93 Days Until Tennessee Football: A Look at the History of the Number

The countdown until the start of the 2020 season continues with our look at the history of number 93.

The 1993 college football season was one of the best welcoming parties a first year coach could ask for. After coaching the first three games of the 1992 season with an interim tag while coach Johnny Majors was out due to a quintuple-bypass heart surgery, Phillip Fulmer took the reins for good in 1993. Under junior quarterback Heath Shuler, the 1993 Vols went 10-2, losing to Florida and then Penn State in the Citrus Bowl. Shuler went on to throw for 2,354 yards with 25 td’s and also went on to win 1993 SEC Player Of The Year and Heisman Runner Up.

 

The number 93

The most famous Vol to wear #93 would have to be defensive lineman Shaun Ellis. Ellis was from Anderson, South Carolina and played his high school football at Anderson High School. Ellis played for the Vols from 1997-99 By the end of his college career, Ellis had totaled 105 tackles, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception which he returned 90 yards for a touchdown. Ellis went on to be chosen 12th overall by the New York Jets in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played there for 11 years, before playing for the Patriots for one season, and then retiring. In the NFL, Ellis totaled 390 tackles, 73.5 sacks, and one interception. 

Emmit Gooden currently sports #93 for the Vols. Gooden is a redshirt senior DT that transferred to Tennessee from Independence Community College. While at I.C.C , Gooden starred in the Netflix hit, Last Chance U. After transferring to the Vols, Gooden played in all 12 games of the 2018 season, totaling 33 tackles. He then suffered a season ending knee injury in fall camp and missed all of the 2019 season. Gooden looks to become a leader on the defensive line for Jeremy Pruitt in 2020.