In 1929 three students, Si Roberts, Joe Ivester and Ray Craig asked permission to start a football team at Powell but Coach Hayworth told them there was no money available for uniforms. It was suggested that they check with the University of Tennessee.
The boys visited the office of retired Army Major, Coach Robert Neyland (he would be promoted to General after World War II). They shared their interest in starting a high school football team and asked if there was anything he could do to help. Neyland gave the boys a dead-pan stare for a few minutes which made them very nervous. He finally smiled and told them they had come to the right place. He had some old equipment he was getting ready to throw away.
The colors of the uniforms were orange and white with black trim, so the colors orange and black was selected as Powell’s team colors.
Front Row: S. Diehl, R. Johnson, W. Ward, S. Roberts, M. Evans, P. Harrell (water boy)
Second Row: R. Ousley, K. Nibert, J. James, R. Craig, B. Bayless, E. France, J. Ivester, A. G. Hayworth