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Tennessee football: Ranking 10 Vols coaches from other Power Five schools

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images) /
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Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

Decades before Tennessee football emerged as a national program, the Vols turned to a player who had recently graduated from the Michigan Wolverines to lead them. Now, at this time, Michigan was on the level of the Ivy League schools, so they were in a much more prestigious place than most other Power Five schools.

As a result, it was an easy decision for the Vols to look to a Michigan grad for their fifth head coach. James DePree, though, was no more of a success than anybody else. Having played running back for Michigan as they won back to back national championships in 1903 and 1904, he was an utter failure with the Vols.

Taking over for Sax Crawford, a UT grad, in 1905, DePree went 3-5-1, replicating what Crawford did the year before. But maybe he was just in the process of rebuilding the program. Well it got worse the next year.

In 1906, DePree stumbled to a 1-6-2 record. He was done after that and never became a head coach in football again. Immediately after he was replaced, the Vols went 7-2-1 and 7-2 the next two years. So it’s safe to say they did not miss him.

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