Seivers on 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
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Tennessee wide receiver Larry Seivers celebrates after catching the game-winning two-point conversion from Condredge Holloway against Clemson in 1974. - University of Tennessee Athletics
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Larry Seivers (left) was a Clinton Dragons football and basketball standout. In 2013, he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. - University of Tennessee Athletics
Larry Seivers isn’t one who seeks personal recognition.
But he’s on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Seivers has been up for induction multiple times, and the only reason he ever found out was because he received a phone call from his former coach, Bill Battle.
“I didn’t even know I was on there until Coach Battle called me,” said Seivers, a former Clinton High School star who also played basketball for the Dragons who went on to have a stellar college football career at the University of Tennessee. “I think he has something to do with that.
“I’ve heard that after 50 years, you’re not on the ballot, so I’ve probably got two or three more (years) left. If I make it, great, if I don’t that’s fine with me. Personal recognition has never meant that much to me.”
Seivers may not be looking for attention for himself, but he said a College Football Hall of Fame induction would mean something for the Vols and Clinton High School.
“It would bring recognition to Tennessee and it would bring recognition to Clinton and that’s great,” he said in a phone interview from North Carolina. “I’m 70 years old now, I’m healthy and I work full time and I can go on a weekend trip to North Carolina.”
Seivers, two-time All-SEC performer and two-time consensus All-American for the Vols, played at Tennessee from 1974-76 under Battle.
He was a team captain for the Big Orange in 1976. The previous season, Seivers became the first UT receiver to eclipse 800 receiving yards in a single season.
During his senior season at Tennessee, he had 51 receptions and amassed 737 yards, and averaged 14.5 yards per catch.
In 1974, he scored the lone touchdown in Tennessee’s 7-3 victory against Maryland in the Liberty Bowl, catching a touchdown pass from backup quarterback Randy Wallace with 2 minutes, 38 seconds remaining, culminating the Vols’ comeback win.
He left UT with 117 career receptions and a total of 1,924 yards. He was a fourth-round NFL draft pick, but never played a regular-season game.“
“Clinton is a great place,” Seivers said. “They have great fans, and a lot of those fans followed me during college.”
Seivers is one of four players with UT ties on the 2025 ballot. Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel is on the ballot for the fifth consecutive year.
He led Oklahoma to a national championship as a quarterback in 2000, and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy that season.
Willie Gault, a wide receiver and kick returner for the Vols during the 1980s, is on the ballot, along with former Vol defensive lineman John Henderson, who
is up for induction for the first time.
