What is the history of the Tennessee Volunteers football team?”
The Tennessee Volunteers football team, is the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), NCAA Division I football team. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference.The Vols have amassed a successful tradition since their beginning in 1891. Their all-time record of 776-327-53 ranks the Vols second on the list of winningest SEC programs, and ninth on the list of all time winningest major college programs, just behind Alabama and ahead of Southern California. They rank third all-time in bowl appearances(tied with USC) and fourth all-time in bowl victories. Their last national championship was in the 1998 college football season. The Vols boast six national titles in their history.The Vols play at historic Neyland Stadium, the second winningest home-field in college football history. Tennessee has won 422 all-time games at Neyland Stadium. That is the second highest win total for any school in the nation at its current home venue. Only Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium (428 wins) h
Nickname The University of Tennessee, as the state’s land grant university, draws the nickname of its athletic teams (Volunteers) from the name most associated with the state. Tennessee acquired its name “The Volunteer State” in the early days of the nineteenth century in the War of 1812. At the request of President James Madison, Gen. Andrew Jackson, later President, mustered 1500 from his home state to fight the Indians and later the British at the Battle of New Orleans. The men never actually fought in battle and Jackson was so frustrated by the inactivity that he marched the men home at his own expense and his determined stance on their behalf earned him the nickname “Old Hickory.” The name became even more prominent in the Mexican War when Gov. Aaron V. Brown issued a call for 2800 men to battle Santa Ana and some 30,000 Tennesseans volunteered. The dragoon uniform (right) worn by Tennessee regulars during that conflict is still seen adorning the color guard at UT athletic events.
On October 15, 1892 The football team defeated Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee by the score of 25–0. Tennessee would compete their first 5 seasons without a coach. In 1899, J. A. Pierce became the first head coach of the team. The team had several coaches with short tenures until Zora G. Clevenger took over in 1911. In 1914, Clevenger lead the Vols to a dominant 9-0 season and their first championship, winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association title. The Vols would again field an undefeated squad in 1916 under coach John R. Bender, but consistency was elusive. In 1921, Shields-Watkins field was built. The new home of the Vols was named after William S. Shields and his wife Alice Watkins Shields, the financial backers of the field. The field had bleachers that could seat 3,200 and had been used for baseball the prior year. In 1922, the team began to wear orange jerseys for the first time.
