Countdown to September 1st vs Ball State (Top 250 Vols)

#330
#330
176 days.............

#176 - Lee North

Lee North was 1-1 in bowl games with UT, wrapping up his career as an elected captain for the Garden State Bowl champions that dispatched Wisconsin 28-21 thanks to some huge holes opened up front by the two-time All-SEC selection.

North started his career in 1978 as a defensive tackle before moving to the other side of the ball and excelling. North was a quick study, lining up for the Vols' offensive line as a sophomore and setting up a number of big runs for UT in the school's 40-18 win over No. 13 Notre Dame.

North is one of only three former Vols to earn consecutive All-SEC honors at center, and no UT centers have accomplished the feat since North earned his second award in 1981.

North, who played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Bandits in the USFL

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#331
#331
175 days……

#175 - Jeff Smith

Smith, from Meigs County, redshirted in 1991, but then went on to start the next 48 games. Smith was one of the most versatile offensive lineman ever at Tennessee, playing every position on the line during his career. He was the center (at times) for both Shuler and Manning and anchored a line full of NFL talent. Smith was a 1st team All-SEC Guard in 1993, 2nd team in 1994, and a 1st team Center in 1995. Smith was a 7th round pick by the Chiefs in ‘96 and played in the NFL until 2002.

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#337
#337
174 days…..

#174 - Johnny Butler

Butler was a single wing tailback from 1939-1941, and was instrumental in the Vols 28-4 record during those seasons. Butler played behind George Cafego in ‘39, but his place in UT history was solidified in the Alabama game that season. His 56 yard touchdown run was called the greatest run in college football history by Grantland Rice: “a dancing, dodging, untacklable ghost," as Grantland Rice would describe him the next day.
Butler took over the duties of leading the offense in ‘40 and ‘41, leading the Vols to records of 10-1 and 8-2. He was only named to the 2nd team All-SEC team in 1940, but his leadership and ability to make the right play and the right time puts him high on my list. My grandmother was friends with him at UT and told me, “he was the best player on our best teams.” That’s enough for me! And anyone withe the nickname “Blood,” has to be a special athlete. Butler went on to play for the “Steagles” in the NFL (Steelers and Eagles merged during the war for a year) and with the Brooklyn Tigers.

#22

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#339
#339
peaygolf said:
174 days…..

#174 - Johnny Butler

Butler was a single wing tailback from 1939-1941, and was instrumental in the Vols 28-4 record during those seasons. Butler played behind George Cafego in ‘39, but his place in UT history was solidified in the Alabama game that season. His 56 yard touchdown run was called the greatest run in college football history by Grantland Rice: “a dancing, dodging, untacklable ghost," as Grantland Rice would describe him the next day.
Butler took over the duties of leading the offense in ‘40 and ‘41, leading the Vols to records of 10-1 and 8-2. He was only named to the 2nd team All-SEC team in 1940, but his leadership and ability to make the right play and the right time puts him high on my list. My grandmother was friends with him at UT and told me, “he was the best player on our best teams.” That’s enough for me! And anyone withe the nickname “Blood,” has to be a special athlete. Butler went on to play for the “Steagles” in the NFL (Steelers and Eagles merged during the war for a year) and with the Brooklyn Tigers.

#22

View attachment 439374
Click to expand...
Uniform side note - we need to bring back these pants !!!
Can't decide if they are REALLY wide side stripes or the stripes are on the front and back...either way it would be a really cool throwback look.
 
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#343
#343
173 days.............

#173 - "Buddy" Hackman

Hackman lettered and started from 1928-1930 and was a member of the famed "Hac-Mack-and Dodd" backfield. Starting in the same backfield with Gene McEver at tailback and Bobby Dodd at quarterback (two CFHoF,) Hackman was a swiss army knife. A powerful runner, great blocker, and a sure handed receiver, Hackman helped the Vols to a 27-1-2 record during his 3 years of varsity. He was also a great linebacker and kick returner, returning the opening kickoff 94 yards for a TD vs Washington & Lee in 1928. After helping lead the Vols in two undefeated seasons in '28 and '29, Hackman stepped in at tailback in 1930 due to McEvers injury that kept him out the entire season. Hackman had a brilliant season. In the 13-0 win over Vandy, Hackman scored both TDs, a 15 yard reception and a 76 yard reception. In the Florida game, UT was an underdog to the undefeated Gators. Hackman scored early, but UF came back to take the lead 12-7 with two-minutes left, and the ball. Florida threw a short pass that was intercepted by Hackman, and returned it for the game winning TD. Hackman and the Vols finished 9-1 and Hackman was named 1st Team All-Conference and 1st Team All Southern. Based on accomplishments, awards, and wins, the backfield of Bobby Dodd, Gene McEver, and Buddy Hackman goes down as the best in Tennessee history............................................... And it's not close.

