Mount Rushmore of Tennessee Football

#56
#56
1) I think that Neyland has to be the coach, no question, not even close.

Players:

1) Bob Johnson , who was the second overall NFL pick in 1970 at center, the second highest draft pick ever for a center. There was a center picked first overall in the 1930's.
2) George Cafego , the number one overall pick in the draft in 1940.
3) Bob Suffridge, already discussed.
4) I am truly torn between several, including Gene McEver, Johnny Majors, Hank Lauricella, Doug Atkins, Paul Naumoff, Steve Kiner, and others.

Nothing against Manning, but if he had never played in the pros, I don't believe that he would go down as being one of the top 4 to ever go through U.T.
 
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#57
#57
1972 Grad said:
1) I think that Neyland has to be the coach, no question, not even close.

Players:

1) Bob Johnson , who was the second overall NFL pick in 1970 at center, the second highest draft pick ever for a center. There was a center picked first overall in the 1930's.
2) George Cafego , the number one overall pick in the draft in 1940.
3) Bob Suffridge, already discussed.
4) I am truly torn between several, including Gene McEver, Johnny Majors, Hank Lauricella, Doug Atkins, Paul Naumoff, Steve Kiner, and others.

Nothing against Manning, but if he had never played in the pros, I don't believe that he would go down as being one of the top 4 to ever go through U.T.
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Manning would have been without a doubt.
 
#61
#61
VKAman said:
Over Neyland?

I get that some people think Fulmer was treated unfairly or whatever, but to seriously put him in the same sentence as Robert Neyland is completely absurd.
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I am not saying you put coach Fulmer in the same sentence as the General look what he did in the 15 years that he was here and look back the past 50 years, and look at us now and maybe another 20 years where we were at he would be a second to the General.
 
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#62
#62
PMC2726 said:
With all due respect, that's a nice story, but far from reality. Yes, Reggie was raised in a devout religious family. However, I heard Reggie White speak in person about his UT career. He was VERY explicit in saying that his problem was laziness, immaturity, and attitude and that it wasnt until about half way through his jr year that he started taking workouts, his weight, diet, sleep, etc seriously and basically grew up. He used himself as an example to the group of us young (at the time) men to show that it's never too late
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Thanks for the correction. I ALWAYS prefer factual accuracy. For future reference, I will file my previous source under the heading "URBAN LEGEND."
 
#63
#63
VOLINVONORE said:
Steve's mouth also got us in a lot of trouble against Ole Miss with his mule comment. He was a great LB as was Andy Spiva, but neither could compete with Siffridge or Atkins.
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I agree. Steve definitely was a lightning rod. The motivation he gave Ole Miss ultimately cost us a trip to the 1970 Orange Bowl and, it was then rumored, a first-ever matchup with Notre Dame. I wouldn't advocate Kiner over Atkins or Suffridge. I was simply responding to a previous post regarding Tennessee linebackers as potential candidates.
 
#65
#65
govols105 said:
i would have to say neyland's favorite back eugene mcever the man was always smiling and apparently no one could knock it off of him. gene was tn's first all american if iremember correctly. suffridge and mcever are the two neyland mentioned for his all time team but no more than them when he was asked about the rest for the all time team thoughs were the two he started with.
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McEver was, indeed, our first All-American. Considering the facts that (1) Neyland described him, at one point, as "the best player I ever coached ... the best I ever saw" (see UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football) and (2) he scored a nation-leading 130 points in 1929, which remains, to this day, a single-season scoring record at UT, McEver is definitely a worthy nominee.
 
#66
#66
VKAman said:
Over Neyland?

I get that some people think Fulmer was treated unfairly or whatever, but to seriously put him in the same sentence as Robert Neyland is completely absurd.
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Tennessee coaches:

Tier one: Robert Neyland, Phillip Fulmer

Tier two: Johnny Majors, Doug Dickey

Tier three: Bowden Wyatt, Bill Battle, everyone else but Dooley

all by himself: Derek Fooley
 
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#67
#67
thebjd said:
Manning would have been without a doubt.
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I am not saying that he isn't the best qb that we have ever had, but we won a Nat'l Championship after he left, with a lot of the same players. Manning couldn't get over the Florida hump. He didn't win the Super Bowl until after he left college. Maybe he belongs, maybe not. Just my opinion.

When I was in college, I watched Bob Johnson dominate the middle of the line. As far as Suffridge and McEver, I am going on what Neyland said about them. I also had a teacher in high school by the name of Leonard Coffman, who was a childhood friend of my mother. He played alongside Cafego in the backfield, and would visit and tell stories about him. The Neyland guys were tough, or they went home to mama.

The times were different back then and it's hard to compare eras of any sport. I would rate them on both their team and individual accomplishments.
 
#69
#69
VKAman said:
Over Neyland?

I get that some people think Fulmer was treated unfairly or whatever, but to seriously put him in the same sentence as Robert Neyland is completely absurd.
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I'm not sure I would pick Fulmer over the Gen. The criteria is rough with only one coach allowed, so I'm glad I don't have to make the decision. :) Both were great coaches, but during very very different eras so IMHO it's hard to look at things like win/loss records, championships, etc as a true apples to apples comparison.

And BTW, the reason I originally said I think Fulmer deserves consideration had nothing to do with the way he was fired. His resume warrants the consideration, plain and simple. Doesn't mean he necessarily ends up on rushmore, but he at least deserves consideration.
 
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#70
#70
No Jack Reynolds love? Who the hell else ever cut a car in half with a hacksaw? :devilsmoke:
 
#71
#71
VOLINVONORE said:
I agree 100 % with the players. However, I have to ave Neyland as the coach. He is responsible for our football program reaching National prominence. Remember that the Bear NEVER won a Neyland coached team.
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Look at the very top of my post.
 
#72
#72
hmanvolfan said:
No Jack Reynolds love? Who the hell else ever cut a car in half with a hacksaw? :devilsmoke:
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I was at U.T. when Jack played, and I knew him through my next door neighbor in Reese Hall. They went to high school together. At the time, I think that most everyone thought that Kiner was a better linebacker, although they were both really good.
 
#73
#73
I have the utmost respect for what Coach Fulmer accomplished at UT and no head coach, arguably, cared more deeply about the university than Phil. In comparing the legacies of Fulmer and Neyland, however, it is important to remember that, first of all, Neyland put Tennessee on the proverbial college football map and amassed the winningest record in the country during his tenure.

Furthermore, his legacy persisted for generations. Listen to the comments of his contemporaries on this documentary, General Robert Neyland "The Man and the Legend" - YouTube. Therein, Wallace Wade, who was Alabama's first great coach, described Neyland as the "best football coach I've ever competed against." Even more importantly, Neyland's coaching tree, arguably, is still alive. In addition to the many Neyland players who went on to coach at Tennessee for decades after Neyland's retirement, you will find on its upper and outermost branches, Will Muschamp and Nick Saban. If you don't believe me, look at this article: Muschamp's coaching bloodlines. Saban's perfectionism, his hard-nosed, rock-ribbed defense and smash-mouth offense, predicated on its running game, are all reminiscent of Neyland's approach to the game.
 
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#74
#74
Volosaurus rex said:
Thanks for the correction. I ALWAYS prefer factual accuracy. For future reference, I will file my previous source under the heading "URBAN LEGEND."
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PMC's points are accurate, but Reggie's religion was also a major reason he played timid during the beginning of his UT career.
 
#75
#75
Very good. We can combine the two perspectives then for a more nuanced explanation for the trajectory of Reggie's career at UT.
 
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