Football season is almost here, and Food City is giving Vol fans a chance to meet four members of the Tennessee football team before the first kickoff of the season.
The Vol Football Meet and Greet, presented by Food City, is set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at Food City, 1388 Tesla Blvd. in Alcoa.
Fans can meet Tennessee players Ethan Davis, Jesse Perry, David Sanders Jr. and Carson Gentle during the one-hour event.
The four represent both sides of the football. Davis is a 6-foot-5 tight end entering his fourth year with the Tennessee program. Perry, a Murfreesboro native, is a 6-foot-6 offensive lineman, while Sanders is a 6-foot-6 sophomore offensive lineman from Charlotte, North Carolina. Sanders earned SEC All-Freshman honors following the 2025 season and enters 2026 expected to take over the starting left tackle position.
Gentle, a 6-foot-3 defensive lineman from Chattanooga, is entering his third season with the Vols. He has appeared in 16 career games and is a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
The Alcoa gathering comes as excitement begins building for another season on Rocky Top. Tennessee opens its 2026 schedule Sept. 5 against Furman at Neyland Stadium.
For Vol fans who are already counting the days until football returns, Thursday’s meet-and-greet offers an opportunity to get an early dose of Big Orange spirit — and meet a few of the players they’ll be cheering for this fall.
Betsi James is the special events manager for the Food City Knoxville division.
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