Signing Day 1997. Woah.

[BIGcrowd]

Jamal Lewis - Super Bowl champion, 2003 NFL offensive POY
Travis Henry - UT record holder for most career rushing yards
Travis Stephens - UT record holder for most rushing yards in a single season

Not bad

Travis Stephens has a Super Bowl Championship also, won it with Gruden down in Tampa.

 

[JFBanicki]

Shows you the difference between today's kids and back then. Back then they would wait their turn to play after redshirting or learning behind more experienced players Jr's and Sr's. Today's kids if they don't play their true freshman year, then they cry and run home to mommy or quit and transfer to another college!

That's probably why the nfl has moved away from the feature back also. These kids don't understand everything they AREN'T learning from sitting a year or two and watching the more experienced players do their thing.
Now they'd rather start ad a freshman, go to the nfl and hope for a couple good years and then they fade away hoping they timed it right abd gOt the pay.

 

[Wezcoast]

Bryson was actually the fastest player on our team in 98, he was drafted in the 3rd round in 99 and played HB in the NFL...ran for over 2,000 yards and had over 1,300 yards receiving in his career.

Yeh wasn't implying he wasn't also a good runner, just that a lot of our tailbacks' success came from wicked blocking by our fullbacks.

 

[tennrich1]

Don't forget, the Oline around this time was also very very good.

That fact IMO is where we have struggled the most since our best days. As we all know it literally begins at this point of attack and without it your backs never really have a great chance for success. Granted we had great individual Olinemen last year but never were able to be dominate as a unit the way our better teams of the. 90's etc..,, JMO

 

[Doyle Hargraves]

Shows you the difference between today's kids and back then. Back then they would wait their turn to play after redshirting or learning behind more experienced players Jr's and Sr's. Today's kids if they don't play their true freshman year, then they cry and run home to mommy or quit and transfer to another college!

One thing I like about you is you don't make sweeping generalizations.

 

[MDBJJC]

Don't forget, the Oline around this time was also very very good.

Yes it was. Our cupboard was full of NFL talent. Miami and UT and FSU were NFL minor league teams back then

 

[GAVol]

Don't forget, the Oline around this time was also very very good.

Cosey Coleman thanks you.

 

[KoachKrab127]

Cosey Coleman thanks you.

Spencer Riley, Mercedes Hamilton, and chad Clifton were also beasts.

 

[utvols74]

This always had me pondering the way the staff evaluated talent.

1997. VOLS play at Florida and Mark Levine starts. It took another negative rushing yard effort against Florida to consider starting Jamal Lewis.

I could give you countless examples of this mentality with Fulmer/Majors....

...or in 1990 when Notre Dame played in Knoxville. Tony Thompson was the featured RB b/c Greg Amsler (an absolute bruiser of a RB) was sidelined in the "doghouse". I lost count of the "shoe-string tackles" on Thompson which would have had no effect on Amsler. His entry into the game ultimately would have given UT a victory IMHO.

 

[Bms4880]

Kudos to Stephens for sticking it out waiting his turn

I was looking at the box score from the 2001 Tennessee-Florida game. I didn't realize our current RB coach put up such anemic rushing numbers that night. Then again, I suppose anything but negative rushing yards against Big John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth might be considered an accomplishment.

 

[MrBiggles]

I was looking at the box score from the 2001 Tennessee-Florida game. I didn't realize our current RB coach put up such anemic rushing numbers that night. Then again, I suppose anything but negative rushing yards against Big John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth might be considered an accomplishment.

When Tennessee plays Florida most of the time the team that rushes for more yards wins..

 

[chattavol420]

Henry was a 5* illegitimate child maker!

 

[Roustabout]

Dont forget Dominique Stevenson, signed as RB as well and then moved to LB.

 

[Orangeblood98']

Cosey Coleman, baby!

 

[perico]

1996 class was no slouch either. Had some busts (Darden) but defensively and QB we cleaned up:

Shaun Ellis (Lineman, 6-5, 230)--Ellis is a phenomenal pass rusher
who recorded 174 tackles and 35 sacks. In one game he had 19 tackles and
seven sacks. He is an excellent athlete who also plays basketball.

...

...

Dwayne Goodrich (Back, 6-0, 180)--Goodrich is widely considered the
nation's premier defensive back, and also one of the best defensive players
in the country. Goodrich is an excellent cover man as evidenced by his six
interceptions and 18 passes broken up last season. He has good speed and
also had seven kickoff or punt returns for touchdowns in the last two
seasons.

...

Tamaurice "Tee" Martin (Quarterback, 6-3, 215)--Martin may be the
most important recruit coming to UT next season. The Vols desperately
needed a back-up to Peyton Manning and his signing will allow Jermaine
Copeland to move to receiver. Martin was selected to the Parade
All-America Team, named the No. 3 quarterback by SuperPrep magazine,
and he was also tabbed the No. 1 prospect in the state of Alabama by
Blue Chip Illustrated. Martin is big, athletic, he can run, and he
can make things happen with his athletic ability. Fulmer was relieved to
know that Martin would be coming to UT.

..

Raynoch Thompson (Linebacker, 6-3, 210)--Thompson was the only true
linebacker signed by the Vols. His excellent speed enabled him to sack 15
quarterbacks and record 100 tackles

...

Eric Westmoreland (Back, 6-0, 190)--Westmoreland comes to UT from
Jasper, Tenn. and Marion County High. He rushed for 2,359 yards and an
amazing 40 touchdowns in his senior season. He was named the state's 3A Mr.
Football in 1995 and he led Marion County to three state championships and
a four-year record of 56-1. As a free safety last season he caused three
fumbles, recovered another, and made five interceptions.

Football recruit class ranks No. 2 in nation | The Daily Beacon