Video from Tony Vitello's first days emphasizes just how far he's taken the Tennessee Vols during his tenure

John Currie wasn't exactly one of the most popular people in Knoxville for a good long while.  The former Tennessee athletic director, who was dismissed on December 1, 2017 after the fiasco with the botched football coaching search and attempted hire of Greg Schiano, drew ire from fans who after reportedly calling them "wacko" to a journalist in an email during that process.

However, one thing Currie did that was brilliant was hire Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello back in June 2017.  Currie managed to pull Vitello, an Arkansas assistant at the time, away from Fayetteville to take over as the Vols' new head coach.

What were the goals at the start of his tenure?  As Currie noted, reaching 83 home runs was one of them.

Well, that didn't happen in 2018.  For the season, the team hit just 42 team home runs, with the leading home run hitter posting just 7 (Benito Santiago and Andre Lipcius) on the way to a 29-27 season.  As a point of comparison, Christian Moore hit 34 home runs this season alone.

The team took a step forward in home runs in 2019, hitting 53 with Lipcius' 17 being the most.  However, the biggest step forward was in the win column, as Tennessee reached 40 wins and made it back to regional play.  The 2020 season was cancelled shortly after it began because of COVID.

Everyone knows what's followed over the next four years.  Three College World Series appearances, two SEC regular season titles, two SEC tournament titles, a national championship, and a 60-win season.  And the bats have gradually bashed more over each of those years.  Tennessee hit 98, 158, 126, and 184 home runs over those four seasons, respectively. Five players reached the 20 home run mark in 2024 , and Moore established himself as the program's all-time home run leader.

It's hard to put into words what a change it's been since Vitello got his hands on this program.  Now, the Vols are at the top of the mountain, highlighted by a lineup with dynamite in their bats all the way throughout it.

Currie, who now serves as the athletic director for Wake Forest, stated recently that he was happy for UT and for Vol fans after Tennessee claimed their first national championship.  It's ok for Tennessee fans to say thank you to him at this point.  Forgive and forget.

Related: The Big Red Machine went to bat for Tennessee Vols' Tony Vitello after some unfair criticism on Tuesday