All Time UT Team

#26
#26
Curt Watson getting no love here I see, nor Doug Atkins. How does one leave off Ron Widby as a punter consideration? Can I get an honorable mention or 2nd team QB assignment for Condredge Holloway?
 
#27
#27
QB- Peyton Manning
RB- Jamal Lewis
RB- Chuck Webb
FB - Wiliam Howard
WR- Peerless Price
WR- Carl Pickens
TE - Jason Witten
LT- Antone Davis
RT- Chad Clifton
LG- Chip Kell
RG- Harry Galbreath
C- Bob Johnson

LE- Reggie White
DT- John Henderson
DT- Albert Haynesworth
SE- Doug Atkins
OLB- Steve Kiner
MLB- Al Wilson
OLB- Keith DeLong
CB- Eric Berry
CB- Terry Fair
FS- Deon Grant
SS- Dale Carter

K- Fuad Reviez
P- Dustin Colquitt

KR - Cordelle Patterson
PR - Eddie Brown
 
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#28
#28
BSAvol said:
I'd take EB at safety. Nothing against Deon Grant, I am a big fan of his; but he wouldn't have hit Tebow or Moreno like EB did.
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i think you misunderstood my meaning. EB is way better than Grant but Grant isnt all the versatile hes a Safety all the way whereas EB can do it all.
 
#30
#30
Tim McGee or Anthony Morgan, anyone? And I agree that Carl Pickens should be there somewhere.
 
#32
#32
kentuckianavol said:
Same situation as Little would you leave off Deon Grant to put on E. Berry. i wanted to make sure they both were at least on there. the only difference is that Berry is so versatile he could both basically.
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Deon Grant was a ball hawking FS whereas EB was a great all around SS. The optimal backfield is as follows:

CB: Terry McDaniel
CB: Dale Carter
FS: Grant
SS: EB14
 
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#33
#33
Selection of “All-Time” teams is always fun, if for no other reason than the fact that an endless number of equally defensible arguments can be advanced for the inclusion or exclusion of individual players. However, meaningful comparisons of players across widely disparate periods and styles of play can only be made, in my opinion, based upon one measuring stick, i.e. the degree to which their performance exceeded their peers, both at UT and on a conference and national scale. This allows us to at least partially disregard the fact that contemporary players are much bigger, faster and stronger than their predecessors 30, 40, or 50 years ago. Given the fact that Tennessee has had one or more players selected as All-Americans at virtually every position, here is a nice little cheat sheet to help frame the parameters of discussion (UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football).

I am not going to address position-by-position the selections made by the original poster or other contributors to this thread, but I will offer the following observations:

(1) Bob Suffridge, who played guard for the General, is “the Vols' only three-time All-America, earning the honors from 1938-40. He helped lead Tennessee to a perfect 30-0 regular season record during his career” (UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football). Any “All-Time University of Tennessee” team without Suffridge simply is not credible.

(2) Steve Kiner (1968, 1969) was the first of, I believe, only two linebackers at UT to ever be selected as two-time All-Americans at the position. I have the utmost respect for Al Wilson but, in 47 years of closely following the Big Orange, Kiner was the most dominant performer I ever saw at the linebacker position for UT. As extraordinary as big Al was against Florida in 1998, Kiner turned in an even more impressive performance against Alabama in 1969. He had “five sacks, 11 tackles with five assists, four quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble” (UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football). I don’t know how many inductees we have in the College Football Hall of Fame, but Kiner joined their ranks in 1999. That achievement alone solidifies Kiner’s selection to any “All-Time” team associated with University of Tennessee football.

(3) Although he had the misfortune of playing on weak teams in 1963 and 1964, Steve DeLong is one of only three defensive linemen to be selected twice as All-Americans at UT and one of only two (John Henderson being the other) to win the Outland Trophy (UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football). DeLong passed his excellent genetics and football skills along to his son, Keith, who was selected as an All-American linebacker in 1988. Steve DeLong also belongs on any “All-Time” team associated with University of Tennessee football.

(4) I agree with Bob Johnson’s selection as center for this team. No other player at his position was more accomplished or more highly decorated in Tennessee’s history.

(5) At punter, Dustin Colquitt is an excellent selection, but I would nominate Jimmy Colquitt from that “first family of Tennessee punters.” Selected as All-American in 1982 and 1983, Jimmy “concluded his career holding marks in career average at 43.9 yards, single-game punting average at 53 yards and season average at 46.9. He surpassed his uncle and former Vols punter Craig Colquitt in each category” (UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football).

(6) Running back is a somewhat problematic position. If you base your decision purely on talent, Chuck Webb may well have been the best to ever wear the Orange and White, but he started less than one full season. Jamal Lewis certainly possessed an outstanding combination of power, size and speed. On the other hand, Travis Stephens turned in the greatest single-season performance by any Tennessee RB, with 1464 yards in 2001 and, perhaps, the best single-game performance I have ever witnessed from an orange-clad running back against Florida that year. Stephens was also selected All-American and was a Doak Walker Award finalist.

(7) Although he inexplicably was not selected as All-American that year, Fuad Reveiz probably had the greatest single season of any Tennessee placekicker in 1982. He converted 27 of 31 field goals, including an NCAA record (which stands to this day) of 8-10 from 50 yards or more in length.
 
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#37
#37
No offense to the older guys but I cannot take anyone before the late 60's on an all time Tennessee team.
 
