The newly announced Hall of Fame class honors a wide array of legendary athletic figures, logically grouped by their ties to West, Middle, and East Tennessee. The West Tennessee inductees feature major league pitcher Matt Cain, Rhodes College coaching icon Mike Clary, Memphis Grizzlies basketball standout Marc Gasol, and longtime basketball coach Bubba Luckett. Middle Tennessee’s honorees include record-setting MTSU basketball coach Kermit Davis, basketball champion Ron Mercer, Cy Young Award-winning pitcher David Price, and the iconic Nashville Predators broadcasting duo of Pete Weber and Terry Crisp. Finally, rounding out the class from East Tennessee are champion women's basketball player Jennifer Azzi, Bristol Motor Speedway executive Jerry Caldwell, former University of Tennessee football standouts Reggie Cobb, Antone Davis, and Charles McCray, and legendary NFL tight end Jason Witten.

The newly announced Hall of Fame class honors a wide array of legendary athletic figures, logically grouped by their ties to West, Middle, and East Tennessee. The West Tennessee inductees feature major league pitcher Matt Cain, Rhodes College coaching icon Mike Clary, Memphis Grizzlies basketball standout Marc Gasol, and longtime basketball coach Bubba Luckett. Middle Tennessee&rsquo;s honorees include record-setting MTSU basketball coach Kermit Davis, basketball champion Ron Mercer, Cy Young Award-winning pitcher David Price, and the iconic Nashville Predators broadcasting duo of Pete Weber and Terry Crisp. Finally, rounding out the class from East Tennessee are champion women's basketball player Jennifer Azzi, Bristol Motor Speedway executive Jerry Caldwell, former University of Tennessee football standouts Reggie Cobb, Antone Davis, and Charles McCray, and legendary NFL tight end Jason Witten.

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.

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Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2026 

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Welcome to another episode of Forklift Systems Football Saturday. The show kicks off with a nostalgic dive into Nashville sports history as the host sits down with Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Drawing on Willis’s deep roots with Titans Radio and 104.5 The Zone, the two chart Nashville’s dramatic evolution from a strictly college-focused sports town into a booming professional sports hub. Willis also pulls back the curtain on the Hall of Fame itself, detailing the meticulous and highly competitive nomination process utilized by its 18-member Board of Directors to select and honor the state's most legendary athletes, coaches, and sports figures.

The gridiron conversation quickly shifts to the national stage as Coach is  joined by premier college sports insider Dennis Dodd to unpack a chaotic landscape ahead of the 2026 season. The panel tackles massive off-field storylines, including the monumental legal battle surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby—who opted for the supplemental draft after a protracted eligibility dispute—and the potential legislative impact of the Cruz-Cantwell bill on NCAA self-governance. Turning to on-field action, Dodd breaks down the shifting conference power dynamics and top quarterback transfers across the ACC and Big 12, while locking in the early Heisman Trophy race with Arch Manning labeled as the undisputed favorite alongside premium contenders CJ Carr of Notre Dame and Josh Hoover of TCU

Welcome to another episode of Forklift Systems Football Saturday. The show kicks off with a nostalgic dive into Nashville sports history as the host sits down with Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Drawing on Willis&rsquo;s deep roots with Titans Radio and 104.5 The Zone, the two chart Nashville&rsquo;s dramatic evolution from a strictly college-focused sports town into a booming professional sports hub. Willis also pulls back the curtain on the Hall of Fame itself, detailing the meticulous and highly competitive nomination process utilized by its 18-member Board of Directors to select and honor the state's most legendary athletes, coaches, and sports figures.
The gridiron conversation quickly shifts to the national stage as Coach is&nbsp; joined by premier college sports insider Dennis Dodd to unpack a chaotic landscape ahead of the 2026 season. The panel tackles massive off-field storylines, including the monumental legal battle surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby&mdash;who opted for the supplemental draft after a protracted eligibility dispute&mdash;and the potential legislative impact of the Cruz-Cantwell bill on NCAA self-governance. Turning to on-field action, Dodd breaks down the shifting conference power dynamics and top quarterback transfers across the ACC and Big 12, while locking in the early Heisman Trophy race with Arch Manning labeled as the undisputed favorite alongside premium contenders CJ Carr of Notre Dame and Josh Hoover of TCU

Forklift Systems Football Saturday 6-20-26

Coach is joined by college sports insider Dennis Dodd, to unpack a chaotic college football landscape ahead of the 2026 season. The discussion heavily focuses on the monumental legal battle surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who opted for the supplemental draft after a protracted dispute over his playing eligibility, as well as the potential legislative impact of the Cruz-Cantwell bill on the NCAA's self-governance. Shifting to the gridiron, Dodd provides expert insight into the Heisman Trophy race—highlighting Arch Manning as the undisputed favorite alongside contenders like Notre Dame's CJ Carr and TCU's Josh Hoover—while breaking down the shifting power dynamics and top quarterback transfers across the Big 12 and ACC.

Coach is joined by college sports insider Dennis Dodd, to unpack a chaotic college football landscape ahead of the 2026 season. The discussion heavily focuses on the monumental legal battle surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who opted for the supplemental draft after a protracted dispute over his playing eligibility, as well as the potential legislative impact of the Cruz-Cantwell bill on the NCAA's self-governance. Shifting to the gridiron, Dodd provides expert insight into the Heisman Trophy race&mdash;highlighting Arch Manning as the undisputed favorite alongside contenders like Notre Dame's CJ Carr and TCU's Josh Hoover&mdash;while breaking down the shifting power dynamics and top quarterback transfers across the Big 12 and ACC.

College Football Chaos: Brendan Sorsby’s Legal Saga and 2026 Season Previews With  Dennis Dodd

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>

Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2026

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