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George Cafego was born on August 13, 1915 in the coal-mining district of Whipple, West Virginia and attended Oak Hill High School in Scarboro WV. After graduation he played football for the University of Tennessee, where he received two All-American honors and was a finalist for the Heisman trophy in 1938 and again in 1939. After a 6-3-1 season in his sophomore year, he led Tennessee to two consecutive undefeated seasons in 1938 and 1939. In 1938, his Tennessee team shutout Oklahoma 17-0, in the Orange Bowl and George was the SEC player of the year. In 1939, his team not only won every game but they did not allow a point to be scored against them during the regular season. George was injured late in the season and watched as Tennessee lost to USC in the Rose Bowl. In his college career, he rushed for 1589 career yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and threw for 550 yards. He also was the punter and returned kick-offs and punts. He was the number one draft choice of the Chicago Cardinals and was the first overall pick in the 1939 NFL Draft, eventually playing for the Brooklyn (football) Dodgers in 1940, before going off to serve in the Army in World War II. In the service he played football for the Newport News Builders in the Dixie League. In 1943, he again played for the Dodgers and was traded to the Washington Redskins, playing in five games before being released. In 1944 he played quarterback for the Boston Yanks and threw for 454 yards and three touchdowns. In 1945 he again played for the Yanks and threw for 149 yards, before retiring. In 1948 he was hired as the backfield coach and Furman and in 1950 he was the head baseball coach at the University of Wyoming. In 1953 and 1954 he became the assistant football coach at the University of Arkansas before returning to coach at Tennessee in 1955. From 1958 thru 1962, he was Tennessee's head coach and then served as assistant coach until he retired in 1984. In 1986 he was hired as a coach for the Denver Broncos and then for the Minnesota Vikings in 1987. George Cafego was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969 and died on February 9, 1998 in Knoxville, TN, at age 82. |
