(Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect Tennessee having started its season.)
There are still high expectations for pitcher AJ Russell at Tennessee.
kAmxE’D ;FDE 2 BF6DE:@? @7 H96? E96 uC2?<=:? w:89 $49@@= 2=F> H:== 36 23=6 E@ 24E FA@? E96>]k^Am
kAm%96 e\e[ aab\A@F?5 #FDD6== 92D 366? ?2>65 2 AC6D62D@? 7:CDE\E62> p==\p>6C:42? 3J k6>mq2D632== p>6C:42k^6>m[ 2 C67=64E:@? @7 E96 |2;@C {628F6 q2D632== A@E6?E:2= E96 92C5\E9C@H:?8 ;F?:@C @776CD]k^Am
kAm#FDD6== H2D E96 @A6?:?8 52J DE2CE6C 7@C E96 '@=D :? a_ac[ 2?5 96 DECF4< @FE `_ 32EE6CD :? c\`^b :??:?8D 2D %6??6DD66 5@H?65 %6I2D %649]k^Am
kAmqFE 9:D D62D@? H2D >2CC65 3J :?;FCJ[ 2D #FDD6== H@F?5 FA A:E49:?8 ;FDE `c\`^b :??:?8D 2D 2 D@A9@>@C6 2D E96 '@=D H@? E96:C 7:CDE ?2E:@?2= E:E=6 :? 32D632==] w6 H@F?5 FA F?56C8@:?8 %@>>J y@9? DFC86CJ =2DE yF?6 E@ C6A2:C 9:D 6=3@H]k^Am
kAm#FDD6== H2D?VE @? E96 >@F?5 E9:D A2DE H66<6?5[ H96? E96 }@] c '@=D DH6AE w@7DEC2 b\_ 2E {:?5D6J }6=D@? $E25:F>]k^Am
kAmqFE :E D@F?5D 2D :7 #FDD6== :D?’E E@@ 72C 2H2J 7C@> C6EFC?:?8 E@ 24E:@?[ H9:49 H@F=5 >2C< 9:D 7:CDE 2AA62C2?46 D:?46 =2DE |2J :? E96 $tr %@FC?2>6?E]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< 96 92D C624965 E96 DE286 H96C6 :E’D ?@ =@?86C 2 3F:=5:?8 FA E9C@F89 2 E9C@H:?8 AC@8C2>[ @C J@F H@F=5?’E 42== :E C6923 2?J>@C6[” '@=D 4@249 %@?J ':E6==@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]@?b]4@>^E62>D^E6??6DD66\G@=F?E66CD^?6HD^E@?J\G:E6==@\92D\A@D:E:G6\C6>2C<D\@?\2;\CFDD6==D\AC@8C6DD\324<\E@\E96\>@F?5^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmkDEC@?8mE@=5 C6A@CE6CD 62C=:6Ck^DEC@?8mk^2m E9:D H66<] “}@H H6 DE2CE E@ E9C@H 2 =:EE=6 3:E] $@ :E H@?’E 36 =@?8]k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D DE:== D@>6 DE286D @C DE6AD E@ <?@4< @FE[ 3FE :E H@?’E 36 =@?8 367@C6 96’D E92E 8FJ D2J:?8[ 1*@F <?@H[ x’> C625J E@ 4=@D6 E96 82>6 @C DE2CE 2 82>6[ @C =6E >6 E9C@H `__ A:E496D[’ 6G6? E9@F89 96 92D?’E E9C@H? @?6 A:E49 :? 2 82>6 J6E] *@F H2?E 8FJD E@ 92G6 E92E H2?E[ E@@[ 3FE J@F 8@E E@ A:4< J@FC DA@ED H:E9 E92E]” k^Am
kAm#FDD6== 925 2? @FEDE2?5:?8 7C6D9>2? D62D@? :? a_ab[ 2D 96 H6?E a\_ H:E9 2 _]gh t#p :? ac 2AA62C2?46D 2?5 b_\`^b :??:?8D] %96 C:89E\92?56C 62C?65 ?F>6C@FD 7C6D9>2? p==\p>6C:42 9@?@CD E92E J62C[ 2D #FDD6== DECF4< @FE cf[ H2=<65 D6G6? 2?5 2==@H65 ;FDE ?:?6 9:ED — =:>:E:?8 @AA@?6?ED E@ 2 ]_hd 32EE:?8 2G6C286]k^Am
kAm#FDD6== H2D?’E DFC6 96 H@F=5 36 @G6C 9:D 6=3@H DFC86CJ :? E:>6 E@ A:E49 :? a_ad]k^Am
kAmqFE 9:D C64@G6CJ 92D 366? BF:4<6C E92? 6IA64E65[ >62?:?8 #FDD6== :D D4965F=65 E@ 36 A:E49:?8 282:? 2E D@>6 A@:?E E9:D D62D@?]k^Am
kAm“xE’D D@>6E9:?8 x =@G6 D@ >F49[” k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]<?@I?6HD]4@>^DE@CJ^DA@CED^4@=F>?:DED^F?:G6CD:EJ\@7\E6??6DD66^;@9?\252>D^a_ad^_a^``^E6??6DD66\32D632==\2;\CFDD6==\6=3@H\DFC86CJ\E@?J\G:E6==@^fg`hgfee__f^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmkDEC@?8m#FDD6== E@=5k^DEC@?8mk^2m k6>m%96 z?@IG:==6 }6HD $6?E:?6=k^6>m E9:D H66<] “x 8@E C@3365 @7 E92E =2DE J62C]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 92C5 ?@E E@ 36 23=6 E@ A=2J] xE DF4<D D@>6E:>6D] qFE x’> 5@:?8 6G6CJE9:?8 x 42? E@ 86E 324<]”k^Am
