peaygolf’s Countdown to Kickoff-2024

[HoptownVol]

Condredge was a revolutionary talent. Amybody got a copy of the 71' Notre Dame Freshman game?

 

[Frozevol]

This guy was such a character. Kind of guy you could have listened to him talk for hours.

I wish they wouldn’t have cut that story of players missing curfew at the Sugar Bowl.

 

[peaygolf]

#40
40 Days - Johnny Mills vs Kentucky 1966

The Vols finished the ‘66 season 8-3 and won the Gator Bowl over Syracuse. The three loses were by a combined 11 points.

In the second to last regular season game, UT hosted Kentucky on ABC TV. The Cats weren’t very good that season, but all that watched were treated to a magnificent performance by All-SEC End Johnny Mills.

Mills had seven catches in the Kentucky game, his last one a 72-yard play from quarterback Dewey Warren which clinched the Vols’ 28-19 victory. He finished the day with 225 yards receiving, a record that stood until 2001.

 

[peaygolf]

#39
39 Days - Condredge Holloway vs UCLA 1974


There have been many games where stats don't tell the entire story. This is one of those games.

"The game illustrated one thing: about the only sure way to beat Tennessee is to put Condredge Holloway in the hospital. UCLA did that. But it failed to keep him there.

Tennessee had switched to the Veer, mostly to exploit the many talents of Holloway. And right off, the Tennessee quarterback showed what he could do. Before the fans had settled back in their seats, the Volunteers were on the scoreboard. After returning the kickoff Tennessee ran a routine dive play that gained four yards, then lined up without a huddle. Holloway dropped back and arched a long pass to sophomore Split End Stanley (The Steamer) Morgan, who ripped past the surprised Bruin secondary, pulled in the ball and scored. The play covered 74 yards.

Later in the period Tennessee was driving again when its transmission fell out. Holloway, the All-Southeastern Conference quarterback last year, was dropped hard after a short gain and suffered a shoulder injury that thrust sophomore Pat Ryan into the breach. Ryan had never played a varsity game.

Despite gaining very little yardage after Holloway was taken to University Hospital for shoulder X rays, Tennessee led 10-3 at halftime, holding UCLA to a field goal in the final six seconds after stopping three Bruin plunges inside the 10-yard line.

Early in the second half, UT again stopped UCLA inside the 5 on 4 consecutive plays, but Ryan fumbled on the Vols first play and UCLA recovered for a TD to tie the game at 10.

Holloway found out at the hospital that his injury wasn't as severe as first believed, he was rushed back to the stadium. Late in the third quarter, he walked up to the surprised Battle on the sidelines, tapped him on the shoulder and said, "I'm ready to play."

Late in the final quarter, UT was trailing 17-10, but Holloway, obviously still in pain, wasn't finished. On five consecutive plays, Holloway either ran or passed the Vols down to the 12 yrd line. On the sixth play, "he twisted his way through the UCLA defenders like a man skittering across ice floes, a performance he climaxed with a 12-yard run late in the game, landing on his head as he hurdled three men at the goal line. "Holloway dives! Give him six! Give him six large ones!," Vol Network play-by-play announcer John Ward exclaimed on the air waves. "Over, around and over the top, Condredge Holloway brings the Vols and the crowd back to life!"Thanks to the Holloway heroics, the Volunteers were able to tie the Bruins 17-17, a result that both teams agreed was unsatisfactory, but a lot better than a loss."

Another legendary performance by a true icon...............

 

[Frozevol]

I’ll never forget that game because the stadium had gone quiet after UCLA took the lead and our offense couldn’t do anything. Then a small roar erupted from the student section and it slowly built as we looked across the field and here came Condredge running from the old locker room on the east sideline around the south end zone and to the UT bench. It is probably my favorite Vol memory. When he went into the game and led us to that score every one in that stadium was beside themselves with emotion. That man was tough as nails and gave more than his all that day. I don’t care what that X-ray said…he was hurt….he just told the doctors he had a ballgame to play!

 

[WillisWG]

#39
39 Days - Condredge Holloway vs UCLA 1974


There have been many games where stats don't tell the entire story. This is one of those games.

"The game illustrated one thing: about the only sure way to beat Tennessee is to put Condredge Holloway in the hospital. UCLA did that. But it failed to keep him there.

