Remembering 1985 a Magical Season

One of the most exciting times of the year for college football fans is just before two-a-days start in August. Every team starts off with no losses and everyone dreams of that special season.

The season that garners national respect and the season that will be remembered for many years to come. Oh, and sometimes dreams of a national championship. Fans are optimistic and eager to get the season started. This year is certainly different and in many ways strange to me. For the first time since I can remember, the Tennessee football team will start off a new season with a totally new coaching staff and a fresh set of ideas.  

Of course every pre-season is different for various reasons. The previous team’s record, returning starters, the incoming freshman and the coaching staff’s attitude toward the upcoming season plays a big part in the fans perception and expectations.  

I remember as a fifteen year old looking forward to the 1985 football season. It had been a long time since the Vols had won a conference championship let a lone a national title. I was just looking for maybe a eight win season and that would have been good enough for me. I didn’t expect a conference title, and I certainly didn’t expect to see the Vols finish the year ranked fourth in the country.  

1985 will always be special to me. Not for what they accomplished but for how they accomplished it. That team displayed a team unity that is rarely seen, and it boasted very few stars. Tony Robinson looked like the best passer in the country to me, and Tim McGee is still the best receiver in Tennessee history in my opinion. Oh, and who can forget Dale Jones? He will always be my favorite player no matter what.  

I was sitting with my father in the north end zone on September 14, 1985 when UCLA came to town for game one. After Gaston Green opened the scoring with a long TD run in the first quarter, the Vols took over the game in a way I had not seen in years against a quality opponent such as UCLA. The Tony Robinson to Tim McGee show was incredible and the defense seemed to just gain in confidence as they stifled the UCLA offense. The excitement in Neyland stadium was evident that day as fans seemed to sense that this Tennessee team might just be something really special. It was what Vol fans had been hoping to see ever since Johnny Majors came home in 1977. 

Needless to say, the fourth quarter was one of the most disappointing fifteen minutes I’ve ever witnessed at Neyland Stadium, but regardless of the outcome, a 26-26 tie, all of us who were there knew we had seen something special. From that moment on I saw that team from a different perspective.  

We all knew coming into the season that Tony Robinson and Tim McGee were dynamite players, but I'm not sure if anyone expected them to be as good as they turned out to be.

Two weeks later Auburn found out just how good they were. The #1 ranked Tigers rolled into town with Heisman candidate Bo Jackson for another nationally televised game on ABC.   Sports Illustrated was in town that weekend to do a spread on Bo Jackson, but after the 38-20 rout by Tennessee they decided to go with a piece on Tony Robinson and the cover read “The Tennessee Waltz”.

For me, this was as big as it gets. The Vols were the talk of the nation and Tennessee football was not just a regional story anymore.

A lack-luster victory over Wake Forest came next and then a close loss at Florida followed, but the game of the season was next. The third Saturday in October was the pivotal game of that season in my opinion if the Vols were truly going to make a run at the SEC Championship.

A good game turned into a great game in the fourth quarter as the Vol defense finally decided to display some heroes of its own. After Tony Robinson was injured on the first play of the fourth quarter, the defensive team knew that they had to win this one if they were going to leave Legion Field victorious.  

Who could forget the unbelievable interception by Dale Jones that thwarted an Alabama drive that would have given the Crimson Tide the lead? There was also a fourth down stand at mid-field that took precious time off the clock. Time and time again the Crimson Tide had the ball with a chance to take the lead, but the Tennessee defense refused to give an inch and the Vols walked away victorious by a score of 16-14.

I can still see the locker room scene that ensued as the Vol defensive players gave the game ball to defensive coordinator Ken Donahue.  

The Vols tied Georgia Tech the next week, but Daryl Dickey gained valuable experience that helped him establish himself as the new Vol signal caller. Tim McGee told the coaches that a conservative game plan would not get the job done. He asked the coaches to run the offense that had been put in for Tony Robinson, and when the coaches agreed the offense played brilliantly down the stretch.

The Vols won a hard fought battle with Memphis and then torched Rutgers, Mississippi and Kentucky. Now sitting at 4-1 in the conference they were one win away from Tennessee’s first SEC championship since 1969. I remember attending that game against Vanderbilt that day with my Dad and I can still remember the atmosphere like it was yesterday.  

A record crowd of 97,371 witnessed a 30-0 rout of the Commodores and finally Tennessee was a champion again. That was a special day to a fifteen year old that was witnessing something happen for the first time in person. I remember the salute to outgoing Athletic Director Bob Woodruff at halftime and the post game celebration by the team that took place on the field following the game. It was day I will never forget as a Vol fan.  

As good as the season had been, I don’t think anyone other than Bill Anderson, and Ken Donahue expected to see what we saw in New Orleans on January 1, 1986.  Miami was no match for the Vols that day as Tennessee defeated the Hurricanes 35-7.  

Even with Tony Robinson at quarterback I still don’t think I would have expected a Vol victory, and I certainly would not have predicted that the game be such a rout. That was a proud day in UT history and one that is still special to many Vol fans today.  That year was filled with unknown players who became heroes. Jeff Powell, a little-know tailback ran for over 100 yards against the Hurricanes and to this day still has one of the biggest runs in Vol history. His 60-yard touchdown run against Miami was the one that sealed the deal that day as the Vols took a commanding 28-7 lead in the third quarter.  

Daryl Dickey, son of the newly named Athletic Director Doug Dickey led the team like he had been doing it all along. Mark Hovanic became a huge inspirational leader on defense. Names like Charles Davis, Kelly Zielger, Andre Creamer, Chris White and Eric Swanson also come to mind.  

The quote that summed up the season in my opinion was by All-American safety Chris White. He said "When no one cares who gets the credit then you have a chance to be great." He was exactly right, that was a great team, it was great because each player played for the T on the side of the helmet.

Who knows what this season holds in store, but as of right now we can all dream of another magical season on Rocky top.