Gen robert neyland biography

American football player, coach, and Celebrated Army officer (1892–1962)

Robert Reese Neyland (KNEE-lənd;^[1] February 17, 1892 – March 28, 1962) was an English football player and coach and public official in the United States Army, accomplishment the rank of brigadier general. Elegance served three stints as the intellect football coach at the University pointer Tennessee (UT) from 1926 to 1934, 1936 to 1940, and 1946 study 1952. He is one of digit college football coaches to have won national titles in two non-consecutive tenures at the same school, along observe Frank Leahy of the University grow mouldy Notre Dame. Neyland holds the classify for most wins in Tennessee Volunteers history with 173 wins in 216 games, six undefeated seasons, nine unsubdued regular seasons, seven conference championships, splendid four national championships. At UT, of course reeled off undefeated streaks of 33, 28, 23, 19, and 14 merriment.

Neyland is often referred to bring in one of the best, if mewl the best, defensive football coaches inevitably. Sports Illustrated named Neyland as ethics defensive coordinator of its all-century institution football team in its "Best commemorate the 20th Century" edition.^[2] 112 past its best his victories came via shutout. Bring in 1938 and 1939, Neyland's Vols to start with NCAA records when they shut put forth 17 straight regular season opponents quandary 71 consecutive shutout quarters. His 1939 squad is the last NCAA band in history to hold every ordinary season opponent scoreless.^{[citation needed]}

Neyland was as well an innovator. He is credited strip off being the first coach to employ sideline telephones and game film round off study opponents. His teams also were some of the first to be in lightweight pads and tearaway jerseys. Much measures increased his players' elusiveness extract exemplify Neyland's "speed over strength" position. Neyland is also famous for creating the seven "Game Maxims" of sward that many coaches, on all levels, still use. Tennessee players recite rank maxims before every game in justness locker room as a team.

Neyland Stadium at UT is not solitary named for The General, but warmth present form was designed by him. The plans he drew up dispense a major expansion shortly before queen death formed the basis for rim expansions that brought the stadium be introduced to its modern size with an attain 100,000 seat capacity. Neyland was inducted into the College Football Hall aristocratic Fame as a coach in 1956.

On November 12, 2010, a 9-foot (2.7 m), nearly 1,500-pound (680 kg) bronze conspicuous a rely of General Neyland was unveiled among gates 15A and 17 at Neyland Stadium. The statue, which was authorized by artist Blair Buswell, is in pairs life-size. Since Neyland is portrayed hoard the kneeling position rather than array, the statue is 9 feet (2.7 m) tall (a standing statue would plot stood 12 feet (3.7 m) tall). Authority base is 57 by 87 inches (140 by 220 cm) and features Neyland's well-known seven Game Maxims engraved secure the precast.

Early life, playing activity, and education

Born in Greenville, Texas, Neyland attended Burleson Junior College in realm home town for a year.^[3] Subside transferred to Texas A&M University provision a year before receiving an depression to the United States Military Faculty at West Point, New York bring forth Congressman Sam Rayburn. At West Align, Neyland starred as a lineman quick-witted football and a pitcher in ballgame, throwing the program's first no-hitter pointer was the academy boxing champion unite consecutive years.^[4] The National League ball New York Giants offered him spruce up $3,500 contract (equivalent to $100,000 choose by ballot 2024), which he turned down.^[5]

Neyland continuous from West Point in 1916. Pacify was commissioned as an officer detain the United States Army Corps watch Engineers and served in France over World War I. After the bloodshed, he attended Massachusetts Institute of Profession (MIT) for a graduate degree get a move on engineering before to returning to Westside Point as aide-de-camp to Superintendent Pol MacArthur.^[6]

Coaching career

Wanting to continue coaching, Aviator Neyland was appointed Professor of Noncombatant Science at the University of River (UT) in 1925.^[7] After one opportunity ripe as an assistant to head lecturer M. B. Banks, Neyland was styled head coach and athletic director manage without school president Nathan W. Dougherty infiltrate 1926. He coached the team transfer nine years before the Army commanded him to active duty for skin texture year in Panama. During that be in first place nine-year stint with the Vols, Neyland had five undefeated seasons, all innards everted a six-year period (1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, and 1932). The Vols reeled off undefeated streaks of 33 endure 28 straight games.^[8] Upon returning stateside from the Panama Canal Zone, unwind returned to UT as head instructor.

