KNOXVILLE - When Paul Bain raised a hand and blocked a potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation in Tennessee's win over Georgia Tech to open last season, the walk-on defensive lineman became an instant hero.
Bain's sudden stardom was buoyed by the postgame revelation that he worked two jobs - one on a farm and another at a sporting goods store - to help pay for college.
Former Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer, right, chats with former Vols wide receiver C.J. Fayton at Neyland Stadium during a home game last season. Fulmer became the school's athletic director in December, and Fayton's hire as assistant director for football career development was announced last week."I think it's a great story," said Butch Jones, the Volunteers' head coach at the time. "A young man who has two jobs to make ends meet."
The story is an exception in college athletics, and perhaps especially in Southeastern Conference football, where the time demands of a high-level sport make having a job or an internship nearly impossible for many players.
An NCAA-funded study conducted by the University of Memphis and published in 2015 suggested student-athletes "are at a distinct disadvantage" compared to other students when it comes to pursuing internships and other professional development opportunities.
A renewed emphasis in the Tennessee athletic department is to help mitigate that disadvantage.
Two hires announced last week are poised to make the professional development of Tennessee athletes their top priority. C.J. Fayton and Ashley Smith are stepping into roles that have had their titles and descriptions tweaked to show a stronger emphasis on student-athletes' career development.
A formal description of Fayton's position as director of VFL (Vol For Life) programming, obtained through a records request, calls his official title "assistant director for football career development."
The first four items listed in the job description are related to helping football players develop job skills and transition from college to the workforce or from college to graduate school. A similar position with a broader emphasis on life skills development was held by Antone Davis until he resigned in October.
Fayton played wide receiver at Tennessee from 2002 to 2005 and graduated with a degree in sports management. He has since earned a master's degree and a law degree from the university. He has been working as an associate athletic director at Maryville College.
His new job description outlines a position geared toward addressing many of the challenges outlined in the University of Memphis study, calling for him to identify and coordinate internship and job shadowing opportunities for football players and to connect football players with companies specifically looking to hire UT student-athletes.
Fayton's hiring came just days before Tennessee announced Smith's promotion from director of football administration and special events to the role of director of student-athlete career development.
Smith, the older sister of Tennessee standout offensive lineman Trey Smith, will provide professional development and personal transition programming to student-athletes in all 20 of Tennessee's sports and help to coordinate and track career placement for Tennessee student-athletes.
"Ashley has done a fine job for us, and I believe she'll really thrive in this role," athletic director Phillip Fulmer said in an announcement of Smith's promotion.
A document that circulated between senior staff in the Tennessee athletic department during the football coaching search last year featured a list of "Things needed to win" and suggested the football program could do more to help former players after their playing careers ended. The document noted a jobs program would be a "huge hit" in recruiting.
The seventh and final point in Fayton's job description is "recruiting."
"Be available for football recruiting weekends and visits," the description reads. "Visit with families about Tennessee football's commitment to holistic student-athlete development, including career preparation, career placement, and professional development programming for student-athletes."
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.