Today in Tennessee football history..........

Thank you all for sharing your stories as they are a joy to read.

Does anyone other than me feel old? It was over 25 yrs ago when I graduated from UT and Peyton was a freshman. Greet memories.

UT football is always fun to discuss, even when we have a poor season. We all get angry when we lose but sad when the season ends.
Go Vols!
Yes. I feel old. My first game was vs Ole Miss in ‘72.....when I was 2 1/2.
 
December 4, 1971..........

On “Majors Family Day,” undefeated Penn St came to Knoxville to close out the regular season. PSU had Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris and was averaging 44 pts a game. The Nittany Lions outgained the Vols, but UT had a secret weapon......Bobby Majors and the rest of the defense. Majors had two punt returns for 82 yrds and a Touchdown and two kickoff returns for 113 yrds. Conrad Graham returned a fumble 76 yrds for a td and Jackie Walker returned an interception 43 yrds for a touchdown in the Vols 31-11 victory.

Graham’s fumble recovery
FB6A4889-F0EA-41C9-A612-2970DDA27EC8.png
Majors’ TD
73A3DFDE-B69D-4EB4-B0A4-0E641A23B55E.png
4D86A61A-B2A7-4509-8BE5-4F090212FBE3.png
 
Thank you all for sharing your stories as they are a joy to read.

Does anyone other than me feel old? It was over 25 yrs ago when I graduated from UT and Peyton was a freshman. Greet memories.

UT football is always fun to discuss, even when we have a poor season. We all get angry when we lose but sad when the season ends.
Go Vols!
We are about the same age. If I had done the "traditional" 4 year plan I would have graduated in '94. My transition to college was a bit rocky and then I co-oped, so I ended up graduating in '96. I work with a kid right now who is young enough to be my son. I tell stories of my time in college and he will say "that was before I was born". SOB
 
December 4, 1971..........

On “Majors Family Day,” undefeated Penn St came to Knoxville to close out the regular season. PSU had Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris and was averaging 44 pts a game. The Nittany Lions outgained the Vols, but UT had a secret weapon......Bobby Majors and the rest of the defense. Majors had two punt returns for 82 yrds and a Touchdown and two kickoff returns for 113 yrds. Conrad Graham returned a fumble 76 yrds for a td and Jackie Walker returned an interception 43 yrds for a touchdown in the Vols 31-11 victory.

Graham’s fumble recovery
View attachment 242776
Majors’ TD
View attachment 242777
View attachment 242778
This may be my earliest memory of Tennessee football. I remember seeing this game on TV, and this was long before viewers had 500 games to choose from on a weekend. It was either on WBBJ Channel 7 out of Jackson or WSIX Channel 2 out of Nashville (now WKRN). In Paris, we watched which ever one came in better on a given day, lol.
 
This may be my earliest memory of Tennessee football. I remember seeing this game on TV, and this was long before viewers had 500 games to choose from on a weekend. It was either on WBBJ Channel 7 out of Jackson or WSIX Channel 2 out of Nashville (now WKRN). In Paris, we watched which ever one came in better on a given day, lol.
Good friend and teammate at The Peay is from Paris.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VOLSONLY
Initials RH
I may need more than that, I haven't lived in Paris in 30 years. ;) When were you at Peay?

Are you familiar with the Goodley twins from Eldorado, IL? They played golf at Peay from Fall 2015 to Spring 2019. I taught them in middle school and work with their parents.
 
I may need more than that, I haven't lived in Paris in 30 years. ;) When were you at Peay?

Are you familiar with the Goodley twins from Eldorado, IL? They played golf at Peay from Fall 2015 to Spring 2019. I taught them in middle school and work with their parents.
Know the names. I played 88-92
His first name is Rob
 
December 4, 1971..........

On “Majors Family Day,” undefeated Penn St came to Knoxville to close out the regular season. PSU had Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris and was averaging 44 pts a game. The Nittany Lions outgained the Vols, but UT had a secret weapon......Bobby Majors and the rest of the defense. Majors had two punt returns for 82 yrds and a Touchdown and two kickoff returns for 113 yrds. Conrad Graham returned a fumble 76 yrds for a td and Jackie Walker returned an interception 43 yrds for a touchdown in the Vols 31-11 victory.
My first UT game. I was 14 and we drove up from Huntsville. My dad played baseball at Penn State so we were all huge Penn State fans. We had no idea both myself and my brother would go to Tennessee several years later. It was a long drive back to Huntsville that day.
 