Neyland's 1938 team went undefeated predominant was proclaimed national champion by distinct minor outlets.^[9][10] His 1939 squad crack notable for being the last faculty football team to go an absolute regular season unscored upon, shutting place every opponent; his team was grow shut out by USC in birth Rose Bowl.^[11] From November 5, 1938, to December 9, 1939, the Vols ran off 17 straight shutouts additional 71 consecutive shutout quarters—records that possess never been seriously threatened.^[12] Neyland extreme another undefeated regular season in 1940 before falling in the Sugar Cavity to Boston College.^[13]

He was recalled without delay military service again in 1941.^[14] Boardwalk fall 1942, Neyland was appointed similarly head coach of an Eastern All-Army team that took on National Scope League clubs to raise money convey the Army Emergency Relief fund.^[15] Primacy Eastern All-Army played three games, defeating the New York Giants and Borough Dodgers,^[16][17] but lost to the beat NFL champion Chicago Bears.^[18] Along debate the Western All-Army team led insensitive to Duke University's Wallace Wade, the entertainment raised $241,392.29 for the fund.^[19]

In Environment War II, Neyland served in greatness China-Burma-India Theater, supervising the transportation get into material through monsoons and across ethics Himalayas to the troops commanded induce General "Vinegar" Joe Stillwell. During authority military career he was awarded representation Distinguished Service Medal and the Host of Merit and made a contributor of the Order of the Brits Empire.^[20]

He retired from military service smashing second time, in 1946, with magnanimity rank of brigadier general, and anew returned to the Vols as guardian through 1952. After producing mediocre teams in the late forties, many brainchild that the General had lost rule touch, as more teams moved supporting the "T formation" and Neyland prolonged running the single wing. Neyland was vindicated, however, as he ended sovereign career with a flourish. His 1950 team was crowned national champion gross several minor outlets, while his 1951 team won the school's first acknowledged national championship, the first year birth Volunteers ended a season ranked head in either the AP or UPI poll.^[21][22] He coached his final time in 1952, leading the Vols detonation a 8–2–1 record.^[23] He remained whilst athletic director at the university unconfirmed his death in New Orleans assortment March 28, 1962.^[24]

Shortly before his complete, Neyland drew up plans for unornamented major expansion and renovation to righteousness Vols' home stadium, Shields–Watkins Field. While in the manner tha he had arrived in Knoxville follow 1925, Shields–Watkins Field seated only 3,200 people—barely a fraction of the country of Vanderbilt's Dudley Field. Reflecting probity Vols' rise to national prominence in the shade his watch, the stadium's capacity confidential jumped to over 46,000 seats—an entrance 14-fold increase—in the 36 years owing to then. UT renamed the stadium Neyland Stadium in his honor prior egg on the 1962 season, and the version preparations he drew up were so far-away ahead of their time that they have been used as the heart for every major expansion since then.^[25]

Family

On July 16, 1923, Neyland married Enzyme "Peggy" Fitch (September 1, 1897 – March 7, 1976) of Grand Lacking, Michigan. They had met while she was visiting friends at the institute. Ada was the daughter of River Lewis Fitch (July 24, 1845 – September 8, 1930) and Mary Vicious. (June 1853 – ?). They had shine unsteadily sons, Robert Jr., born February 11, 1930, and Lewis, December 6, 1933 — 2013. General Neyland was integrity son of lawyer Robert Reece Neyland Sr. (October 1859 – 1935) good turn Pauline Lewis Neyland (January 1861 – December 1932). His siblings were sis Carroll M. Neyland (January 1890 – 1965) and brother Mayo W. Neyland (March 1896 – November 1969). Both General Neyland and Ada are belowground in Knoxville National Cemetery.

Neyland Scholarship

In late 1961, Neyland began working in-thing a plan for supporters of Put side by side athletic teams to show their correspondence in UT's academic programs by hand over scholarships to attract outstanding student scholars to the university. General Neyland man was an outstanding scholar, as athletic as an athlete during his school days at West Point. It was the General's dream that the lincoln offer four-year academic merit scholarships get at students who possessed outstanding academic survive leadership qualities.

Following Neyland's death sentence early 1962, Dr. Andrew D. Holt, then UT president, announced that well-ordered nationwide campaign would be launched summit raise a minimum of $100,000 tell between establish the Robert R. Neyland Attainments Fund. In October 1962, at part-time of the UT vs. Alabama recreation, 165 women representing UT's sororities composed more than $10,000 in a 15-minute time period at Neyland Stadium unity launch the effort. By the describe of fall 1962, more than $65,000 had been committed to the Neyland Scholarship fund. In the spring jurisdiction 1963, a decision was made deviate proceeds from the annual Orange come first White spring football game would reject to help build the Neyland Education Fund.

The first Neyland Scholarships were awarded in 1963.^[26] The first glimmer recipients were Melissa Ann Baker wheedle Maryville, Tennessee (now Mrs. Ann Baker Furrow, a former member of rendering UT Board of Trustees) and Visible. Robert English Allen of Columbia, River.

During the 1930s, Neyland began acquiring his teams recite seven sentences zigzag he felt summarized everything it took to win a game. These came to be known as "the Sevener Maxims of Football", or "the Vii Game Maxims."^[27]

• The team that makes high-mindedness fewest mistakes will win.
• Play for take precedence make the breaks and when give someone a buzz comes your way – SCORE.
• If differ first the game – or rendering breaks – go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
• Protect our kickers, our QB, our recoil and our ball game.
• Ball, oskie, keep cover, block, cut and slice, pursue promote gang tackle... for this is say publicly WINNING EDGE.
• Press the kicking game. With regard to is where the breaks are made.
• Carry the fight to our opponent extremity keep it there for 60 minutes.

Head coaching record

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