1916 record 8–0–1 (6–0–1 SIAA) Offensive scheme Short Punt Captain Graham Vowell | Head coach John R. Bender Base defense Multiple | |
Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | ||
The 1916 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1916 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. John R. Bender served his first season as head coach of the Volunteers. Because of World War I, Tennessee did not field another varsity squad until 1919.
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The 1916 Vols won eight games and lost none. The only blemish on Tennessee's record was a scoreless draw with Kentucky in the last game; and the Vols won a share of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association title for the second time in three years — sharing the title with Georgia Tech. This season also saw the first homecoming football game in Tennessee football history, hosting rival Vanderbilt, against which Tennessee achieved a then-rare victory..
The New York Herald ranked quarterback Buck Hatcher as the season's premier punter. Captain and end Graham Vowell was the season's only unanimous All-Southern selection, and was a third-team All-America selection by Walter Camp. Next to him on the line was his older brother, Morris Vowell. Next to him was Chink Lowe. At the other end was Lloyd Wolfe.
Before the season
Coach Bender came to Tennessee from Kansas State, effectively switching jobs with former Volunteers head coach Zora G. Clevenger. Bender ran a short punt system. In 1916, football used a one-platoon system in which players played both offense, defense, and special teams. Quarterback Buck Hatcher was a triple-threat.
Florida
The Vols blanked the Florida Gators in Tampa 24–0 in the two rivals first-ever meeting. Hatcher's punts were the feature of the contest.
The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Lowe (left guard), Robinson (center), Shoulders (right guard), Hambaugh (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), A. Hatcher (quarterback), Shelby (left halfback), Emory (right halfback), Luck (fullback).
Chattanooga
Tennessee beat Chattanooga 12–7, the most points scored on the Vols all season.
Vanderbilt
Tennessee upset the Vanderbilt Commodores 10–6. Vanderbilt's lone score came on a 70-yard run by Rabbit Curry. Graham Vowell scored Tennessee's winning touchdown. Buck Hatcher regularly outpunted Tom Zerfoss. Both ends, Vowell and Lloyd Wolfe, helped stop Curry.
The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Lowe (left guard), Robinson (center), Henderson (right guard), Hambaugh (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), A. Hatcher (quarterback), Emory (left halfback), Twifford (right halfback), Ring (fullback).
Sewanee
The Volunteers beat the Sewanee Tigers 17–0. Morris Vowell had a 99-yard interception return.
Kentucky
The season closed with an upset tie by the Kentucky Wildcats, an account of which reads "Rodes and McIlvain, Kentucky's quarterback and fullback, played a magnificent game and had they received the proper support from their team, would have piled up a large score against Tennessee."
The starting lineup was G. Vowell (left end), M. Vowell (left tackle), Lowe (left guard), Robinson (center), Henderson (right guard), Hambaugh (right tackle), Wolfe (right end), A. Hatcher (quarterback), Emory (left halfback), J. Luck (right halfback), Ring (fullback).
Postseason
The New York Herald ranked quarterback Buck Hatcher as the season's premier punter. Graham Vowell was the season's only unanimous All-Southern selection, and was a third-team All-America selection by Walter Camp.