Tennessee will open its 2024 campaign against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium on Aug. 31.

In anticipation of the season opener, VolReport is highlighting a former Vols player whose jersey number matches the amount of days until kickoff.

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With 86 days to go, Tennessee fullback Andy Kozar, who was a member of the Vols' 1951 national championship team, is selected.

Kozar lettered at Tennessee from 1950-52, starting all three seasons at fullback under head coach Robert Neyland where averaged more than five yards per carry in his career and totaled 27 touchdowns and 1,837 yards on 37 carries.

Against No. 3 Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on New Year's Day 1951, Kozar scored two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score that decided a 20-14 Vols' victory. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Kozar earned All-SEC and Second Team All-American honors in 1952.

Kozar joined the U.S. Army in 1953 and had a brief stint professionally with the Chicago Bears.

After earning his master's in 1957 and Ph.D. in 1961 at the University of Michigan, Kozar returned to Knoxville in 1966 and led the Men's Physical Education Program for eight years before becoming a professor at UT for 25 years.

Kozar authored the book, "Football as a War Game --The Annotated Journals of General R.R. Neyland" in 2002.

Kozar is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. He died in 2010 at the age of 79.

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