Bowden Wyatt was a statuesque character. He stood 6’1” and weighed in at titch over 180 pounds. Though he played out of the backfield in high school, General Neyland recognized his speed and versatility, and put him at end. The General was right. Wyatt excelled on the outside, blocking and catching with the best of them. He became a First Team All-American on the 1938 National Championship squad which went undefeated. His official Hall of Fame biography credits him with repeating the honor in 1939 and being a unanimous pick in 1940.
After his playing career, Bowden served in the US military as a lieutenant during World War II, and 16 years as a head coach, including coaching Johnny Majors to a Heisman runner-up position while leading the Volunteers to another National Championship recognition by one outlet. After 16 years of coaching, Wyatt earned his second spot in the Hall of Fame, becoming one of the rare players to join the Hall of Fame as a Player (1972) and a Coach (1997).