UT leads SEC in College Football Hall of Fame Members

#1
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Volosaurus rex

Doctorate in Volology
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#1
According to this article (College Football Hall of Fame updating its SEC membership | AL.com), Tennessee currently leads the SEC in players selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Sixteen former Vols who are members of the HOF played during the SEC era. Four other players were selected from the pre-SEC period. These players, plus the four former Vol coaches who have been inducted to the HOF, include the following:

Players from the SEC era:

Beattie Feathers, halfback, 1931-1933. Elected 1955

Bowden Wyatt, end, 1936-1938. Elected 1972

George Cafego, halfback, 1937-1939. Elected 1969

Bob Suffridge, guard, 1938-1940. Elected 1961

Ed Molinski, guard, 1938-1940. Elected 1990

Joe Steffy, Tennessee and Army, guard, 1944-1947 (played at Tennessee in 1944). Elected 1987

Hank Lauricella, halfback, 1949-1951. Elected 1981

John Michels, guard, 1950-1952. Elected 1996

Doug Atkins, tackle, 1950-1952. Elected 1985

Johnny Majors, halfback, 1954-1956. Elected 1987

Steve DeLong, middle guard, 1962-1964. Elected 1993

Frank Emanuel, linebacker, 1963-1965. Elected 2004

Bob Johnson, center, 1965-1967. Elected 1989

Steve Kiner, linebacker, 1967-1969. Elected 1999

Chip Kell, guard/center, 1968-1970. Elected 2006

Reggie White, defensive tackle, 1980-1983. Elected 2002

Players from the Pre-SEC Period:

Nathan Dougherty, guard, 1906-1909. Elected 1967

Bobby Dodd, quarterback, 1928-1930. Elected 1959

Gene McEver, halfback, 1928-1929, 1931. Elected 1954

Herman Hickman, guard, 1929-1931. Elected 1959

Coaches:

Robert Neyland, coach, 1926-34, '36-40, '46-52. Elected 1956

Bowden Wyatt, Wyoming, Arkansas, Tennessee, 1947-1962 (at Tennessee 1955-62). Elected 1997

Doug Dickey, Tennessee, Florida, 1964-1978 (at Tennessee 1970-76). Elected 2003

Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee, 1992-2008. Elected 2012.

Additionally, "The SEC record for Hall of Fame players on one active roster is four for the 1938 Tennessee team, which also had a Hall of Fame coach. That season, the Volunteers featured senior end Bowden Wyatt, junior halfback George "Bad News" Cafego, and a pair of sophomore guards, Bob Suffridge and Ed Molinski, coached by Robert Neyland - all on their way to the College Football Hall of Fame."

For those who regard the present as the most competitive period in SEC history, the "1969 and 1970 seasons were the most star-studded in SEC history, at least by Hall of Fame standards, with nine currently enshrined players in the league in those years (plus seven Hall of Fame coaches in 1970)." For Tennessee, HOF members Steve Kiner and Chip Kell, as well as Coach Doug Dickey, were then active.
 
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#2
#2
Now if that ain't tradition what is. Tennessee is special in many ways. Nice post OP. :thumbsup:
 
#4
#4
what are the qualifications needed to be elected to the hall?

just curious
 
#6
#6
According to this website (National Football Foundation > Home), a player must have been selected as a "First-Team All-American by an NCAA-recognized publication and becomes eligible 10 years after his last college game and following retirement from professional play." Coaches "must have been a head coach for at least ten years and have coached at least 100 games with at least a .600 winning percentage."
 
#7
#7
Bama fans have been menstruating for years over the wait for Derrick Thomas...after seeing the wait time for Reggie White,it seems to be par for the course.
 
#9
#9
Neyland, Doug Dickey, and Ed molinski, and joe steffy are the only autographs i don't have from all those on that list.
 
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#12
#12
Volosaurus rex said:
According to this article (College Football Hall of Fame updating its SEC membership | AL.com), Tennessee currently leads the SEC in players selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Sixteen former Vols who are members of the HOF played during the SEC era. Four other players were selected from the pre-SEC period. These players, plus the four former Vol coaches who have been inducted to the HOF, include the following:

Players from the SEC era:

Beattie Feathers, halfback, 1931-1933. Elected 1955

Bowden Wyatt, end, 1936-1938. Elected 1972

George Cafego, halfback, 1937-1939. Elected 1969

Bob Suffridge, guard, 1938-1940. Elected 1961

Ed Molinski, guard, 1938-1940. Elected 1990

Joe Steffy, Tennessee and Army, guard, 1944-1947 (played at Tennessee in 1944). Elected 1987

Hank Lauricella, halfback, 1949-1951. Elected 1981

John Michels, guard, 1950-1952. Elected 1996

Doug Atkins, tackle, 1950-1952. Elected 1985

Johnny Majors, halfback, 1954-1956. Elected 1987

Steve DeLong, middle guard, 1962-1964. Elected 1993

Frank Emanuel, linebacker, 1963-1965. Elected 2004

Bob Johnson, center, 1965-1967. Elected 1989

Steve Kiner, linebacker, 1967-1969. Elected 1999

Chip Kell, guard/center, 1968-1970. Elected 2006

Reggie White, defensive tackle, 1980-1983. Elected 2002

Players from the Pre-SEC Period:

Nathan Dougherty, guard, 1906-1909. Elected 1967

Bobby Dodd, quarterback, 1928-1930. Elected 1959

Gene McEver, halfback, 1928-1929, 1931. Elected 1954

Herman Hickman, guard, 1929-1931. Elected 1959

Coaches:

Robert Neyland, coach, 1926-34, '36-40, '46-52. Elected 1956

Bowden Wyatt, Wyoming, Arkansas, Tennessee, 1947-1962 (at Tennessee 1955-62). Elected 1997

Doug Dickey, Tennessee, Florida, 1964-1978 (at Tennessee 1970-76). Elected 2003

Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee, 1992-2008. Elected 2012.

