Eugene McEver, College Football Hall of Fame Class of 1954

McEver was also recognized later in life for his contributions to football, entering the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1954. His accomplishments were legendary. He was a three-time Consensus All-American, led the nation in scoring in 1929 with 130 points, and after a blown knee ruined his 1930 season, he still came back with a ferocity in 1931 which took to the air as well as the ground. He scored six touchdowns in two non-conference games to open the 1928 season and returned the opening kickoff for a score against Alabama to lead his team to victory. His three years starting, the Tennessee Volunteers went 27-0-3. All three ties were to Kentucky. McEver went into coaching after graduation, working as a Head Coach from 1936-1947. Considering the success Hall of Fame Coach Robert Neyland had while piloting the Tennessee Volunteers, it took a continued stream of great players. But in describing the first UT player to be enshrined in the CFB College Football Hall of Fame, General Neyland said Gene was “the greatest player I ever coached.”