1941 - John Barnhill in his first year because Gen. Neyland was fighting for this country...Record 8-2 overall, 3-1 SEC....Yes, I'm old as dirt but my blood has run Tennessee orange since then....
I believe Derek Dooley played on that VA team the Vols beat in the Sugar Bowl. THis was the start of a pretty good decade for the Vols in the 1990's. Great run the entire decade with Majors and Fulmer that may never be matched again.
Finished in both polls at #4, wins over #1 Auburn, Wake Forest, @ #15 Alabama, Rutgers, Memphis State, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Vandy and a Sugar Vol win over #2 Miami.
I could say about 100 different things in response to this that to me would be meaningful and true but could very possibly get me banned from VN and likely have Harvey Updike poisoning me in my sleep. So I won't.