The Official Countdown To Tennessee Football 2024 (ITS FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE)

[NO SIR EEE]

9 Days!

Derek Barnett wore #9 and was an All-SEC and All-American career defensive end at Tennessee and became the all-time career sack leader.

Barnett was an in-state standout player at Brentwood Academy where he was a four-star prospect and Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State selection before joining the Vols in 2014.

As a freshman, Barnett found his way on to the field early, appearing in 13 games and starting in 10 of them. He set the program record for tackles for loss and sacks by a true freshman with 20.5 and 10.0 respectively.

It set the stage for what was to come.

The following season, Barnett started every game and led the team with 10.0 sacks while finishing second in TFLs with 12.5. The sack number moved him up to No. 8 all-time at Tennessee.

Barnett moved up the rankings in that category quickly the following year as a junior. He totaled 13 sacks in 2016, enough to move him into first place in the Vols' record books, leaping the previous sack leader Reggie White with the 33rd sack of his career in the final minutes of Tennessee's 38-24 win over Nebraska in the Music City Bowl.

Barnett parlayed a historic season first round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, but not before he combined for 198 tackles, 52 TFL, 33 sacks and one interceptions in three seasons at Tennessee.

Barnett played seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and was a member of the franchise's Super Bowl LII winning team in his rookie season in 2017. He was claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans ahead of the 2023 season and is preparing to enter his second year with the franchise.

 

[WillisWG]

Edging toward game week, almost there.

 

[Nicovfl8]

239 Days!

Joe Milton completed 21 of 32 passes for 239 yards in the Vols 41-20 win over South Carolina in 2023.
View attachment 607516

That was his best game, that shows ho average at best he was

 

[NO SIR EEE]

8 Days!

Andy Kelly, who was a three-year starter at quarterback and finished his career as one of the most prolific passers in program history wore #8.

Kelly was a prep standout at Rhea County High School in Dayton, Tennessee before signing with the Vols in 1988. He became Tennessee's starting quarterback during his sophomore campaign in 1989 and didn't look back.

Kelly helped lead the Vols to an 11-1 finish that season, including a 31-27 victory over Arkansasin the Cotton Bowl, a game that he totaled 150 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was an 84-yard toss to Anthony Morgan.

Kelly's impressive close to the season put him in line to be the Vols' unquestioned starter heading into a highly anticipated 1990 season. Tennessee entered the season ranked No. 8 but ties with Colorado and Auburn, along with narrow losses to Alabama and top-ranked Notre Dame kept the Vols from national title contention.

Despite coming up short of lofty expectations, Kelly managed to pass for 2,241 yards and 14 touchdowns was key in Tennessee winning the SEC and clinching a berth in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia.

Tennessee was sluggish out of the gate and trailed by two scores in the fourth quarter before running back Tony Thompson scored to pull the Vols within a touchdown. Kelly drew Tennessee closer on a 15-yard scoring pass to Carl Pickens, then engineered the game-winning drive that was capped by another Thompson touchdown to cap a 23-22 win.

The most memorable comeback that Kelly was a part of came a year later against No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend on Nov. 9, 1991. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a commanding 31-7 lead helped along by a 79-yard interception throw by Kelly that was returned for a touchdown.

Kelly bounced back, though and so did Tennessee. Floyd Miley took a blocked field goal back for a score just before halftime to give the Vols life. Kelly led a march down the field in the third quarter that ended in a 4-yard touchdown pass to Von Reeves.

Kelly connected with Cory Fleming for a 20-yard gain that set up an Aaron Hayden touchdown to cut Notre Dame's lead to 34-28 in the fourth. His third touchdown pass went to Hayden on a screen pass that he patiently waited to set up in the face of a blitz and went for 26 yards and the go-ahead score.

Notre Dame had a chance to walk it off with a field goal, but Rob Leonard's 27-yard kick missed wide to give Tennessee a 35-34 win in what became known as the "Miracle at South Bend."

Kelly went undrafted in 1992 and had stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears. He made a name for himself in the Arena Football League where he spent 16 seasons and set several records.

Kelly passed for more than 800 touchdowns and 42,000 yards in the league.

In the Tennessee record books, Kelly ranks sixth in career passing yards with 6,397 yards and eighth in touchdowns with 38 over three seasons.

