1977 Tennessee Volunteers football team

Last updated

1977 Tennessee Volunteers football
Conference Southeastern Conference
Record4–7 (1–5 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Joe Avezzano (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorBobby Roper (1st season)
Captains
  • Pert Jenkins
  • Greg Jones
  • Brent Watson
Home stadium Neyland Stadium
Seasons
  1976
1978  
1977 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Alabama $ 7 0 011 1 0
No. 6 Kentucky 6 0 010 1 0
Auburn 5 1 06 5 0
LSU 4 2 08 4 0
Florida 3 3 06 4 1
Georgia 2 4 05 6 0
Mississippi State 2 4 05 6 0
Ole Miss 3 4 06 5 0
Tennessee 1 5 04 7 0
Vanderbilt 0 6 02 9 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • Kentucky ineligible for SEC championship due to NCAA probation. Mississippi State later forfeited all 1977 wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 Tennessee Volunteers football team (variously "Tennessee", "UT" or the "Vols") represented the University of Tennessee in the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Playing as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the team was led by head coach Johnny Majors, in his first year, and played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. They finished the season with a record of four wins and seven losses (4–7 overall, 1–5 in the SEC).

Contents

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10 California *L 17–2784,421 [1]
September 17 Boston College *
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
W 24–1883,263 [2]
September 24 Auburn
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
L 12–1484,084 [3]
October 1 Oregon State *
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
W 41–1082,865 [4]
October 8 Georgia Tech *
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
L 8–2482,631 [5]
October 15at No. 4 Alabama L 10–2471,000 [6]
October 22at No. 19 Florida L 17–2767,711 [7]
November 5 Memphis State *Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
W 27–1482,573 [8]
November 12vs. Ole Miss L 14–4350,259 [9]
November 19at No. 7 Kentucky L 17–2157,914 [10]
November 26 Vanderbilt
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
W 42–783,146 [11]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

1977 Tennessee Volunteers football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
TE Kyle Aguillard
RB Kelsey Finch
TE Reggie Harper
QB Joe Hough
RB Gary Moore
QB Pat Ryan
QB Jimmy Streater
RB Nate Sumpter
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB Thomas Rowsey
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
P Craig Colquitt
K Jim Gaylor
KR Joe Morgan
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Joe Avezzano Offensive coordinator/offensive line
  • Bill Cox Quarterbacks
  • Bobby Jackson Running backs
  • Bob Harrison Wide receivers
  • Bobby Roper Defensive coordinator/linebackers
  • Jim Dyar Defensive line
  • Robbie Franklin Outside linebacker
  • Joe Madden Defensive backs/assistant head coach

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Roster

Team players drafted into the NFL

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Craig Colquitt Punter376 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jesse TurnbowDefensive tackle8205 Cleveland Browns
Russ WilliamsDefensive back9250 Dallas Cowboys
Brent WatsonTackle10261 Cleveland Browns
Pat Ryan Quarterback11281 New York Jets

References

  1. Schoenfeld, Ed (September 11, 1977). "Cal gives Vols a going over". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Boston College bows to Tenn". The Lowell Sun. September 18, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Auburn rallies by Vols, 14–12". The Selma Times-Journal. September 25, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Vols blitz Beavers 41–10 in Knoxville". The Spokesman-Review. October 2, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Georgia Tech uses flood of mistakes to slap Tennessee". The Commercial Appeal. October 9, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Alabama defense sticks Volunteers in 24–10 victory". The Anniston Star. October 16, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Florida's "I" disposes of Tennessee". St. Petersburg Times. October 23, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Streater's 2 touchdowns lead Tennessee past Memphis St". The Courier-Journal. November 6, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Reb blitzkreig humbles Vols". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 13, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "UK nips tough Tennessee, ends 10–1". The Courier-Journal. November 20, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Vols elude SEC cellar, maul Vanderbilt, 42–7". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. November 27, 1977. Retrieved May 8, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "1978 NFL Draft". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 7, 2012.