You may not remember it, but there was once a 9-3 Tennessee team that was not ranked by the Associated Press during the entire season. It's all right there in black agate type on page 171 of the "2010 Tennessee Volunteers Football Media Guide."
There were, however, a number of heroes in orange and a great deal of excitement throughout the season.
Coach John Majors said he saw light at the end of the tunnel, even after a 1-2 start.
"For the first time in six years, I see daylight," Majors said. "I know I may sound like a crazy man, but I feel confident we are now building a good program, and I am not going to change my mind one iota."
Reggie White was team captain and dominated the proceedings up front defensively for the Vols, earning All-America honors.
Alan Cockrell was the quarterback, his second year back under center after his freshman year knee surgery. He threw the ball all over the field in a 41-34 win over Alabama at Legion Field in October. His performance included two 80-yard TD passes, one to Lenny Taylor on the Vols' first play from scrimmage after the Tide had taken the game's opening drive in for a score. The other went to Clyde Duncan.
Munford's Johnnie Jones gained 1,161 yards rushing that season, 66 of which came on a memorable run at Legion Field, as dramatic a moment as any Vol fan could imagine. A crowd of 77,237 watched as Jones hit left end, cut back to his right, and etched his way into the series history books. The play, called "49 Option," culminated a 17-point rally from 34-24 down to the eventual 41-34 margin.
Ed Murphey, a Vol fan from Memphis, had told Jones that he would one day score the winning touchdown against Alabama. Jones initially thought that Murphey was just blowing some recruiting smoke, but thought differently after the game.
"After all these years," Jones said, "it looked like he knew what he was talking about. At least that's how it happened that day in Birmingham."
The Vols were coming off a 6-5-1 season that ended on a two-game losing streak, to Vanderbilt (28-21) in the season finale at Nashville and to Iowa (28-22) in the Peach Bowl at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
It also may have not helped that the Vols got off to a 1-2 start, with losses to Pittsburgh (13-3) and Auburn (37-14), sandwiched around a 31-6 win over New Mexico.
After that, the Vols played some pretty good football, defeating The Citadel (45-6), LSU (20-6), and No. 11 Alabama. There was no hangover after the Alabama game, as the Vols found their way down from the clouds to win decisively against Georgia Tech by a 37-3 score.
After a 7-0 win over Rutgers at the Meadowlands, the Vols inexplicably stubbed their collective toes in a Homecoming night loss to Ole Miss, 13-10.
That loss so infuriated one Vol fan that he threw a portable stadium chair at Cockrell as he left the field at the north end.
The team recovered well enough to knock off Kentucky (10-0) and Vanderbilt (34-24).
The Vols trailed 24-20 in the Vanderbilt game, but rallied behind Jones - who had 248 yards rushing - Cockrell, and Duncan for 14 fourth-quarter points.
The Florida Citrus Bowl victory against No. 16 Maryland (30-23) capped the Vols' finest season since 1972 (10-2) with a 9-3 record.
The Vols trailed 20-16 entering the fourth quarter, but Jones, who gained 154 yards on 29 carries, scored twice to give the Vols a hard-earned victory.
In his final collegiate game before moving on to pro baseball, Cockrell threw a 12-yard TD pass to Taylor, part of his 185 yards passing on the night. Fullback Sam Henderson scored on a 19-yard run, with Fuad Reveiz adding a 25-yard field goal. Linebacker Alvin Toles recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.
Fans recalled the 1983 season fondly when the news broke that White had died on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004. Under his leadership and the careful tutelage of defensive coordinator Larry Marmie, the Vols went from worst to first defensively in the SEC.
"Reggie White could turn a football game around like no one else," Majors said. "He could dominate not only the man in front of him, but also the side of the line of scrimmage he was on. People changed their game plan to run to the other side, and he could still make plays. He was a lovable and likable guy with a great sense of humor who was also serious about football and serious about his religious beliefs."
The national media may not have honored the Vols this season, but there were all kinds of memorable moments.
Tom Mattingly is a freelance contributor.