 

[Volfan1000]

8 Days!

Andy Kelly, who was a three-year starter at quarterback and finished his career as one of the most prolific passers in program history wore #8.

Kelly was a prep standout at Rhea County High School in Dayton, Tennessee before signing with the Vols in 1988. He became Tennessee's starting quarterback during his sophomore campaign in 1989 and didn't look back.

Kelly helped lead the Vols to an 11-1 finish that season, including a 31-27 victory over Arkansasin the Cotton Bowl, a game that he totaled 150 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was an 84-yard toss to Anthony Morgan.

Kelly's impressive close to the season put him in line to be the Vols' unquestioned starter heading into a highly anticipated 1990 season. Tennessee entered the season ranked No. 8 but ties with Colorado and Auburn, along with narrow losses to Alabama and top-ranked Notre Dame kept the Vols from national title contention.

Despite coming up short of lofty expectations, Kelly managed to pass for 2,241 yards and 14 touchdowns was key in Tennessee winning the SEC and clinching a berth in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia.

Tennessee was sluggish out of the gate and trailed by two scores in the fourth quarter before running back Tony Thompson scored to pull the Vols within a touchdown. Kelly drew Tennessee closer on a 15-yard scoring pass to Carl Pickens, then engineered the game-winning drive that was capped by another Thompson touchdown to cap a 23-22 win.

The most memorable comeback that Kelly was a part of came a year later against No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend on Nov. 9, 1991. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a commanding 31-7 lead helped along by a 79-yard interception throw by Kelly that was returned for a touchdown.

Kelly bounced back, though and so did Tennessee. Floyd Miley took a blocked field goal back for a score just before halftime to give the Vols life. Kelly led a march down the field in the third quarter that ended in a 4-yard touchdown pass to Von Reeves.

Kelly connected with Cory Fleming for a 20-yard gain that set up an Aaron Hayden touchdown to cut Notre Dame's lead to 34-28 in the fourth. His third touchdown pass went to Hayden on a screen pass that he patiently waited to set up in the face of a blitz and went for 26 yards and the go-ahead score.

Notre Dame had a chance to walk it off with a field goal, but Rob Leonard's 27-yard kick missed wide to give Tennessee a 35-34 win in what became known as the "Miracle at South Bend."

Kelly went undrafted in 1992 and had stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears. He made a name for himself in the Arena Football League where he spent 16 seasons and set several records.

Kelly passed for more than 800 touchdowns and 42,000 yards in the league.

In the Tennessee record books, Kelly ranks sixth in career passing yards with 6,397 yards and eighth in touchdowns with 38 over three seasons.

View attachment 669547

The Miracle at South Bend was one of the best wins in program history.

 

[NO SIR EEE]

7 Days!

Erik Ainge threw for an SEC Record 7 touchdowns in a 4 overtime 52-50 win at Kentucky in 2007. Tennessee clinched the SEC East as well.

 

[WillisWG]

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

Ha Ha Ha! Georgia Tech just beat FSU in Ireland!!
One week from today it's ON Ladies n Gentlemen... GBO

 

[Panthro]

My interview with Chattanooga Head Coach, Rusty Wright:

 

[Panthro]

And here’s my interview with Chattanooga QB (UCLA transfer), Chase Artopoeus:

 

[NO SIR EEE]

6 Days!

#6 Jimmy Streater, who as an All-SEC quarterback at Tennessee weaved through defenses and passed over them to finish his career between 1976-79 as the all-time leader in total offense.

Streater was from Sylva, North Carolina and later nicknamed "Sylva Streak." He starred at Sylva-Webster High School before signing with the Vols in 1976. His contributions were limited as a freshman, but his role increased the following year, the first under head coach Johnny Majors in 1977.

As a sophomore, Streater passed for more than 740 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another 400 yards and eight scores, headlining Tennessee's offense despite a 4-7 season.

In his first game as the Vols' starting quarterback, Streater provided a glimpse of what was in store for the next three years, breaking off an 80-yard touchdown run in Tennessee's season opener against California.

Two years later, the Vols trajectory under Majors began to change. It started with a 35-17 win over Auburn, a game where Streater accounted for two rushing touchdowns while throwing for a another to help Tennessee to a 3-0 start.

