2021 Countdown to Bowling Green

[peaygolf]

39 days.......

Sep 29, 1985. On UT’s first possession, Tony Robinson led the Vols on a 76 yard drive to that lead to Charles Wilson scoring from 3 yards out. The biggest play on the series was a 39 yard scramble by Robinson. That run and possession set the stage for one of the biggest victories in Vols history.......a 38-20 win over #1 Auburn. The Sugar Vols would go down as in if the most beloved teams in school history.

 

[OneManGang]

"Where's Bo?" - Dale Jones, 1985

 

[peaygolf]

38 days.......

Although he didn’t do a lot his first couple years at UT, Montario Hardesty had one of the best rushing seasons in Vols history, with 1,345 yards. He finished his career with 2,391 yards rushing and 26 TDs. Hardesty was also effective out of the backfield, with 38 receptions for 405 yards and a touchdown.

 

[peaygolf]

37 days......

In 1991, Dale Carter was an All-American returner, and one of the best free safety’s in the country. As a senior, Carter had 50 tackles, a fumble recovery, and four interceptions......which he returned for 37 yards.

 

[OneManGang]

I always thought it was cool that both NFL "Rookie of the Year" selections for 1992 were from that Tennessee team: Dale Carter on defense and Carl Pickens on offense.

 

[peaygolf]

36 days.......

In 1955 and 1956, Johnny Majors was a one man show in Knoxville. Majors was All-SEC both years and in ‘56 was SEC player of the year, an All-American, and runner-up for the Heisman. He was a prolific runner, a great punter and excelled as a passer. In those two seasons (in the Wing-T) Majors completed 60% of his passes and had 36 completions each season.

 

[peaygolf]

35 days.........

One of the greatest UT games in the ‘70s was against Clemson in 1974. 30 total points were scored in the fourth quarter as the lead was constantly changed. Stanley Morgan had a huge game with three TDs and the Holloway to Seivers connection was great as usual, but the most impressive play was the 35 yard TD run by Mike Gayles. His weaving, breaking tackles, and speed was one of the best runs of the Battle era.

Gayles’ TD vs Clemson

 

[peaygolf]

34 days.....

The most important stat for a QB is simple: Wins vs. Losses. Only one has done it better than Casey Clausen. Clausen is second in most every passing record in Tennessee history. No, he doesn’t have a Championship, but he didn’t have the star power around him that other UT QBs had. Clausen was 14-1 on the road as a starter, won at Bama, at ND, at Miami, and beat UF twice on the road. His career record was 34-10. We sometimes forget how great the “Ice Man” was.

 

[gnm53108]

34 days.....

The most important stat for a QB is simple: Wins vs. Losses. Only one has done it better than Casey Clausen. Clausen is second in most every passing record in Tennessee history. No, he doesn’t have a Championship, but he didn’t have the star power around him that other UT QBs had. Clausen was 14-1 on the road as a starter, won at Bama, at ND, at Miami, and beat UF twice on the road. His career record was 34-10. We sometimes forget how great the “Ice Man” was.

View attachment 383654

My favorite UT qb. That 5 ot game at tuscaloosa was legendary. Gotta disagree with one little thing peaygolf. IMO he had the star power on the field, just not on the sideline. What he could have done with coach Cut…

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

"The Ice Man cometh"

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[OffTackleVol]

My favorite UT qb. That 5 ot game at tuscaloosa was legendary. Gotta disagree with one little thing peaygolf. IMO he had the star power on the field, just not on the sideline. What he could have done with coach Cut…

Yea, I was at the 5 OT game as well...........right in the middle of Bama fans. Shortest and most enjoyable 3 hour drive back home to Tennessee (with 2 Gump friends) that I can ever remember.

 

[Frank Duncan]

My favorite UT qb. That 5 ot game at tuscaloosa was legendary. Gotta disagree with one little thing peaygolf. IMO he had the star power on the field, just not on the sideline. What he could have done with coach Cut…

 

[peaygolf]

33 days........

In his first two seasons, Tony Thompson rushed for only 198 yards, and going into the final game of the 1989 season, he had a total of 172 yards for the season. Chuck Webb was injured, so Thompson got the start vs Vanderbilt. In a defensive struggle, UT beat Vandy 17-10, thanks to Thompson’s 33 carries and 128 yards. He also scored the winning touchdown in the 4th quarter.

 

[peaygolf]

32 days.......

When Bobby Scott graduated in 1970, he held almost every UT passing record. Scott had a record of 11-0 at home and 20-3 overall as a starter. During his career he had 3,371 yards and 32 career touchdowns. Scott went on to a successful NFL career with the Saints.

