The dominating 63-37 victory by the University of Tennessee’s football squad over Missouri on November 19th was quite the experience for any Volunteers’ fan. But for UTHSC College of Pharmacy Associate Dean and Professor Dr. Glen E. Farr, it was “one of those once-in-a-lifetime things that you’ll never forget.” A season ticket holder since 1974, and a fan since attending games at the age of 10 with his dad, Farr was an honorary coach for the Vols final home game of the season.
“It was great to meet so many people at such a close level,” Farr said.
After his assistant, Michelle Nower, nominated him last spring, Farr received word as to which game he would attend. Two other honorary coaches who joined him included a member of the Provost’s office and, interestingly enough, a pre-pharmacy student at UTK. The experience started Thursday, November 17, lasted through game day, and included tours of the Thornton Center and Anderson Training Center, Peyton Manning Room Vols locker room, press box, and more. He also participated in coaches meetings and the Vol walk, giving plenty of high fives, and he received his own personalized Nike football with his name on it.
A special treat for Farr was the face-to-face meeting with Coach Butch Jones, Offensive Coordinator Mike Debord, and quarterback Josh Dobbs. “We got a bit of inside information on their game plan when we were right there with them,” Farr said.
But the relationship with the team doesn’t end there. In fact, for the past three years, Dobbs has gone to the school where Farr’s son teaches and his granddaughter attends, and the starting quarterback has read stories at the school every year from his granddaughter’s time in Kindergarten through second grade. “I love it when my granddaughter points at Josh when he’s on TV and says she knows him.”
The Volunteers have been selecting two faculty/staff members and one student to be honorary coaches for the last couple of years. Farr’s term as honorary coach may be over, but he still remains “a Vol for life.”