What is the story with Bill Battle?

#1
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volbound1700

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#1
What is the story with Bill Battle? I wasn't alive in that era but his records look great. However, he is pointed out as the reason for the downfall. The records were trending down with time so that supports it but a lot of the bad seasons where under Majors who followed him. Sounds like recruiting was the issue.
 
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#3
#3
volbound1700 said:
What is the story with Bill Battle? I wasn't alive in that era but his records look great. However, he is pointed out as the reason for the downfall. The records were trending down with time so that supports it but a lot of the bad seasons where under Majors who followed him. Sounds like recruiting was the issue.
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Your last sentence nails it.
 
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#5
#5
volbound1700 said:
What is the story with Bill Battle? I wasn't alive in that era but his records look great. However, he is pointed out as the reason for the downfall. The records were trending down with time so that supports it but a lot of the bad seasons where under Majors who followed him. Sounds like recruiting was the issue.
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I think it was because Pitt won the national championship in 1976 that Tennessee wanted Majors. I assume the natty got Majors some slack for a few weak seasons. Nowadays it would be a lot less slack.
 
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#6
#6
volbound1700 said:
What is the story with Bill Battle? I wasn't alive in that era but his records look great. However, he is pointed out as the reason for the downfall. The records were trending down with time so that supports it but a lot of the bad seasons where under Majors who followed him. Sounds like recruiting was the issue.
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He was a Bammer.
 
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#7
#7
volbound1700 said:
What is the story with Bill Battle? I wasn't alive in that era but his records look great. However, he is pointed out as the reason for the downfall. The records were trending down with time so that supports it but a lot of the bad seasons where under Majors who followed him. Sounds like recruiting was the issue.
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Recruiting was the issue... nice guy but could not recruit.
 
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#8
#8
Majors should have been hired as HC when Battle was but apparently AD Woodruff and Majors didn't see things quite the same way.

On the other hand, when the fan faithful had enough of Battle they were quite the boisterous bunch. Sent moving trucks to his house to make sure he got the message so that was quite entertaining. I would have liked to have seen CBJ's response to that....bet he would have blown a head gasket.
 
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#10
#10
Battle's roster was on par or better than Bear Bryant's roster when he was hired. HC Doug Dickey left UT football stacked in 1969 after 4 straight wins over Bama.
Battle was hired and went 11-1 in 1970 then 10-2 in 1971 (17-4-1 in 1968 & 69 in Doug Dickey's final seasons).
We were a 6 win team when the entire roster was his recruits, and trending down.

Battle's only win against Bama was during his first season for 5 in a row. His tenure is the beginning of Bear Bryant's domination of the Vols and the disparity between the W-L in the rivalry. It was pretty equal to that point. Fulmer's tenure was getting the rivalry record back near parity until Saban was hired.

Tennessee's 39 wins (.400 win pct) against Bama is the highest of any team. Auburn is catching up with 37 (.425 win pct).
 
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#13
#13
Battle was a good guy and later a very good businessman. But, he was a Bammer who could not beat Bama and he did a poor job recruiting and managing the roster.
 
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#14
#14
failure to adapt....we had Bama's number until they began running the wishbone. he and his staff just didn't have a clue on how to defend, few teams did. but losing to Bama became an issue. then a late loss to Vandy in 75 a line was kinda drawn. Win more, he failed.

Not buying the couldn't recruit, look at the 75 team. 5 1st team All-SEC players Marvin, Mauck, McCartney, Seivers and Spiva. 2 2nd team All-SEC in Morgan and West. Also on the team Russ Williams, Jesse Turnbow, Pat Ryan, Randy Wallace, Steve Poole and Craig Colquitt. Recruiting wasn't the issue.
 
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#15
#15
Recruiting, and who knows, maybe player development. Anyway, Majors basically said the players were not in the same league as our rivals, when he took over. It was a long rebuilding process.
 
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#16
#16
A close relative played for Battle. He was a Campus Crusade For Christer and Battle loved to recruit 'wholesome' kids. Problem was, he was barely collegiate talent as were most of Battle's recruits. When Majors came, he started at Monster for like 3 games and that ended when we got beat by Ole Miss in Memphis by 40 (50?) points
 
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#19
#19
VolTull said:
A close relative played for Battle. He was a Campus Crusade For Christer and Battle loved to recruit 'wholesome' kids. Problem was, he was barely collegiate talent as were most of Battle's recruits. When Majors came, he started at Monster for like 3 games and that ended when we got beat by Ole Miss in Memphis by 40 (50?) points
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Fumbled 8 times losing 5 in that game. I can still see Roland James fumbling the kick which lead to their 1st TD then we fumbled the kickoff on our 12. They had a FG earlier, so it was 17-0 in a blink of the eye.

SR Russ Williams moved to Monster in 77. Have a slight memory of position changes after Puki went down but believe he held that position all season.

The number of 1st team All-Sec players on the 75 and 76 squads along with the 2nd team selections....can't get passed that. Injuries hurt but there were quality players recruited.
 
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#21
#21
GreveHaller said:
he was left with a pretty good team and it went down hill from there. A young coach with no experience
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And he was unable to recruit good players. He was very religious and would not recruit players who were not perfect gentlemen and now faults. He was actually a very good Xs and Os coach but the talent level dropped quickly with his recruiting.
 
#22
#22
WillisWG said:
failure to adapt....we had Bama's number until they began running the wishbone. he and his staff just didn't have a clue on how to defend, few teams did. but losing to Bama became an issue. then a late loss to Vandy in 75 a line was kinda drawn. Win more, he failed.

Not buying the couldn't recruit, look at the 75 team. 5 1st team All-SEC players Marvin, Mauck, McCartney, Seivers and Spiva. 2 2nd team All-SEC in Morgan and West. Also on the team Russ Williams, Jesse Turnbow, Pat Ryan, Randy Wallace, Steve Poole and Craig Colquitt. Recruiting wasn't the issue.
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I just don't think he knew what to do with the players he had, even though I thought his last two years he didn't recruit well. He was a very nice man, by all accounts, but was a very poor head coach. Some people just rise to the level of their incompetence.
 
#23
#23
I remember him as coach at UT, but I'm pretty sure the Bill Battle "story" expired long ago.
 
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#24
#24
Wins from 70-76 in order:

11, 10, 10, 8, 7,7, 6

Notice a trend

Will say as much as I hate Bama he was as big a class act as we ever had for a HC.
 
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