Tennessee had switched to the Veer, mostly to exploit the many talents of Holloway. And right off, the Tennessee quarterback showed what he could do. Before the fans had settled back in their seats, the Volunteers were on the scoreboard. After returning the kickoff Tennessee ran a routine dive play that gained four yards, then lined up without a huddle. Holloway dropped back and arched a long pass to sophomore Split End Stanley (The Steamer) Morgan, who ripped past the surprised Bruin secondary, pulled in the ball and scored. The play covered 74 yards.

Later in the period Tennessee was driving again when its transmission fell out. Holloway, the All-Southeastern Conference quarterback last year, was dropped hard after a short gain and suffered a shoulder injury that thrust sophomore Pat Ryan into the breach. Ryan had never played a varsity game.

Despite gaining very little yardage after Holloway was taken to University Hospital for shoulder X rays, Tennessee led 10-3 at halftime, holding UCLA to a field goal in the final six seconds after stopping three Bruin plunges inside the 10-yard line.

Early in the second half, UT again stopped UCLA inside the 5 on 4 consecutive plays, but Ryan fumbled on the Vols first play and UCLA recovered for a TD to tie the game at 10.

Holloway found out at the hospital that his injury wasn't as severe as first believed, he was rushed back to the stadium. Late in the third quarter, he walked up to the surprised Battle on the sidelines, tapped him on the shoulder and said, "I'm ready to play."

Late in the final quarter, UT was trailing 17-10, but Holloway, obviously still in pain, wasn't finished. On five consecutive plays, Holloway either ran or passed the Vols down to the 12 yrd line. On the sixth play, "he twisted his way through the UCLA defenders like a man skittering across ice floes, a performance he climaxed with a 12-yard run late in the game, landing on his head as he hurdled three men at the goal line. "Holloway dives! Give him six! Give him six large ones!," Vol Network play-by-play announcer John Ward exclaimed on the air waves. "Over, around and over the top, Condredge Holloway brings the Vols and the crowd back to life!"Thanks to the Holloway heroics, the Volunteers were able to tie the Bruins 17-17, a result that both teams agreed was unsatisfactory, but a lot better than a loss."

Another legendary performance by a true icon...............


View attachment 661154

 

[peaygolf]

#38
38 Days - Johnny Majors vs Auburn 1956
"A capacity crowd of 44,000 in Birmingham's Legion Field saw Tennessee's All-America halfback Johnny Majors lead his veteran teammates to a crushing 35-7 victory over a green Auburn squad which lost four fumbles inside its 26-yard line. Majors scored one TD, threw for two, gained 166 yards running and passing, and earned the title of "Back of the Week" in the nation for his performance in getting the Vols off and winging toward an unbeaten season."

This was game one of the season, and set the tone for a remarkable season. It is also regarded as the greatest game Majors ever had as a Vol player.

 

[stevenrich2003]

#50
50 days…..


Fuad Reveiz- 1982 vs Memphis State.

A week before this game, Reveiz set the SEC record, one that still stands, by nailing a 60-yarder against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He was en route to the greatest place-kicking season in Tennessee football history.

However, this was his most standout performance. Reveiz became only the second kicker in UT history to nail five field goals in a game, joining Alan Duncan, who did it against the Kentucky Wildcats in 1978.

What stands out about this game, though, is that Reveiz didn’t just make five field goals. He also nailed two field goals from beyond 50 yards, which is why this one managed to stand out in a huge way.

View attachment 658255

Does anyone know when they changed the rules about kicking from a T?

 

[peaygolf]

Does anyone know when they changed the rules about kicking from a T?

‘89 I believe

 

[peaygolf]

#37
37 Days - Curt Watson vs Georgia 1969



Tennessee rolled into November of the 1969 season unbeaten and ranked No. 3 after crushing rival Alabama 41-14 in Birmingham, but the Vols had to get through 11th-ranked Georgia in Athens.
Rain and mud caused havoc for both teams early, as UT trailed 3-0 after the first quarter.

As UTs defense kept Georgia at bey, UTs ground game began to take over. Led by sophomore fullback Curt Watson, the Vols scored twice in quick fashion and led 14-3 at the half. Watson continued his powerful runs in the second half as UT cruised to a 17-3 victory.

