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Tennessee football: Worst head coach hires in program history

By Josh Yourish

Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin calls to his players during the game against Western Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 at Neyland Stadium. The Vols topped the Hilltoppers 63-7 to start the Kiffin era as head coach.Utwky Atb 11995 09
Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin calls to his players during the game against Western Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 at Neyland Stadium. The Vols topped the Hilltoppers 63-7 to start the Kiffin era as head coach.Utwky Atb 11995 09 /
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Gen. Neyland, then UT Athletic Director, sits next to Harvey Robinson, then UT Assistant Athletic director. Both were UT football head coaches in their careers, seen here in June of 1951.Img253
Gen. Neyland, then UT Athletic Director, sits next to Harvey Robinson, then UT Assistant Athletic director. Both were UT football head coaches in their careers, seen here in June of 1951.Img253 /

Obviously, Bob Neyland was a tough act to follow in Knoxville. Neyland gave the job to Harvey Robinson, who he hand-picked to be his replacement. Robinson was not up to the task.

Tennessee was coming off a loss in the Cotton Bowl in Neyland’s final season and a national championship, the year before in 1951. Three of Neyland’s best years came right at the end, but Robinson put on the conductor’s hat and drove the train right off the tracks.

The Volunteers only managed a 6-4-1 record in his first season as head coach, 1953, and things got worse from there. In 1954, Robinson led the Vols to 4-6 and was fired by Neyland.

Neyland called the firing “the hardest thing he’s ever had to do.”

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