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Comments » 15
voloffaith writes:
Ah yes those walks down memory lane......
allvol32 writes:
I was at the Vanderbilt game that year with my dad. There were a couple of Vandy fans sitting in front of us and I must say they were about the most obnoxious people I've ever been around at a sporting event. These two guys were in the 50s so they weren't kids and should have known better, guess they just weren't raised right.
They were obnoxious and belligerent throughout the game and were irritating everyone within 5 rows.
Vandy did lead for most of the game and these two dudes were acting like the game was already won by Vandy as they taunted everyone around them and said insulting things about our TN team - man it sure was sweet when UT rallied in the 4th quarter and won the game.
Even before the game clock expired those dudes made a beeline for the exit like their asses were on fire as Vol fans jeered them all the way out. I believe that one of these two guys might be related to the Vandy idiot that posts on this site all the time. Nothing like crowing when you've got nothing to crow about - you just irritate those around you like the two Vandy fans did. Poetic justice reigned supreme that day!
TommyJack writes:
Good stuff, Mattingly
volbike writes:
It was no coincidence that 93 was Fulmer's second year back and recruiting was improving and they now had a coach who believed in positive thinking and reinforcement and not demeaning and negative actions. The players now started to enjoy being at UT instead of enduring Johnny.
dvhill100 writes:
I was at the Citrus Bowl and watched them beat MD. Great game, lots of fun.
EarlThePearl writes:
It was probably CantStandSaban and his Beau. At least his team is 1-26 vs UT since that night.
Great memories of that season, Reggie White was in LSU's backfiled the entire game. Hated to see Cockrell leave, but To Rob was pretty good the next year.
volspaws writes:
As a sign of how things have changed since the growth of cable television, I remember that the '83 Alabama game--one of the most memorable in the series--wasn't televised...i also remember that '83 was the year that proved our program was back among the nation's elite...some of Majors' best years followed soon after
Rockytop_Engineer writes:
Drove down from West Point to see the Vols take on Rutgers in the Meadowlands. It was an amazing sight to see so much orange. About the only Rutgers scarlet was on the field. Lots of Vol fans in NJ that day. Johnnie Jones was special.
CrankE writes:
Good stuff. Thanks, Tom.
McMinnVol writes:
Me too. It was my first ever bowl trip. I also managed to sneak in a quick trip to Epcot on the same day of the game. That was before you had to stand in line all day at Disney. I saw most of the attractions at the time. A fun time then - and more similar fun times coming soon.
GO VOLS!
ChrisUTvol writes:
Oh man "his Beau" now that is funny Earl.Good one.LOL
stevefrommemphis writes:
Johnny Jones' run to win the 1983 Alabama game will always be one of the greatest plays in Tennessee football history.
stevefrommemphis writes:
Yeah, in 1992 in Nashville, Johnny's last game as head coach, Tennessee trailed most of the game, and the Vandy fans were giving two Tennessee fans sitting about 6 rows in front of me a lot of grief. One of the UT fans finally turned around and said to the Vandy people: "No, why don't YOU look at the scoreboard. There are 8 minutes left in the game. I'm not worried. Vandy is going to lose. You always do." And of course, Tennessee won.
Sauce writes:
Don't forget Reggie White put Boomer Esiason out the game with a crushing sack in the Citrus Bowl. Reggie- he was a greater person than he was a football player- which says it all.
BigVolFaninSC writes:
My wife and I were newlyweds living in a duplex off of Chapman Hwy. I wanted her to experience a game at Neyland Stadium and I scraped together enough money to buy tickets to the Ole Miss game. It was November and they switched the start time to a night game!...and on top of that a cold front came through and it was freezing! Most smart people stayed home and watched the game on TV, so the stadium was not it's usual loud and impressive crowd! It didn't help matters that the team played poorly and lost a game to an inferior team! Needless to say the wife was NOT impressed and has never watched another game (even on TV) with me! That's the ONLY bad memory of the games I've attended, but unfortunately that game was the wife's only visit to Neyland!
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