KNOXVILLE -- Defining moments near his high school and college graduations eventually led Aaron Ausmus to his dream job.
The former University of Tennessee track and field All-American has returned to his alma mater as the director of strength and conditioning.
"Everything kept pointing to this," Ausmus said Thursday evening from his new office inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center's massive weight room. "Now I look back and I realize why. Now it makes a lot more sense."
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Comments » 19
belayvol writes:
Rock on Coach A!
CoachNeyland writes:
What year did we lose Coach Stuckey?... If I'm not mistaken, that's about the time Tennessee football started taking a real nose-dive.
RoadTrip writes:
I love it when the coaches and players want to be here for the long term. Commitment to doing it right. Welcome, Coach!
You mean we are not going to lean on 'em and wonder where they went anymore? Novel thought. Get moving and hit somebody!
the10sevol writes:
does he really have board shoulders, lol?
MattDillon writes:
I look forward to seeing the backs hit the hole with a full head of steam as opposed to tiptoeing across the line of scrimmage dodging piles of o-lineman laying in the backfield
MidTennVol writes:
Coach Neyland, my thoughts exactly.
And if this guy learned to make 'em fast, strong, lean and mean under John Stuckey, then this is nothing but goodness for us.
MAX OUT ON WEIGHT, GUYS, AND THEN MAX WEIGHT AT MAX REPS. MAXING OUT ON WEIGHT MEANS MORE WHEN IT'S THIRD AND GOAL ON THE 2.
The strongest wins.
chargervol writes:
You again. Still whining? I was just on a gator board and alot of their fans were talking about being scared of what the Vols are doing. They are already giving us wins over the gators starting in 2011-2015. You would think their fans would be a little more positive than that. GO VOLS!!!
MidTennVol writes:
Just for the record, if Ausmus indeed was a protege of John Stuckey, here's who Stuckey was and what he did for Tennessee football...
Former Vol strength coach dies
Date created: 4/13/2007 9:02:38 PM
Last updated: 4/13/2007 9:03:41 PM
John Stucky, who as head of Tennessee's strength and conditioning program in the 1990s helped lift Volunteer football to a national championship level, died Thursday night in Springdale, Ark. He was 59.
Stucky officially resigned from his UT position as assistant athletics director for physical development in June 2002 because of continuing medical problems. He came to the Vols in 1994 after stints at Arkansas (twice), Oklahoma State, North Carolina State, Wichita State and Kansas State. It was at Wichita State from 1974-76 that he met and became friends with then fellow-assistant Phillip Fulmer, who later hired Stucky at Tennessee.
"John Stucky was a great man," Fulmer said. "He meant so much to so many people whose lives he touched. He was a man of great Christian faith and he shared that faith with all who would listen. He was a coach who motivated and inspired young men to reach their potential on and off the playing field. "
Under Stucky's leadership -- first as director of athletic fitness from 1994-96 and then as assistant AD -- the Vols compiled an 80-16 record (.833) and won the national championship in 1998. They also captured two Southeastern Conference crowns (1997-98) and three Eastern Division titles in the eight-year span.
In the spring of 2001, Stucky was named one of 10 Master Strength and Conditioning Coaches by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. The title was the highest honor that could be achieved as a strength and conditioning coach.
He also was tabbed national coach of the year in 1996 by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society. Closer to home, Stucky's SEC peers twice picked him as the league's top strength coach.
Stucky, born Feb. 17, 1948, in Moundridge, Kan., was a junior college All-America defensive lineman at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College before advancing to Kansas State and earning All-America honors there as a noseguard. He played at Kansas State from 1968-70 and then played two seasons professionally for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne, and his son, Phillip.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to local chapters of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The UT FCA is located at 406 Union Ave., Knoxville, TN 37902, and checks should be specified to "UT FCA."
panties4tebow writes:
UTWINSALOT with Kiffin & Company.........the trolls know this and fear this, they also wet in their panties from FEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VOLS WILL ROCK YOU...............GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chargervol writes:
Whiney, go over to your gator boards and read them for yourself. If you would stay with your own kind, you would be able to read them for yourself. GO VOLS!!!
chargervol writes:
Go chat with your own kind and find out. It's simple or have you been barred from their sites. Now they are saying how afraid they are of Miami and C. Florida. They're saying after Tebow is gone they will be the fourth best team in the state, and third best team in the SEC East, behind Vols and Dogs. Go see for yourself. If you are a gator fan, you should be able to find the threads yourself. GO VOLS!!!
hotrodvol writes:
Bingo!
MattDillon writes:
Of all the posters on here you are the man.
kiffownsfla writes:
Lmfao your a trip lol! GO VOLS!
blitzshoot writes:
work 'em til they drop
givehim6 writes:
Hope coach A gets are boys chiseled into big orange SEC butt kicking monsters. In a few years when other teams see UT on there schedule fear will sink into there souls.
kiffownsfla writes:
Vol_Robe big bet awards on now make sure to watch it and dont for get to sing and dance lol. GO VOLS!
notoriousBIGorange writes:
Oooooooh, it's so obvious now...you FEAR THE KIFFIN!!
Bloodrunzorange writes:
Good post! I knew many Vol football players during the time Coach Stucky was there and they all respected and feared him. Just look at how many made it to the NFL while Stucky was coach! Go Vols and support CLK!
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