Sad news to report out of Tennessee, where a former Tennessee All-American lineman has passed away.
Per a release from the Vols, Bill Johnson — who played on the undefeated 1956 squad that went 10-0 and finished ranked No. 2 nationally — died at the age of 84 in Sparta, Tennessee.
The release notes that Johnson started in 1956 and 1957 at guard under coach Bowden Wyatt:
Johnson, a three-year letter-winner for the Vols, helped usher in the Bowden Wyatt coaching era with three consecutive winning seasons and a SEC Championship. After a 6-3-1 season in 1955, Johnson was Wyatt’s starting guard in 1956 and 1957. The lineman helped vault Tennessee into the national spotlight during his junior year as the Vols finished a perfect 10-0 in the regular season and were crowned SEC champions before finishing the year ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Johnson was an All-American in 1957 and also earned Academic All-America honors that year.
He was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. He is survived by his wife and 3 daughters.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
