University of Tennessee Athletics
Vol Fans Paint Jacksonville Orange
January 05, 2015 | Football
By Brian Rice JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
UTSports.com
But Friday was different. The sea of orange as coaches and players walked to the stadium was there. The crowd inside was overwhelmingly in the same color. But this scene played out 549 miles from Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee fans greeted their team outside EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida with enthusiasm and sheer numbers unmatched by other teams for games on their home campuses. Vol Nation took the home field advantage from Neyland and moved it eight hours south.
"It started at the Vol Walk," head coach Butch Jones said of the gathering that greeted his team as the busses pulled up to the stadium. "We say we have the best fans in the country. That was a great illustration with this bowl game. It actually started at the hotel. The energy, I tell you, it started back in Knoxville. Our kids could see it."
The players not only saw it, they felt it.
"When we pulled up, it was just crazy," linebacker Curt Maggitt said. "I honestly believe we have the best fan base throughout college football and even pros, in my opinion. They travel in a collective group. When we pulled up, we actually had to pass a lot of the fans getting in because the line was so long."
Tennessee and stadium officials had prepared for a Vol Walk at the stadium's main gate. But UT fans far exceeded what the stadium was prepared for. Fans began to arrive to claim a spot near gate 1 starting at 10:30 a.m., nearly three hours before the team busses would pull up.
"To see our fans, their turnout, was amazing, especially walking into the stadium, seeing all the thousands of fans that were here to support us in Jacksonville, far from Knoxville," quarterback Joshua Dobbs said. "It definitely felt like a home game for us. We're very thankful for our great fan support."
Exceeding expectations is exactly what Jones has come to expect from Vol fans, and it made a difference in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
"It's special to play football at the University of Tennessee," Jones said. "It also comes with a very high standard and a very high price. We filled the stadium in orange. It means everything to our football program."
The support energized the players, beginning with the Vol Walk, continuing through the thunderous cheers during the pregame "Circle of Life" warm-up tradition and on through the touchdown celebrations and postgame trophy presentation.
"Just to see everyone come out and support, see 80 percent of the stadium orange and cheering the whole game, standing throughout, I'm grateful for them," said Maggitt. "We appreciate them dearly."
Since the fans did their part, Jones was proud his team delivered for them, so they could share in the joy and excitement of the long-awaited bowl victory.
"Our fan base has been outstanding," Jones said. "They've been loyal. They've been nothing but tremendous to me, my family, to this football team ever since our arrival. That's what it's all about.
"They provided some advantage for us in terms of even crowd noise and just energy and excitement. They've been that way all year. I love our fans. They should enjoy this because we win together."
