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College baseball fans are misinterpreting Tony Vitello's comments after Tennessee's loss to Arkansas in Super Regional

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 3:33 PM ET

Tennessee Vols head coach Tony Vitello got emotional on Sunday afternoon after UT's season ended with a loss in game two of the Fayetteville Super Regional when a reporter asked him about his post-game interactions with the Arkansas Razorbacks' coaching staff.

"I miss some of those guys," said a teary-eyed Vitello. "I miss some of those guys. So, they deserve to win. Certainly would like to beat them. I think maybe we play them next year. Some of those guys said things they didn’t have to say, and I think there’s a mutual respect there."

"This league is insane, especially in our sport, what it’ll do to you, and I think we all have a certain amount of respect for each other," added Vitello. "But as you mentioned, I’ve got time here (at Arkansas). And while I was here, I was just as big of a knucklehead as I am now, but I tried to work my ass off. It’s a good place to work.”

Tennessee’s Tony Vitello gets emotional when discussing Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn

“I miss some of those guys, I miss some of those guys…Some of those guys said things they didn’t have to say, and I think there’s a mutual respect there”

Vitello learned a lot in Fayetteville pic.twitter.com/AmjKUajBCo
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) June 9, 2025

Some college baseball fans interpreted Vitello's comments (especially the "it's a good place to work" comment) as a sign that the Tennessee head coach will be interested in the Arkansas coaching job when Van Horn retires in the future.

Via A To Z Sports

I don't know what the future holds, and I don't know if Vitello will coach at Tennessee for the rest of his career or if he'll eventually leave for another job. I don't even think Vitello knows the answer to those questions (I also don't think he's thought about it).

But I think fans (mostly Arkansas fans) are severely taking Vitello's comments out of context.

The emotion that Vitello showed was because of the relationships he developed with the people on staff at Arkansas. And that's 100 percent normal. Those four seasons at Arkansas were a huge part of Vitello's journey and a big part of why he is the coach that he is today.

Whether or not Vitello is the head coach at Arkansas one day is anyone's guess. You never say never in the unpredictable world of college sports. But I don't believe the emotion we saw on Sunday from Vitello was because he deeply misses Fayetteville. Instead, I think it was a genuine appreciation for the time he spent on Van Horn's staff, and the growth he enjoyed as coach during that time.

Vitello is an emotional guy -- it's part of why he connects so well with his players. Those comments certainly aren't a reason for Tennessee fans to freak out. If anything, it should make Vols appreciate even more who Vitello is as a person and as coach. In a sport that loves coach speak and coyness, Vitello is as genuine as it gets.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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