The Vols stumbled in three of their next four games, including a home loss to Rutgers leading to many not giving them much of a chance against No. 13 Notre Dame the following week.

But the Fighting Irish had few answers for Streater, who totaled 141 yards of offense on his own with a 48-yard pass, 51-yard and 5-yard touchdown on fourth down to pace Tennessee to a 40-18 victory--the first signature win of the Majors era.

In his final season with the Vols, Streater helped Tennessee to its first bowl game in four seasons and earned First Team All-SEC before playing two seasons with Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.

Streater put up record numbers in three years with the Vols, including 4,807 yards of total offense and 3,433 passing yards, both of which topped all-time career records at the time.

Streater passed away in 2004. He was 46.

 

[OneManGang]

The "Sylva Streak" got his life together enough for a triumphant return to Neyland shortly before he passed.

At his funeral, his brother Eric said, "We're going to hoist the MVP up and carry him off the field of life."

Jimmy Streater vs Notre Dame. (UT Sports)

 

[NO SIR EEE]

5 Days!

Thomas Woods was a two-time All-SEC wide receiver at Tennessee during his career between 1985-89 and wore #5.

Thomas prepped at in-state Gallatin High School before signing with the Vols in 1985. He red-shirted his freshman year and made minimal contributions in 1986.

Thomas' breakout campaign came as a sophomore in 1987 when he caught 26 passes for more than 330 yards and averaged 12.9 yards per catch during Tennessee's run to the Peach Bowl. He was a contributor on special teams, combining for 400-plus yards in punt and kickoff returns that season.

The following year, Woods was even more of a factor in the offense, totaling nearly 700 receiving yards and five touchdowns--both career highs on his way to All-SEC recognition despite a down year for the Vols. His 58 receptions were a then-program single season record.

As a senior, Woods was key in a turnaround season in 1989. He had 34 catches, good for 511 yards and scored twice as Tennessee won 11 games and capped the season with a 31-27 victory over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl.

Woods was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the eighth round of the 1990 NFL Draft and played two seasons in the World Football League.

He began his coaching career in 1996 with stints at Appalachian State and Western Carolina before reuniting with former Tennessee assistant coach David Cutcliffe at Ole Miss in 2000.

Woods coached wide receivers and return specialists under Cutcliffe for six seasons. Ole Miss receiver Chris Collins set or tied nine school records and was an All-SEC player while playing for Woods.

Woods is still listed among Tennessee's all-time receivers. His 124 career receptions ranks top 10 in the program record books while his 1,617 yards ranks 20th.

 

[WillisWG]

 

[Volfan1000]

The "Sylva Streak" got his life together enough for a triumphant return to Neyland shortly before he passed.

At his funeral, his brother Eric said, "We're going to hoist the MVP up and carry him off the field of life."

Jimmy Streater vs Notre Dame. (UT Sports)

View attachment 670238

Streater passed away way too early.

RIP.

 

[NO SIR EEE]

4 Days!

#4 Jeff Hall Placekicker (1995-98)

UT's all-time scoring leader, Jeff Hall lettered for the Vols from 1995-98 and was a key contributor on Tennessee's 1998 national championship team. He racked up 371 points during his career at Rocky Top and played on back-to-back SEC Championship squads in 1997 and 1998.

The Winchester, Tenn., native's clutch 41-yard field goal in overtime against Florida in 1998 proved to be the game-winner in that dramatic contest, which built momentum for Tennessee's perfect 13-0 season.

Hall's academic prowess earned him Academic All-America honors in 1996, and he also earned the rare distinction of being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times.

Hall was drafted in the 6th round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. He also played for the St. Louis Rams.

Hall still holds the Tennessee High School record for the longest field goal at 62 yards.

 

[WillisWG]

 

[IndianaVol]

4 Days!

#4 Jeff Hall Placekicker (1995-98)

UT's all-time scoring leader, Jeff Hall lettered for the Vols from 1995-98 and was a key contributor on Tennessee's 1998 national championship team. He racked up 371 points during his career at Rocky Top and played on back-to-back SEC Championship squads in 1997 and 1998.

The Winchester, Tenn., native's clutch 41-yard field goal in overtime against Florida in 1998 proved to be the game-winner in that dramatic contest, which built momentum for Tennessee's perfect 13-0 season.

