The University of Tennessee football program has many long standing traditions, a ton of history, and has stood in existence since 1891. Since then, the program has produced several championship titles, famous coaches and professional football players.
The Volunteers, or Vols, is the nickname for the University of Tennessee, also known as UT. The name is derived from the State of Tennessee's nickname, The Volunteer State. UT is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and their football program didn't win a single game in their inaugural season. The Vols are a part of the NCAA's Division I Southeastern Conference, better known as the SEC.
Neyland Stadium is home to the Volunteers, and has almost as much history as the school's football program. One of the distinguishing features of the field at Neyland Stadium is the orange and white checkerboard pattern of its end zones. The stadium was built in 1921 and was originally known as Shields-Watkins Field; the playing surface still holds this name today. When it first opened, the stadium had a capacity of 3,200. Today, its capacity is 100,000 making Neyland the largest stadium in the southern United States, the fourth largest stadium in the United States, and the seventh largest stadium in the world. In 1962, Shields-Watkins Field was renamed Neyland Stadium in honor of UT's longtime coach Robert Neyland, who passed away that same year.
Robert Neyland coached the UT football program for a total of 21 years, and in that time won four national championship titles along with seven SEC conference championships. Neyland also started the tradition of having players recite what he called the "Seven Game Maxims" before every game; players continue on with that tradition to this day.
Other University of Tennessee football traditions include Smokey, the bluetick coonhound who has been the school's mascot since 1953, the Vol Walk, the Volunteer Navy, and the Pride of the Southland Marching Band. The band is most famous for forming the "T" on the field before games, as well as performing "Rocky Top", UT's unofficial fight song since the 1970s. "Rocky Top" is one of the most recognizable college fight songs, and is also one of the State of Tennessee's seven official state songs. UT's official song is "Down the Field".
The University of Tennessee football program has earned many awards and honors: six national titles won in 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, and 1998, as well as sixteen SEC conference titles. The program has also produced 72 All-Americans, two Professional Football Hall of Fame inductees, and has seen 12 of its former coaches and players enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
Several notable professional football players are former Vols, including quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning was the first overall pick of the 1998 NFL draft, a Super Bowl champion, and is one of only seven UT players to have had their jersey number retired. One of the streets leading up to Neyland Stadium, Peyton Manning Pass, was named after him.
The late Reggie White is another Volunteer who had his jersey number retired. A former defensive lineman, White was an All-American, went on to play football professionally, was inducted into both the College and Professional Football Halls of Fame, and set the UT record for most career sacks, as well as most sacks in a season and game.
NFL players who used to play for the University of Tennessee include wide receiver Peerless Price, former wide receiver Willie Gault, running back Jamal Lewis, tight end Jason Witten, former linebacker Al Wilson, and safety Gibril Wilson.
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