University of Tennessee Athletics
All-Americans
Roster
Doug Atkins
- Position:
- End
- Year(s) Awarded:
- 1952
- Hometown:
- Humbolt, Tenn.
- High School:
- Humboldt
Doug Atkins is considered by many to be the greatest defensive lineman in football history. Atkins was named All-SEC his last two years with the Vols, in addition to being named All-America in 1952. The Vols went 29-3-1 and were crowned national champions in 1951 with Atkins on defense. After wreaking havoc at Tennessee, Atkins went on to play professionally with Cleveland, Chicago and New Orleans, spending 12 seasons with the Bears as one of the "Monsters of the Midway. He is the only Tennessee player to ever be voted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1985) and the Professional Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1982). He enrolled at Tennessee on a basketball scholarship, but was recruited to play football after General Robert Neyland saw his combination of size and athleticism. Standing at 6 feet 8 inches tall, he often batted passes down at the line of scrimmage and used his skill as a high jumper to leap over blockers.
Career Totals
- Interceptions: 3
- INT Return Yards: 65
- Touchdowns: 1
- Punt Returns: 3
- Punt Return Yards: 31
- Touchdowns: 1
CAREER HONORS
- 1982 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee
- 1985 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
- The only unanimous selection to the SEC All Quarter-Century team
- Selected as the overall SEC Player of the Quarter-Century for the years 1950 to 1975
- Named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team
- NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
- 8x Pro Bowler
- 1952 first-team All-America
- 1952 first-team All-SEC
- 1951 first-team All-SEC
1952
- Earned first-team All-America honors
- Named to the All-SEC first-team by the AP and UPI
- Helped UT to a 8-2-1 record in General Neyland's final season at the helm
- The defense recorded three shutouts, including a 20-0 shutout of No. 18 Alabama
- The Vols shutout Wofford 50-0 and Vanderbilt 46-0
- Intercepted a pass, returning it 35 yards for a touchdown
1951
- Picked off one pass for 23 yards
- Earned Associated Press first-team All-SEC accolades
- Led the Vols to an undefeated 10-0 regular season and a second-straight national title
- Tennessee's defense shutout five opponents in 1951, beginning with shutouts of Mississippi State and Duke to open the season
- Returned a blocked punt six yards for a score
1950
- Intercepted one pass, returning it seven yards
- Helped the Vols to a 11-1 record, which culminated with beating No. 3 Texas in the Cotton Bowl and UT winning its first national title since 1940
- The vaunted Tennessee defense shutout six opponents during the season, including three consecutive shutouts against Ole Miss, Kentucky and Vanderbilt
