Coach sits down with Brad Willis, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. The conversation kicks off with a nostalgic look at Willis's background in Nashville sports radio—including his time with Titans Radio and 104.5 The Zone—and explores how the Nashville sports landscape has exploded from a collegiate-focused region into a booming professional sports hub.

The core of the conversation transitions into the inner workings of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Willis details the meticulous and challenging nomination process used by the 18-member Board of Directors to select the state's most deserving athletes, coaches, and sports figures.

Key Takeaways from the Segment:


The 2026 Induction Banquet: Scheduled for July 11th at the Omni Nashville Hotel, this year's event will officially induct a 15-person class.


Star-Studded Inductees: Willis highlights several notable figures from the upcoming class, including Marc Gasol, David Price, Jason Witten, Pete Weber, and Jennifer Azzi, emphasizing the geographic and athletic diversity of the honorees across West, Middle, and East Tennessee.


Special Awards: The segment outlines the honors given to contemporary figures, such as Pro Athlete of the Year (Jeffery Simmons) and Amateur Athletes of the Year (Maya Johnson and Carlin Pickens).


Future Expansion: Willis shares exciting news about the Hall of Fame's upcoming relocation to the new Nissan Stadium, promising a 10,000-square-foot interactive space to better celebrate the state's rich athletic history.

Coach sits down with Brad Willis, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. The conversation kicks off with a nostalgic look at Willis's background in Nashville sports radio&mdash;including his time with Titans Radio and 104.5 The Zone&mdash;and explores how the Nashville sports landscape has exploded from a collegiate-focused region into a booming professional sports hub.
The core of the conversation transitions into the inner workings of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Willis details the meticulous and challenging nomination process used by the 18-member Board of Directors to select the state's most deserving athletes, coaches, and sports figures.
Key Takeaways from the Segment:
<ul data-path-to-node="8">
<li>
The 2026 Induction Banquet: Scheduled for July 11th at the Omni Nashville Hotel, this year's event will officially induct a 15-person class.
</li>
<li>
Star-Studded Inductees: Willis highlights several notable figures from the upcoming class, including Marc Gasol, David Price, Jason Witten, Pete Weber, and Jennifer Azzi, emphasizing the geographic and athletic diversity of the honorees across West, Middle, and East Tennessee.
</li>
<li>
Special Awards: The segment outlines the honors given to contemporary figures, such as Pro Athlete of the Year (Jeffery Simmons) and Amateur Athletes of the Year (Maya Johnson and Carlin Pickens).
</li>
<li>
Future Expansion: Willis shares exciting news about the Hall of Fame's upcoming relocation to the new Nissan Stadium, promising a 10,000-square-foot interactive space to better celebrate the state's rich athletic history.
</li>
</ul>

Not many analysts in the midsouth have as much football expertise as Doug Mathews brings to the microphone every Saturday morning. It’s Forklift System’s Football Saturday on 104-5 The Zone.

Mathews, best known for his 10 seasons as Running Backs Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the University of Tennessee, tells it like it is and lets you take show where you want to go every weekend.

Forklift Systems Football Saturday covers all the big games across the nation, including all the action within the Southeastern Conference. It’s the perfect preview before you catch your favorite team play Saturday afternoon. Featuring long-time college football writer Tony Barnhart and NFL analyst Charles Davis.