Smokey (mascot)

Smokey
Smokey IX
University	University of Tennessee
Conference	SEC
Description	Bluetick Coonhound
First seen	1953
Hall of Fame	2008
Website	http://www.utsports.com/trads/tenn-trads.html

Both Smokeys run in the end zone. Notice that the costumed Smokey has a distinctive orange coat.

Smokey is the mascot of the University of Tennessee sports teams. These teams, named "The Volunteers" and nicknamed "the Vols", use both a live and a costumed version of Smokey.

There is an actual Bluetick Coonhound mascot, Smokey X, who leads the Vols on the field for football games. The Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity cares for the hound on the University of Tennessee campus. There is also a costumed mascot that appears at every Vols game and has won several mascot championships. The costumed Smokey has a female counterpart that appears at the women's athletic events.^[1]

Smokey was selected as the mascot for Tennessee after a student poll in 1953. A contest was held by the Pep Club that year. Their desire was to select a coon hound that was native to Tennessee. At halftime of the Mississippi State game that season, several hounds were introduced for voting. "Blue Smokey", owned by a Rev. Bill Brooks was the last, and howled loudly when introduced. The students cheered and Smokey became the mascot. The most successful of the live dogs was Smokey VIII, who saw a record of 91-22, two SEC titles and one National Championship.^[1]

The mascot has gained fame for competing in national mascot competitions and appearing in the Capital One National Commercials. The live hound has been featured in television news segments.^[1]

Smokey II was dognapped by University of Kentucky students in 1955 and was involved in an incident with the Baylor Bears' mascot Judge at the 1957 Sugar Bowl. Smokey VI was the first dog to make the Volunteer injury report after suffering heat exhaustion in the 1991 game against UCLA. Smokey III compiled a 105-39-5 record and two SEC championships. Smokey VI, who died in 1991, was on the sidelines for three SEC championships. Smokey VIII is the winningest Smokey, having compiled a record of 91-22 (.805), with two SEC titles and the 1998 national championship. Smokey IX began his post at the 2004 Peach Bowl and was retired in 2012. The newest Smokey, Smokey X, started in 2013. ^[2]The costumed mascot made it to the quarterfinals of the 2006 Capital One Mascot Challenge.^[1] The costumed Smokey's body is black, leading to occasional misidentification as the more familiar Black and Tan Coonhound. However, his white blaze firmly identifies him as a bluetick coonhound.^[3]

In 2012 the University of Tennessee Press published a book about Smokey's history, written by Tennessee sports historian Tom Mattingly and Smokey's owner, Earl Hudson.^[4]^[5]

Reigns

DOG	YEARS
Blue Smokey	1953–1954
Smokey II	1955–1964
Smokey III	1965–1977
Smokey IV	1978–1979
Smokey V	1980–1983
Smokey VI	1984–1991
Smokey VII	1992–1994
Smokey VIII	1995–2003
Smokey IX	2004–2012
Smokey X	2013^[6]–present

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Traditions". University of Tennessee Men's Sports. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
↑ http://utdailybeacon.com/news/2012/dec/4/smoke/
↑ "Overall standings". Capitol One Bowl. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
↑ John Shearer, "UT's Mascot Smokey, The Bluetick Hound", The Chattanoogan, October 30, 2012.
↑ "UT's Smokey to 'sign' book about him", Associated Press in San Francisco Chronicle, October 19, 2012.
↑ http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local/downtown-ut/2013/10/04/smokey-celebrates-his-60th-birthday-on-ut-campus/2923901/

2006 University of Tennessee Football Media Guide

Tennessee Volunteers football

Venues	Neyland Stadium (1921–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Alabama: Third Saturday in October Auburn Florida Georgia Kentucky Vanderbilt

Culture & lore	Smokey "Rocky Top" Pride of the Southland Band

People	Head coaches Starting quarterbacks NFL draftees

Seasons	1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

National championship seasons in bold

Tennessee Volunteers basketball

Venues	Alumni Memorial Gym (1934–1958) Stokely Athletic Center (1958–1987) Thompson–Boling Arena (1987–present)

Rivalries	Kentucky

Culture & lore	History Smokey "Rocky Top"

People	Head coaches Retired jerseys

Seasons	1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

Mascots of the Southeastern Conference

Eastern Division	Albert and Alberta (Florida) Hairy Dawg and Uga (Georgia) The Wildcat, Scratch, and Blue (Kentucky) Truman the Tiger (Missouri) Cocky and Sir Big Spur (South Carolina) Smokey (Tennessee) Mr. C (Vanderbilt)

Western Division	Big Al (Alabama) Big Red, Sue E. Pig, Pork Chop, Boss Hog, and Tusk (Arkansas) Aubie (Auburn) Mike the Tiger (LSU) Bully (Mississippi State) Rebel Black Bear (Ole Miss) Reveille (Texas A&M)