Top 10 single seasons by Tennessee football players of all time

All-SEC

There are a couple of players on here who achieved recognition for a season that is not the season they deserved it. Leonard Little is one of those guys. He was an All-American for his elite play in 1997, and while he played great that year, it was more based on hype he generated from how great he played in 1995, when he was robbed of the recognition.

That year, Little joined Tennessee football as a sophomore junior college transfer. He immediately became the superstar of the defense to complement what Peyton Manning was doing on offense. Add in the arrival of freshman Al Wilson and the new hire of defensive coordinator John Chavis, and Little was in the perfect situation.

Playing defensive end that year, Little finished with 62 total tackles. He also forced two fumbles, broke up five passes and had 11 sacks. However, the real story was his 14 tackles for a loss not included in sacks. As a result, Little set a school record for 25 total tackles for a loss, a record that still stands on Rocky Top as they went 11-1 that year and finished ranked No. 2/3 in the nation.

Of course, playing linebacker as an All-American in 1997, Little had 87 tackles, but his splash plays dropped to just eight and a half sacks and 14.5 overall tackles for a loss. Now, his role was different, and UT did win the SEC Championship that year, but he was better individually in 1995. That’s what this season makes the list.