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Legendary Tennessee player, coach Johnny Majors has passed away
Published:
Sad news to share from Knoxville as legendary Tennessee player and coach Johnny Majors has passed away at the age of 85.
Majors was a star player for Tennessee between 1954 and 1956, where he earned All-American honors and finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up during his senior season of 1956. Majors infamous lost to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who helped the Fighting Irish to a 2-8 record in 1956.
Following his playing career, Majors began his head coaching career in 1968 at Iowa State before moving on to Pitt in 1973. Majors led Pitt to the 1976 national championship before eventually coming home to lead the Tennessee program starting in 1977 and served as the head coach on Rocky Top until 1992.
During his coaching tenure on Rocky Top, Tennessee went 116-62-8 and led the Volunteers to SEC titles in 1985, 1989 and 1990. After being replaced by Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, Majors went back to coach at Pitt for four seasons before retiring from coaching.
Majors was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
John Majors, 1935-2020.
He led us to our greatest glory and changed Pitt forever.
Thank you, Coach. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/bPs4OEoQXW
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) June 3, 2020
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
