The Big Orange Tipoff Club will be hard-pressed to surpass Wednesday’s program.
New Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin was the featured speaker. Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt, who won her 1,000th game last week; UT basketball coach Bruce Pearl; and UT athletic director Mike Hamilton also addressed the group at its weekly luncheon.
Not all of the sports celebrities were on the dais. Former UT football coach John Majors was in the crowd. And Hamilton made sure that the fans knew about it.
Hamilton said UT was pushing Majors for the College Football Hall of Fame — as a coach.
Majors, who was an All-American single-wing tailback for the Vols in the 1950s, already has made the College Football Hall of Fame as a player. Only three people have been inducted as both a player and coach, and two of them have UT connections, Hamilton said.
Amos Alonzo Stagg, Bobby Dodd and Bowden Wyatt have been inducted as players and coaches.
Bowden was an All-American end at UT, where he was later a head coach. Dodd was an All-American quarterback at UT and later had a successful career as Georgia Tech’s head coach.
Majors has outstanding credentials as a coach as well as a player. He rebuilt three programs, including UT’s.
While Majors won three SEC titles at UT, he is better known nationally for what he did at Pittsburgh, which had one of the worst programs in the country when Majors took over in 1973. In his fourth season at Pitt, Majors led the Panthers to an unbeaten season and national championship.
Majors also turned heads by turning Iowa State into a winning program prior to his arrival at Pitt. Majors’ 1971 Iowa State team lost only three regular-season games — to the top three teams in the country (Nebraska, Oklahoma and Colorado).
Majors’ time at Iowa State connects him with the new football regime at UT. Monte Kiffin, who is the defensive coordinator at UT, was a defensive coach at Nebraska when Majors was the head coach at Iowa State.
“We made a lot of calls to him when we went to Pittsburgh,” said Majors, who wanted Kiffin’s insight on the “50 eagle” defense. Majors said he later tried to hire Kiffin as his defensive coordinator at UT, but Kiffin took an NFL job instead.
“He’s a great coach and motivator,” Majors said.
The College Football Hall of Fame's veteran committee selects the inductees. The players and coaches are inducted in December at a banquet in New York, then enshrined in July at the Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.
Sports@knoxnews.com.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 67
Volchaz writes:
I love the Kiffin/Majors connection...Bring him back as a Grad Assistant...
RoyaltyVol#280778 writes:
He deserves it. Majors got UT football back on track!
Bloodrunzorange writes:
Majors is the MAN! Good stuff! He deserves it!
volongulf writes:
Majors did raise the Vols a few rungs on the ladder. Hopefully his work at Pitt will carry his ballot.
Psychovol writes:
Now that Fulmer is gone the healing can begin.
jobrando#216494 writes:
This is great. What has happen to KNS. One positive story after another.
tnbigg writes:
Well said.
Volchaz writes:
I know it, they must have run out of negative articles..
TD_4_UT writes:
I wonder if Hamilton offered Majors office space?
steelers6rings writes:
Rumor has it he did and it has a "smoke nachine" and a "popcorn maker" in it !!!
tnbigg writes:
When a hallowed place that had become contaminated by vermin is finally cleansed, the truth of what the hallowed place really was begins to be seen again.
dwolfcreek#397971 writes:
FIRE FULMER AGAIN , RUN HIS BUTT OUT OF TENN.
ggriggs939#223122 writes:
Ironical isn't it?
Majors proposed for the hall of fame by UT where he did not start to win until after he hired Phillip Fulmer who recruited the players that got a winning program started.
matrosscbc writes:
Does anybody remember the griping about Majors like i do....we use to say..."this should be Phillip Fulmers Team"......Remember!!!
OrangePossum writes:
JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME ONE MORE TIME!!
IdahoVol writes:
Glad to hear it. I have been going to the Big Orange Caravan in Memphis since the beginning. Majors always made it a point to work his way around and talk to everyone - my buddy and I even had lunch with him, and we were just out of college so we were not big money boosters. (Can't say the same for Fulmer.) Say what you want - he was the head coach when guys like Reggie, Dale Jones, and others came through. Go Johnny Go!
drum45 writes:
No one deserves it more!!!
huntined#565710 writes:
NC at PITT may get him in..but a few months ago he was bitter toward Tenn program. Or it was against Fulmer.
newtonrail writes:
Amen, and maybe Hamilton will finally amend the criteria for a college number retirement to what it should be, so No. 45 can be displayed with 7 other retired numbers. Johnny won every where he was, and the recruiting coordinator in 1982 when we started a four year run over Alabama was not Philip Fulmer. I could say a lot more but I won't. Fulmer's gone, and it's time to heal this rift.
DennisVols writes:
Picture this: Majors getting inducted into the College Football Hall and Fulmer is the key note speaker doing the introducing Majors.
All is good.
Go Vols!!!
CrankE writes:
"UT pushing to get Majors in Hall as coach."
For a second there, I thought they were going to give him some office space in The Hecktaon like they did for Fulmer.
smokymtman writes:
Yeah, let's honor the drunk!
TommyJack writes:
Too bad there's no way to check I.D.'s on here.
