That's right. The kickoff return was the opening kickoff vs. Alabama in 1928. According to this account, McEver engaged in a prelude to Babe Ruth's "called shot" in 1932:
Dodd's roommate the night before the game was fellow sophomore
McEver, who wasn't scared in the least. As
Babe Ruth would do four years later in the World Series against the
Cubs when he pointed to the bleachers, then hit a home run to that spot,
McEver displayed the same confidence bordering on cockiness.
Referring to himself in the third person, he told Dodd, "If they kick that ball off to ol' Gene, he's gonna run it back for a touchdown."
In the locker room before the game the next day,
McEver told his teammates, "If I get that ball on the kickoff, everybody try to cut down a man. If you can't cut down a man, just move over and let me through."
Sure enough, the
Vols won the toss and elected to receive. As they went to their positions on the field,
Dodd and
McEver shook hands. What happened next remains one of the most memorable plays in
Tennessee football history.
McEver took the kick on the two and behind good interference streaked upfield until he broke into the open. Two
Alabama men snatched at him futilely as he raced to the end zone.
Dodd placekicked the extra point. Just like that
Tennessee led 7-0.
McEver recalled: "After our guys knocked down nine of their guys, I saw two
Alabama players standing in the alley in the middle of the field. They were on about the 50y line. I went right between them, split them in half, bowed my neck and let them have it. That's all I could do. Then I was clear and runnig for the goal lie. I don't even know if anybody gave chase."
Alabama halfback
John Henry Suther recalled: "In one regard,
McEver was like a cannonball, literally rolling over people. Then he was like a bullet, too speedy to catch. ... His run kind of took the zing out of us and gave them a lot of enthusiasm. It was a wild scene that day. The return of the series was big news in both Alabama and Tennessee. I can remember being terribly excited the week of the game. And, of course, I never considered the prospects of us losing." See
Clash of Titans
