Two McFarlands – Darren and Justin – launch afternoon sports talk radio show on WNSR

Two Nashville media veterans – radio’s Darren McFarland and television’s Justin McFarland – will start a daily sports talk radio show Monday called “The McFarland Show with Darren and Justin” to air weekdays from 2 to 4 p.m. on Nashville Sports Radio WNSR-AM 560, FM 95.9, FM 107.9 and WNSR.com.

The hosts are not related but have plenty in common, having been part of the local media scene for many years.

Darren McFarland has been on Nashville radio for 25 years, including the last 11 at The Game 102.5 FM as well as being the Nashville Predators radio studio host since 2013.

Justin McFarland is an Emmy and Associated Press award nominated morning reporter for Fox 17 News on his second stint at the station. He was a Fox 17 morning reporter from 2009-2014, leaving to become morning a midday news anchor at WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama, before returning to Nashville in 2017.

“It’s great having two such talented, experienced and wonderful people joining our crew,” WNSR general manager Ted Johnson said. “Darren and Justin will make a great team listeners will gravitate to and enjoy. They’ll be a great complement to our daily lineup.”

A show hosted by George Plaster was previously in the time slot. He left in April, and the station aired CBS Sports Radio content over the summer.

Darren McFarland, who left 102.5 FM in July, will continue his association with the Predators as host of a player radio show with former Predators player and current broadcaster Hal Gill and also host the Predators’ Official Podcast. He has been on Nashville radio airwaves since starting his career at WNSR in 1998.

“Thanks to Ted and (WNSR operations manager) Adam Johnson for this wonderful opportunity to continue my radio career in Nashville, a place where my family and I call home,” Darren McFarland said. “I’m excited to be launching this show with Justin, who I met while working in 1998 on a remote broadcast for WNSR. We’ve been good friends ever since.”

Justin McFarland moved to Nashville with his family when he was 11. He began his journalism career as a sports reporter for the Tennessee Tribune in Nashville.

“I’m appreciative to both Fox 17 and WNSR Radio for affording me this great opportunity,” Justin McFarland said. “I hope the show will be both entertaining and informative. We want to talk about and engage the listeners not only with the topics of the day, but also have some fun talking about a lot of different topics concerning our great city.”

"The McFarland Show with Darren and Justin" will be the second daily show on WNSR to pair two Nashville media veterans from different mediums, joining The Greg Pogue & Jon Burton Show. Burton is a sports anchor at NewsChannel5, and Pogue is a veteran sports writer and broadcaster and play-by-play announcer for Tennessee State football and basketball.

Max Herz joins Predators broadcasts

Max Herz has joined the Predators broadcast team. He will be the pregame, postgame and intermission radio host on The Game 102.5 FM.

Herz is also the play-by-play announcer for MyTV30 Friday Night Rivals high school football games and a broadcaster and associate producer for Vanderbilt sports on SEC Network+ and ESPN.

He has also called Nashville Sounds games, Cape Cod Baseball League games and worked for Learfield IMG College.

Austin Peay moves to No. 22 in national poll

Austin Peay cracked the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 poll this week at No. 22.

The Governors (4-1) beat No. 16 Eastern Kentucky 31-20 last week.

Chattanooga is 12th and UT Martin is 15th in the poll.

Austin Peay quarterback Mike DeLiello was named the Atlantic Sun Conference offensive player of the week for the second time this season and wide receiver Kellen Stewart was the freshman of the week.

DiLiello, a transfer from MTSU, ran for touchdowns on three straight drives in the second half, scoring from 39, 7 and 8 yards. He finished with 181 rushing yards, second-most by a Division I quarterback this season. He also threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Drae McRay.

Stewart averaged 24.3 yards on three kick returns, with a long of 28.

John Hynes is NHL's fourth most handsome coach

Predators coach John Hynes was identified as the fourth most handsome NHL coach of 2022, according to Beauty-Technology Analysis.

Hynes scored an 8.65 out of 10 on the handsome scale.

Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft was No. 1 with a 9.18.

Former Predators coach Peter Laviolette, now coach of the Washington Capitals, was last (6.04).

Tim Tebow speaking at Cumberland

Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, who now serves as a college football analyst for ESPN, will speak at Cumberland Oct. 8 before the homecoming game against Campbellsville

Tebow will speak at 2 p.m. at Nokes-Lasater Field. The game kicks off at 4 p.m.

For tickets or more information visit cumberland.edu/riseabove.

Belmont's Casey Alexander and Bart Brooks square off against each other in charity basketball game

Belmont men’s basketball coach Casey Alexander and women’s coach Bart Brooks will be on opposing benches in the Mt. Juliet First Responders Charity Basketball Game Monday.

The game will tip off at 7 p.m. at Mt. Juliet High School and proceeds benefit the James Bess Foundation, which supports adults battling terminal illness.

