schedule. But now that it’s here, I’m not so sure it doesn’t benefit our team that it’s kind of gotten here really quickly. The first two games did come with a lot of fanfare, a neutral game with a lot of question marks and it went well and then the first home game, but it has kind of arrived rather quickly. There hasn’t been enough time for anything crazy to occur between now and then. And I think that might allow our guys’ minds to just go out there and play. Now that’s me saying that.
These guys are in the locker room all week long hearing and about gameday coming here and everything else. So there is a build up and there certainly is some hype. But I feel it could be favorable that it’s the first SEC game. We haven’t taken lumps. Guys aren’t really too banged up or anything like that.
And then two, I don’t know that Georgia has the ability to really know who the Vols are at this point. Everybody knows our new quarterback and now is starting to learn how great his background is. But Coach Heupel’s plays, our personnel and what we’re capable of, I don’t know that Georgia can prepare as accurately as maybe they normally would like to.”
Best of luck with all the recruiting this weekend
“Thanks so much, guys. And if you couldn’t tell, that was my guest pick on your all show there that I was saying. I feel great about the Vols this weekend, but either way, it’s going to be an environment that not just all of our recruits, but everybody will remember.”
