1916 Tennessee Volunteers football team

Before the season

Coach Bender came to Tennessee from Kansas State, effectively switching jobs with former Volunteers head coach Zora Clevenger. Bender ran a short punt system. In 1916, football used a one-platoon system in which players played both offense, defense, and special teams. Quarterback Buck Hatcher was a triple-threat.

Schedule

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Game summaries

Tusculum

The season opened with a 33–0 defeat of Tusculum.

Maryville

In the second week of play, Tennessee beat the Maryville Scots 32–0.

Clemson

Clemson, SC

• Sources: Tennessee beat Clemson 14–0, the game remaining 0–0 well into the fourth quarter. Eventually in the fourth, Tennessee drove to the 1-yard line and lost the ball on downs.

The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Shoulders (left guard), Robinson (center), Lowe (right guard), Henderson (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), Luck (quarterback), Emery (left halfback), Shelby (right halfback), A. Hatcher (fullback).

South Carolina

The Volunteers defeated South Carolina 26–0.

Florida

Tampa, FL

• Sources: The Vols blanked the Florida Gators in Tampa 24–0 in the two rivals first-ever meeting. Hatcher's punts were the feature of the contest.

The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Lowe (left guard), Robinson (center), Shoulders (right guard), Hambaugh (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), A. Hatcher (quarterback), Shelby (left halfback), Emory (right halfback), Luck (fullback).

Chattanooga

Tennessee beat Chattanooga 12–7, the most points scored on the Vols all season.

Vanderbilt

Tennessee upset the Vanderbilt Commodores 10–6. Vanderbilt's lone score came on a 70-yard run by Rabbit Curry. Graham Vowell scored the touchdown and Buck Hatcher kicked a field goal. Hatcher regularly outpunted Tom Zerfoss. Both ends, Vowell and Lloyd Wolfe, helped stop Curry.

The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Lowe (left guard), Robinson (center), Henderson (right guard), Hambaugh (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), A. Hatcher (quarterback), Emory (left halfback), Twifford (right halfback), Ring (fullback).

Sewanee

The Volunteers beat the Sewanee Tigers 17–0. Morris Vowell had a 99-yard interception return.

Kentucky

Knoxville, TN

• Sources: The season closed with an upset tie by the Kentucky Wildcats, an account of which reads "Rodes and McIlvain, Kentucky's quarterback and fullback, played a magnificent game and had they received the proper support from their team, would have piled up a large score against Tennessee."

The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Lowe (left guard), Robinson (center), Henderson (right guard), Hambaugh (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), A. Hatcher (quarterback), Emory (left halfback), J. Luck (right halfback), Ring (fullback).

Postseason

The New York Herald ranked quarterback Buck Hatcher as the season's premier punter. Graham Vowell was the season's only unanimous All-Southern selection, and was a third-team All-America selection by Walter Camp.

Personnel

Depth chart

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References

Additional sources

References

1. (August 23, 2014). "1916 Tennessee Football Schedule".
2. (October 1, 1916). "Volunteers start well; Tusculum team unable to cope with Orange and White". The Commercial Appeal.
3. (October 8, 1916). "Maryville beaten 32 to 6 but plays football all the route". The Journal and Tribune.
4. (October 15, 1916). "Tigers succumbed to Tennesseans". The Charlotte News.
5. (October 22, 1916). "Tennessee defeats Carolina in snappy exhibition, 26 to 0". The Journal and Tribune.
6. (October 29, 1916). "Tennessee eleven clearly outclasses that of Florida". The Montgomery Advertiser.
7. (November 5, 1916). "Poor headwork lost for 'Nooga". The Atlanta Journal.
8. (November 12, 1916). "Terrible jolt handed by Vols of old Tennessee". The Atlanta Journal.
9. (November 19, 1916). "Tennessee defeats Sewanee in riot of thrilling runs and pretty punting". The Chattanooga Daily Times.
10. (December 1, 1916). ""Doc" Rodes comes to town, holds Tennessee to tie game and upset". The Knoxville Sentinel.
11. (October 15, 1916). "Tigers Outplayed and Defeated by Tennessee 14 to 0". The Greenville News.
12. (October 29, 1916). "Tennessee 24, Florida 0". Atlanta Constitution.
13. (November 13, 1916). "Defeat of Vandy Was Big Surprise". The Charlotte Observer.
14. (November 15, 1916). "Auburn Has Bulge In Weight And Experience Behind Line". The Tennessean.
15. {{Harvnb. Woodruff. 1928
16. (December 1, 1916). "Kentucky State Outplays Tenn.". Atlanta Constitution.
17. (1917). "[1]". The Record of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.