Bob Kesling and Brent Hubbs were joined by head basketball coaches Kellie Harper and Rick Barnes during the Monday night edition of Vol Calls.

Both basketball teams were coming off disappointing losses while the Volunteer football team looked to face off with Iowa in the upcoming Citrus Bowl.

The Lady Vols had struggled in recent weeks, losing to No. 12 Ohio State 78-58. It was the Lady Vols’ third loss in their last four games having also dropped games to Notre Dame and Indiana.

“It’s definitely been really tough,” Harper said. “And obviously made tougher without Rickea (Jackson).”

Harper noted a few specific areas for improvement for her Lady Vols team.

“We had a few too many turnovers,” Harper said. “We’re really disappointed in our rebounding. That’s been a concern of mine.”

Harper doubled down when asked about what the most pressing issue is.

“I think based on the last couple of games the board play,” Harper said. “The defensive boards were just a breakdown.”

In addition to the physical breakdowns, Harper also noted the mental side of the game and the potential areas for improvement.

One positive for the Lady Vols was the play of Tamari Key. Key played 16 minutes, her first game with significant minutes of the season, scoring nine points and grabbing four boards.

“Yeah, I think that was a huge, huge plus for us,” Harper said of Key. “She looked like a different player.”

The Lady Vols play MTSU on Wednesday before returning home to face Eastern Kentucky on Sunday.

The Vols are coming off three straight losses to ranked opponents, having dropped their latest game against North Carolina. The Vols were utterly dominated in the first half but showed heart to cut their deficit in half.

Dalton Knecht helped lead the comeback scoring 37 and giving the Vols a glimmer of hope.

“We had a chance to win the game,” Barnes said. “We had three bad possessions.”

Barnes’ team faces another tough challenge tonight as an impressive George Mason team travels to Food City Center on Tuesday.

“Really good team,” Barnes said of George Mason. “He’s (Tony Skinn’s) got them playing with a lot of confidence.”

Barnes was quick to emphasize a potential area of improvement.

“It’s always gonna go back to toughness,” Barnes said. “It’s toughness. It’s consistency. It’s guys doing their jobs.”

The Vols will hope to get back on track against George Mason before facing another tough test against No. 20 Illinois.

Josh Heupel updates Tennessee football

Tennessee football faces the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on New Year’s Day.

Head coach Josh Heupel — in a pre recorded interview — discussed his feelings about the Vols’ opportunity in the new year.

“Excited about being in Orlando,” Heupel said. “It goes without saying that we understand the quality of the opponent we are facing in Iowa.”

Heupel was quick to note the defensive prowess of Iowa.

“Statistically, you look at them, they are one of the best in college football defensively,” Heupel said. “It’s a program that prides itself on playing hard, playing smart and playing physical.”

The Hawkeyes have, however, struggled immensely on offense. Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz was let go after multiple dismal displays — the Hawkeyes average 19.5 points per game — with their offense being ranked 120th out of 133 in the FBS in terms of points per game.

Tennessee will hope to further the Hawkeyes’ offensive misery as the two teams clash on the first day of the new year.