A Tradition of the Bluetick Coonhound: The History of the University of Tennessee's Mascot, Smokey
Since 1953, the University of Tennessee has been represented by Smokey, a Bluetick Coonhound, as its official mascot. More than just a symbol, Smokey embodies the spirit and tradition of the Volunteers, leading the team onto the field and captivating fans for decades. From the selection process to the individual dogs who have held the title, the story of Smokey is woven into the fabric of the university's athletic history.
The Origin of a Mascot
In 1953, the UT Pep Club sought a live mascot that would resonate with the Volunteer fanbase. After some deliberation, the UT Pep Club settled on a hound as the most appropriate mascot for the Volunteers, narrowly besting the Tennessee Walking Horse. The Pep Club staged a halftime contest at the first game of the season, and contenders vied for the crowd’s applause.
The announcement for the contests had a single requirement: “This can’t be an ordinary hound." The late Rev. W. C. "Bill" Brooks entered his prize-winning bluetick coonhound, "Brooks' Blue Smokey", in the school's contest. At halftime of the Mississippi State game that season, several dogs were lined up on the old cheerleaders' ramp at Shields-Watkins Field for voting. Each dog was introduced over the loudspeaker, and the student body cheered for their favorite. "Blue Smokey" was the last hound introduced. When his name was called, he howled. The students cheered and Smokey threw his head back and howled again. This kept going until the stadium was in an uproar, and the university had found its mascot.
The Lineage of Smokey
Since the original "Brooks' Blue Smokey," there have been eleven official live Smokey mascots, each with their own unique personality and story. For 64 years, plenty of things have happened to the dogs that have taken on the mantle of the most famous dog in Tennessee.
Blue Smokey (1953-1954): "Blue Smokey" would compile a 10-10-1 record during his two seasons as Vols mascot.
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Smokey II (1955-1963): Son of the original Smokey, this mascot replaced his father at the age of three months. Soon after he started his position, he was dognapped by students from the University of Kentucky for eight days, being dressed in a blue and white blanket with a large “K” and strutting him around at a Wildcats pep rally. Smokey's captors returned him just before kickoff. A week later, three Vanderbilt students tried the same heist at the Brooks house, but ended up taking an old hunting dog instead. Smokey II was also involved in an incident with the Baylor Bears' live bear mascot Judge at the 1957 Sugar Bowl, with the bear taking a few swats at the hound.
Smokey IV (1978-1979): This rendition of Smokey only lasted for one season, dying of cancer in 1979.
Smokey V (1980-1983): The fifth incarnation of Smokey was the nephew of the previous Smokey. He assumed the role of mascot on June 1, 1980, when he was just 12-weeks-old, and he would then outgrow five jackets in one season.
Smokey VI (1984-1991): Smokey VI served as mascot and presided over three SEC championships for Tennessee. His owner, the Rev. Bill Brooks, died during Smokey VI's tenure on September 17, 1986, at the age of 81. Brooks' wife, Mildred, then took over in caring for Smokey. During the 1991 UCLA game, the on field temperature rose to a whopping 140 degrees. As a result of the heat, Smokey suffered from heat exhaustion and was placed on the injured player list, showing how key he is to the team. A kennel mate named "Woody" took over for him while he recovered.
Smokey VII (1992-1994): This Smokey had one of the shorter reigns as mascot, but also proved to be one of the more rebellious of the mascots. He was guilty of biting people on two different occasions in 1994, and the victim was a tuba player in the Pride of the Southland band both times.
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Smokey VIII (1995-2003): The most successful Smokey since the live mascot was introduced, he watched the Vols get a record of 91-22, claim two SEC titles and win the 1998 National Championship. He ended his tenure after being diagnosed with a nasal tumor in December 2003, and his last game was the 2004 Peach Bowl in Atlanta. During the 1998 Fiesta Bowl, he almost missed the game due to eating a hotel washcloth. He underwent radiation treatment and then chemotherapy. The expected prognosis, with treatment was 13 months. Smokey VIII more than doubled that at two years, four months. "He served with distinction, weathered storms, cold and heat", recalled Earl Hudson, who owned the dog since it was two months old. "He came through it all real well and was always rearing to go.
Smokey IX (2004-2012): Just like Smokey VII, IX had a tendency to bite; however, he had much better taste, with his victim being an Alabama player during pregame warm-ups in the 2006 game. According to ESPN, the player fell on IX when attempting to catch a pass. The athlete-dog interaction caused a dust-up among the rivals. Alabama said Smokey bit the player but UT say Smokey only nipped, getting a little of the receiver's uniform but not breaking the man's skin. He also took a nip at one of UT's own: running on the field after halftime of the Vols' game against Georgia State, he nipped backup long snapper Matt Giampapa on the hip.
Smokey X (2013-2023): X is the first Smokey not descended from the original bloodline, but he is, instead, the first Smokey from a new bloodline that is born and bred in Tennessee. Smokey X assumed the mascot position at UT in 2013, according to the University of Tennessee. The dog proudly served Rocky Top for a decade, retiring in 2023. During the week, he lived with the Hudson family. As mascot, a primary duty of his was to run through the Pride of the Southerland's "T" ahead of the football team, an honor that Smokey loved. The University of Tennessee cites it as one of Smokey X's favorite hobbies, along with running the end zones after a Vols touchdown. In 2019, the bluetick coonhound was named the official state dog of Tennessee. Smokey X was in attendance at the ceremonial bill signing at the state capitol building, according to the university.
Smokey XI (2024-Present): Smokey X's son, Smokey XI, succeeded him as the official live mascot of UT after the 2023 season. Smokey XI trained with Smokey X during the 2022 football season, slated to take over as the full-time mascot in 2023. However, Smokey XI was still acclimating during the 2023 season and Smokey X filled the role for several games. Smokey XI ran through the T for the first time November 25 against Vanderbilt, accompanied by his father Smokey X. Fans might have noticed, though, that the live mascot is less present than in years past. The young pup selected to replace Smokey X spent the 2024 season with a limited role while he acclimated to the atmosphere of Neyland Stadium, the university told Knox News. This season, Smokey XI has been more present at Vols football games and has not missed running through the "Power T".
The Costumed Smokey
The earliest - unofficial - costumed mascots appeared in the late 1960s. The first official costumed Smokey, in the 1970s, was portrayed by Nancy Nelson Wyszynski, daughter of legendary sportscaster Lindsey Nelson. The costumed human who portrays the Vols’ beloved canine mascot at sports events has undergone many makeovers over the years.
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For most of the ’70s and ’80s, the mascot wore a baggy orange-and-white jumpsuit with long ears, which some fans suggested looked more like a rabbit than a hound. A somewhat more realistic dog costume, with blue body and grey head and gloves, was unveiled at the 1982 UT-Duke game. The costumed version of Smokey made his debut in the 1980s. Until the late 1980s, this costume was designed as a cartoon-like orange and white dog that would occasionally wear a white cowboy hat. Tennessee attempted to create a more realistic looking hound costume in 1982, but the result was panned by the students and this iteration of Smokey was quickly retired. The orange Smokey reigned until 1988, when the university tried once more to redesign Smokey. Smokey's new, more realistic look initially garnered mixed reactions from the Volunteer fanbase, but the redesign quickly became a fan favorite and remains the face of Tennessee athletics to this day. The costumed Smokey's body is black, leading to occasional misidentification as the more familiar Black and Tan Coonhound.
Smokey is occasionally joined by a female counterpart that appears at the women's athletic events. He is joined at most events by his six-year-old little brother, Junior Smokey, who serves as the "kiddie" mascot. Junior typically wears a jersey with the number "1/2" on it.
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