DennisVols writes:
Or I.Q.s my friend. LOL
gbeejr#1354500 writes:
I'm old enough to remember Johnny Majors as a player and obviously as a coach. I liked him better as a player and for that he has received his just due from UT. As a coach, he was pretty good (the unlimited # of scholarships was heaven-sent for him), but against Alabama he was the pits. Undoubtedly the absolute worse coach in American when playing Alabama. His game plan was to draw up in some kind of shell on both sides of the ball and hope Alabama would beat themselves. Otherwise, go Johnny go.
Volumni writes:
I still say the 85-86 team that thumped Vinnie and the Thugs was our best. They would have beaten the NC team IMO.
volfan_brian writes:
Why? So he can go on Paul Slimeball's radio show and talk about it?
He is a bammer as far as I am concerned!
budd#207344 writes:
I am really starting to wonder about this fan base. It constantly spends its time denigrating its own history. Whether it is the battle of Phil knifed Johnny or what a loudmouth the new guy is all you ever hear on this site is arguing. Do you people eat your young as well? Why can't we honor coaches who have given us great results and enjoy roasting alabammer trash and Gator turds? We spend more time alienating each other than anythihg else. No wonder the interlopers come here . This is as good as Christians and Lions. Grow up
robe5832#393917 writes:
Keep in mind that Bill Battle, who preceded Majors at UT, never had a losing season. In Majors' first 4 seasons at UT, the W/L records were: 1977: 4-7; 1978: 5-5-1; 1979: 7-5; 1980: 5-6. How could he have rebuilt a program when he took over from someone who never had a losing record? And, to top it off, he only won the SEC in both 1985 and 1990 because Florida finished first and was on probation. So, the other conference title in 1989 was shared with Alabama and one other team, and Alabama drilled UT that year. I for one was glad when Fulmer took over. Fulmer took us to new heights after Majors departed, although hopefully Kiffin can do the same for us.
It would also be interesting to see what Majors's SEC winning percentage was if you took out the easy games each year against Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Candy. I would bet it was sub-.500.
spencer1989#206886 writes:
Not that I am going to defend or slam Majors or Fulmer.....But how many teams do you think would have played in the NC BCS game over his (Fulmer) career (prior to 1998)? We know how many since then. BTW, the question is just food for thought.
Voluvr writes:
Johnny might of had a drink from time to time like anyone, but he wasn't near the drinker that Bear Bryant was.
When I was there (as student) in late 70's he passed me everyday jogging not crawling. So, pay him a little respect.
He's a man that has accomplished far more than most of you criticizing yahoos. People that call him a drunk are only parroting other goof offs.
Voluvr writes:
I did love when Johnny would coach the game film on the Johnny Show, "get him," "get him," ...classic.
Voluvr writes:
btw a great station to listen to while blogging is knoxville talk station The Sports Animal @
http://www.sportsanimal99.com/Article...
murrayvol writes:
Ain't it the truth?
murrayvol writes:
Have you met your deadline?
murrayvol writes:
Nobody's perfect including Johnny. He was my first sports hero at age 9. You don't get over that stuff.
I hope he makes it because he deserves it. To have 3 of 4 player/coach members with UT connections would be special.
Go4Two writes:
Loved the 85 team but they were not better than the NC team. 13-0 says it all
FLVol writes:
I don't agree with that. He did win a national title with Pitt with a very good team but by the end of his time at UT 1989, 1990, and 1991 UT was a top 5 program. His longevity and the fact that he as also a UT player should be considered.
TommyJack writes:
NO reason he shouldn't be in Hall.
BigDaddyVol writes:
The year Johnny came in second in the Hiesman he lead his team in passing, rushing, punting and return yards. I think they got close to winning it all that year. Can anyone confirm? I also remember people calling him up the middle Johnny when he was coaching. Putt Johnny in the hall he is a legend.Go Vols
Urbiewerecomingtogetyou writes:
?
tnbigg writes:
Hey Bro'! Glad to see you back!
StroVol writes:
When the "Bionic Man" Lee Yeary changes his name to "Majors" because of a stud half back at UT. Probably should be considered HOFer
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
couple points;
--Johnny was on his last legs as a coach when Fulmer pushed him out. His routine was stale, and his focus was lacking.
--Phil was on this last legs as a coach when Hamilton pushed hime out. His routine was stale, and his focus was lacking.
Johnny raised UT to a 'fun' level nationally; you could count on the Vols to be exciting most seasons. Phil firmed things up, got us an NC, would have had mroe excdpt for Spurrier during the 1990's and the blown LSU SEC Champ game.
I don't think it's fair to hate Phil; he did a lot of great things here to gorw the program. Whether you like it or no, a LOT of the SEC is built on Phil's model: recruit speed at every position, aggressive defense, and power running. Not all teams do it well, but most try.
Finally, Johnny is deserving to be a HOF coach. Phil will be too, I can gaurantee you that. His winning percentage in the toughest conference in the land is impressive, as is winning an NC at a school that gets there, what, once every 50 years??
volmattna writes:
You wouldn know! Gators didnt have a football team until mid 90s
smowkee (Inactive) writes:
You just continue to show how big of an arrogant idiot you are...
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
yeah, actually he wa a good college player. don't talk about things that are above you.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
shut up.
bkgunter writes:
Fulmer has an office on campus.
t_johnson3#219924 writes:
Thank you great points.
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