#41
#41
Also......I love Joey Kent. I love Macus Nash. But there is no way I'm taking either of them over a Carl Pickens, a Donte Stallworth, or a Larry Seivers. They're both worthy of being all time greats here, but they each still benefited from having a UT legend throw them passes their entire career.
 
#43
#43
Carl Pickens, Willie Gault, Stanley Morgan, Peerless Price, Cedric Wilson, Washington any of them could be Receiver. I'd also have Webb, Stewart, Garner, Henry, Stephens in there. MyFb would be Moes Philips or Shawnee Bryson. Someone like Anthony Munoz would also have to be in there too. Andy Spiva and Bates Sr could also be there too. You're more than likely going to have to make a second team with all the depth we've had!
 
#44
#44
Tim McGee at WR over Joey Kent IMO. If a ball was close he was going to catch it. No argument with Manning but 1A would have to be Shuler. He had a great arm and could run the ball as well. I am not sure Munoz was a great OT, would probably go with Antone Davis and McRae. Still the list was very good and thought provoking.
 
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#45
#45
zjcvols said:
No offense to the older guys but I cannot take anyone before the late 60's on an all time Tennessee team.
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No offense to the younger guys, but, by definition, “All-Time” encompasses the entirety of the program’s history. By your implied criteria, you have eliminated all but four of the nineteen Tennessee Volunteers who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as players, including one (Steve DeLong) of only two Outland Trophy Winners and our only three-time All-American, Bob Suffridge, as well as Doug Atkins, who was “the only player to be unanimously named to the All-SEC Quarter Century Team and was awarded SEC Player of the Quarter Century (1950-74). He was also selected to the All-Time All-SEC Team (1933-82). [Furthermore, he] and Reggie White are the only Tennessee players to ever be voted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Professional Football Hall of Fame (1982)” (Doug Atkins - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics).

To reiterate, meaningful comparisons of players across widely disparate periods and styles of play can only be made, in my opinion, based upon one measuring stick, i.e. the degree to which their performance exceeded their peers, both at UT and on a conference and national scale. Quite simply, the greatness of some players transcends the era in which they played. Atkins was, if memory serves me correctly, about 6-8, 275 pounds in his era. With the benefit of today’s strength and conditioning and sports nutrition programs, he probably would have taken the field at 330-350 pounds and he would have been no less freakishly talented than he was then.
 
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#47
#47
Rex, the topic of how the athletes of yesteryear would fare today has always intrigued me, sports philosophy if you will because no matter how much we talk, we will never know for sure. With regard to Adkins, I would love to see what would happen if you took him out of a game in 1950 and inserted him directly in 2014. Would he be a fish out of water, totally lost in the
quickness of today's game? Or would he dominate, using techniques that today's tackles
aren't used to facing. I think the answer is somewhere in the middle, but we can all agree that more time to take advantage of modern amenities would do nothing but help.

As far as other sports go, baseball would be my favorite to play god with. I think Babe Ruth would look foolish against modern pitching but I'd LOVE to be proven wrong. On the flipside, I would put Cy Young against Miguel Cabrera. Again, I think Miggy would make him look like a chump but would enjoy the outcome no matter what.
 
#48
#48
kentuckianavol said:
Was Listening to the EA show this morning and caught the tail end of the broadcast and got in to work and decided while working i'd make my own list of ALL UT Team and was curious to see what everyone elses would be.?.

QB- Casey Clausen
RB- Chuck Webb
FB/TE- Shawn Bryson, Jason Witten
WR- Willie Gault
WR- Larry Seivers
WR- Anthony Morgan/Pickens toss up
LT- Antone Davis
RT- Chad Clifton
LG- Chip Kell
RG- Steve Delong
C- Scott Wells

LE- Reggie White
DT- John Henderson
DT- Albert Haynesworth
SE- Doug Atkins
OLB- Raynoch Thompson
MLB- Al Wilson
OLB- Leonard Little
CB- Eric Berry
CB- Dewayne Goodrich
SS- Deon Grant
FS- Dale Carter


P/KR- CP
K- Jeff Hall
P- Dustin Colquitt
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The Ice Man is my favorite QB bc he Was a WINNER...won in the Swamp, Won at Alabama and would give up his body and play hurt to win...

Flame away...
 
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#49
#49
Volosaurus rex said:
No offense to the younger guys, but, by definition, “All-Time” encompasses the entirety of the program’s history. By your implied criteria, you have eliminated all but four of the nineteen Tennessee Volunteers who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as players, including one (Steve DeLong) of only two Outland Trophy Winners and our only three-time All-American, Bob Suffridge, as well as Doug Atkins, who was “the only player to be unanimously named to the All-SEC Quarter Century Team and was awarded SEC Player of the Quarter Century (1950-74). He was also selected to the All-Time All-SEC Team (1933-82). [Furthermore, he] and Reggie White are the only Tennessee players to ever be voted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Professional Football Hall of Fame (1982)” (Doug Atkins - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics).

To reiterate, meaningful comparisons of players across widely disparate periods and styles of play can only be made, in my opinion, based upon one measuring stick, i.e. the degree to which their performance exceeded their peers, both at UT and on a conference and national scale. Quite simply, the greatness of some players transcends the era in which they played. Atkins was, if memory serves me correctly, about 6-8, 275 pounds in his era. With the benefit of today’s strength and conditioning and sports nutrition programs, he probably would have taken the field at 330-350 pounds and he would have been no less freakishly talented than he was then.
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Well it depends on your version of an all time team. If you are just taking careers that's fine. If you are trying to beat another team in today's time, how can you say Bob Suffridge or Johnny Majors or George Cafego would have any chance?
 
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