University of Tennessee Athletics
UT-Chevrolet Living Legends
November 24, 2004 | Football
Nov. 24, 2004
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| Terry Fair |
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| Bill Johnson |
When Tennessee and Kentucky play, whether it's at Neyland Stadium or at Stoll Field or Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, it's throw-out-the-record-book-time and the definite prospect of a pitched battle between the young men in the blue and the orange. It's a border state rivalry with all the accoutrements.
This week's University of Tennessee Chevrolet Living Legends played in the 1950s and the 1990s and each had their impact on the series and on Tennessee football.
A native of Sparta in White County, Bill Johnson played both ways up front in his career from 1955 through 1957, averaging more than 50 minutes per game his senior season. In the 1957 game, he endured a tough struggle up front against Kentucky's Lou Michaels in which he lost four teeth yet somehow survived to play the next week against Vanderbilt.
Johnson was co-captain of the 1957 team which defeated Texas A&M in the Gator Bowl and was an All-America, Academic All-America and All-SEC selection. In 1958, was named a Torchbearer from his senior class.
Terry Fair came to the Vols from Phoenix, Arizona, and was a two-time All-SEC selection as a kick returner and defensive back. He was also an All-SEC freshman selection in 1994.
He is fourth all time in season punt return yardage, ninth in career punt return yardage and second in career punt return average. He had two 86-yard punt returns for scores in the 1996 season, first against UCLA and then against Arkansas.
He was one of three Vols selected in the first round of the NFL draft in 1998, playing from 1998-2001 with the Detroit Lions and in 2002 with the Carolina Panthers before being injured.
Johnson lives in his native Sparta and served the University of Tennessee as a member of the school's Board of Trustees for 21 years. He is now a consultant with Martin Marietta in Raleigh, N.C., in the rock aggregate business with his former college roommate Tommy Bronson. Fair now lives in Phoenix. He is working out and awaiting a call to go back to the NFL.
