Gene McEver facts for kids
Eugene T. "Gene" McEver (born September 15, 1908 – died July 12, 1985) was a famous American college football player. He was born in Bristol, Virginia. Gene McEver played for the University of Tennessee and was later honored in the Hall of Fame for his amazing skills.
A Star Football Player
Gene McEver was a truly special football player for the University of Tennessee. He played for the team known as the Tennessee Volunteers in 1928, 1929, and 1931. His coach was Robert Neyland, a very famous coach. Gene missed the 1930 season because of a knee injury.
In 1929, Gene had an amazing year! He scored 130 points, which was the most points scored by any college player in the whole country that year. This total helped his team achieve a great 9-0-1 record. That 130-point total is still the record for the most points scored in one season at Tennessee! Gene also holds the record for career points at Tennessee among players who were not kickers.
Gene was the first player from the University of Tennessee to be named an All-American. This means he was considered one of the best college football players in the entire country. He scored a total of 44 touchdowns in his college career, adding up to 276 points. He was chosen for the All-Southern team in 1928, 1929, and 1931, alongside his teammates Bobby Dodd and Herman Hickman. Because of his outstanding playing, Gene McEver was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
Coaching Football
After his playing days, Gene McEver became a football coach. He coached at Davidson College in North Carolina from 1937 to 1943. Later, he also coached the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill team in 1944. He also worked as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech from 1944 to 1947.