Additionally, "The SEC record for Hall of Fame players on one active roster is four for the 1938 Tennessee team, which also had a Hall of Fame coach. That season, the Volunteers featured senior end Bowden Wyatt, junior halfback George "Bad News" Cafego, and a pair of sophomore guards, Bob Suffridge and Ed Molinski, coached by Robert Neyland - all on their way to the College Football Hall of Fame."

For those who regard the present as the most competitive period in SEC history, the "1969 and 1970 seasons were the most star-studded in SEC history, at least by Hall of Fame standards, with nine currently enshrined players in the league in those years (plus seven Hall of Fame coaches in 1970)." For Tennessee, HOF members Steve Kiner and Chip Kell, as well as Coach Doug Dickey, were then active.
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One of the best post I have read on here. I had no idea. Thanks!
 
#13
#13
govols105 said:
Neyland, Doug Dickey, and Ed molinski, and joe steffy are the only autographs i don't have from all those on that list.
Click to expand...


Steffy was born in Chattanooga but only played at Tennessee in 1944; he then went to West Point and "played both offense and defense on Army's 1945 and 1946 undefeated teams under coach Earl "Red" Blaik. [He] helped pave the way for Heisman trophy winners Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis . . . and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top lineman in 1947" (Army football great Joe Steffy dies at 85 - ESPN).
 
#15
#15
You are correct. Thanks for the proofreading "catch." Repeat to self: "Never trust a written or online source to be factually accurate, let alone copy and paste excerpts from it, without first proofreading their data." Considering that I cut my eyeteeth on Tennessee football during the Dickey era, I should have caught that egregious error. "1970-76" isn't even correct for his tenure at Florida. Dickey made the mistake of staying at his alma mater until 1978, when he was relieved of his duties.
 
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#16
#16
I'm still just a little bit irked that Willie Gault wasn't selected this year. He was easily one of the more deserving players on the ballot.
 
#17
#17
butchna said:
Bama fans have been menstruating for years over the wait for Derrick Thomas...after seeing the wait time for Reggie White,it seems to be par for the course.
Click to expand...

That would be true Bama fans.....most current Bama fans don't even know who Shaun Alexander is let alone Derrick Thomas.......I'm just saying :dunno:
 
#18
#18
ukvols said:
1970-76 isn't right for Dickey at UT. It was 1964-69, per Wiki.
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Yep. Dickey began his ties with Tennessee as head football coach from 1964-69. His tenure included a 46-15-4 record that took the Vols from mediocrity to national prominence in the late 1960s. Two SEC championships (1967 and 1969) were brought to Knoxville during Dickey's term as head coach and he was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1965 and 1967.
 
#19
#19
Who will be the next vol in the hall of fame.... I say peyton manning....and y isn't al Wilson a hall of famer. I believe he deserves it
 
#20
#20
Bms4880 said:
I'm still just a little bit irked that Willie Gault wasn't selected this year. He was easily one of the more deserving players on the ballot.
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That raises an excellent point for further discussion: Among former players who qualify for admission, who could and who legitimately should be inducted as future members of the College Football Hall of Fame?

Ron Widby. Admittedly, the deck is stacked against punters and placekickers, but Widby was an All-American in both football and basketball in 1966 (UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football). How many players can claim that distinction?

Jackie Walker. A two-time All-American as a linebacker on the 1970 and 1971 teams, Walker ran like the wind and probably was best suited to play safety at the next level. Jackie tallied 11 interceptions, five of which he returned for touchdowns. His "281 interception return yards ranked fourth at the time on Tennessee's all-time chart behind three defensive backs - all his teammates." His candidacy may suffer by comparison to his bigger and more physically imposing teammate, Steve Kiner. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Larry Sievers. Another two-time All-American (1975-1976), Larry's stats suffer by comparison to contemporary receivers, but he had extraordinary hands and phenomenal leaping ability. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Dale Carter. Yet another two-time All-American (1990, 1991), Carter was an outstanding defensive back and an explosive kick returner. In 1990, he "led the nation with 507 yards on 17 returns for an average of 29.82 yards per return. Carter also returned 29 punts for 381 yards, a 13.1-yard average. His senior year, he was one of three final candidates for the Thorpe Award given to the nation's top defensive back." Another strong candidate. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Peyton Manning (1997). Is there any doubt whatsoever that Peyton will enter the HOF in the first year that he is eligible for induction? UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Al Wilson (1998). The heart and soul of our 1998 national championship team, will voters ultimately accord him the same respect that he has earned from our perspective? I don't know. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Big John Henderson (2000, 2001). John Henderson earned "back-to-back All-America honors his junior and senior seasons [at the critically important defensive tackle position]. . . In 2000 - the year Tennessee set a school record for fewest rushing yards allowed with 817 - he won the Outland Trophy, was a Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist and received SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Henderson's 12 sacks during the 2000 campaign [also] ranked third on Tennessee's single-season list." Prognosis: Big John has an excellent chance of making the final cut. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Eric Berry (2008, 2009). A two-time All-American and, perhaps, the most versatile and most outstanding defensive back I have witnessed in 47 years of Big Orange fandom, Eric should be almost as much a foregone conclusion for future HOF induction as Peyton. UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

As you can see, we really should have the pleasure of eventually seeing several new Vol inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
#21
#21
Thanks for making us more aware of the tradition-rich University of Tennessee...who knew. :good!:
GO VOLS!
 
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