Waton's day was one for the record books. He finished with 197 yards rushing on 19 carries, breaking Tom Tracy's record of 192 yrds set back in 1954

 

[Tin Man]

 

[stevenrich2003]

‘89 I believe

TY.

 

[WillisWG]

‘89 I believe

Yep...the success rate inside the 40 was like 80% before the change.

 

[peaygolf]

#36
36 Days - Johnnie Jones vs Rutgers 1983


"Johnnie Jones, who began the season as perhaps Tennessee's fourth-best running back, broke two school records for rushing today in providing the only excitement during the Volunteers' 7-0 victory over surprisingly tough Rutgers.

With the three other backs sidelined with injuries, Jones has become Tennessee's leading ball carrier this year - and carry he did today. He ran 41 times - breaking the school record of 35 set by Hubert Simpson in 1979. He picked up 234 yards, breaking the previous record of 201 set by Stanley Morgan.

Jones said he knew he was going to be getting the ball. Coach Johnny Majors told him earlier in the week that Tony Dorsett, a running back Majors had coached at the University of Pittsburgh, carried the ball 39 times in his third game as a freshman.

''Think you can handle that?'' Majors asked.

''Coach, I'll be ready,'' Jones replied.

On a brisk, windy day with temperatures in the 50's, it was imperative for teams to run the ball. Alan Cockrell, the Tennessee quarterback, who threw for only 57 yards, said he would ''throw straight but the ball would curve.'' So Jones carried. He carried four, five or six times in a row. He carried members of the swarming Rutgers defense."

Jones was the only offense in a 7-0 victory...................

 

[OneManGang]

Johnnie Jones was the Vols' first 1,000-yard rusher.

"Johnnie Jones! Jonathan Jones of MUMFORD, Tennessee!" - John Ward after the epic TD run against Bama.

 

[peaygolf]

#35
35 days - Corey Miller vs Kentucky 2013



In a game that meant absolutely nothing for the Vols, an unlikely defensive end had one of the greatest defensive performances in Tennessee history.

Defensive end Corey Miller had underwhelmed in his four seasons with the Vols after coming in as a highly-touted high school prospect in the 2010 class. Up until the game against Kentucky, Miller had totaled only 5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss in 48 career games.

In one single game, Miller nearly doubled his sack total for his career and broke a 30-year record held by Vol legend Reggie White.

Miller racked up 4.5 sacks against the Wildcats, passing White’s single-game mark of 4 in a game back in 1983 against The Citadel. Miller registered 7 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and forced a fumble in his historic game.

 

[StarRaider]

I do believe this is the coolest thing in the universe and that may be an understatement.

 

[peaygolf]

#34
34 Days - Hendon Hooker vs Missouri 2022



Tennessee bounced back from its first loss of the season to Georgia last week by setting a school record with 724 total offensive yards, eclipsing 718 against Troy in 2012.

The offensive explosion was orchestrated by Hooker, who threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 50 yards and a score to lead the Volunteers (9-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 5 College Football Playoff) to a 66-24 victory over Missouri (4-6, 2-5). It was his third game of 400 yards of total offense this season and fourth as a Vol with the 405-yard effort vs. Missouri.

 

[peaygolf]

#33
33 Days - Anthony Hancock vs Wisconsin 1981


Hancock was part of a Tennessee team that finished 7-4, with three of the four losses coming to teams who finished the season in the Top 15, but they ended on a sour note with a loss at Kentucky, something beating Vanderbilt could not even salvage.

Nonetheless, the Vols were set to play the Wisconsin Badgers in the Garden State Bowl in New Jersey, and this was a chance to get Johnny Majors’s his first bowl win as a head coach at Tennessee.

That was made possible thanks to Anthony Hancock.

Hancock caught 11 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown was a 43-yard reception that put the Vols up 21-7 in the second quarter, giving them the breathing room they needed in the game.

It also made the difference in a 28-21 victory. Picking up 196 receiving yards is remarkable in any game.

 

[peaygolf]

#32
32 Days - Tony Thompson vs Mississippi St 1990



Tony Thompson made it easy for No. 8 Tennessee to forget Chuck Webb.