 

[MAD]

 

[peaygolf]

31 days.......

1988 didn’t start off well, ask Duncan Stewart, but UT finally got a win over Memphis State. The next game was Homecoming vs Boston College. UTs only Touchdown was a 31 yard interception return by Preston Warren. Warren had 3 interceptions that day, leading the Vols to a 10-7 victory. Warren led the Vols with 5 picks in ‘88, returning 2 for TDs and was named 2nd team All-SEC.

Warren’s TD vs BC

 

[peaygolf]

@mad4vols

I’m going to be gone Mon-Wed........
Can you fill in for me???

Thanks

 

[peaygolf]

@OneManGang

Fill in as well!!

 

[MAD]

@mad4vols

I’m going to be gone Mon-Wed........
Can you fill in for me???

Thanks

Hopefully @OneManGang can hold the fort down like last time, otherwise I’ll try to give it a shot.
We will miss you.

 

[OneManGang]

got a couple ready

 

[OneManGang]

30 Days ......

One of the stalwarts of the 1914 and 1915 Vols was a lineman named Clifton Bledsoe Cates who also lettered in baseball.

Cates hailed from Tiptonville on the far west side of the state and had come to Knoxville to study Law which was an undergraduate major at the time. After graduating in 1916, he had returned to campus to study for his bar exam when war was declared in April, 1917.

Anxious to defend his country, Cates found a Marine Corps recruiter on campus. He asked, "What's a Marine?"

The answer was, of course, Clifton Bledsoe Cates.

Cates was a platoon and company commander during the Great War and fought in all the battles from Belleau Wood to the Armistice. along the way he picked up a Navy Cross, two Distinguished Service Crosses, five Silver Stars and a Purple Heart. He stayed in Corps and led the 1st Marine Regiment at Guadalcanal and the 4th Marine Division at Guam and Iwo Jima during WWII. In 1948 Cates was named the 19th Commandant of the Marine Corps. He died in 1970.

Clifton Cates (University of Tennessee)



Commandant Clifton B. Cates (US Marine Corps)

 

[Orange defense]

30 Days ......

One of the stalwarts of the 1914 and 1915 Vols was a lineman named Clifton Bledsoe Cates who also lettered in baseball.

Cates hailed from Tiptonville on the far west side of the states and had come to Knoxville to study Law which was an undergraduate major at the time. After graduating in 1916, he had returned to campus to study for his bar exam when war was declared in April, 1917.

Anxious to defend his country, Cates found a Marine Corps recruiter on campus. He asked, "What's a Marine?"

The answer was, of course, Clifton Bledsoe Cates.

Cates was a platoon and company commander during the Great War and fought in all the battles from Belleau Wood to the Armistice. along the way he picked up a Navy Cross, two Distinguished Service Crosses, five Silver Stars and a Purple Heart. He stayed in Corps and led the 1st Marine Regiment at Guadalcanal and the 4th Marine Division at Guam and Iwo Jima during WWII. In 1948 Cates was named the 19th Commandant of the Marine Corps. He died in 1970.

Clifton Cates (University of Tennessee)

View attachment 384500

Commandant Clifton B. Cates (US Marine Corps)

View attachment 384501

I am good friends with the Cates family. There is a sign of him right there by the courthouse in Tiptonville. He was a well known and a nice guy, even know I didn’t know him. They have told me all about him. He loved the Lake county football falcons, and he would be there on Friday night more often than not if he could make it. His family loves the Vols still up to this day.

 

[OneManGang]

I am good friends with the Cates family. There is a sign of him right there by the courthouse in Tiptonville. He was a well known and a nice guy, even know I didn’t know him. They have told me all about him. He loved the Lake county football falcons, and he would be there on Friday night more often than not if he could make it. His family loves the Vols still up to this day.

There is also a state historical marker honoring him in front of the UT Law School and a large portrait of him inside that was donated by the Cates family.

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

OMG...I have to consider this another grand slam by you my friend.

Without you and this outstanding story I probably would have never known about this great man and VFL.

I send you a big THANK YOU because you know that this old Marine really loves this story!!!

SEMPER FIDELIS!!!

VFL...GBO!!!


OOOORRRAAAAHHHHH!!!

 

[Orange defense]

There is also a state historical marker honoring him in front of the UT Law School and a large portrait of him inside that was donated by the Cates family.

I knew about the portrait that they donated, they told me about that, but I didn’t know about the marker. I had forgot where they said they donated that to. That is cool that they have a marker there though. I haven’t seen that market though.