Mattingly: In memoriam: Ray Nettles

As is usually the case, the statistics on Ray Nettles, the former Vol linebacker (1969-71) who died Sept. 29 in Jacksonville, Fla., don’t tell the whole story.

Nettles, who was an All-SEC selection in 1971 and had 22 total hits in the 1971 Alabama game, brought enthusiasm and energy to the Vol defense, playing with a reckless abandon typical of Vol linebackers of his day. It didn’t take long to figure out that Ray, wearing No. 58 in orange and white, was something special.

Bill Battle, his coach in 1970 and 1971, said Ray “wasn’t afraid of anything.”

Those of us who saw him play know that first-hand.

Ray was part of the “Offensive Defense of 1971,” the year Vol defenders set still existing NCAA records for Most Yards Gained on Interception Returns (782 yards), Highest Average per Interception Returns (31.3, 25 interceptions for 782 yards), and Most Touchdowns off Interception Returns, 7).

During his time as a Vol, Tennessee was 30-5, won the SEC title in 1969, and won two bowl games in 1971, the Sugar Bowl Jan. 1 and the Liberty Bowl Dec. 20.

In 1969, he played behind “Hacksaw” Reynolds and apparently learned a great deal from the legendary Vol All-America linebacker. Once he got his chance in 1970, however, there was no stopping him. There was a great deal of Jack Reynolds in Ray Nettles. Ray was wherever the ball was, generally in a bad humor.

There are two special “Ray Nettles stories.”

In Ray’s day, when a Tennessee defender scored on an interception, punt return, or fumble recovery, he was in far more danger from Ray once he scored than from trying to outrun the opposition on the field.

Ray was usually there to greet him in the end zone, and the result was a pile of players in orange and white celebrating the score. Ray was always there first, and his teammates followed him.

After his final game, the 1971 Liberty Bowl, there was a newspaper picture the next day of Ray celebrating by wearing an Arkansas “Hog Hat,” purloined from an unsuspecting Arkansas fan on the way to the game. Legend has it Ray got it when the team bus was stopped in traffic. All Ray did was reach out the window and take it.

Without asking.

Ray was indeed something special, on the field and off. While he battled his own personal demons much of his life, he had recently said, “I want my story to matter to someone.”

Ray Nettles’ life story definitely “mattered,” to his family, his Tennessee teammates, to those who knew him.

If there’s football in Heaven, one team’s defense just got a lot better.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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