VFL Al Wilson to College Football Hall of Fame is ‘Team Honor’

LAS VEGAS – Stories of Al Wilson’s unwavering leadership during his legendary Tennessee football career have echoed on campus and Neyland Stadium for two decades. On Tuesday, an hour before receiving the highest recognition of his volunteer career, he considered his College Football Hall of Fame membership to be the cornerstone of every Wilson leadership story – a team.

Wilson was officially enrolled in the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021 at the annual National Football Foundation Awards dinner at ARIA Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.

“For me, the player means the world has the opportunity to represent my teammates,” he said. “It’s also an emotional thing because it’s a team sport after all. We practice it as a team. I told my teammates that this award has my name, but it represents us as a team. Being part of something like that and being a representative of that (1998) team is one of the most amazing of the feelings I can imagine. It was also humiliating, and I take it with great pride. “

Wilson is the 25th to be enrolled in the College Football Hall of Fame and the first since Peyton Manning in 2017. Of the 25 selected, 21 have been marked as players and four as coaches. The 25 members have the most in the SEC and sixth nationally.

Wilson was unanimous on the first-team All-American in 1998 for a perfect 13-0 Vols team that won the BCS National Championship in the Fiesta Bowl against Florida State. He also directed Tennessee to three other bowls, including consecutive victories at the Citrus Bowl in 1996 and 1997. During his career at Knoxville, Wilson led to the Welsh Southeast Conference Champions (1997, 1998) and the top four. paints (No. 3 in 1995, No. 9 in 1996, No. 7 in 1997 and No. 1 in 1998).

A finalist for the 1998 Nagurski Trophy, the 1998 team captain made 12 tackles and a school-forced three forced brawl in Vols ’victory at No. 1. 6 from Florida that season. At the heart of UT’s defense, the linebacker recorded 77 tackles during an unbeaten campaign despite missing out on three matches due to injury.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Wilson discussed the challenges required to be complete during a period full of adversity.

“When you have a lot of talent on the field, sometimes you run into a head,” he said. “It’s just one of those situations where you have to get everything out of each other. I had the opportunity to play with a lot of friends at the next level. We just found a way to get it done as a unit and as a team. 13-0 reading in college football is very difficult. You just have to find a way to hone it, and we found ways to do it. “

Wilson, a 1999 Senior Bowl participant, ended his brilliant career with 272 tackles. The Jackson, Tennessee, native was admitted to the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Tennessee State Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

Denver Broncos ’first-round selection in the 1999 NFL Draft, Wilson was a five-time Pro Bowl selection when playing for the team from 1999-2006.

2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class

Harris Barton – OT, North Carolina (1983-86)
David Fulcher – DB, Arizona (1983-85)
Rudy Hubbard – Head Coach, Florida A&M (1974-85)
Dan Morgan-LB, Miami (Fla.) (1997-2000)
Carson Palmer – QB, Southern Cal (1998-2002)
Tony Romo – QB, Eastern Illinois (1999-2002)
Kenneth Sims – DT, Texas (1978-81)
CJ Player – RB / KR, Clemson (2006-09)
Darren Sproles – RB, Kansas State (2001-04)
Bob Stoops – Head Coach, Oklahoma (1999-2016)
Aaron Taylor – OT, Notre Dame (1990-93)
Andre Tippett – DE, Iowa (1979-81)
Al Wilson – LB, Tennessee (1995-98)

Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (Membership Year)

Doug Atkins, T (1985)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, coach (2012)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)

Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)

“Al means – I know it was supposed to take a minute and a half – staring at himself.”

Al Wilson’s legendary intensity, as the director of football relations said Scott Altizer.

Al is included @cfbhall tonight at 10pm at ET WatchESPN. pic.twitter.com/0EiOXusegB

– Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 7, 2021