"Position U" discussion

#1
OrangeDonkey

OrangeDonkey

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#1
I'm sure this has been discussed before but I think it'd be interesting to see everyone's thoughts this offseason.

Going position by position, what university(s) would you consider to be the best producers of talent?

QBU-
RBU-
WRU- (Tennessee obviously)
TEU-
oLineU-
dLineU-
LBU-
DBU-
SpecialTeamsU-

I'm particularly excited to hear from some older fans. Anyway, it's the offseason and I'm bored
 
#4
#4
I read an ESPN article that named LSU as D-line U.
 
#5
#5
While nice to be mentioned as a "u" anything, USC, in my humble opinion is actually "Offensive Line U". Four of our 12 Pro Hall of Famers are offensive linemen, including Bruce Matthews who was a Titan. There is a long line of OL that have started in the NFL up till this day.

I've lurked here for several years, my daughter lives in Franklin, and Nashville before that, for almost 10 years, and through her and her husband, met several wonderful die-hard Vols.

I plan to only contribute in a respectful manner!
 
#6
#6
Trojan Princess said:
While nice to be mentioned as a "u" anything, USC, in my humble opinion is actually "Offensive Line U". Four of our 12 Pro Hall of Famers are offensive linemen, including Bruce Matthews who was a Titan. There is a long line of OL that have started in the NFL up till this day.

I've lurked here for several years, my daughter lives in Franklin, and Nashville before that, for almost 10 years, and through her and her husband, met several wonderful die-hard Vols.

I plan to only contribute in a respectful manner!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight Trojan Princess. Post more often :hi:
 
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#7
#7
Freak said:
Thanks for the insight Trojan Princess. Post more often :hi:
Click to expand...

Thank you Sir!

Just wish to add, I LOVE the state of Tennessee, my son-in-law is born and bred, I've traveled all over the state and I fell in love with the people and the Southern charm.

I plan on spending 3-4 months in your beautiful state when I fully retire, I'm truly blessed!
 
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#10
#10
OrangeDonkey said:
I'm sure this has been discussed before but I think it'd be interesting to see everyone's thoughts this offseason.

Going position by position, what university(s) would you consider to be the best producers of talent?

QBU-
RBU-
WRU- (Tennessee obviously)
TEU-
oLineU-
dLineU-
LBU-
DBU-
SpecialTeamsU-

I'm particularly excited to hear from some older fans. Anyway, it's the offseason and I'm bored
Click to expand...


Vandy has to be the special tea...........oh wait a min, I get it now you're talkin about kick teams n stuff!! Never mind........sorry Back to your regular postings.
 
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#14
#14
These things tend to be cyclic. Going back to the era of Mike Garrett and O.J. Simpson, USC seemed to be producing All-American tailbacks virtually every other year for quite some time, so a justifiable argument can certainly be made for Southern Cal as RBU. Syracuse, however, also had a very strong tradition there, although their period of greatness at the position was earlier and included such luminaries as Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. See Syracuse vs. USC: Who has the better all-time running backs? | syracuse.com.

Penn State is generally regarded as LBU. Consider these facts, however. During the Dickey and early Battle era, Tennessee produced the following All-Americans at the position:

Frank Emanuel, linebacker (1965) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Paul Naumoff, linebacker (1966) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Steve Kiner, linebacker (1968, 1969). In the '69 Alabama game, Kiner "had five sacks, 11 tackles with five assists, four quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble. Kiner was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

"Hacksaw" Jack Reynolds, linebacker (1969). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jackie Walker, linebacker (1970, 1971). Walker "finished his career with 11 interceptions, more than anyone who wasn't a defensive back during his time. He returned those picks for 281 yards and a then-NCAA record five touchdowns. The 281 interception return yards ranked fourth at the time on Tennessee's all-time chart behind three defensive backs - all his teammates." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jamie Rotella (1972) "Jamie Rotella became the sixth Tennessee linebacker to earn All-America status in seven years following the 1972 season. The Vols recorded a 31-5 mark during his three-year career." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football
 
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#15
#15
Volosaurus rex said:
These things tend to be cyclic. Going back to the era of Mike Garrett and O.J. Simpson, USC seemed to be producing All-American tailbacks virtually every other year for quite some time, so a justifiable argument can certainly be made for Southern Cal as RBU. Syracuse, however, also had a very strong tradition there, although their period of greatness at the position was earlier and included such luminaries as Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. See Syracuse vs. USC: Who has the better all-time running backs? | syracuse.com.

