Top 10 single seasons by Tennessee football players of all time

All-American; All-Southern

Here’s a look at the player who first put Tennessee football in the national spotlight. Gene McEver arrived on Rocky Top in 1927 and began playing in 1928, Robert Neyland’s first season on the job. In the process, he immediately made a splash by leading the Vols to a huge win over the Alabama Crimson Tide that year as they went 9-0-1. In 1929, though, he took his play to another level.

McEver set a school record that year with 18 rushing touchdowns, including five rushing touchdowns against the South Carolina Gamecocks, a single-game rushing record that stands to this day. He scored 21 touchdowns overall, and he also hit four extra points. As a result, he scored 130 points overall, which also stands as a school record.

In the process, McEver became the first All-American in UT history. Had there been a Heisman Trophy that year, McEver would likely be the only player in school history to ever actually win the award. He also helped the Vols complete their third straight undefeated season, although it was also their third straight with one tie, as they tied the Kentucky Wildcats.

Still, McEver showed his value by the Vols losing a game in 1930, a season he missed due to a knee injury, before he returned to lead them to another undefeated season in 1931. But 1929 was his standout season, and it’s one of the most amazing individual years for a player during the early period of UT history. To this day, McEver remains one of the program’s biggest legends.