Alexander will coach the Mt. Juliet Police Department and Brooks will coach the Mt. Juliet Fire Department.

Former Belmont and Mt. Juliet basketball star Sally McCabe will be in attendance.

Collie, Wild and Wortman inducted into basketball coaches hall

David Collie, John Wild and Barry Wortman were inducted into the Basketball Coaches of Tennessee Hall of Fame.

From 1973-2003, Collie coached at Wayne County, East Robertson, Riverdale and Columbia and posted a 655-213 record. He led East Robertson to four state championships in the 1980s.

Collie is in the TSSAA and East Robertson halls of fame.

Wild, who played and served as an assistant coach at Lipscomb under legendary coach Don Meyer, spent 33 years in the coaching profession including 27 as a head coach. His head coaching stints included Harpeth, Moore County, Lawrence County, Riverdale and Franklin County. He posted a 609-227 record.

Wild is one of two coaches to win a state championship with three teams.

Wortman is in his 12^th year as the coach at Blackman and 32^nd of his career.

Wortman’s record at Blackman is 280-58. He led the Blaze to the 2014 state championship.

He’s also had stints at Shelbyville, Hickman County, Lavergne and Oak Ridge.

Vanderbilt basketball assistant Ashley Early takes leave of absence

Vanderbilt assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator Ashley Earley is taking a medical leave of absence, coach Shea Ralph said.

Earley expects to return to the Commodores before the start of the upcoming season.

“Our program wishes Ashley a successful procedure, and we look forward to her making a full and healthy recovery,” Ralph said in a release.

Earley is a former Vanderbilt player, who scored 1,000 career points, and joined Ralph's staff in April of 2021.

Kyla Irwin has assumed the role of interim assistant coach. The former Connecticut player currently is Vanderbilt’s director of player development and community relations.

Vanderbilt opens the season Nov. 7 at Western Kentucky.

MTSU's Jovantte Moffatt signs with Falcons' practice squad.

Former MTSU safety Jovante Moffatt signed with the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad.

Mofatt spent the previous two seasons with the Cleveland Browns before being released in August. He played in a total of 14 games and made seven tackles on defense and two on special teams for the Browns.

Moffatt was a four-year starter at MTSU who recorded 313 career tackles. He was not selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Date set for 2023 Music City Grand Prix

The date for the third annual Music City Grand Prix has been set for Aug. 6, 2023.

The 2.17-mile IndyCar race is run next to Nissan Stadium and goes over the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Marcus Ericsson won the 2021 race and Scott Dixon won in 2022.

Terry Rhodes hired to resurrect Fisk's track and cross country teams

Fisk is restarting its track and field and cross country teams and Terry Rhodes has been hired as the men’s and women’s coach for both programs.

Rhodes spent the last three years as the track and field and cross country coach at Fort Valley State. Before that he was an assistant at Jackson State.

"I am looking to resurrect then build up on a great legacy at Fisk University," Rhodes said. "I plan to focus on building a program with the drive to succeed academically and athletically."

Fisk is looking for athletes for each team. Anyone interested should contact Rhodes at TRhodes@fisk.edu.

Ex-Belmont student assistant lands NBA G League coaching job

Former Belmont men's basketball student assistant T.J. Saint was named coach of the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League.Saint is an Indiana native who served as a student assistant with the Bruins from 2009-11 while he completed his bachelor's degree in business development from Belmont.Saint spent the previous three seasons with the Pelicans' G League affiliate teams as associate head coach (2020-22) and as an assistant coach (2019-20).In 2018-19 Saint was director of basketball strategy for the Georgia men's basketball team.

Nashville Stars Golf Tournament is Oct. 7

The inaugural Nashville Stars Golf Tournament will be Oct. 7 at Ted Rhodes Course.

The Nashville Stars is an organization trying to bring a Major League baseball franchise to Nashville.

Proceeds from the tournament will support the Nashville Stars Youth Foundation and the Tennessee State University Athletic Fund.

The format will be a team scramble. Registration is at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch and a silent auction.

The tournament begins with an 11:30 a.m. shotgun start. There also will be a dinner reception and awards ceremony.

For more information email lauren.whatley@mlbmusiccity.com.

Sports on Nashville TV

The five highest-rated sports events locally for the week ending Sep. 25 in Nashville:

1. NFL: Titans-Raiders, 22.3

2. College football: UT-Florida, 18.7

3. NFL: Titans-Buffalo, 17.6

4. NFL: Packers-Bucs, 17.1

5. NFL: 49ers-Broncos, 10.9

Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 senior programming directorEach rating point is equal to 11,211 TV homes in the Nashville market.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Two McFarlands - Darren and Justin - start talk radio show on WNSR