Penn State is generally regarded as LBU. Consider these facts, however. During the Dickey and early Battle era, Tennessee produced the following Al-Americans at the position:

Frank Emanuel, linebacker (1965) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Paul Naumoff, linebacker (1966) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Steve Kiner, linebacker (1968, 1969). In the '69 Alabama game, Kiner "had five sacks, 11 tackles with five assists, four quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble. Kiner was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

"Hacksaw" Jack Reynolds, linebacker (1969). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jackie Walker, linebacker (1970, 1971). Walker "finished his career with 11 interceptions, more than anyone who wasn't a defensive back during his time. He returned those picks for 281 yards and a then-NCAA record five touchdowns. The 281 interception return yards ranked fourth at the time on Tennessee's all-time chart behind three defensive backs - all his teammates." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jamie Rotella (1972) "Jamie Rotella became the sixth Tennessee linebacker to earn All-America status in seven years following the 1972 season. The Vols recorded a 31-5 mark during his three-year career." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football
Click to expand...

Saw and heard all of these guys play and every one was a head hunter.
 
#16
#16
montanatenn said:
Saw and heard all of these guys play and every one was a head hunter.
Click to expand...


One of my favorite memories from the Dickey era was the '69 Alabama game. It wasn't a play per se, but this event was illustrative of just how thoroughly we dominated the Tide in that game, one in which we led 34-0 before 'bama added a couple of late touchdowns for cosmetic effect:

"Tennessee linebacker Steve Kiner chastised Alabama players for not playing better for Bear Bryant in the 1969 game at Legion Field. Former Tennessee assistant coach Bob Davis was there on the sidelines when it happened. Tennessee was ahead 34-0, and coach Doug Dickey was getting his first-line defenders out of the game.

"They had a play that ended right in front of us," Davis said. "Before he came to the bench, Kiner screamed at the Alabama players. He pointed to Coach Bryant and said, 'Look over there at that poor old man. He looks pitiful. Can you see him? You've let him down. You should be ashamed of yourselves.' "

Other accounts also allege that Kiner added as a final stinging remark: "There was a time when those crimson jerseys meant something."
 
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#17
#17
Trojan Princess said:
Thank you Sir!

Just wish to add, I LOVE the state of Tennessee, my son-in-law is born and bred, I've traveled all over the state and I fell in love with the people and the Southern charm.

I plan on spending 3-4 months in your beautiful state when I fully retire, I'm truly blessed!
Click to expand...

Glad to have you!
 
#18
#18
Volosaurus rex said:
One of my favorite memories from the Dickey era was the '69 Alabama game. It wasn't a play per se, but this event was illustrative of just how thoroughly we dominated the Tide in that game, one in which we led 34-0 before 'bama added a couple of late touchdowns for cosmetic effect:

"Tennessee linebacker Steve Kiner chastised Alabama players for not playing better for Bear Bryant in the 1969 game at Legion Field. Former Tennessee assistant coach Bob Davis was there on the sidelines when it happened. Tennessee was ahead 34-0, and coach Doug Dickey was getting his first-line defenders out of the game.

"They had a play that ended right in front of us," Davis said. "Before he came to the bench, Kiner screamed at the Alabama players. He pointed to Coach Bryant and said, 'Look over there at that poor old man. He looks pitiful. Can you see him? You've let him down. You should be ashamed of yourselves.' "

Other accounts also allege that Kiner added as a final stinging remark: "There was a time when those crimson jerseys meant something."
Click to expand...

