As we bid farewell to 2019 and enter 2020, we look back on what was a memorable year for all things orange.

A year of high's, of low's, of unforgettable highlights and lowlights. It was a year that saw a great run in basketball come to a sudden in. A football season that looked like it might be the worst in school history to rally for an memorable ride and much more.

We look back on the year that was 2019 in Orange with the Volquest Year in Review.

Hoop Vols ranked No. 1 in the country — Following a Saturday win over Alabama, coupled by losses from Michigan and Syracuse, Tennessee found themselves ranked at the top spot in the Associated Press poll for just the second time in school history. Tennessee would hold that spot until a February loss at Kentucky, snapping a 19-game winning streak.

Tee Martin comes home — After flirting with returning to Rocky Top when Butch Jones was head coach (and then after not being a candidate for the head coaching job when Phillip Fulmer hired Jeremy Pruitt), Martin finally returned to the Orange & White. Martin was looking for an opportunity after he and USC parted ways, and Pruitt called, creating plenty of happiness for Vol fans as one of their favorite sons was back in the family.

Jim Chaney hired — Jeremy Pruitt’s search for an offensive coordinator took longer than most expected. Plenty of names were discussed. Pruitt spoke to several candidates, including now- Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze. Chaney’s name was thrown about but the veteran playcaller was in the middle of a a playoff run and seemed comfortable at Georgia. However, Tennessee wouldn’t say no and offered Chaney a huge 3-year $4.8 million contract that the Bulldogs wouldn’t match, bringing Chaney, who was always going to retire in East Tennessee, back to Rocky Top. Chaney assumed the role of basically offensive head coach and was a huge addition for Pruitt bringing SEC experience that Tyson Helton didn’t have.

Drew Richmond enters transfer portal — After starting 25 games in his Tennessee career, including all 12 games in 2018, the former 5-star in-state tackle opted to leave the program. Richmond later transferred to Southern Cal.

Derek Ansley hired —After parting ways with Terry Fair, and Charles Kelly leaving for Alabama, Jeremy Pruitt made one call, wrote a million dollar check and reunited with an old friend by tabbing Derrick Ansley as his next DC. Ansley came from the Oakland Raiders but was groomed by Pruitt at Alabama. The hire of Ansley capped off an offseason upgrade for Pruitt’s staff from Year 1 to Year 2, and all three hires had previous history on Rocky Top. That knowledge of all things Tennessee aided their transitions back to the Vols.

Vols land Henry T, Darnell Wright — The Vols, under lead recruiter Brian Neidermeyer, closed the second signing day in a huge way by landing Henry To’oTo’o and Darnell Wright. The two blue-chippers created plenty of excitement. They elevated the Vols in the recruiting rankings, and most importantly, they lived up to the hype as both prospects arrived in June and became starters in their first year.

Hoop Vols lose at LSU with first place on the line — After being ranked No. 1 in the country and riding a 19-game winning streak, the Vols lost two of their last three games to end the month. A defeat at LSU took away the Vols' control of winning a second-straight regular season SEC title, too. The loss was especially bad given the way it ended with Grant Williams, being called for a foul sending LSU to the line to pull off the upset. The loss was made worse for Vols fans as a social media post by official Anthony Jordan, who worked the game, showed him wearing an LSU shirt previously. Jordan didn’t officiate an SEC game the rest of the season.

Grant Williams wins SEC Player of the Year — Williams became just the 10th player all-time, and the first since Corliss Williamson in 1994-1995, to win the award in back-to-back years. Williams led the SEC in scoring at 19.3 ppg and shot 57% from the field, leading the Vols to a No. 1 ranking and No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Vols land Corey Walker — Tennessee’s basketball recruiting hit a different gear six months earlier with the commitment of Josiah James. Rick Barnes' work on the recruiting trail continued to yield big dividends as the Vols landed 4-star Corey Walker — a 6-7 swingman and the 34th ranked player in the country. Walker picked the Vols the Sunday following Tennessee’s home win over Kentucky.