Webb, an All-Southeastern Conference selection a year ago as a freshman, was sidelined for the season because of a knee injury last week. Thompson stepped in. He rushed for 248 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee beat Mississippi State, 40-7, in a conference opener. Thompson had 200 yards rushing at halftime as Tennessee took a 27-7 lead.

“I didn’t surprise myself. It was a big game, but the offensive line did a great job and big holes were there,” said Thompson, a 5-foot-11, 181-pound senior starting his first game for the Volunteers. Thompson rushed 22 times, and his total tied him for No. 2 on Tennessee’s single-game list. Webb had 294 yards against Mississippi in 1988, and Johnnie Jones 248 against Vanderbilt in 1983.

248 yards in your first start................Legendary.....

 

[StarRaider]

 

[GreveHaller]

#36
36 Days - Johnnie Jones vs Rutgers 1983


"Johnnie Jones, who began the season as perhaps Tennessee's fourth-best running back, broke two school records for rushing today in providing the only excitement during the Volunteers' 7-0 victory over surprisingly tough Rutgers.

With the three other backs sidelined with injuries, Jones has become Tennessee's leading ball carrier this year - and carry he did today. He ran 41 times - breaking the school record of 35 set by Hubert Simpson in 1979. He picked up 234 yards, breaking the previous record of 201 set by Stanley Morgan.

Jones said he knew he was going to be getting the ball. Coach Johnny Majors told him earlier in the week that Tony Dorsett, a running back Majors had coached at the University of Pittsburgh, carried the ball 39 times in his third game as a freshman.

''Think you can handle that?'' Majors asked.

''Coach, I'll be ready,'' Jones replied.

On a brisk, windy day with temperatures in the 50's, it was imperative for teams to run the ball. Alan Cockrell, the Tennessee quarterback, who threw for only 57 yards, said he would ''throw straight but the ball would curve.'' So Jones carried. He carried four, five or six times in a row. He carried members of the swarming Rutgers defense."

Jones was the only offense in a 7-0 victory...................


View attachment 661849

when we played Mexican at Ivy's on Monday nite beer bust, if your call was 33 you'd declare Johnny Jones.

44 was Chuck Forman and 55 was speed limit

 

[GreveHaller]

#32
32 Days - Tony Thompson vs Mississippi St 1990



Tony Thompson made it easy for No. 8 Tennessee to forget Chuck Webb.

Webb, an All-Southeastern Conference selection a year ago as a freshman, was sidelined for the season because of a knee injury last week. Thompson stepped in. He rushed for 248 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee beat Mississippi State, 40-7, in a conference opener. Thompson had 200 yards rushing at halftime as Tennessee took a 27-7 lead.

“I didn’t surprise myself. It was a big game, but the offensive line did a great job and big holes were there,” said Thompson, a 5-foot-11, 181-pound senior starting his first game for the Volunteers. Thompson rushed 22 times, and his total tied him for No. 2 on Tennessee’s single-game list. Webb had 294 yards against Mississippi in 1988, and Johnnie Jones 248 against Vanderbilt in 1983.

248 yards in your first start................Legendary.....


View attachment 663024

if we had the ball on their 3 you could count on Tony T with a leap from the backfield that was usually as high as the goal post bar

 

[feathersax]

31 days. Curt Watson, the "Crossville Comet". #31 Vol legend & fellow Crossvillian.

 

[Orange.]

#32
32 Days - Tony Thompson vs Mississippi St 1990



Tony Thompson made it easy for No. 8 Tennessee to forget Chuck Webb.

Webb, an All-Southeastern Conference selection a year ago as a freshman, was sidelined for the season because of a knee injury last week. Thompson stepped in. He rushed for 248 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee beat Mississippi State, 40-7, in a conference opener. Thompson had 200 yards rushing at halftime as Tennessee took a 27-7 lead.

“I didn’t surprise myself. It was a big game, but the offensive line did a great job and big holes were there,” said Thompson, a 5-foot-11, 181-pound senior starting his first game for the Volunteers. Thompson rushed 22 times, and his total tied him for No. 2 on Tennessee’s single-game list. Webb had 294 yards against Mississippi in 1988, and Johnnie Jones 248 against Vanderbilt in 1983.

248 yards in your first start................Legendary.....


View attachment 663024

I was at that game! Also featured the fumble rooskie.