Feels Like 1970 (I hope)

[macrovol]

In 1969 Tennessee had one of the best football teams in the country. They were undefeated and ranked #3 when they lost in Jackson to Ole Miss 38-0, the "Archie Who" game. That embarassment was the only loss in the regular season, but it knocked them down to the Gator Bowl to play Florida. A few days before the game, word leaked out that Doug Dickey would be leaving Tennessee to become the head coach at Florida, his alma mater. Florida won the game 14-13, and many fans believed that Dickey either threw the game or didn't prepare the team properly. The next year Florida came to Neyland Stadium with Dickey and star QB John Reaves (Lane Kiffin's future father-in-law). The crowd was angry, and the team responded with a 38-7 thrashing of the Gators. This year's South Carolina game has an eerie similarity to that 1970 Florida game, and I hope with the same results.

 

[cardvolfan]

In 1969 Tennessee had one of the best football teams in the country. They were undefeated and ranked #3 when they lost in Jackson to Ole Miss 38-0, the "Archie Who" game. That embarassment was the only loss in the regular season, but it knocked them down to the Gator Bowl to play Florida. A few days before the game, word leaked out that Doug Dickey would be leaving Tennessee to become the head coach at Florida, his alma mater. Florida won the game 14-13, and many fans believed that Dickey either threw the game or didn't prepare the team properly. The next year Florida came to Neyland Stadium with Dickey and star QB John Reaves (Lane Kiffin's future father-in-law). The crowd was angry, and the team responded with a 38-7 thrashing of the Gators. This year's South Carolina game has an eerie similarity to that 1970 Florida game, and I hope with the same results.

I remember that so well. It was just pure agony listening to that broadcast on that fateful afternoon. It was a good example of why you don’t talk the whole week of the game. Keep your head down, do the work in practice, and stay humble. Tennessee set themselves up for a thrashing that day, as egos got in the way.

 

[Padishar]

Which coach left for South Carolina last year?

 

[wmcovol]

Remember the song “tricky Dickey”? It was top of the charts in Tennessee for the week before the game.

 

[orangefloyd]

Dickey had already agreed to become Floridas coach right before the game but lied about it. He failed there and got fired a few years later. We rewarded him for his disloyalty. He has always been tricky.

 

[LTVol]

In 1969 Tennessee had one of the best football teams in the country. They were undefeated and ranked #3 when they lost in Jackson to Ole Miss 38-0, the "Archie Who" game. That embarassment was the only loss in the regular season, but it knocked them down to the Gator Bowl to play Florida. A few days before the game, word leaked out that Doug Dickey would be leaving Tennessee to become the head coach at Florida, his alma mater. Florida won the game 14-13, and many fans believed that Dickey either threw the game or didn't prepare the team properly. The next year Florida came to Neyland Stadium with Dickey and star QB John Reaves (Lane Kiffin's future father-in-law). The crowd was angry, and the team responded with a 38-7 thrashing of the Gators. This year's South Carolina game has an eerie similarity to that 1970 Florida game, and I hope with the same results.

Thanks! You just retriggered my PTSD from the last month of that 1969 season. Ive spent decades trying to forget that season. The most disappointing finish to any TN season with possible exception of 2001.

 

[Big Al Orange]

I remember that so well. It was just pure agony listening to that broadcast on that fateful afternoon. It was a good example of why you don’t talk the whole week of the game. Keep your head down, do the work in practice, and stay humble. Tennessee set themselves up for a thrashing that day, as egos got in the way.

Steve Kiner and Jack Reynolds cussed each other all the way home on the bus. They had to be separated a few times.

 

[cardvolfan]

Steve Kiner and Jack Reynolds cussed each other all the way home on the bus. They had to be separated a few times.

Wow, that’s very interesting. Thanks for sharing that tidbit of information. I guess it was a very painful loss.

 

[kcvols1]

I remember that so well. It was just pure agony listening to that broadcast on that fateful afternoon. It was a good example of why you don’t talk the whole week of the game. Keep your head down, do the work in practice, and stay humble. Tennessee set themselves up for a thrashing that day, as egos got in the way.

Didn’t the aftermath of the Archie Who game give “Hacksaw” Reynolds his nickname?

Dude sawed a Volkswagen in two with a hand held hacksaw!

 

[cardvolfan]

Didn’t the aftermath of the Archie Who game give “Hacksaw” Reynolds his nickname?

Dude sawed a Volkswagen in two with a hand held hacksaw!

I don’t remember for sure, but I knew about the car incident.

 

[Big Al Orange]

Didn’t the aftermath of the Archie Who game give “Hacksaw” Reynolds his nickname?

Dude sawed a Volkswagen in two with a hand held hacksaw!

Yes it was after that game he sawed the car in half. It was a 53 Chevy bel air .

 

[Sarms58]

Dickey had already agreed to become Floridas coach right before the game but lied about it. He failed there and got fired a few years later. We rewarded him for his disloyalty. He has always been tricky.

But he was a really good AD

 

[feathersax]

I remember that so well. It was just pure agony listening to that broadcast on that fateful afternoon. It was a good example of why you don’t talk the whole week of the game. Keep your head down, do the work in practice, and stay humble. Tennessee set themselves up for a thrashing that day, as egos got in the way.

I was in Cookeville, sitting in the Tennessee Tech Band, listening to the game on transistor radio. Tech was predictably bad, so listening to John Ward was better; that day, however, "Archie WHO" destroyed the Vols. One of many Tennessee memories.

 

[wmcovol]

Dickey went “home” just like Majors came home when he left Pittsburgh. He did send Daryl to Tennessee which, as a father, says a lot about how DAD felt about Tennessee.

He left Battle a loaded roster who won big until that talent ran out.

He had some early success at Florida but couldn’t maintain it. Once he was asked at Florida what he’d give to be back at Tennessee. He replied “I’d start with my right arm”.

The downfall of Tennessee athletics started when Dickey & Joe Johnson retired.

 

[TennEddie]

Dickey is a “ snake oil “ salesman, but he was one of the
best football coaches UT ever had. His leaving was one of
the worst things to happen to UT and one of the best things
for Bama. UT and Dickey had their foot firmly on Bama’s neck.

 

[mercuryvol]

Almost all of the above is true. I was a freshman that year and no one before or since was as loaded at the
LB position as UT was. Dickey was upfront years later that his worst mistake in his career was leaving UT. He was a great coach and AD and in those years and immediately afterward the administration knew what they were doing.
But, the truth of the hacksaw was a Jeep. I hope we are back on track to replicate those years.

 

[kcvols1]

Yes it was after that game he sawed the car in half. It was a 53 Chevy bel air .

I wonder if it was longways or crossways?

Did he saw through the engine block?

So many questions, but still WOW!

 

[Sgt.Rock]

My daughter and son-in-law attended Ole Miss during the Eli era, and I found an "Archie Who?" pin back in an antique store and gave it to him for Christmas. Didn't want it around the house.

 

[Big Al Orange]

Almost all of the above is true. I was a freshman that year and no one before or since was as loaded at the
LB position as UT was. Dickey was upfront years later that his worst mistake in his career was leaving UT. He was a great coach and AD and in those years and immediately afterward the administration knew what they were doing.
But, the truth of the hacksaw was a Jeep. I hope we are back on track to replicate those years.

The truth is ,it was a 1953 Chevy Bel Air.