Today is General Neyland's birthday. Just a few facts about the man whom we owe a ton of credit for where Tennessee football is today.
-Neyland preached readiness, maintaining that, "Almost all close games are lost by the losers, not won by the winners." (Proven by Dooley's teams)
-Of his 216 games coached, the Vols shut out their opponents 109 times.
-From 1938 to 1940, his teams recorded an amazing 17 consecutive regular season shutouts.
-In the 1939 regular season, Tennessee outscored its opposition 212-0. The Vols are the last major college football program to shut out every regular season opponent.
-Neyland coached the Vols to six undefeated seasons, nine undefeated regular seasons, seven conference championships and four national championships.
-He reeled off undefeated streaks of 33, 28, 23, 19 and 14 games.
-At one time, more than 175 former Neyland players were active head coaches in the United States and Canada.
-Neyland was a superb student-athlete. He won 35 games (20 consecutive) pitching for Army, was a starting end on the Cadets' 1914 national championship football team and was the academy's heavyweight boxing champion his final three years.
-Neyland arrived in Knoxville when the UT football site, Shields-Watkins Field, seated only 3,200. By the time of his death in 1962, the stadium seated more than 51,000 and Neyland had developed architectural plans for its eventual growth to more than 100,000. Those dreams became reality in 1996.
-In Neyland's first four seasons as Tennessee head coach, UT was 34-1-3. Over his first seven seasons, the Vols were 61-2-5.
-Neyland was the first coach in the South to use press box-to-sideline phones. He was the first anywhere to use game films for evaluation, lightweight tear-away jerseys, low-top shoes and lightweight hip pads to enhance speed. He also came up with a canvas tarp to protect the field.
-Twice Neyland's UT coaching career was interrupted by military service. He served in 1935 at the Panama Canal Zone, and then during the Second World War from 1941-45.
-He was recalled to active duty in advance of World War II in May 1941, to Norfolk, Va. While stationed there, Neyland was promoted first to lieutenant colonel and then, in July 1942, to full colonel. Later commands during the war years took him to Dallas; Kunming, China; and Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. Neyland received his final promotion to brigadier general on Nov. 10, 1944, when he was transferred to India.
-Hall of famer Bear Bryant never defeated a Neyland-coached team, and was said to have muttered at Neyland's retirement banquet, "Thank God the old guy finally quit."
-Neyland finished his Tennessee coaching career with 173 wins, 31 losses and 12 ties, for an .829 winning percentage.
Truly amazing what all Neyland accomplished during his lifetime & career. He's definitely one of the greatest coaches of all time. Unfortunately, IMO, he doesn't get as much credit as he deserves. If he would've came along about 20 years later than he did he'd be talked about like Bear Bryant & others are. After all, Bryant said he learned everything he knew from Neyland.
I think he has influenced the game as much or more as anyone else ever has. His philosophies were used by hundreds of coaches over the years & are still used today. His coaching tree is enormous & no doubt one of the biggest ever.
We are truly blessed General Neyland came to UT & built this program into what it is today. There's no telling where we'd be if he never did(I probably wouldn't be on this site as much as I am lol).
I hope all Vol fans today realize just how special Neyland was & how lucky we were to have him.
Happy Birthday General Neyland! VFL!
Neyland: 50 Facts on 50th Anniversary - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics
