Leotis Burton

#27
#27
UT Hill Man said:
After college Lee Otis enjoyed brief success as a singer. Then he started a business.

blackman.jpg
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Made a fortune as a paid spokesperson for "breath right" nasal strips.:)
 
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#29
#29
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#30
#30
kamoshika said:
Video from March '18:



1-BrianIngramMarcusSterlingCROPBright-1.jpg

“Vols 4 Life”- Holding on to their true meaning of brotherhood by visiting teammate/patient Lee Otis Burton; Left Side – Brian Ingram and Anthony Hancock; Right Side – Marcus Starling, Dwight Wilson, Steve Davis and Chris Bolton – Photo Courtesy of Marcus Starling
https://splashmags.com/index.php/20...mbering-quarterback-jimmy-streater/#gsc.tab=0
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Hancock was awesome and Ingram was good as well....I don't recall the other fellas
 
#31
#31
Carl Pickens said:
Hancock was awesome and Ingram was good as well....I don't recall the other fellas
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The ‘79 team had some of my all time favs;
David Rudder, Bill Bates, Tim Irwin , Lee North (two O-linemen w/incredible NFL careers), Streeter, Hubert Simpson
But what I recall the most is having two Mike E. Cofer’s, brothers (one offensive , referred to by Ward as “go Cofer” , and one defensive, whom Ward called “stop Cofer”). Both starters as I recall.

Puki and Spradlin both on that team as well.
 
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#33
#33
snappervol said:
The ‘79 team had some of my all time favs;
David Rudder, Bill Bates, Tim Irwin , Lee North (two O-linemen w/incredible NFL careers), Streeter, Hubert Simpson
But what I recall the most is having two Mike E. Cofer’s, brothers (one offensive , referred to by Ward as “go Cofer” , and one defensive, whom Ward called “stop Cofer”). Both starters as I recall.

Puki and Spradlin both on that team as well.
Click to expand...

the two Mike's were not brothers. The defensive Mike's brother Joe, played linebacker. The brothers were from Knoxville Rule High School. Mike signed in 1979 and Joe in 1982. Mike E Cofer was from Chamblee GA and signed in 1978. He played TE..
 
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#34
#34
hillsborovol said:
A blood chemistry issue was also what I remembered. He was one of my "suite-mates" one summer quarter in South Carrick...maybe 1980. Very nice guy. I remember following him up the stairway one time and he wasn't real steady and we only lived on the 2nd floor. It was against dorm policy but he had a pet dog which was very quiet. He rivaled Reggie White in ability before his medical issue.
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You are correct. He had Reggie White ability before Reggie White. For you guys who don't remember he may have been quicker than Reggie.
 
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#35
#35
LWSVOL said:
the two Mike's were not brothers. The defensive Mike's brother Joe, played linebacker. The brothers were from Knoxville Rule High School. Mike signed in 1979 and Joe in 1982. Mike E Cofer was from Chamblee GA and signed in 1978. He played TE..
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Thank you Sir for the correction, I was going mostly from memory, and for some reason, as a youngster back then, I was convinced they were related.
Always like the “stop” & “go” monikers from Mr. Ward.
Go Vols -
 
#36
#36
snappervol said:
Thank you Sir for the correction, I was going mostly from memory, and for some reason, as a youngster back then, I was convinced they were related.
Always like the “stop” & “go” monikers from Mr. Ward.
Go Vols -
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I had to look up the details. my memory is faulty also when going back that far..
 
#37
#37
wtorange said:
You are correct. He had Reggie White ability before Reggie White. For you guys who don't remember he may have been quicker than Reggie.
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Having seen both play at Tennessee, I think that Lee Otis was quicker and faster his Freshman year than Reggie was as a Freshman. He had the talent to become an all time great in the SEC and the entire NCAA. We used to have Lee Otis come to some of the Big Orange Club meetings in Atlanta when he regained some of his physical abilities. It was always inspiring to talk with him.
 
