KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee has a proud football program rich in tradition and history, and over the years many great players have played on Rocky Top.
Vols Wire looks at which players wore each jersey number for the Volunteers.
No. 45
The number is retired in honor of tailback Johnny Majors, who played for coaches Harvey Robinson and Bowden Wyatt in Knoxville. The number was officially retired in 2012 and was removed from circulation after 2014.
Majors, who later won a national championship as a coach at Pittsburgh and coached the Vols from 1977-92, played on Rocky Top from 1954-56.
He was a unanimous All-America Selection in 1956. That same year he was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, finishing second to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who played on a 2-8 team.
Majors, who also punted and returned punts and kicks for the Vols, was a prolific running back with a potent throwing arm.
Later, linebacker A.J. Johnson wore No. 45. He’s playing for the Denver Broncos, where he had a solid season in 2019.
All-time players to wear No. 45 at Tennessee:
Jack Whitehead (1939)
Joe Newman (1941)
Arthur Brandau (1942)
Russ Dobelstein (1944-45)
Ronald Schuler (1946)
Ray Elkas (1948-49)
Edwin Morgan (1950-52)
Roger Urbano (1953)
Johnny Majors (1954-1956)
George Canale (1960-62)
Jackie Cotton (1963)
Ron Jarvis (1964-67)
Marty Shuford (1969)
Steve Poole (1973-75)
Carlton Gunn (1979)
Carl Zander (1982-84)
Darrin Miller (1986-87)
Shon Walker (1988-91)
Nick Jester (1993-96)
Jonathan Sweet (1998)
Will Bartholomew (1998-2001)
William Revill (2002-03)
Cory Anderson (2005-06)
Kevin Cooper (2008-10)
A.J. Johnson (2011-14)
Austin Bolen (2011-13)
Joe Stubbs (2014)
*Source: 2019 Tennessee Football Media Guide