Didn't Walker and Reynolds play together for a couple of years? Seems like Reynolds was a couple of years older, but their careers overlapped. Looked it up. Kiner, Reynolds, and Walker all overlapped late 60s, early 70s. I guess at the time, 3 ALL AMERICAN linebackers on the same team made us LBU.
 
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#19
#19
montanatenn said:
Didn't Walker and Reynolds play together for a couple of years? Seems like Reynolds was a couple of years older, but their careers overlapped. Looked it up. Kiner, Reynolds, and Walker all overlapped late 60s, early 70s. I guess at the time, 3 ALL AMERICAN linebackers on the same team made us LBU.
Click to expand...


Yes, Kiner and Reynolds were both seniors in '69 and both achieved All-American status that year. It looks like Jackie didn't play much in '69, which was his sophomore season, but he earned All-American honors in both 1970 and 1971.

We had truly great defenses in those years but their greatness was predicated on the back seven, not the front four. Steve DeLong was the only defensive interior lineman to earn All-American honors during Dickey's tenure and that was in '64, Doug's first year at the helm.
 
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#22
#22
Miami and LSU certainly have had strong runs at defensive back in more recent years. However, how many All-Americans have they produced at that position?

We have had ten All-American defensive backs, including the following:

Albert Dorsey, defensive back (1967). "Among his greatest was the 1967 version of the Third Saturday in October. Tennessee entered the game in Birmingham with their first national ranking of the season at No. 7 , while Alabama was No. 6. Dorsey picked off three passes that afternoon to seal Vols' 24-13 win at Legion Field, snapping the Crimson Tide's 25-game winning streak." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jim Weatherford, defensive back (1968). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Bobby Majors, defensive back (1971). Majors "set the single-season school record with 10 interceptions in 1970, the same year the Vols led the NCAA with 36 picks. He ranks sixth on the career pass interceptions list with 13." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Conrad Graham, defensive back (1972). "Conrad Graham was a three-year starter in Tennessee's secondary during a time which the Vols boasted one of the best pass-coverage defenses in history. Three of the defensive backfield members earned All-America status, including Graham his senior year of 1972. Graham left Tennessee third on the career pass interceptions list with 15. He collected 293 return yards in his three years and scored three touchdowns off turnovers." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Eddie Brown, defensive back (1973). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Roland James, defensive back (1979). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Chris White, defensive back (1985). "As a fifth-year senior in 1985, White made his first career start in the season opener against UCLA as an injury replacement. Three interceptions later, White had secured his place as the Vols' starter the rest of the season. He recorded nine interceptions on the season to lead the NCAA." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Dale Carter, defensive back (1990, 1991). "Dale Carter came to Tennessee to be a playmaker, and he did just that. In two seasons with the Vols, Carter earned All-America status each year and garnered national recognition as a sticky defensive back and an explosive kick return man. It was his kick-return capabilities that sealed his All-America status in 1990. He led the nation with 507 yards on 17 returns for an average of 29.82 yards per return. Carter also returned 29 punts for 381 yards, a 13.1-yard average. His senior year, he was one of three final candidates for the Thorpe Award given to the nation's top defensive back. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Deon Grant, defensive back (1999). "Deon Grant tied for the NCAA lead in 1999 with nine interceptions for 167 return yards, propelling him to All-America status his junior year. . . . His leaping interception in UT's overtime win over Florida in 1998 was one of the biggest plays of in the Vols' march to the national title." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Eric Berry, defensive back (2008, 2009). "It didn't take Eric Berry long to put his name among the all-time Tennessee greats, earning consensus All-America honors in just his sophomore season. At regular season's end, Berry was tied for the national lead in interceptions with seven and had set school and SEC records for interception return yards in season (265) and in a career (487).

I don't know who has fielded the most All-American defensive backs, but that resume isn't too shabby for a program that isn't usually thought of as being among the elite programs at this position.
 
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