The Tennessee Vols are set to host the Auburn Tigers on Saturday night.

It will be former Vols guard Steven Pearl’s first trip to Knoxville as an opposing head coach.

Pearl, who replaced his dad Bruce as the Tigers’ head coach last year, previously returned to Knoxville as an Auburn assistant coach.

Vols fans are rolling their eyes at Steve Pearl’s comments about returning to Knoxville

Steven spoke to reporters on Friday and he discussed his return to Tennessee, which included some comments that were missing some context.

“If they hadn’t fired our asses, we wouldn’t be here,” said Steven. “So, the best thing that’s ever happened to me is being at Auburn, too. I mean, I can’t thank them enough for everything that happened in Knoxville. Best years of my life.”

Nothing Steven said there is wrong, but there are some blanks to fill in.

First off, Steven had finished with his playing career when Bruce was fired (three days after the Vols were eliminated from the 2011 NCAA Tournament). Steven wasn’t part of the coaching staff that was fired.

Secondly, it’s not that Tennessee wanted to fire Bruce, but they didn’t have much of a choice due to the NCAA charging him with unethical conduct (Bruce was hit with a three-year show cause ban five months after Tennessee fired him).

“I care about Coach Pearl and his family. I appreciate the job that he has done at Tennessee,” said then UT chancellor Jimmy Cheek in a statement when Bruce was fired. “From the University’s perspective, this decision is an institutional decision, with counsel and input from many who know and love this university.”

It was unfortunate situation, which was made worse by the NCAA, though it probably could have been prevented had Bruce not lied to the NCAA.

Steven, by the way, did have some good things to say about his time at Tennessee.

“There’s so many things that happened at Tennessee that have shaped my life to what it is today, so I’m eternally grateful,” said Steven. “I would like a Letterman’s jacket at some point, because I still haven’t gotten that. But my years there were some of the best of my life personally, because it shaped the man I am today and a lot of things kind of fell in place for me to be where I’m at, in this chair.”

Vols head coach Rick Barnes commented on Steven taking over at Auburn back in September.

“I think Steven will do a great job,” said Barnes. “I mean, you can’t live with someone like Bruce and not understand the game, being around the game. I think that over the years as I’ve grown up and matured every year, I think I could tell you from the first time I met Steven the same thing [about him]. I will say that about all the coaches on my staff as I watch them grow.

“I think Steven has worked hard, and I think the fact that Auburn has given him this opportunity speaks volumes of what they think of him….I think that Bruce, obviously over the last couple of years, probably didn’t make any decisions in the program that he didn’t sit down with Steven to talk about. This is something that I knew that he wanted and I’m happy for him. I’m happy for Steven. And there’s no doubt he’s going to continue to do a great job.”

Tennessee and Auburn are set to tip off at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday night.

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