Vols beat Kentucky in Nashville in SEC Tourney Semifinal, fall to Auburn in final — It was the highest of highs, then a hard fall. Down eight points with three mins to play, Tennessee rallied for an 82-78 win over Kentucky, highlighted by Lamonte Turner’s game-winning 3-pointer. Turner, who had been in a slump for a couple of weeks, was 0-3 from beyond the arc before his shot with :30 left gave the Vols a 2-point lead and ultimately the win. It’s was a game that had a Regional Ffinal or a Final Four feel to it and it turned Nashville orange for the Sunday final against Auburn. However, the Vols couldn’t get off the deck against a red-hot Auburn team, who routed the Vols 84-64.

Vols advance to Sweet 16 overtime win over Iowa, lose in overtime to Purdue — Tennessee’s tournament path sent them to Columbus, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. The road to the second weekend of the tournament was not an easy one as the Vols needed overtime to advance over Iowa as Grant Williams dominated the extra five minutes with 6 points, 3 assists (Vols scored 12 points), a steal and a rebound. The next weekend, the Vols couldn’t pull off the heroics as they fell 99-94 in overtime to Purdue. The Vols had a 2-point lead, but Lamonte Turner was whistled for a foul on 3-point shooter Carsen Edwards with 2.5 seconds left in regulation. Edwards made 2 of 3, forcing overtime that the Boilermakers controlled.

Barnes stays, gets new deal $26 million — It was the story no one saw coming. Following a season that captured the hearts of Vol fans everywhere, Rick Barnes nearly broke their hearts as he not only flirted with an offer from UCLA, but the veteran coach admitted that had the buyout been right he would have left Rocky Top. The flirtation by the Naismith National Coach of the Year made him a lot of money, as Tennessee matched UCLA’s offer with its own five-year $26 million deal. The ground-breaking contract indicated all bonuses are to be paid by donors not the University. A first is school history.

Jimmy Callaway commits — The 5-11, 165-pound receiver found the atmosphere to his liking when he committed to the Vols at the Orange & White Game. Callaway picked the Vols over Colorado State and Kentucky when the then-3-star was not the most heralded prospect. Fast forward to December, Callaway was a 4-star and the Vols were fighting off UK, Auburn and Florida to hold onto him. Tennessee’s early evaluation clearly paid off.

Rob Lanier departs, Kim English hired — Rick Barnes’ long time assistant Rob Lanier had wanted to be a head coach again if the right opportunity presented itself. For Lanier, that happened as Georgia State came calling. Lanier accepted the job on April 5th. Rick Barnes knew exactly who he wanted to hire as a replacement, and a week later, Barnes introduced Kim English by luring him away from Colorado. Barnes had met English years earlier at an AAU tournament and the two hit it off.

“I knew from that day if I ever had that opportunity to hire him, that he would be the guy that we would hire,” Barnes said.

Kelly Harper hired — After firing Holly Warlick at the end of March, AD Phillip Fulmer called on another Lady Vol to lead the program, with Fulmer turning to Kelly Harper, who he hired away from SE Missouri State.

Vols get Uros Plasvic — Rick Barnes needed size following the graduations of Kyle Alexander and Admiral Schofield, as well as Grant Williams’ declaration for the draft and the transfer of D.J. Burns. Barnes found that size in transfer Uros Plasvic. The 7-footer transferred from Arizona State after redshirting in 2018-2019. Tennessee quickly filed an appeal for immediate eligibility.

Paintball day — Unofficial visits are key for football programs as some prospects make multiple visits to campuses. So the challenge is to make every visit some what different. Tennessee definitely thought outside the box back in May when they had a Junior Day that featured paintball wars on the practice field that not only had prospects going against each other, but also prospects going against coaches as well.

Vols land Olivier Robinson-Nkamhoua — Always recruiting, Barnes and his staff continued their roster flip with the commitment of Nkamhoua. Nkamhoua came out of no where after missing his junior year with a broken leg and little summer camp work. New assistant Kim English was aware of Nkamhoua and sent Barnes to see him. Barnes liked what he saw, offered and the Vols landed the late rising prospect in May.

