Terry Morrow: 'Biggest Loser' star Antone Davis wants to turn Vols into winners

Photo by NBC

Former Vol Antone Davis was a contestant on the NBC show "The Biggest Loser." Davis is now the new coordinator of the Vol for Life program. (NBC handout)

Antone Davis — the former Vols football player who gained fame through NBC's "The Biggest Loser" a year ago — has never made it a secret he wants to work for his former college team.

"It's hard to walk into a coaching job at a Division I level," he told me in an earlier interview, "but I do think I have what it takes to do it."

So it's really not much of a surprise to hear he's landed a job in another area of the Vols team. It was announced earlier this week by head coach Derek Dooley that Davis is the new coordinator of the Vol for Life program.

The program helps players with character education, life skills, career development and spiritual growth.

At his heaviest, Davis weighed nearly 450 pounds. He joined "The Biggest Loser" nearly a year ago, weighing around 447. Now he is around 245 pounds.

The show helped secure Davis with skills to succeed in his weight-loss goals. Since returning to Knoxville, he has been very popular, making public appearances and speaking to local groups.

Meanwhile, the list of celebrities who may be seen at a game is slimmer since the Vols haven't exactly set the world on fire in recent years.

Peyton Manning, who makes a tradition of attending the first home game of every season, probably will be at the home opener against Georgia State on Sept. 8. Perhaps the Vols' most successful former player ever, Manning usually gives a good pep talk to the team before the game and encourages them with his insight.

Kenny Chesney might make a game, but he's had a pretty busy summer, wrapping up a long tour with Tim McGraw this past weekend.

And there's always Nick Lachey, the former boy band member (98 Degrees) and MTV personality. He loves the SEC but doesn't keep up with the Vols very much.

He did, however, attend a UT game a few years back when Lane Kiffin was coach.

Photo by Trae Patton

Knoxville resident Antone Davis was on "The Biggest Loser" but now he wants to turn the Vols football team his biggest winners.

Returning?

Will Bearden native Dale Dickey return to "True Blood" in 2013? While nothing is official at this point, she teased me with the possibility that she may not be out of the show just yet.

She could never confirm or deny that she will reprise her role as wolf pack mother Martha Bozeman.

Production has not started yet on the next season, so it's far too early for Dickey to talk of reprising the part. The season finale aired this past Sunday on HBO.

Meanwhile, she's been quite busy.

Dickey recently shot scenes for "Iron Man 3," out in 2013 and starring Robert Downey Jr., with whom she says she enjoyed working.

And tonight, Dickey can be seen in "Sweeney Todd" at the Clarence Brown Theatre.

Of the brassy women she usually plays, Dickey jokes: "I have played so many down-and-dirty, dark, troubled women. People recognize me as the skank more than anything."

New role

Knoxville native John Cullum, 82, will co-star in the play "Detroit," which also features David Schwimmer, formerly of "Friends."

The play recently opened in New York City. Amy Ryan of "The Office" is also in the show.

A Tony Award winner, Cullum, who grew up in Knoxville and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, is still going strong in the profession he adores.

In 2010, Cullum marked 50 years working as a stage actor.

Terry Morrow may be reached at 865-342-6445 or morrowt@knoxville.com.

© 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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