After winning the College World Series in 2024, the Tennessee Volunteers failed to get back to Omaha in 2025. Despite that, head coach Tony Vitello pushed back following their Super Regional loss that this year’s team failed to live up to its potential.

Tennessee, much like the entire second half of this baseball season, just couldn’t quite put the pieces together this weekend in Fayetteville. The Volunteers dropped a must-win game No. 2 on Sunday afternoon as Arkansas got to Liam Doyle early on and never let up.

Tennessee Vols head coach Tony Vitello is viewed as a "villain" in college baseball, and it's easily one of the biggest mischaracterizations in sports. Vitello coaches with passion, energy, and fiery competitiveness -- which can rub fans of opposing teams the wrong way.