Vols land in-state trio — Everyone wondered when would the Vols' top targets in-state jump in the boat? A trio of them did just that in June, as defensive back Keyshawn Lawrence, running back Tee Hodge, and center Cooper Mays said it was time to end the process and start recruiting for the Vols. Mays and Lawrence in particular did plenty of work helping the Vols land other in-state prospects in December. The trio’s commitments get the Vols headed in the right direction on the recruiting trail for the summer.

Harrison Bailey wins MVP at 5-star challenge — Bailey has been a well-known prospect for years. He has performed well at camps for years, but his work at the Rivals 5-star challenge earned him MVP honors and kicked off what was a great senior campaign for the signal caller, who led his team to a state title. Bailey’s stock rose in June at the camp in Atlanta. He has continued to rise this fall.

Grant williams taken in the first round — Williams’ bet on himself paid off as the tw- time SEC Player of the Year was choice in the first round by the Boston Celtics. Williams’ stock seemed to be all over the place, but the forward didn’t half any doubts and his believe was rewarded when Brad Stevens and the Celtics made him the 22nd pick of the first round.

Spraggins camps, gets offer, commits on the spot — The current recruiting culture says multiple visits are needed to be able to land someone’s commitment, and in some cases, multiple visits are needed by prospects to simply land an offer. That was not the case with St. Louis’ Javontez Spraggins. Spraggins was on a trip to hang out with high school friends on a 7-on-7 tour. Spraggins was talked into camping while his buddies were in Knoxville. His work landed him an immediate offer and he immediately committed. Perhaps most surprisingly, Spraggins never wavered in his commitment.

Garland enters portal — The "transfer portal" has become the new catch phrase in college football. Tennessee defensive lineman Kurott Garland, who redshirted in 2018, entered his name into the transfer portal in late summer, wanting to explore all of his options. But Jeremy Pruitt left the door open if Garland wanted to return. Garland didn’t find an option he liked and did return to the team after leaving the team. Garland played in all 12 games this year, recording 14 tackles.

Jalin Hyatt commits — It was a busy month for Hyatt, who decommitted from Virginia Tech and then committed to the Vols in late July. Hyatt should provide the Vols with needed speed with the departures of Marquez Callaway and Jauan Jennings. Hyatt’s relationship with Bryce Thompson. who he worked out with in early July in their hometown was key for the Vols getting Hyatt’s signature.

Pruitt declares Jarrett Guarantano as "his quarterback" — In Year 1, Jeremy Pruitt really wouldn’t talk about anyone specifically on his roster — especially his starting quarterback.. Pruitt spoke in mostly generalities, but at SEC Media Days, Jarrett Guarantano spoke of a meeting at Pruitt’s house helping grow their relationship. Then in front of the college football world, Pruitt declared that JG was his guy.

“I believe in Jarrett,” Pruitt said. “Over the last 18 months, I have gotten to know who he is. He has lots of experience. He’s a tough guy. He’s got plenty of arm strength. He’s a really good athlete. He understands our expectations. I think he’s been a tremendous leader over the last six months of this offseason.”

Trey Smith returns to action — Would he get cleared to play? Trey Smith spent the spring and summer visiting with specialists around the country to develop a plan to manage his blood clots, allowing him to play football but remain on blood thinners. That plan went into place in August. It limited Smith’s ability to take contact in practice to the point it forced Jeremy Pruitt to change the way he configured practices with his team on game weeks. But the plan worked well, as Smith was the Vols' best offensive linemen this season. His return is one of the best stories in college football.

Gooden tears ACL — With Kyle Phillips and Shy Tuttle off to the NFL, Emmit Gooden was expected to not only be the Vols most productive defensive linemen but also the leader of a unit that had very little experience. In the first week of fall camp, Gooden tore his ACL, casting more concerns about the defensive line heading into the season.

NCAA grants Solomon eligibility — With Gooden out for the year, 5-star Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon’s eligibility was a must for the Vols. But the waiting game was maddening. Solomon’s appeal was filed in the spring. The NCAA asked for more information, and it wasn’t until the Tuesday before the Georgia State game week that the NCAA made a ruling. The ruling was in Solomon’s favor and the defensive tackle was a key cog in the Vols defensive interior tis fall.

