Tennessee week always presents an interesting dilemma for Rich Brooks and his coaching staff.There’s the streak, the season finale, Senior Day and the chance to gain some momentum going into a bowl game, but there’s also a major holiday, which can sometimes throw a wrench in your game day preparation.It could serve as an annual interruption in the practice week, but Brooks didn’t sound concerned Wednesday at practice.The Cats will have a team Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday night before returning to the practice field Thursday morning. After that, the players are allowed to leave and have Thanksgiving with their respective families if their hometowns are close enough to make the trip. Brooks said they’re not due back until Friday afternoon.For the players that can’t make it home in time, some will go with teammates or spend the holiday with some of the coaches. Brooks said the biggest adjustment is for the first-year players who aren’t used to being away from family and friends during Thanksgiving.”Thanksgiving is kind of always a family time but this is their extended family, if you will, and if they can share it with teammates then that’s what they do,” Brooks said. “Some of them first year away it is a little harder than having experience of one or two years (away) in a row.”

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