The Flaming Sophomores had burnt up the competition in 1928 and built a solid foundation for football success in the years to come. Seven sophomores had starting roles on the 1928 version of the Vols during a time when a player played both offense and defense. Dodd later said Neyland recruited more good athletes in this class than he ever did again.
Dodd and McEver both went on to become members of the College Football Hall of Fame, and Neyland, also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, became one of the greatest coaches in college football history. Neyland later said The 28 team probably was not the greatest team but it was the most colorful. And it gave me more thrills than any of the others that I have ever coached. Former Tennessee Athletic Director Bob Woodruff said McEvers return of the opening kickoff against Alabama in 1928 was the first step on Tennessees road to prominence. The sophomore class of 1928 would lose only one game during its three years of competition, and the Flaming Sophomores got it all started in 1928 as Tennessee moved into the elite of college football.