How does a college football program that has fallen on hard times reclaim its past glory?No one could understand why University of Tennessee athletics had declined after the BCS National Championship and the Lady Vols’ NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships in 1998. But when the Volunteers fan base refused to accept a controversial coaching hire in 2017, a surprising disconnect was exposed. The divide between fans and decision-makers—sparking the Vol ReVOLution—manifested itself on social media in six incredible days of unprecedented controversy.However, the ReVOLution was also a blueprint that reflected the rising power of fans in big-money college athletics. The aftermath of the uprising raises new questions. Who’s accountable for the decline of UT athletics, particularly football? Is Tennessee doomed to mediocrity? How does UT regain the status it’s historically occupied?For the first time, “EMPOWERED” poses those questions to both decision-makers and common fans. If that divide can be bridged, Tennessee’s path back to greatness may be easier to navigate than initially thought. "...EMPOWERED examines the beginnings and the impact of the Volunteers fan revolt, the disconnect between state universities and sports fans, and how key influencers play roles in college athletics. EMPOWERED is the incredible true story of how the Tennessee Volunteers fan revolution inspired and influenced positive change in collegiate sports and explains: how the fan revolt changed the course of decision-making in college sports, why some members of the media supported the university's controversial choice, and how the fan revolution compelled the university to employ greater oversight and accountability for the athletic programs. This book is a must read on many levels. It is most timely!" --Grady Harp, San Francisco Review of Books, Amazon Top 100 Hall of Fame Reviewer