Hall's academic prowess earned him Academic All-America honors in 1996, and he also earned the rare distinction of being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times.

Hall was drafted in the 6th round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. He also played for the St. Louis Rams.

Hall still holds the Tennessee High School record for the longest field goal at 62 yards.

View attachment 670757

I believe that picture is from the Carrier Dome in Syracuse where Mr. Hall hit one with time expiring to start that amazing 13-0 season.

 

[WillisWG]

 

[Rifleman]

The Miracle at South Bend was one of the best wins in program history.

An incredible game to watch still, and incredible to think about frankly as a life lesson in handling tough situations.

Coach Majors and staff did such an amazing job holding us together in that game and Lou Holtz deserves an honorary mention for worst coaching performance of all time.

 

[WillisWG]

 

[NO SIR EEE]

3 Days!

#3 Robert Meachem made the most of his one season as a Tennessee starter, setting a school record for receiving yards in a season and earning All-America honors from three different publications. He caught 71 passes for 1,298 yards in 2006 and finished the season leading the SEC in receiving yards per game with 99.8. His two best performances that season came in big games. He caught five passes for 182 yards and two scores in the Vols' opener vs. California, and he hauled in five passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns vs. LSU. He was named All-SEC by the league's coaches and the Associated Press after the season. Meachem led Tennessee in catches (29) and receiving yards (383) in 2005, despite only starting two games. He also led the Vols in receiving yards (459) and yards per catch (18.4) in a reserve role in 2004. He is only one of six Volunteers to top the 2,000-yard mark in his career. He ranked fourth all-time in receiving yardage (2,140), fifth in receptions (125) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (17) when he left Rocky Top for the NFL in 2006.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Meachem in the 1st round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He was a Saint from 2007-2011, then again 2013-2014. He also played from the San Diego Chargers. He was a Super Bowl Champion racking up 178 receptions for 2,914 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career.

 

[NO SIR EEE]

2 Days!

#2 Montario Hardesty was one of the most productive running backs in program history and an All-SEC selection in 2009.

Hardesty was a prolific rusher at New Bern High School in North Carolina, totaling more than 2,000 yards as a senior before signing with Tennessee in 2005.

Hardesty's freshman season with the Vols ended before it really began. He suffered a knee injury in just the third game of the season against Ole Miss that sidelined him for the remainder of the season, but he found his footing the following year.

Back to full health in 2006, Hardesty rushed for a 43-yard touchdown in Tennessee's 35-18 season-opening win over California, setting the stage for a bigger role in the Vols' offense. He became the first Vols running back since Travis Henry to rush for touchdowns in four-straight games that year.

Hardesty's production took a step back in 2007 and 2008 as he battled with start Arian Fosterfor reps in Tennessee's backfield. After Foster's departure following the 2008 season, Hardesty entered his senior year as the headliner of the Vols' run game.

Hardesty started 13 games and rushed for 1,345 yards--the fourth-best mark among Tennessee running backs all-time. He turned in four 100-yard rushing performances, including 179 yards against Kentucky.

Among Hardesty's most memorable outings was his spin move on a 14-yard touchdown to put the Vols up two scores on South Carolina, helping open the way for a 31-13 rout at Neyland Stadium on Halloween night.

Hardesty was a second round pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft. He began his coaching career as a special teams coordinator at Norfolk State in 2015.

After a stint at Florida Atlantic, Hardesty returned to Tennessee to join former head coach Jeremy Pruitt's staff as a quality control coach in 2018. He was more recently the wide receivers coach at South Carolina for three seasons.

Hardesty's name is still among the top of Tennessee running backs. His 2,391 yards over five season rank ninth all-time while his 26 touchdowns rank seventh.

 

[NO SIR EEE]

1 Day!

#1 Leonard Little

Splitting time at middle linebacker and defensive end, Leonard Little earned a reputation for his hard hits and quarterback sacks. Little earned All-America status his senior year in 1997 and was named the Associated Press' SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He had a team-leading 87 tackles and collected 8.5 quarterback sacks in leading the Vols to the 1997 SEC championship. He finished his career ranked second to Reggie White on UT's all-time sack list with 28, which included 11 his sophomore year. Little had 10 multi-sack games in his three-year career. He also placed second on the career list of quarterback pressures with 42.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

One day and a wake-up!