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#344
#344
peaygolf said:
173 days.............

#173 - "Buddy" Hackman

Hackman lettered and started from 1928-1930 and was a member of the famed "Hac-Mack-and Dodd" backfield. Starting in the same backfield with Gene McEver at tailback and Bobby Dodd at quarterback (two CFHoF,) Hackman was a swiss army knife. A powerful runner, great blocker, and a sure handed receiver, Hackman helped the Vols to a 27-1-2 record during his 3 years of varsity. He was also a great linebacker and kick returner, returning the opening kickoff 94 yards for a TD vs Washington & Lee in 1928. After helping lead the Vols in two undefeated seasons in '28 and '29, Hackman stepped in at tailback in 1930 due to McEvers injury that kept him out the entire season. Hackman had a brilliant season. In the 13-0 win over Vandy, Hackman scored both TDs, a 15 yard reception and a 76 yard reception. In the Florida game, UT was an underdog to the undefeated Gators. Hackman scored early, but UF came back to take the lead 12-7 with two-minutes left, and the ball. Florida threw a short pass that was intercepted by Hackman, and returned it for the game winning TD. Hackman and the Vols finished 9-1 and Hackman was named 1st Team All-Conference and 1st Team All Southern. Based on accomplishments, awards, and wins, the backfield of Bobby Dodd, Gene McEver, and Buddy Hackman goes down as the best in Tennessee history............................................... And it's not close.

View attachment 439549
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hack and mack were objects of Dad's praise
 
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#345
#345
peaygolf said:
174 days…..

#174 - Johnny Butler

Butler was a single wing tailback from 1939-1941, and was instrumental in the Vols 28-4 record during those seasons. Butler played behind George Cafego in ‘39, but his place in UT history was solidified in the Alabama game that season. His 56 yard touchdown run was called the greatest run in college football history by Grantland Rice: “a dancing, dodging, untacklable ghost," as Grantland Rice would describe him the next day.
Butler took over the duties of leading the offense in ‘40 and ‘41, leading the Vols to records of 10-1 and 8-2. He was only named to the 2nd team All-SEC team in 1940, but his leadership and ability to make the right play and the right time puts him high on my list. My grandmother was friends with him at UT and told me, “he was the best player on our best teams.” That’s enough for me! And anyone withe the nickname “Blood,” has to be a special athlete. Butler went on to play for the “Steagles” in the NFL (Steelers and Eagles merged during the war for a year) and with the Brooklyn Tigers.

#22

View attachment 439374
Click to expand...
if i remember correctly, there was an illustrated panel of this run that was in my Dad's annual
 
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#347
#347
172 days……..

#172 - Dustin Colquitt

The Colquitt family is synonymous with Tennessee punting and Dustin was as good as any of them. As a redshirt freshman in ‘01, he averaged 40 yards a kick and was named All-Freshman SEC. In 2002, he came into his own, averaging 43 yards per punt including a 68 yarder vs Miami. He had 16 punts over 50 yards and 10 punts downed inside to 10 yard line. He was named 2nd team All-SEC. His best season was in ‘03, where he was a finalist for the Ray Guy award, averaged 45 yards per punt, 19 over 50 yards, and 9 downed inside the 5 yard line. He was named All-SEC and All-American for his efforts. As a senior, he averaged 41 yards a punt and was named 1st team All-SEC. He was a 3rd round pick by the Chiefs in the ‘05 draft, winning a Super Bowl with them. He’s a 2X Pro Bowler and currently plays for the Browns.

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#348
#348
171 days...........

