KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The 1998 Tennessee football season was filled with heroic efforts as the Vols marched their way to winning the national championship.
25 seasons later, WBIR spoke with some of the members of that team as part of our Tennessee Legends series.
One of the key contributors was kicker Jeff Hall.
Vols fans will remember that Hall hit the game-winning kick against Syracuse that lifted UT to a 34-33 win at the Carrier Dome. He also hit the kick in overtime against Florida, which would end up being the deciding points in week two's thrilling 20-17 victory.
Hall told WBIR that lining up for a game-winning kick makes your head want to explode. But he had a sense about himself that he didn't want to let the team or fan base down.
Making those field goals were moments he thought of as a kid. Hall shared with WBIR that when he was nine years old he drew this picture of him dreaming he kicked a game-winning field goal for the Vols. He drew his dad standing under the goalpost.
And that dream came true of him making the field goals.
The game-winning kicks and winning the national title were more than he could have ever asked for.
"My dream as a kid was to be on the field and play," Hall said. "The fact it ended up so much bigger and more unique and more special than I could have ever imagined. I don't know how to describe it. It feels really surreal it all happened that way."
Head coach Phillip Fulmer told Hall before the game-winning kick at Syracuse to make it for Winchester. Winchester, Tennessee is the hometown of both Fulmer and Hall. Hall did it for Winchester and the Vols.