Bryce Thompson suspended — On Saturday night before the Vols' season opener the following week, starting cornerback Bryce Thompson was arrested on a charge of domestic assault., Thompson was suspended indefinitely and his status as a student at UT was in question after saying he was going to “shoot up the place” while arguing with his girlfriend.

Vols lose to Georgia State — The unthinkable happened. Tennessee paid Georgia State $950k to come to Rocky Top for a season opening scrimmage, but the Panthers didn’t play nice as they upset the Vols 38-30. The day started with a yacht in the Vol Navy sinking. It ended with many fans believing the Vols season was sunk. It’s a loss that no one will ever forget.

Vols land Keon Johnson — Rick Barnes' assembly of a national Top 3 class took another huge step back in August when in-state prospect Keon Johnson selected the Vols over Virginia and Ohio State. Johnson’s stock soared over the summer after a dominating performance at the Team USA work in Colorado Springs. Johnson rose to a five-star and the 18th best player in the country.

Vols lose in final minute to BYU — After losing to Georgia State, the BYU game was seen as a must-win for Jeremy Pruitt & Co. Tennessee failed to convert 3rd-and-short to run out the clock and win the game. After a punt, the Vols simply needed to keep the ball in front of them, but sophomore corner Alontae Taylor let Micah Simon get behind him for a 64-yard gain that set up a game tying field goal. The good boot forced the game into overtime, where BYU won sending thoughts of 1-6 and maybe the worse season in the modern era.

Bryce Thompson reinstated — After being suspended the weekend before the season opener, Thompson was reinstated to return to practice the week of the Chattanooga game and was reinstated to game action for the Florida game where he resumed his starting position and remained there the rest of the year.

Vols uncompetitive at Florida, hold team meeting — If fears of a 1-6 start didn’t set in following the BYU loss, it was definitely on the forefront of everyone’s mind after an uncompetitive showing at Florida. Backup quarterback Kyle Trask carved up the Vol defense in UF's 34-3 victory. Guarantano was pulled at the half, opening up a real quarterback debate.

Following the uncompetitive outing, Pruitt had a team meeting when the team returned to Knoxville that Pruitt and the players say were key for this season. Two linebackers, Will Ignot and Shannon Reid entered the portal following the meeting.

Freshman QB Brian Maurer gets his first career start — After Pruitt opened up the quarterback competition, Maurer wins the job and starts at home against Georgia. Maurer went 14 of 28 for 259 yards and 2 touchdowns before getting knocked out of the game.

Vols come off goal line to beat Miss. State — For the second straight week, Maurer was knocked out of of the game and Tennessee turned to Jarrett Guarantano to manage things with the lead in a must-win home game. After State had closed the gap to 13-10, the Vols needed a drive and found themselves backed up at their own 9-yard line. Behind the left side of the line, Tennessee went 44 yards on six straight runs, moving the ball from the nine to the State 47 yard line in what was the turning point of the season.

Guarantano's ill-fated QB sneak at Alabama —Down 28-13 to start the fourth quarter, the Vols drove 14 plays in eight minutes where they faced 4th-and-goal at the Alabama one yard line. Guarantano went off script, called his own number and ran a quarterback sneak where he fumbled. Alabama’s Trevon Diggs picked it up and ran 100 yards for a touchdown making it 35-13, ending any upset hopes. Guarantano was scolded on the sideline by Pruitt, who grabbed his facemask and the quarterback was torched on social media to the point he said he received death threats.

JG leads SC rally — Tennessee found themselves 2-6 and needed a rally as South Carolina came to town. J.T. Shrout got the start (technically Jauan Jennings did as he took the first snap) but it was again Guarantano who saved the day. Many thought Guarantano might not return to action following the Alabama game, but he was called on in relief of Shrout and he went 11 of 19 for 229 yards and two touchdowns. Linebacker Daniel Bituli had a career day, recording 15 tackles in the 41-21 win — the Vols' first program win over a Will Muscham coached team..

