Countdown to Kickoff vs South Carolina

[peaygolf]

122 days........

In 1979, Craig Puki led a goal line stand to help UT defeat Notre Dame. Puki started his career as a fullback, moved to center, and finally finished as a linebacker. Craig was a team captain in ‘79 and finished the season with 122 total tackles. Puki was a 3rd round pick by the 49’ers and won Super Bowl XVI.

 

[MAD]

122 days........

In 1979, Craig Puki led a goal line stand to help UT defeat Notre Dame. Puki started his career as a fullback, moved to center, and finally finished as a linebacker. Craig was a team captain in ‘79 and finished the season with 122 total tackles. Puki was a 3rd round pick by the 49’ers and won Super Bowl XVI.

View attachment 276666

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuukiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

 

[peaygolf]

121 days..........

On a rainy day in 1988, the Vols played Kentucky in Knoxville. Jeff Francis threw for 4 TDs, and a 6’2 225 lbs fullback named Greg Amsler, led UT to a 28-24 victory. Amsler had 30 carries for 121 yards.

 

[MAD]

121 more days feels like an eternity.
Am I the only one who thinks this feels like the longest offseason ever?
Thanks @peaygolf, I look forward to your post each and everyday.

 

[peaygolf]

120 days.........

In 1955, Bowden Wyatt began his coaching career at UT, with a star in Johnny Majors. The Moccasins of Chattanooga visited in October, and ran into a solid defense, and Majors. Majors’ punts kept Chatt. backed up all day, his passes to Cruze and Urbano (1 touchdown), and his 120 yards rushing, led the Vols to a 13-0 victory.

 

[peaygolf]

119 days.........

Boston College visited Knoxville in week two of the ‘77 season. The Vols scored 17 4th quarter points to take a 24-3 lead. BC came back, but UT recovered an onside kick with a minute left to secure Johnny Majors first victory as Tennessee’s Head Coach, 24-18. Kelsey Finch was the star of the game, as he rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

 

[peaygolf]

118 days........

In the last regular season game of ‘94, the Vols traveled to Vanderbilt. Jay Graham and James Stewart each rushed for over 100 yrds and Peyton Manning passed for two TDs. In what would be his last game as a Vol, highly touted freshman QB Branndon Stewart was 7-7 for 118 yards, and threw his only touchdown pass of the season to Billy Williams in the Vols 65-0 victory. Stewart realized that Manning was Cutcliffe and Fulmer’s choice at QB, and transferred to Texas A&M.

 

[peaygolf]

117 days......

In today’s pass happy offenses, an average season is 40/50 receptions. We forget that years ago, 40 receptions in a season was considered amazing. When we look at Larry Seivers, we see 51 receptions in 1976 and say, ehh. Not me! Larry Seivers was a 2X Consensus All-American (1 of only 5 Vols) and was the single season and career leader in receptions in UT history when he left Knoxville. Seivers finished his career (3 years) with 117 receptions for 1,924 yards and 8 touchdowns. Seivers is a living legend in Vols history!

 

[OneManGang]

I got to play a round of golf with Larry some years ago. Helluva nice guy. Funny too. Asked him he still cut the bottoms off his shirts. He laughed.

The Catch vs Clemson. Larry said the thing he remembered most was getting hit by Gus Manning's briefcase. (UT Sports)

 

[peaygolf]

I got to play a round of golf with Larry some years ago. Helluva nice guy. Funny too. Asked him he still cut the bottoms off his shirts. He laughed.

The Catch vs Clemson. Larry said the thing he remembered most was getting hit by Gus Manning's briefcase. (UT Sports)

View attachment 278128

Sweet!!!!!!

Love that photo

 

[peaygolf]

I got to play a round of golf with Larry some years ago. Helluva nice guy. Funny too. Asked him he still cut the bottoms off his shirts. He laughed.

The Catch vs Clemson. Larry said the thing he remembered most was getting hit by Gus Manning's briefcase. (UT Sports)

View attachment 278128

 

[peaygolf]

I wish the "cut-off tearaways" could return......................

 

[Mccage]

244 days............

During his career (‘71-‘73) at Tennessee, Eddie Brown was a stalwart as a safety and punt returner. He helped lead the Vols to a 27-7-2 record and was an All-American in 1973. He finished his career with 10 interceptions for 244 return yards.

View attachment 251983

Eddie was a good RB for Marion Co.
His work ethic was a big reason for his success. He is Bill Bakers brother-in÷ law who also played for Tennessee. George Allen called Eddie one of his favorite players.

 

[Mccage]

One of Marion county's finest.Would be a coin flip between him and Westmoreland as far as college careers. NFL careers Brown all the way.Great player.

The best Athlete to ever come out of Marion County HS. was John David Martin. John David was killed in Viet Nam. The best football player imo to ever come out of Marion County was Jimmy Wigfall. Jimmy passed a month ago from the covid virus.

 

[peaygolf]

116 days.......

2011 wasn’t a very good year for the Vols, but Da’Rick Rogers was a bright spot. Rogers had 67 receptions for 1,040 yrds and 9 TDs for the season. In the annual gave vs Vanderbilt, Rogers caught 10 passes for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns, in the 27-21 OT victory.

 

[OneManGang]

116 days.......

2011 wasn’t a very good year for the Vols, but Da’Rick Rogers was a bright spot. Rogers had 67 receptions for 1,040 yrds and 9 TDs for the season. In the annual gave vs Vanderbilt, Rogers caught 10 passes for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns, in the 27-21 OT victory.

View attachment 278484

It's the background of that shot that eloquently explains the struggles of the '11 Vols. Notice that all the Vandy players are in some kind of motion. Three of the four Vols in the background are just standing around watching the play. As I recall, that team had a disturbing tendency to stand around and wait on someone else to make the play.

 

[peaygolf]

115 days.........

The 1990 season started with a a tie vs Colorado and a season ending injury to Chuck Webb in the first quarter vs Pacific. In the 55-7 victory vs Pacific, the Vols exploded for 31 second quarter points. With Webb out, Tony Thompson and Tavio Henson carried the load, with Henson rushing for 115 yards on 14 carries, including a 34 yrd touchdown. It was the only 100 yard game of his career.

 

[peaygolf]

114 days.......

The 1951 National Championship Team was filled with great players, but none better than Hank Lauricella. In the November game vs Washington & Lee, Lauricella ran for 114 yards, on only 6 carries. UT would go on to a 60-14 victory.

 

[OneManGang]

I've always liked this pic of Lauricella and The Old Man.

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

 

[MAD]

I miss Big Orange football

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

 

[peaygolf]

Huge edit on today’s 114.......

Lauricella did run for 114 yrds. But I didn’t mention that Herky Payne scored 5 TDs, the Vols rushed for 8TDs, and 513 yrds vs Washington & Lee.

 

[peaygolf]

113 days.........

In 2009, Gerald Jones led the 7-6 Vols in receptions and yards receiving. In the late season 30-24 win at Kentucky, Jones had 5 receptions for 113 yards, including a key reception in overtime, leading to Hardesty’s game winning run.