Bob Kesling – Syndication Server

Mike Keith to serve as Voice of the Vols for football, basketball

Mike Keith will serve as the Voice of the Vols for Tennessee football and men’s basketball.

Mike Keith is returning to the University of Tennessee as the Voice of the Vols, Tennessee vice chancellor and director of athletics Danny White announced on Thursday.

Keith replaces Bob Kesling who announced he will retire in April.

“When we discussed potential candidates, one name topped our list without question: bringing Mike and his family back to Rocky Top,” White said. “He is a true icon in the broadcasting industry, and we are excited to harness Mike’s exceptional skill set to further elevate both the Vol Network and Tennessee Athletics in bold, innovative ways.”

Keith completed his 27th season with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, including the last 26 years as the Voice of the Titans.

Keith will be Tennessee’s lead play-by-play announcer for football and men’s basketball games. Tennessee announced he will also be involved in various new programming initiatives that will be unveiled later in 2025.

“While it is very hard to say goodbye to the Tennessee Titans, it is not hard to say “yes” to a return to the University of Tennessee and the Vol Network,” Keith said. “Alicia Longworth laid out a very exciting plan for how I can assist the talented VFL Films content team. Steve Early has continued to make me feel a part of the Vol Network family since I left Knoxville in 1998—it was like I never left. Everyone associated in this process has been very professional, very impressive and very kind. This continued a theme from a series of experiences that I have had over the last five years when dealing with anyone—athletics, University and Campus leadership, staff, faculty, students, etc.—-from the University of Tennessee. Everyone is just top-notch, and I mean EVERYONE. I am excited to join this entire team in hopes that I can add a solid contribution. It is great to be a Tennessee Volunteer, especially in 2025!”

Keith served as the Voice of the Vols for baseball from 1992-98.

Danny White. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Bob Kesling set to retire

Bob Kesling, the Voice of the Vols, is set to retire.

The Voice of the Vols, Bob Kesling, is set to retire in April 2025.

Kesling has served as Tennessee’s lead announcer on the Vol Radio Network since 1999. He has served as the play-by-play voice for Tennessee football and men’s basketball, while also hosting “Vol Calls” and “Big Orange Hotline.” Kesling also hosts “The Josh Heupel Show” and “The Rick Barnes Show” on the Vol Television Network.

“Bob’s influence has been remarkable, touching so many lives as the Voice of the Vols and through his heartfelt dedication as a mentor and leader in our Knoxville community for over 50 years,” Tennessee vice chancellor and director of athletics Danny White said. “He embodies the true spirit of someone who has given his all for Tennessee. As an icon in the broadcasting industry, we are deeply appreciative of the professionalism he brings to Tennessee Athletics each time he takes the microphone. His contributions resonate with all of us here on Rocky Top and we cannot thank him enough for everything he has done.”

Dave Rowe reflects on his time as color analyst for SEC Jefferson Pilot games

Dave Rowe reflects on his time as color analyst for SEC Jefferson Pilot football games.

Southeastern Conference football has a long and storied history.

Part of the SEC’s history were games televised on Jefferson Pilot Sports.

2008 was the final season SEC games were broadcast by Jefferson Pilot Sports, Lincoln Financial Sports and Raycom.

Dave Rowe served as a color analyst on broadcasts. He reflected on calling SEC games with Vols Wire.

“The fans were so great,” Rowe said. “We would go into a stadium, whether it was South Carolina, Vanderbilt or whoever it was, they would meet us getting out of our cars. They always had nice things to say. I never had a nasty confrontation with any fan in the SEC.

“I think the thing I cherish most about the days with JP and Lincoln Financial are the friendships that I made with some coaches, ADs, and of course, the team that we had. We had the same team week after week and I still talk to them. It was just so much fun.”

Dave Rowe and Dave Neal on Jefferson Pilot Sports

Before the SEC Network launched in 2014, ESPN purchased rights for the weekly Jefferson Pilot Sports, Lincoln Financial Sports and Raycom contests kicking off at noon EDT.

Rowe discussed how he retired prior to ESPN purchasing rights for SEC games.

“I actually left while everything was just normal – Raycom game of the week or Lincoln Financial game of the week,” he said. “I had a shoulder surgery and I developed MRSA. It was a real, terrible infection and I had five operations in nine days. I lost about 35 pounds and I was pretty sick.

“We started into the spring and Rob Reichley, who was the producer of JP and Lincoln Financial, he came to me and said do you think you’re going to be well? I had spent 30 years in broadcasting and I was getting up into retirement age, and my work, my regular job, I was a manager for an electric utility. I would have loved to continue, but my health was such, it was going to take me all summer to get back and I didn’t want to put them in position where they were scrambling at the last minute, so I retired.”

Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Bob Kesling has served as the voice of Tennessee football since 1999, replacing John Ward following the Vols’ 1998 national championship season.

Kesling served as a sideline reporter and play-by-play for Jefferson Pilot Sports.

“Before John Ward retired, a year or so before he retired, Bob was in the booth as play-by-play and I stayed as color analyst,” Rowe said. “I worked with him several years being a sideline reporter and he came up to the booth.

“Bob is the epitome of a professional. He is very well prepared, studies the game. He was a great person to work with. For me, he was perfect because he was relaxed, he wasn’t hyper or anything like that. He enjoyed the game, he played the game at Tennessee. He’s a professional in every manner.”

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Bob Kesling reflects on Johnny Majors ahead of Tennessee-Pittsburgh

Bob Kesling reflects on Johnny Majors ahead of Tennessee-Pittsburgh.

Tennessee (1-0) will host Pittsburgh (1-0) in the Johnny Majors Classic Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

Kickoff is slated for noon EDT. ESPN will televise the Week 2 matchup.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, the voice of Tennessee football Bob Kesling discussed the Johnny Majors Classic on the show “Football Two-A-Days.”

Kesling reflected on Majors’ career and his time with the former Tennessee and Pittsburgh head coach. Majors won the 1976 national championship at Pittsburgh and three Southeastern Conference titles with the Vols (1985, 1989, 1990).

The show with Kesling can be listened to here or below.

Stream college football games from the SEC, Big 12, The American, and more on ESPN+

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