Neyland Stadium Throwback

[Coug]

1934

http://www.thunderjags.com/wp-content/uploads/NeylandStadium-1934-660x375.jpg

1962/63

http://www.thunderjags.com/wp-content/uploads/Old_Neyland.jpg

 

[OrangeByBirth]

I started attending between the two pictures. I remember Neyland without the south end zone barely. I think it was under construction.

 

[AF_VOL]

I started attending between the two pictures. I remember Neyland without the south end zone barely. I think it was under construction.

For someone who has watched this program for so long, how does this current down swing in success compare to other tough times in the program?

 

[Boca Vol]

I love old pictures of stadiums. Thanks for posting, Coug.

 

[TAF]

Thanks for posting. I always enjoy these pics.
Second pic = "High Point Solutions Stadium" where Jarrett Guarantano could be playing...

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

Those are great.

 

[Roustabout]

Great Neyland's ghost!!

 

[zqvol]

I started attending before the upper deck was put on but after the south end was finished.

 

[Roustabout]

I started attending before the upper deck was put on but after the south end was finished.

Edit. Nevermind

 

[terrypedigo]

For someone who has watched this program for so long, how does this current down swing in success compare to other tough times in the program?

I have been fan now for 45 years, we just went thru the worst 10 year period of football in my 45 years as fan and if you look back might be the worst in our history, but we TENNESSEE is about to go on a 10 to 15 year run competing for SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS and National Championships, so sit back and enjoy the ride to the top, i am 53 years old with health issues, this is my last go around with us becoming a elite program again i cant wait on a 10 year slump again, we got to do it in the next 5 years and we will, because we are TENNESSEE. go BIG ORANGE AND BUCK bama.:rock:

 

[photovol]

I have been fan now for 45 years, we just went thru the worst 10 year period of football in my 45 years as fan and if you look back might be the worst in our history, but we TENNESSEE is about to go on a 10 to 15 year run competing for SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS and National Championships, so sit back and enjoy the ride to the top, i am 53 years old with health issues, this is my last go around with us becoming a elite program again i cant wait on a 10 year slump again, we got to do it in the next 5 years and we will, because we are TENNESSEE. go BIG ORANGE AND BUCK bama.:rock:

Terry, I agree, this last slide from prominence for the Vol's was perhaps the worst in UT history or at least the worst since I attended my first Vol game in 1964.
I live to see the Vol's become champions once again.
Go Vol's

 

[VFL-82-JP]

The only other significant downturn I've lived through was '75-'80. And honestly, I was a distracted teenager then, too young to pay full attention to beer and girls and football all three (life is much better now, can manage the trifecta just fine!). So I don't remember it really well.

So I asked my Dad, who has been a Vols fan since sometime in the 1940s, tail end of the Neyland era. He says Kiffin and Dooley are the worst period in Vols history, without compare. Nothing even comes close. Not '75-'80, not '58-'64 in the Wyatt years. This has been the worst in living memory, he says.

I believe him.

Thanks for the stadium photos, love seeing how it evolved over the decades. :good!:

 

[OrangeByBirth]

For someone who has watched this program for so long, how does this current down swing in success compare to other tough times in the program?

In my memory, the worst were the Wyatt/McDonald years. The Vols were just not competitive. Recruiting was very hard because the powers that be insisted on running the single wing. Doug Dickey changed the offense and revitalized the program. Bill Battle held his own but could not beat his alma mater while Johnny Majors was winning national championship at Pitt. Fans were restless and Majors came marching home. He was also competitive but did not bust over the hump. Fulmer returned the Vols to the national title picture along with a great quarterback named Manning. From there, most will recognize it.

 

[Old Man Orange]

My first game in Neyland was 1963. I went to every home game from 1964 - 1969. After that I did my duty to country and started my career which had me located outside of Big Orange Country. I took the Sunday KNS for years to keep up with my team. I did attend games when possible all through the years to include the NC game in 1998.

The question of how this compares to other down periods I would suggest you look at the 1973 -1983 as a direct comparison. In 2004-2014 we had a winning % of 55%. In 1973-1983 we had a winning % of 54%.

In my time period I have never seen a decade where we had 4 coaches as we do now. In 1973-1983 we had 2 coaches. Last 4 of Battle and first 6 of Majors.

