University of Tennessee Athletics
Neyland Era Strong in UT Tradition
September 06, 2007 | Football
By Tony Williams, UT Sports Information
They played a very different game in a very different era. Their experiences both on the field and off were nothing like that of today???s player.
But they are very much a part of Tennessee football.
On most days they are a part of its great history and tradition, but today they have returned to Knoxville and Neyland Stadium to celebrate all they accomplished.
More than 50 players from Gen. Robert Neyland???s last stint as Tennessee???s head coach, 1946-52, will gather for a reunion dinner Friday night and be honored on Shields-Watkins Field before the Southern Miss game Saturday.
???I am excited to be here and doing this,??? said Pat Shires, a halfback from 1950-53 who organized the reunion along with former Neyland-era fullback Gordon Polofsky. ???I think everyone is very excited to be back. For some of them, it has been 30 or 40 years since they have seen everybody.???
After returning from World War II, Neyland put together several great teams, winning two SEC championships (???46 and ???51) and two national championships (???50, ???51) in seven seasons. Neyland coached seven players to All-America honors, including Hank Lauricella, who will be in attendance today. He also led the Vols to four major bowl games, including the 1951 Cotton Bowl, a 20-14 win over Texas (pictured).
Representing the Neyland-era players on the field will be Shires; Polofsky; Jim Haslam, a three-year letterman at tackle and team captain in 1952; and Bob Neyland Jr., son of the coaching legend and letterman at halfback in 1952 and 1953.
Tennessee fans, always aware of their program???s proud and triumphant past, will bestow great praise on the former players. But Shires and company are without a doubt from a different era.
???I lived in the stadium,??? Shires said. ???And at the time, it only held about 23,000 people. We played two games on TV. We won two national championships and didn???t even get rings.???
If they didn???t feel like champions then, they will now.
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