All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee basketball: Ranking first five years of Vols coaches who lasted that long

By Caleb Calhoun

ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Rick Barnes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers gives instructions to his team against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the semifinals of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 10, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Rick Barnes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers gives instructions to his team against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the semifinals of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 10, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 11
Next
Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images
Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images /

John Mauer. player. 534. Pick Analysis. 1938-1943. 3. Scouting Report. 78-26 (34-15)

Yearly record

1938-1939: 14-7 (6-5)

1939-1940: 14-7 (7-3)

1940-1941: 17-5 (8-3)

1941-1942: 19-3 (7-1)

  • SEC Tournament Championship

1942-1943: 14-4 (6-3)

  • SEC Tournament Championship

When John Mauer took over, he was replacing Blair Gullion, who was continuing the success that W.H. Britton and even M.B. Banks built. Gullion went 15-6, 17-5 and 15-8, securing Tennessee basketball its first ever regular season conference title in 1936. Simply put, Mauer inherited a solid program, and he was expected to take the Vols to new heights.

To his credit, that’s just what he did. While all the talk at this time surrounded Robert Neyland taking Tennessee football to historic heights, which he did, Mauer had the Vols on a roll. In each of his first three years on the job, the program improved dramatically.

Then, in his fourth and fifth years, the program made history for itself, as the Vols won the SEC Tournament Championship both years. They also finished first in the SEC in 1942, winning the regular season and tournament title. So Mauer captured one regular season title and two tournament titles.

Mauer never failed to have a winning season overall or in the conference, which puts him so high on the list. He continued that success, coaching through 1947, before Emmett Lowery took over. In his eight years, postseason play was available, and he took the program to its first postseason with an NIT berth in 1945, but never making it his first five years is one point against him.

Home/Vols Basketball