My first UT game. I was 14 and we drove up from Huntsville. My dad played baseball at Penn State so we were all huge Penn State fans. We had no idea both myself and my brother would go to Tennessee several years later. It was a long drive back to Huntsville that day.
Were you there for the 1972 game?:cool:
 
December 5, 1931.......

Tennessee was invited to a “Charity” Bowl Game at Yankee Stadium to play New York University. The Violets outgained the Vols 248-122, but the defense held NYU out of the end zone in the 13-0 victory. Beattie Feathers scored on a 64 yrd run and Deke Brackett returned a punt 75 yrds for the second touchdown. After watching Herman Hickman’s performance, Grantland Rice returned to his office and added him to his mythical All-America team.

NYU Coach Meehan told his team to run at Hickman, Tennessee’s “fat boy.” After four plays NYU had minus 14 yrds. Later Meehan asked his team captain if Hickman was really that tough. He answered, “ I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out. He called me a damn Yankee, and I pretended I didn’t hear him.”

1F08DBF5-D268-475D-B2A4-3BBBA84DE2BA.png
 
“Charity” Bowl Game at Yankee Stadium to play New York University. The Violets
Bwahahahaha!!!

We had The Violets beat before we ever took the field.

@peaygolf Thank you for these "Today in Tennessee Football History" threads. I look forward to them everyday.
 
Last edited:
December 5, 1931.......

Tennessee was invited to a “Charity” Bowl Game at Yankee Stadium to play New York University. The Violets outgained the Vols 248-122, but the defense held NYU out of the end zone in the 13-0 victory. Beattie Feathers scored on a 64 yrd run and Deke Brackett returned a punt 75 yrds for the second touchdown. After watching Herman Hickman’s performance, Grantland Rice returned to his office and added him to his mythical All-America team.

NYU Coach Meehan told his team to run at Hickman, Tennessee’s “fat boy.” After four plays NYU had minus 14 yrds. Later Meehan asked his team captain if Hickman was really that tough. He answered, “ I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out. He called me a damn Yankee, and I pretended I didn’t hear him.”

View attachment 243009
Herman Hickman also coached Yale from 1948-1951 and had a 16-17-2 record

220px-Herman_Hickman.jpg
 
Thank you all for sharing your stories as they are a joy to read.

Does anyone other than me feel old? It was over 25 yrs ago when I graduated from UT and Peyton was a freshman. Greet memories.

UT football is always fun to discuss, even when we have a poor season. We all get angry when we lose but sad when the season ends.
Go Vols!
Well said and I agree. This is my favorite thread on the forum.
 
December 6, 1975.......

For the final game of the season, the Vols traveled to Hawaii for 8 days, and to play the Rainbows. 40,000 witnessed the greatest rushing performance (at that time) in Vols history. Stanley Morgan set a record with 201 rushing yards on 11 carries with touchdowns of 6 and 66 yrds. Just to add insult to injury, Morgan also scored on a 63 yrd punt return in the 28-6 victory.

My friend Ernie Ward, with the lei off the plane
6D0F8618-99CF-4066-B88B-87CB1A9B60AB.png
David Parsons hurries the QB
CABCA7F7-CF1E-4E3B-B9D4-8B94922FFFC2.png
Stanley
755760E2-7D6B-40EF-B89B-7BFA7C14F6D7.png
 
December 6, 1975.......

For the final game of the season, the Vols traveled to Hawaii for 8 days, and to play the Rainbows. 40,000 witnessed the greatest rushing performance (at that time) in Vols history. Stanley Morgan set a record with 201 rushing yards on 11 carries with touchdowns of 6 and 66 yrds. Just to add insult to injury, Morgan also scored on a 63 yrd punt return in the 28-6 victory.

My friend Ernie Ward, with the lei off the plane
View attachment 243206
David Parsons hurries the QB
View attachment 243207
Stanley
View attachment 243209
 
December 6, 1975.......

For the final game of the season, the Vols traveled to Hawaii for 8 days, and to play the Rainbows. 40,000 witnessed the greatest rushing performance (at that time) in Vols history. Stanley Morgan set a record with 201 rushing yards on 11 carries with touchdowns of 6 and 66 yrds. Just to add insult to injury, Morgan also scored on a 63 yrd punt return in the 28-6 victory.

My friend Ernie Ward, with the lei off the plane
View attachment 243206
David Parsons hurries the QB
View attachment 243207
Stanley
View attachment 243209

The team chipped in and bought Bobby The Paperboy a plane ticket and hotel room so he could go to Hawaii with them. I always thought that was a cool gesture.
 

VN Store



Back
Top