#171 - Leonard Coffman

Praised by General Robert Neyland for his toughness, Leonard Coffman was the fearless fullback on some of the best football teams that ever wore UT orange. Neyland, who judged fullbacks by the fervor with which they undertook their blocking assignments, was completely sold on Coffman, a Virginia native who enrolled at Tennessee in 1936.
Coffman, who was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, was credited as the first back in the nation to ever execute the dive play for short yardage, a tactic that has since become standard in college football.
It was something Neyland told him to work on before the 1938 Alabama game at Legion Field in Birmingham. The coach explained that Alabama would send its defensive linemen in low at the goal line to thwart the Tennessee run. Twice on that October afternoon against the Crimson Tide, Coffman leaped high over the pile of players, resulting in the two touchdowns that gave Tennessee the victory, 13-0. "We had practiced the play previously that season, but the Alabama game was the first time we needed it," Coffman said."
The late John Bailey, a teammate who later coached at Tennessee, once described Coffman as "the meanest, toughest football player Tennessee has ever had." George Cafego had echoed similar sentiments. The All-America tailback of those classic Neyland teams said, "When you saw the back of Coffman's neck turning red, you got out of his way."
After graduation at UT, he remained as a freshman coach for a year, then entered the military service, but he found his football playing days were not over. General Neyland had been called back to the military after the outbreak of World War II and was given the job of selecting some outstanding service football stars to play a series of benefit games for the Army Emergency Relief Fund against National Football League teams: the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears.
Of course, Neyland picked some former Volunteers, including Coffman, Cafego, Burr West, Sammy Bartholomew, Abe Shires and Jack Swatzinger.
With four former Vols in the backfield, the Army Stars beat the Brooklyn team 13-7, with Coffman bulling over from the 2-yard-line with the winning TD in the final minutes of the game. The Stars also beat the Giants, but lost to the World Champion Bears. The Stars played all three NFL teams in a seven-day span.

Coffman was named to the 2nd Team All-SEC team in 1938
D3585D78-10A9-47F4-BECE-D7DE937A14E0.jpeg
 
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#349
#349
peaygolf said:
171 days...........

#171 - Leonard Coffman

Praised by General Robert Neyland for his toughness, Leonard Coffman was the fearless fullback on some of the best football teams that ever wore UT orange. Neyland, who judged fullbacks by the fervor with which they undertook their blocking assignments, was completely sold on Coffman, a Virginia native who enrolled at Tennessee in 1936.
Coffman, who was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, was credited as the first back in the nation to ever execute the dive play for short yardage, a tactic that has since become standard in college football.
It was something Neyland told him to work on before the 1938 Alabama game at Legion Field in Birmingham. The coach explained that Alabama would send its defensive linemen in low at the goal line to thwart the Tennessee run. Twice on that October afternoon against the Crimson Tide, Coffman leaped high over the pile of players, resulting in the two touchdowns that gave Tennessee the victory, 13-0. "We had practiced the play previously that season, but the Alabama game was the first time we needed it," Coffman said."
The late John Bailey, a teammate who later coached at Tennessee, once described Coffman as "the meanest, toughest football player Tennessee has ever had." George Cafego had echoed similar sentiments. The All-America tailback of those classic Neyland teams said, "When you saw the back of Coffman's neck turning red, you got out of his way."
After graduation at UT, he remained as a freshman coach for a year, then entered the military service, but he found his football playing days were not over. General Neyland had been called back to the military after the outbreak of World War II and was given the job of selecting some outstanding service football stars to play a series of benefit games for the Army Emergency Relief Fund against National Football League teams: the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears.
Of course, Neyland picked some former Volunteers, including Coffman, Cafego, Burr West, Sammy Bartholomew, Abe Shires and Jack Swatzinger.
With four former Vols in the backfield, the Army Stars beat the Brooklyn team 13-7, with Coffman bulling over from the 2-yard-line with the winning TD in the final minutes of the game. The Stars also beat the Giants, but lost to the World Champion Bears. The Stars played all three NFL teams in a seven-day span.

Coffman was named to the 2nd Team All-SEC team in 1938
View attachment 440068
Click to expand...
Didn't Coleman have the legendary Tennessee quote?

"To play football for Tennessee, you've got to get wet all over."
 
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