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Vol fans finding excitement and heartbreak online during UT's coach search

A hazard in UT's coaching search is fake Twitter accounts. Some big names reporting the latest details are working against tweets that aren't theirs.

From unrest on campus to a never ending search, the coaching carousel continues to spin here in Knoxville.

A hazard in UT's coaching search is fake Twitter accounts. Some big names reporting the latest details are working against tweets that aren't theirs. This as Vol football fans, players and reporters are frantic for updates.

"I’ve never seen anything like this before it's been a like a fan uprising,” said GoVols 247 Senior Writer Wes Rucker.

Using Twitter has been a blessing providing a steady stream of new information, but it's also a burden for anyone trying to keep up.

"It’s a completely different world, it's made every sports writer a doctor who's always on call,” explained Rucker.

If you're following Wes Rucker online - you better make sure it's the real one and the not the fakes.

"If I had to guess there's about 15 or maybe a dozen,” said Rucker describing the numerous fake accounts that have been created to look like his.

"I've had people irate with me and had to tell them 'hey that wasn't me,'" he said.

He's not the only reporter fighting the fakes -- there's “Jiminy Hyams”, “The Fake Will West,” and even a fake John Currie.

"Really it all came to a head on Sunday and then it became a platform for people to voice their displeasure,” said FOX Sports Knoxville's Jon Reed.

He was at the front line of that protest and says fans have a real reason to care about their new coach beyond what happens on the field.

"I talked to many business owners who were hurt in 2016 by this team being so bad. Messing this hire up, one way or the other is detrimental to the community,” said Reed.

Regardless of the national press, Reed said the movement has been positive.

"Locally I think it's left a lot of people feeling proud that their voices are being heard,” said Reed.

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