Jaden Springer commits - Rick Barnes recruiting assault continued as he finished out the early signing period landing the nation’s 15th best player in Jaden Springer. The 5-star chose the Vols over North Carolina and Florida. The commitment and signature in November gave the Vols the third-best signing class in the country and the highest-ranked in school history with a pair of top 20 players and 4-star Corey Walker, Jr.

Plasvic loses appeal — Tennessee got unexpected bad news as the NCAA ruled against Uros Plasvic’s appeal for immediate eligibility. The decision was a big blow for the Vols, who desperately needed help in the post. In a statement, Vol AD Phillip Fulmer strongly disagreed with the NCAA’s ruling and Rick Barnes said he didn’t receive an explanation as to why the appeal was denied. Barnes and his staff had felt winning the appeal was a slam dunk.

Hoop Vols beat No. 20 Washington — In their first game away from Thompson-Boling Arena, the Vols traveled to Canada and torched the zone of the 20th ranked Huskies. The Vols had four players in double figures, led by Jordan Bowden’s 18 points as they shot 56% from the floor in the first half in the 75-62 win.

Goal line stand at Kentucky — Tennessee’s push towards bowl eligibility found them in Lexington for a night game against the Wildcats, who were led by receiver turned quarterback Lynn Bowden. Behind Bowden’s legs and a struggling Vol offense under the direction of Brian Maurer, the Wildcats led 13-3 at the half. Pruitt, on his way to the locker room, told the Vol Network he was changing quarterbacks and it was JG with a broken hand who led the Vols to a 17-13 fourth quarter lead. But it would take a defensive stand to close it out. On 3rd-and-goal with just over two minutes to play, Henry To’oTo’o made a huge tackle for loss saving a touchdown and then on fourth down, it was Jaquan Blakely and Daniel Bituli who stopped Bowden short of the goal line to preserve the win.

Record setting night at Missouri — Never in the history of Tennessee football had three receivers had over a hundred yards receiving in a single game. Jauan Jennings, Marquez Callaway, and Josh Palmer did that in the Ozarks, as the Vols beat Missouri 24-20. JG had a career night by throwing for 415 yards and the Vols came back to Knoxville bowl eligible.

Big O commits — Omari Thomas was the Vols' top target in the state of Tennessee for the 2020 class. They battled Ole Miss, where his sister went to school and his teammate had been committed for month. They also battled Texas A&M, but distance from home worked against the Aggies. They battled Auburn, who had come on late in the process and they had his full attention after a late visit to the Plains. But Vol assistant David Johnson had been steady throughout the two year recruiting battle. Jeremy Pruitt had a huge presence in the recruitment and Derrick Ansley helped seal the deal impressing the parents of Thomas and the defensive linemen declared his intentions to be a Vol signing two weeks later giving Tennessee the in-state prospect they most coveted.

Vols land Gator Bowl bid — On the Sunday afternoon before Thomas’ announcement, it was set for Tennessee to head to Nashville to play in the Music City Bowl. But the Vols, who were the team most coveted by the Music City, Taxslayer, Liberty and Belk Bowl, made a late minute switch as Phillip Fulmer informed the SEC just hours before the official announcement that his program preferred Jacksonville and the Taxslayer Bowl over the other options. The choice sent the Vols to the Sunshine State, where they will play Indiana on Thursday.

Vols go 5 for 5 on Signing Day — The Vols entered the early signing period with five realistic targets on the board. There were other guys they were still talking to like Rakim Jarrett, but they had five guys who were very realistic and they landed all five in Len’Neth Whitehead, Jimmy Holiday, Tyler Baron, Reginald Perry, and the late afternoon get in 4-star Morven Joseph. The 5-for-5 haul helped the Vols finish the early signing period with a Top-10 class.

Turner bids farewell —In a bizarre story, senior guard Lamonte Turner announced he was shutting it down the Saturday before Christmas. Following his teams 75-53 win over Jacksonville State where he had a team-high 11 assists and eight points, Turner told the media he was done for the year as he battles with a shoulder issue that doctors told him could get worse. Turner made the announcement without telling Rick Barnes and the coaching staff, surprising everyone with the news. Turner had been to St. Louis to see a specialist in hopes of finding some treatment to relieve the shoulder pain.