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#38
#38
I went to High School, Middle School played Football and ran Track with Lee Otis, as a High School player he was a Parade All American and one of the highest recruited players in the Country for the Class of 78, As a High School runner Lee ran the 440 and participated in Shot Put, I was on the Mile Relay with Lee and he ran a mid 50 second 440 in the late 70's which was really fast in those days, Lee was about 6'5" and 240 to 250 without an ounce of fat, he was a Physical phenom, he was strong, fast, quick and was heads out the most physical player I ever saw in person and played with, he played a Mans game of football with a bunch of decent High School players, he could have any of them any time he chose to, and even though he was so far ahead of all other players on the field I never saw him try to hurt anybody (he could have), probably the closest I ever saw him try to hurt someone was In summer camp in 77, Our Assistant Coach Doug Parrish Senior Really got on to Lee for not going 100% In Intensity, I was blocking Lee(I wasn't exactly shabby a player) and we did about 3 drills, he knocked me around like a rag doll, it wasn't even close, Bottom Line was Lee a Man playing a kids game, there were 2 College Scouts(Tennessee and Georgia)that camped out in our High School Every day our Senior Football Season that didn't have but one Job which was to sign Lee for their school, But outside of Lee's Football Skills the thing was he was the Nicest Guy you could ever meet, Humble, Kind, There should have been more people like Lee, As for his Football ability he had Sunday All Pro Skills no Doubt, a lot of times we Wonder why didn't this Guy make it to Canton, We wont ever know the Answer to that Question, Sometimes Gods Protects us from Things that seem obvious, I have only seen Lee one time since High School, he was the same Humble Good Guy as he has always been, it was a definite privilege to play with Lee and will always Wish the Best for him and his Family
 
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#40
#40
snappervol said:
The ‘79 team had some of my all time favs;
David Rudder, Bill Bates, Tim Irwin , Lee North (two O-linemen w/incredible NFL careers), Streeter, Hubert Simpson
But what I recall the most is having two Mike E. Cofer’s, brothers (one offensive , referred to by Ward as “go Cofer” , and one defensive, whom Ward called “stop Cofer”). Both starters as I recall.

Puki and Spradlin both on that team as well.
Click to expand...

Lee North had 8 knee surgeries and finally had both knees replaced. IIRC, he was moved to nose tackle and started as a true freshman just to shore up the D line. (the cupboard was bare when Johnny came back...Battle was a good coach, but terrible recruiter). He moved back to Center his sophomore year.

NASH, NORTH SELECTED AS LEGENDS OF TENNESSEE FOR CALIFORNIA GAME - University of Tennessee Athletics
 
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#43
#43
Another great prospect that Tennessee signed outta high school but never played was Randy Hall. He could have been a NFL OL most definitely. Big kid with talent.

There have been several. Leon Baxter from Nashville was an outstanding OL prospect during Majors years. He died of a heart defect during his freshman yr I believe. Also a young man signed with Fulmer from Louisiana last name Zeon who drowned on a senior trip in HS before coming to Knoxville.
 
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#44
#44
wmcovol said:
Another great prospect that Tennessee signed outta high school but never played was Randy Hall. He could have been a NFL OL most definitely. Big kid with talent.

There have been several. Leon Baxter from Nashville was an outstanding OL prospect during Majors years. He died of a heart defect during his freshman yr I believe. Also a young man signed with Fulmer from Louisiana last name Zeon who drowned on a senior trip in HS before coming to Knoxville.
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Wow. I still think about Ivan Zenon sometimes. He was a HS All-American defensive end who was an incredible player. If I remember correctly, he and some of his buddies went down to Ft. Walton Beach during Spring break, and he got caught in undertow......The Vol nation was stunned.... RIP Ivan
 
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#45
#45
kamoshika said:
Lee Otis has been a successful business owner in Cleveland, TN for many years.

He had incredible talent, racking up 57 tackles his freshman year, but he suffered from a virus & blood sugar imbalance that sapped his strength and forced him to give up football far too early.
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Lee is a friend, and it was not a blood issue. It took a while to diagnose him, and one of the first mis-diagnosis was blood related. Lee is a really good guy and has been working for a VFL in Cleveland for 25? years or so.
 
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#46
#46
TechnoVol said:
Lee Otis Burton was a sure fire NFL All Pro until medical issues ended his career. I remember watching him catch Notre Dame's Vegas Ferguson from behind. He was a freak athlete similar in ways to Clowney.
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Yes no doubt … he was the key recruit form that number one class majors put together . From
Americus Georgia believe
 
#48
#48
LWSVOL said:
the two Mike's were not brothers. The defensive Mike's brother Joe, played linebacker. The brothers were from Knoxville Rule High School. Mike signed in 1979 and Joe in 1982. Mike E Cofer was from Chamblee GA and signed in 1978. He played TE..
Click to expand...
If I am remembering right Mike E was a white guy, and Mike L was black.
 
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