Hall of Fame
Position: Halfback
Years: 1928-1929, 1931
Place of Birth: Birmingham, AL
Date of Birth: Sep 15, 1908
Place of Death: Davidson, NC
Date of Death: Jul 12, 1985
Jersey Number: 28
Height: 5-10
Weight: 185
High School: Bristol, VA (Bristol HS)
Tennessee coach Bob Neyland often stood in awe of his prized halfback, Gene McEver, admiring the intensity in the deep-set eyes, the determination of the firm jaw and the competitive spirit reflected in each of those characteristics. McEver was so strong, his teammates called him "The Wild Bull", and indeed the Volunteer halfback literally bulled through enemy defenses. McEver played in 1928, 1929 and 1931; he missed 1930 with a knee injury. As a sophomore in 1928, he returned a kickoff 98 yards, the winning play in a 15-13 victory over Alabama. In 1929, he led the nation in scoring (130 points) and was named All-America. In his three varsity years Tennessee won 27 games, lost none and tied three; all three ties were with Kentucky. The deadlocks with Kentucky haunted him. "I'm still trying to figure out those Wildcat games," he said years later, shaking his head. After graduation, McEver entered the coaching profession. He was assistant coach at Davidson 1932-35, head coach at Davidson 1936-43 and assistant coach at Virginia Tech 1944-47. McEver died July 12, 1985
