“Running through the T”

University of Tennessee students and fans of “Vol” football already know what we’re about to discuss here.

But for those who are neither, first things first.

“Vol” stands for “volunteer,” a nickname given to UT athletic teams. The name originated from Tennessee’s history of military volunteerism, particularly during the Mexican War of 1846 when Tennessee responded to a call for 2,800 volunteers, but sent over 30,000 volunteers instead. The nickname resurfaced during the Spanish-American War some 50 years later, but not until 1902 was the word used to describe the University of Tennessee team when the Atlanta Constitution referred to the UT team as “The Volunteers” after a win against Georgia Tech. By 1905, local newspapers used the term regularly for the school’s athletic teams (women’s teams at the school are known as the “Lady Volunteers,” or “Lady Vols””).  A tradition was born.

In 1965, another tradition was born, this one because of a change to how the UT football team entered the stadium before a game. Today, it is probably the most famous entrance in college football.

Before 1965, the team simply exited the locker room under the east stands and walked directly onto their nearby bench.  In 1965, however, head coach, Doug Dickey, moved the team’s bench to the west side of the field.

And it wasn’t just to make the players walk further to their bench. No, coach Dickey had something else in mind, something that energized fans before kickoff.

Dickey collaborated with then Pride of the Southland Band Director, Dr. W.J. Julian, to have band members form a giant “T” on the field.  When players entered the stadium, they ran through a “T formed by the 300 band members, a dramatic entrance that took off like a rocket after it was unveiled in game against Army.  “Running through the T” became an integral part of the Tennessee football experience, and now 40 years later, it is a cherished tradition for the students, the alums, and fans of college football.

Our story doesn’t end here. In fact, it actually began in 1953 when the University of Tennessee Pep Club lamented the lack of school spirit. Other schools had an exciting mascot to excite fans, but UT had a torchbearer.  Electrifying it was not.

To shake things up, the Pep Club held a contest to select a live mascot. Various animals were suggested,  the two most common ideas put forward being the Tennessee Walking Horse and a dog breed native to the state, a Bluetick Coonhound.  Despite pressure to choose the horse, the Pep Club unanimously settled on the Bluetick. A statewide contest to pick “the best bluetick “houn’ dawg” was announced in local papers, the call for action mandating that,  “This can’t be an ordinary hound. He must be a ‘Houn’ Dog’ in the best sense of the word.”

In the game against Mississippi State that year, canine finalists lined up during halftime, and each hound was introduced over the loudspeaker. The last dog to be introduced was, “Blue Smokey” belonging to the good Rev. Bill Brooks.  When Smokey’s name was called, he bayed, and when the students cheered, Smokey threw his head back and bayed again.

And again.

Fans were in an enthusiastic frenzy.

And the University of Tennessee had found its mascot.

Rev. Brooks supplied the school with Bluetick Hounds until his death in 1986, and his wife, Mildred, continued the practice until her own passing. In 1994, Mildred’s brother and sister-in-law took over responsibility for Smokey VII, then Smokey VIII, Smokey IX—and now Smokey XI.  Family members continue the family tradition of providing the school with Smokeys.

As an aside, and for anyone wanting to keep track of the Smokey mascots and their period of reign:

  • Blue Smokey, 1953-1954
  • Smokey II, 1955-1963
  • Smokey III, 1964-1977
  • Smokey IV, 1978-1979
  • Smokey V, 1980-1983
  • Smokey VI, 1984-1991
  • Smokey VII, 1992-1994
  • Smokey VIII, 1995-2003
  • Smokey IX, 2004-2012
  • Smokey X, 2013-2022
  • Smokey XI, 2023

We don’t know which year, or which Smokey was the first to lead the University of Tennessee football team through the “T” formation, but it is a fabulous moment. Watch as Smokey X lead things off in 2015:

Here’s what it looks like from the stands (and be sure to watch for Smokey at the 1:04 mark):

There are many places on-line to see more videos of, and about, Smokey, but if you prefer to read, a book was published in 2012, Smokey: The True Stories behind the University of Tennessee’s Beloved Mascot.

Image: Hupert, a Bluetick Coonhound, gazes at the sky; Photo credit:Avondell/iStock

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