Buddy Cruze was a dominant force in the SEC back in the 1950s, earning All-American honors in 1956.

Sadly, Cruze passed away in Knoxville on Saturday at the age of 84, according to a report by KnoxNews.com. The Knoxville native played for a year at SMU before transferring to Tennessee to finish his stellar college career.

Cruze was also an All-American in football and basketball during his high school days, playing at East High School in Knoxville.

Cruze was a 2007 inductee into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and spent two years in the NFL, playing for the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts.