“Buddy” Hackman, a prep star out of Nashville, was one of seven starting second year men on Coach Robert Neyland’s 1928 varsity football team at the University of Tennessee. They were to be nicknamed by sports writers the “Flaming Sophomores.” Joining Hackman in Coach Neyland’s first explosive offensive backfield were classmates and eventual All-Americans Bobby Dodd at quarterback and Gene McEver at tailback. Hackman, playing at wing back, had already established his reputation as part of a freshman team, nicknamed the “Rats,” that had gone 5-0. Against arch rival Vanderbilt, Hackman had scored four touchdowns and lead freshman classmates to a 26-14 thrashing of the Commodores. Hackman went on to letter in football in 1928, 1929 and 1930 and, along with fellow “Flaming Sophomores,” established the Neyland dynasty at Knoxville. Between 1928 and 1929, the Volunteers posted an overall record of 27-1-2 and outscored their opponents by 788 to 101. Tennessee in those seasons was tied twice by Kentucky in 1928 and 1929, and lost only in 1930 to Alabama by a score of 6-18. Without the services of classmate McEver, who missed the entire 1930 season with torn ligaments in his knee, Hackman stepped into the void at tailback and, along with quarterback Dodd, produced much of the offensive punch for the 9-1 Volunteers. Hackman later reflected on Coach Neyland and his years at Tennessee by saying: “We won because we knew we were better prepared than our opponents. Coach Neyland gave us the edge.”
