JV Games

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UCDog90

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#1
Does anyone know if, and when, Tennessee participated in a JV football schedule? Not sure if that whole idea went out the window years ago or if it still goes on and Tennessee just doesn't participate? Also, not sure what implications that may have had on varsity participation.
 
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#5
#5
Until roughly 1972.

That's the year the NCAA said freshmen can play varsity football and basketball.

Prior to that, the JV program was hugely important in the development of future varsity players, and a lot of effort was expended on the JV teams.

After the rule change, though, those costs became much less worth paying. Not when you could just tuck the freshmen in with the varsity for practice, conditioning and development.

Some schools still run JV programs. I think mostly at the division II and division III levels. Other places have "club squad" sports that are run much like a JV program used to be.

I haven't heard anything about the Vols having JV teams. Or club squad, for that matter.
 
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#10
#10
UCDog90 said:
Does anyone know if, and when, Tennessee participated in a JV football schedule? Not sure if that whole idea went out the window years ago or if it still goes on and Tennessee just doesn't participate? Also, not sure what implications that may have had on varsity participation.
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My grandfather played on one of the freshman teams in the early 50s. Ive always wanted to find a freshman roster or game program from then but no luck
 
#11
#11
I remember going to the UT-LSU JV game in 1973, I was 9 years old and we got free tickets for being in the 4H Club. I think me and my best friend joined 4H just for the free tickets and we quit the following week.
 
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#13
#13
I used to go to the JV games in the 70's and 80's...Was a lot of fun and FREE!
 
#14
#14
UCDog90 said:
Does anyone know if, and when, Tennessee participated in a JV football schedule? Not sure if that whole idea went out the window years ago or if it still goes on and Tennessee just doesn't participate? Also, not sure what implications that may have had on varsity participation.
Click to expand...
I actually went to a few with my dad back in the late 60’s. They would be JV and freshmen usually. Probably stopped when freshmen could play varsity and the scholarship limits.
 
#16
#16
TNREADER said:
I remember going to the Notre Dame game in 1971. Condredge was the QB.

Also, I see from the post above that Jim Bob Cooter does have some head coaching experience!
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I actually went to that exact game. I was young and really didn't realize it was just JV. I thought it was great seeing TENN vs ND. Best I remember it was very cold.
 
#17
#17
There was a rule change in the early 1990s that basically ended JV football. Previously, players could participate in JV games without it affecting eligibility. But the rule change meant that participating in a JV game had the same effect on eligibility as a varsity game, meaning if a player participated, he could not redshirt. It also counted against the 12 regular season games that a player could participate in, so if a kid played in a JV game, he could only play in 11 varsity games.

It will be interesting to see if the new redshirt rule changes the thinking and more team play a couple of JV games since guys can now play in 4 games and still redshirt.
 
#18
#18
In times past, there were no limitations on scholarships. For example, I believe there were 108 in Johnny Majors' freshman class. With the current limit of 85 scholarship players, injuries sometimes make it difficult for us to field the varsity team. A coach would be crazy to allow players to be injured in JV games. Also, in the past we didn't play 12 game schedules.
 
#19
#19
VFL-82-JP said:
Until roughly 1972.

That's the year the NCAA said freshmen can play varsity football and basketball.

Prior to that, the JV program was hugely important in the development of future varsity players, and a lot of effort was expended on the JV teams.

After the rule change, though, those costs became much less worth paying. Not when you could just tuck the freshmen in with the varsity for practice, conditioning and development.

Some schools still run JV programs. I think mostly at the division II and division III levels. Other places have "club squad" sports that are run much like a JV program used to be.

I haven't heard anything about the Vols having JV teams. Or club squad, for that matter.
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That was about the time that limits on the number of scholarship could be given each year and a total number was also instituted. Before that time Tennessee and most other major football colleges filled a Freshman team which play 5-6 games each year. Only Freshmen could play. When Freshmen became eligible to play, the Freshman games were dropped.
 
#20
#20
I remember having a English Class in '69 and one of the many guys who were also a Freshmen sat near me and I can remember him saying that the JV games were fun and the rest of the time, they were just Cannon Fodder for the Varsity Players.
 
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