Tennessee Volunteers to honor late Dolly Parton with a helmet sticker this season

The University of Tennessee Volunteers will honor the late Dolly Parton with a helmet sticker this season, announced head coach Josh Heupel on Monday. Parton, a native of Tennessee, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80 after a brief struggle with cancer. Heupel emphasized Parton's significance, stating, "I'd be remiss if I didn’t also talk about the passing of Dolly Parton. All that she’s meant across the world, this country, and certainly, the queen of East Tennessee — a lady that was extremely proud of her roots."

Born in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton's impact on the region, and across the country, led to various initiatives, most notably her Imagination Library, which provides free books to children. The helmet sticker, featuring a butterfly reminiscent of the Dollywood logo, will be worn in the Volunteers' signature orange. The sticker reads "Dolly" in white letters at its center. Tennessee, currently ranked No. 20 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, will face Furman in their season opener on Saturday.