Steve DeLong, College Football Hall of Fame Class of 1993

When compared to the vast array of those who stalked the grass, surrounded by the zealous Vols faithful, Steve DeLong accomplished a feat which was unique; he made the Hall of Fame despite the teams he played on compiling a losing record. The reason for this was DeLong was considered the best in the SEC at his position every year he played. He was also elected as the best in UT history at the position for at the program’s century mark, the best the SEC had ever fielded in the first four decades of the conference and won back-to-back First Team All-American while gathering multiple accolades as the best defensive lineman in the nation and finishing in the top 10 of Heisman voting in 1964. As a cherry on top of the amazing cake in the history of Steve DeLong, his son, Keith, would go on to achieve his own First Team All-American season at UT almost 25 years after Steve wrapped up his college career, and only a few years before his enshrinement in the Hall of Fame