I did a chart one time of the winning % for the 4 years prior to a coaching change and I found that CBJ was the only coach since 1952 to take over a losing team. The next worst change on coaches was when Dickey took over which is when I started going to games.

The Dickey turn around of this program was electric and took the campus by storm. I still remember the night late in the 1967 season when UCLA lost and we thought we would be number 1 and the campus and the strip was overrun with the students and folks from Knoxville celebrating late into the next morning. No social media just the student body needing a place to celebrate. This is the ride that I think we are getting ready to experience with CBJ.

When Dickey left after the 1969 season he turned over a team to Battle that had won 77% of their games over the previous 4 years. This was a major factor in how Battle won 86% of his games in his first 3 years. His last 4 years we witnessed the "Dooley" of the 70's.

Majors came in as a favorite son and had also won a NC. There was no quick turnaround it took years for him to return us to where we think we should be in college football.

After watching Dickey and what he was able to do I never warmed up to Majors as coach. This is also where I accepted I have no control of football at UT and what I thought meant nothing to the powers that were in control. I learned that it is a game that has no meaning in if I had a good year or not in my life. Don't get me wrong I love bragging rights when it comes to UT football but providing for my family is and was the most important aspect of life.

 

[gordonr24]

I'm a young gun, but I would have to think that 08-14 is the worst era in UT football history.

 

[terrypedigo]

Terry, I agree, this last slide from prominence for the Vol's was perhaps the worst in UT history or at least the worst since I attended my first Vol game in 1964.
I live to see the Vol's become champions once again.
Go Vol's

Yes Butch has us heading in the right direction to become elite and compete for Championships, so us old timers might just see Tennessee lift the NC trophy before we call it a life my friend.:clapping:

 

[terrypedigo]

I'm a young gun, but I would have to think that 08-14 is the worst era in UT football history.

Enjoy this cycle gordor24, before you know it you wont be a young gun, passes fast my friend.:thud: What i mean is that we are going on a 10 to 15 year run on the up side, sit back and enjoy the ride to the top again.:rock:

 

[Aesius]

1962/63

Wow! My grandparents never told me about Neyland's giant disembodied head floating over the stadium back in the early 60s. That must have been intimidating for other teams.

 

[utvols74]

The first game I watched was the 1974 Liberty Bowl in Memphis (it was a different city then). It was bitterly cold and Condridge Holloway was QB. UT beat Maryland in a defensive struggle 7-3.

For those that don't know, UT coach Bill Battle's father was in the stands and had a heart attack. He later died. This occurred just 3 weeks after Battle's mother passed away.

The last 10 years have easily been the worst since my membership card was stamped back in '74 at the ripe old age of 11.

 

[BigSteve09]

I love reading these stories and opinions from the Vols fans who have been around the program for so long. Pretty cool to get these different perspectives.

 

[BigSteve09]

Also, I'm guessing those pictures were taken from The Hill? Didn't they used to shoot a cannon from up there after every score?

 

[Vol_is_Lyfe18]

Wow! My grandparents never told me about Neyland's giant disembodied head floating over the stadium back in the early 60s. That must have been intimidating for other teams.

I think I laughed harder than I should have.

 

[Hoghater]

The first game I watched was the 1974 Liberty Bowl in Memphis (it was a different city then). It was bitterly cold and Condridge Holloway was QB. UT beat Maryland in a defensive struggle 7-3.

For those that don't know, UT coach Bill Battle's father was in the stands and had a heart attack. He later died. This occurred just 3 weeks after Battle's mother passed away.

The last 10 years have easily been the worst since my membership card was stamped back in '74 at the ripe old age of 11.

I was at this game as well, Maryland's Randy White was a beast.

 

[ptcarter]

Thanks for starting this thread. I too love the old days. I've come across a few interesting pictures I've saved over the years. I'll dig them up.

Encourage anyone who has any decent resolutions shots of the old days to share.


I was a student from 1975 - 1980. I have several that may be of interest. I'll start out with a shot I took, from one of the upper floors of the undergraduate library (or Glocker). Looks like a weekend in the summer, place was deserted.

There was a darkroom in the basement of the Alumni gym, and I was messing around with Black and White infrared film (with a red filter). Not sure why. That's why the foliage looks white.

 

[ptcarter]

Here is a shot made in the 1950's. Not sure where I came across this picture. Looks like a homecoming queen is midfield. Love the snow on the hill.