Dalton Knecht did what he was supposed to do in the NBA Summer League. He demonstrated that he can play professional basketball.
He averaged 21.3 points in three games, shot 39.1 percent from behind the 3-point line and added 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 31.2 minutes per game.
J J Redick, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, called Rick Barnes to say Knecht is so willing to put in extra work to be better. Barnes said he expected no less.
Knecht made some other news off the count. He said one of his career goals is becoming the best in the NBA. Old pros supposedly raised eyebrows. One said “rookie mistake.”
***
Tennessee football coaches finally got it right.
Redshirt freshman Emmanuel Okoye, a native of Nigeria, arrived at UT a year ago for a football opportunity but with almost no football experience. He is 6-5 and 243 with tremendous athleticism.
Okoye practiced at tight end in 2023. He has been reassigned to defensive end.
Good move. Tight end is complicated. Pass patterns are often complex. There is more to blocking that just knocking somebody down. Experience and insight matter.
Defense is less loaded with academic decisions and more a matter of natural aggression. Ends rush or contain.
Okoye is very intelligent but a true football beginner. I can guess what the new coaching point will be: “Emmanuel, chasing quarterbacks is just like chasing rabbits, except you can’t eat ‘em when you catch ‘em.”
***
The Kiffin mark on Tennessee is forever.
Monte Kiffin (Reynolds Love FH, Lexington NE)
Lane was the come-and-go coach of 2009, an illogical choice by athletics director Mike Hamilton. Kiffin was too young for the job and had just failed as head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
Lane’s primary claim to fame was being chewed up and spit out by team owner Al Davis.
“He conned me like he conned so many others,” said Davis.
Al went on to describe Lane as a “flat-out liar and an embarrassment to the Raiders.”
Hamilton attached little or no weight to what Davis said. Hamilton needed a coach. Hamilton was impressed that Lane could bring his father, accomplished as an NFL assistant, to be defensive coordinator for the Volunteers.
Monte Kiffin, a really good man, died the other day at 84. (His memorial service was held July 20, 2024, in Largo, Florida). Memories came rushing back. He achieved fame as creator of the “Tampa 2” defensive alignment. He served as an assistant on Lane’s coaching staffs at each of his college stops.
Monte was wearing his Tennessee cap on his absolute worst day. Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss ran for 282 yards and four touchdowns against the Volunteers and daddy Kiffin’s defense.
Tennessee gave up 42 points. Monte had no idea how to stop a runaway Rebel from a wildcat formation. Nobody did the wildcat thing in the NFL. The following Monday he was calling college friends for guidance. It was too little too late.
Monte didn’t leave Tennessee the evening Lane skipped town for Southern Cal. The father stayed a few extra days to fulfill his one-year contract that included a retention bonus of $1 million.
***
Sad and bad news usually travels fast. Former Tennessee football player Neil Clabo died July 10 after a battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 71. (Obituary here)
Neil Clabo
Neil was a multi-talented athlete at Farragut High. He joined the Volunteers as a potential running back. He became a punter. He kicked for the Minnesota Vikings. He played in Super Bowl XI.
Clabo’s Tennessee punting average of 43.1 led the SEC in 1974. He was a star in the rain game against Auburn when coach Bill Battle had the Vols punting on first down so the Tigers could play dropsy with the wet ball.
Auburn gained 110 total yards. It had many opportunities. Battle’s strategy was based on how bad the weather was – windy downpour or maybe a monsoon. The soaked crowd cheered the coach’s decision.
Battle said: “Rain? What rain? All I saw was sunshine.”
The Tigers were offended. They accused Battle of making a joke of the game. Tennessee won 21-0. Clabo punted and punted again. Auburn coach Shug Jordan didn’t bother with the postgame handshake with the Tennessee coach. There could have been a secondary reason, Battle’s Alabama connections.
***
Former Kentucky and 13-year NFL wide receiver Randall Cobb is coming back to college – as an analyst for the SEC Network.
Cobb, from Alcoa, is infamous in Vol lore for driving past the University of Tennessee on his way to Lexington and the Wildcats. He went with the promise of playing quarterback. As Phillip Fulmer told him in the recruiting process, Randall was a natural-born wideout.
He played in 11 games as a freshman quarterback. He became an all-American catching passes. In 166 NFL games, Cobb had 630 receptions for 7,624 yards and 54 touchdowns. Compared to some TV analysts, Randall projects as an actual expert.
***
Kara Lawson, former Tennessee basketball player of distinction, former Tennessee Torchbearer, former University of Tennessee trustee, former pro basketball star, current Duke coach, will be an assistant coach for USA women’s basketball at the Paris Olympics.
***
Preseason all-SEC: Almost forgot to tell you: Media showered preseason football honors, first, second or third-team, on 89 Southeastern Conference players – 17 from Alabama, 15 from Georgia, 12 from Texas, nine from LSU, etc.
You know about James Pearce and Cooper Mays of Tennessee.
Marvin West welcome comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com
