TOP PHOTO: WLAF announcers Brent Allen (left) on color and the Voice of the Cougars Les Martin broadcast from the Vol Network booth at Neyland Stadium during Friday night’s Campbell versus Fulton jamboree quarter. The jamboree quarter was televised live over the WLAF – Doyle’s Tire Shop Sports Network.

KNOXVILLE, TN (WLAF) – So what if Fulton won the jamboree quarter 13-0 with Campbell on Friday night at Shields-Watkins Field. The last time Nick Bailey was part of a jamboree game loss, he promptly turned around and led the Cougars to the best season in school history; 10 & 2. That was as an all-state player in 2013. Fast forward to 2021, and guess who was on the Campbell sideline Friday night? Bailey’s back as coach of the Cougars inside linebackers and running backs.

Campbell opened on defense, and Fulton came out of the gate quickly. “They connected on a long pass on play number one, and it may have caught the defense off guard a little. I think we could have played better and as time went on we did.” said Brent Allen color analyst for the WLAF-Doyle’s Tire Shop Sports Network.

“Broadcasting from the legendary Vol Network booth where John Ward sat and so eloquently described the action on the field was surreal. I fell in love with Tennessee football listening to him. It was just an incredible experience to broadcast the Cougars game from there. It was over too soon,” added Allen.

The WLAF – Doyle’s Tire Sports Network crew broadcast Campbell’s jamboree quarter with Fulton from the Vol Network Booth located within the Edwin C. Huster Broadcast Center in the Neyland Stadium Press Box on Friday night. Left to right are Brent Allen, Matthew Moore and Les Martin. Not pictured are Aaron Hopkins, Warren “Dub” Kitts and Bob Moore.

Allen thought a lot of Cougars stepped up on Friday night. “(Josh) Heatherly, (Zac) Brady and (Caleb) Muncy will make a difference this year,” noted Allen. He thinks if the Cougars would have dug a little deeper in the playbook, they would have won in an actual game (with Fulton).

“It was really special to be standing in the same room where the words “It’s football time in Tennessee” are spoken every Saturday in the fall. It is definitely the best seat in the house,” said WLAF’s Matthew Moore.

“I was amazed that we broadcast a game in the most hallowed ground in Neyland Stadium; John Ward’s one time booth. Who was any better at calling a game? No one. To think that I had the honor to sit in the Edwin C. Huster broadcast booth to call a game is extra special. It just felt different, a good different. I had many emotions that I experienced when I walked in to the booth,” said the Voice of the Cougars Les Martin. He adds that many broadcasters are broadcasting today because of what John Ward did at the University of Tennessee.

“I know it meant a lot to those kids to play in Neyland. I was not disappointed in their play due to Coach Justin Price not wanting to show his hand. So look out for a successful season in this the 11th year of Coach Price.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/16/2021-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOB MOORE)

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