Captain Neyland was appointed Professor of Military Science at the University of Tennessee. After one season as an assistant to head coach M. B. Banks, Neyland was named head coach and athletic director by school president Nathan W. Dougherty in 1926. He coached the team for nine years before the Army called him to active duty for one year in Panama. s. Upon returning to Tennessee from the Panama Canal Zone, he returned to UT as head coach.
He was recalled to military service again in 1941. In World War II Neyland served in the China-Burma-India Theater, supervising the transportation of material through monsoons and across the Himalayas to the troops commanded by General “Vinegar” Joe Stillwell. During his military career he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit and made a member of the Order of the British Empire.
He retired from military service a second time, in 1946, with the rank of brigadier general, and again returned to the Volunteers as coach through 1952.
General Neyland Maxim #7: “Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.”