Andraya Carter discusses serving as Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman judge, Vols’ football
Former Lady Vol basketball player and ESPN/SEC Network personality Andraya Carter will serve as a judge for the Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman Saturday ahead of the Southeastern Conference championship game.
Earlier this fall, Johnsonville held its Titanium Tongsman Contest for a second season, tasking the proudest of the proud carnivores – whose level of tailgating, grilling wisdom and love of sausage is boundless – showcasing how they make room on the grill for Johnsonville sausage.
From favorite sausage recipes, to elite tong-flipping skills and even just throwing their favorite variety of sausage on the grill – Tongsmen and women throughout the southeast went big and bold and made it clear that they’re a top griller when it comes to backyard BBQs or tailgating.
Now, two finalists have been selected and are headed to Atlanta, Georgia to prove who is this season’s Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman.
Ricky Albright III of Troy, Alabama was selected for his delicious “Seared & Braised Beer Brats with Vegetables and Lime Ranch Dressing” recipe – featuring Fresh Johnsonville Beer Brats.
Squaring off against the Alabama native is Tom Rose of Middle River, Maryland. – who showcased his top- notch skills at the grill with his “Helen G. Rose Ultimate Sausage Sandwich” recipe. Named in honor of Rose’s grandmother, the sausage sandwich also features Beer Brats and Rose’s homemade “Mississippi comeback” sauce.
As finalists in the Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman Contest, Albright and Rose will compete in a live cook-off event with the brand before the 2022 SEC championship game in Atlanta, Georgia Saturday.
Albright will be paired with seven-time world barbecue champion and BBQ Hall of Famer Melissa Cookston, while Rose will man the grill with social media star, published cookbook author and popular reality TV chef competitor, Kolby “Kash” Chandler.
The two Tongsmen finalists will battle it out, with Cookston and Chandler at their sides, grilling their sausage-based recipe during a 30-minute contest in hopes of being crowned the Titanium Tongsman.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, Carter discussed the 2022 football season with Vols Wire. Carter’s analysis of the 2022 season and being a judge is listed below.
Andraya Carter on being a Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman judge
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“It’s one of the perfect events for me to be a guest judge on because growing up, my dad, he’s a huge football guy and he always would make brats with sauerkraut mustard. That was what we did. Johnsonville is having the Titanium Tongsman tournament and is basically a competition. They had people submit recipes first and a ton of people submitted recipes all across the south. The two finalists are going to be in Atlanta. They’re going to prepare their recipes, their own personal recipes for us to taste. It’s going to be at 12:30 p.m. EST (Saturday). The doors will open at noon EST and will be at the Georgia International Plaza, which is not very far from the field. There will be free sausages. If you are already trying to get a little meal before the game, you can come hang out. We’ll all hang out for a little bit, too, after the event. I’m sure if anyone wants to take pictures or talk, I would love to meet fans, so I’ll definitely be hanging out and chatting with everyone. That’s one of my favorite things about being on the road at games is meeting fans. I hope that a lot of people come to hang out and talk about the season.”
The 2022 SEC season
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
“The parity across the SEC this season has been so much fun. My job is fun already, I love my job, but when there are unexpected twists and turns in the season, it makes my job so much fun. When stars emerge and teams emerge, think of Spencer Rattler the last few games, and Jayden Daniels this season at LSU. This season has been so much fun. You look at the teams that lost and then pull off these crazy upsets. For Tennessee to beat Alabama, smoke LSU and then lose to South Carolina — and LSU, they win the West, but then they lose to Texas A&M who struggled all season. The season has been amazing.”
Tennessee's 10-win regular-season
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
“It was so special. This is what you think about when you think about Tennessee. I went to Tennessee and I have such a love for it. Last season was an up and down season. It was a season where there was a lot of potential, and to see it all sort of come together this season, to see the buy-in, to see Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton’s amazing relationship that they have, Neyland Stadium when it’s loud and it’s packed and rocking, there’s nothing like it.”
Andraya Carter's career with Tennessee basketball (2012-16)
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Games played: 90
Starts: 65
Points: 724
Rebounds: 296
Assists: 228
Steals: 198
Blocks: 31
Saturday's event times
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman contest: 12:30 p.m. EST (Georgia International Plaza)
SEC championship game between Georgia and LSU: 4 p.m. EST (CBS, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
