Talk to us about......a two-fer.

#1
DeusExMachina

DeusExMachina

I am not a nice person.
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#1
The list of greats, and even "really, really good" players at the running back position at the University of Tennessee is rivaled by very few other schools. So many singular names could have been the topic of this post this week, and would have been (in my head, at least) very good choices.

My sincerest apologies to anyone who might be offended by the next sentence, but it has to be said. I was ten years old in 1989, and was not yet a Tennessee fan. However, that year in Vols history had a tandem of running backs that most will describe as phenomenal, as well as being part of the biggest "what if" moments in Tennessee history. Their names are scattered throughout the school's "highest rushing yards in a game" records even to this day.

So let's hear it: talk to us about Reggie Cobb and Chuck Webb.D4pFPg7W4AAKeVg.jpgRecord-Breaker---Chuck-Webb.jpg
 
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#2
#2
This one’s tough for me. I was 11 in 89. Reggie Cobb was my hero. I met him before the O&W game and got his autograph on a football from spring 88.

Those first few games in 89 featured the Cobb-Webb, and they seemed unstoppable. Cobb ran for 225 yards on 22 carries in a win over Auburn.

I thought it might be the first time I was gonna see my vols beat bama. I was 6 the last time we had won on the Third Saturday in October so I really didn’t remember. It looked like the Cobb-Webb was about to make my dreams come true of owning the whole state in the same year.

That is until Cobb was dismissed from the team after multiple failed drug tests the week of the Bama game.

I had so many questions and was crushed. It was the first time I had really ever experienced something like that.

It became an even tougher pill to swallow when the vols lost to bama the next week, especially when all my classmates came to school telling horrible jokes about him.

I learned something valuable from Reggie though. You can have it all, literally, and have it all taken away if you do not keep your nose clean and fulfill your responsibilities.
 
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#6
#6
Considering your moniker I thought this was some woman who had sent me a friend request on Instagram. 😂
 
#7
#7
Brave Volunteer said:
How about when we had both Leonard Little and Al Wilson on the field at the same time.

Also, John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth.

Different sport but the "Ernie and Bernie Show" was pretty magical.
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The four gentlemen you mentioned will either have their own issue, or be featured together, but they will be in a future episode of this.
 
#10
#10
We went with a charter group of UT fans to the '90 Cotton Bowl, along with our 10-year old son. The Vols were loaded on offense: Chuck Webb, Reggie Cobb, Andy Kelly, Carl Pickens, Alvin Harper, Anthony Morgan, etc. Game vs. Arkansas was exciting & Webb ran wild! In my opinion he's the best UT running back ever. Cobb-Webb t-shirts were popular until NCAA made 'em stop. No N.I.L. in those days. :cool:
 
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#14
#14
Lets see, I was 30 in 1989. Remember the Cobb/Webb dynasty well. Somehow some t-shirts were made up also but were quickly dismissed as it wasn't cool with NCAA rules.
Tennessee has had some great dynamic duos over the years ..... I remember in the late 60's the defensive tandem of Steve Kiner and Jack Reynolds was a threat to all opposing teams. Except for maybe some dude from Ole Miss named Archie.
 
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#15
#15
Mustng959 said:
Lets see, I was 30 in 1989. Remember the Cobb/Webb dynasty well. Somehow some t-shirts were made up also but were quickly dismissed as it wasn't cool with NCAA rules.
Tennessee has had some great dynamic duos over the years ..... I remember in the late 60's the defensive tandem of Steve Kiner and Jack Reynolds was a threat to all opposing teams. Except for maybe some dude from Ole Miss named Archie.
Click to expand...

I remember being at a game or two when Cobb/Webb was alive and kicking. The cheerleaders had one side of the stadium yell Cobb (they held up signs) and then the other side of the stadium said Webb. The echos of Cobb/Webb still haunt the hallowed halls of Neyland Stadium. Shame their dynasty wasn't longer.

Little history here:

In the 1980s Auburn was known for their tough defense. No one was able to run on Auburn—until this day on Rocky Top, as the Big Orange combo of Reggie Cobb and Chuck Webb ran for 354 yards in the rain.

The weather was a big factor on the Auburn side, as two long snaps sailed over the Auburn punter's head for safeties in the first half. The Vols also got a field goal and a wonderful 79-yard TD run from Reggie Cobb to take a 14-3 lead at the half.

With 11:30 left in the fourth quarter, Auburn quarterback Reggie Slack connected with Alexander Wright for an 83-yard TD. A two-point conversion cut the Vols' lead to a field goal, 14-11.

The Vols got the momentum back after a Shazzon Bradley INT, and a nine-yard TD run by Chuck Webb put the Vols up 21-11 with 5:50 left.

Auburn kept fighting. The Tigers got a field goal and then an onside kick with 2:45 left to get one more chance, but the Vols' defense got the turnover on downs to seal the win, 21-14, as the goalposts came down in Knoxville.


The Big Play

Cobb's 79-yard touchdown run was the highlight of a 225-yard performance, which would end up being his swan song as he got kicked off the team for drug use after the Georgia game the next week.
 
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#17
#17
vols 30 said:
I was 19 in 1989. Great times. Cobb Webb offense. Parachute pants. Hair bands .

A simpler time
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Me too, same age same time. I had started watching UT play in earnest about 2 years before and the Cobb/Webb connections truly started my lifelong love affair with all things Vols. You can easily say "what if" about both players. I personally loved Cobb, maybe because he was there longer but most people say Webb had the most potential of any back we've ever had.
 
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#22
#22
DeusExMachina said:
......if I had a dollar for the times that's been said. It's actually Latin for "God from the machine", and (to me) represents my time as a mechanic for the Marine Corps.
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That’s cool.. but she does look like a Russian bot lol.. I think her name is Svetlana 😂
 
#23
#23
I was 24 in 1989. We could have easily won it all that year. The Cobb-Webb combo was deadly. There is no doubt if Webb hadn’t of gotten hurt he would have been another Tennessee player that got shafted out of the Heisman, he was that good. Power and vision and acceleration. He was the perfect running back. Best running back ever at UT, and there have been some good ones. He was fixing to run for over 300 yards in the opener against Pacific. I was there, he had like 80 yards in 3 carries before getting hurt on a fluke play.
 
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