Johnny Majors connected historic and modern Tennessee football

No other legend spanned so many eras of the Tennessee football Volunteers.

Note: This is part of a series of posts remembering Johnny Majors and all that he accomplished for Tennessee football as a player and a coach. 

When it comes to telling the story of Tennessee football, there are two distinct parts of its history. The first is the dynasty that existed during the Robert Neyland years and all three of his stints, back when the program ran the single-wing, college football was hyperlocal and southern schools were still segregated.

Then there is the modern era that defines the school. That includes the Vols being fully integrated, running the pro-style offense and enjoying an epic run from 1989 to 2004 in which they made 16 straight bowl games, had 13 straight top 25 finishes, finished in the top 10 eight times and top five four times, won four SEC titles and won a national title.

Only one man truly was a towering figure during both periods of Tennessee football. Johnny Majors, who passed away at age 85 on Wednesday, was recruited by Neyland, which is why he chose the Vols over the Auburn Tigers. He then played under Harvey Robinson and Bowden Wyatt, proteges of Neyland whom he hired as the school’s athletic director.

During that time, Majors thrived in the single-wing as the triple-threat tailback. At the time, teams were moving on to the T-formation, but UT stayed int he single-wing, and Majors kept them from being behind the times in the process. He finished second in the Heisman voting as an All-American in 1956, leading the Vols to a 10-0 regular season record and an SEC title.

That was as a player. As a coach, Majors spent his first three years on Rocky Top’s staff, still helping to oversee the single-wing. Then he left and began his long climb up the coaching ranks, peaking with him leading the Pittsburgh Panthers to national championship in 1976.

One year later, Majors had returned to UT. At that point, the Vols had been nearly 15 years removed from the single-wing. Doug Dickey and Bill Battle began their transitions into the modern-age, as Dickey installed the T, oversaw the program’s integration and began traditions like putting the Power T on the helmet and running through the T.

Battle, meanwhile, oversaw lights being put on at Neyland Stadium to allow for night games, the first African American starting quarterback in the SEC and Rocky Top becoming the unofficial fight song for the Vols. So he put his own stamp on the program.

Because of those things, by the time Majors returned to Knoxville, the program had transitioned away from its old-school style that it was firmly committed to when he played there. However, Tennessee football was behind the times once again. So Majors had more work to do.

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During his 16 years on Rocky Top, Majors brought the Vols fully into the modern era. He installed the pro-style offense with his deep, vertical passing attack, the first in UT history. That became a staple of the program.

In the mid-1980s, Majors hired a slew of different defensive coordinators in Larry Marmie, Ken Donahue and Larry Lacewell, all of whom updated the Vols’ defensive schemes. They began to focus more on blitz packages and a dedication to elite linebackers, culminating with Lacewell installing the 4-3 defense in 1990.

Finally, Majors put a focus on off-the-field necessities, including a heavy recruiting budget so the Vols could go national, elite facilities to attract such recruits and constant stadium expansions. The result was numerous future NFL stars beginning to come to Rocky Top.

By the time Phillip Fulmer in 1992, Tennessee football’s move to the modern era was complete. Only Majors connected the modern-era success of the program to the original success of the program. That is one of the biggest reasons he left behind such an amazing legacy.

For more posts remembering Johnny Majors’ accomplishments on Rocky Top as a player and coach for Tennessee football, please click here.