For well over half a century, the nation has adored the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Bluetick Coonhound, “Smokey,” on the sidelines of sports events and at many other UT-sponsored occasions. Whether you cheer for the Vols or not, it’s hard to resist the four-legged, lovable stud. Those beautiful brown eyes possess the power to capture and melt the hearts of both devoted fans and feisty rivals alike.

Making his official debut in the fall of 2013, Smokey X is the current live mascot, and he hails from a distinguished line of hounds that date back to 1953. UT actually recognized the Bluetick Coonhound decades before the American Kennel Club (AKC) finally chose to do so in 2009. Prior to football games, he is the central and most celebrated figure in Neyland Stadium, as he leads the team over the orange and white checkerboard end zone and through the giant T. The Saturday home crowd ― and dog-lovers across the U.S. ― can’t get enough of the stunning, muscled specimen.

Back in 1953, the university’s pep club actually hosted a contest for the Vols’ new live mascot. They wanted a hound but told local newspapers to encourage participants to bring something special: “This can't be an ordinary hound. He must be a ‘Houn’ Dog’ in the best sense of the word.” During halftime at a Mississippi State game, fans cheered as the last dog was introduced. “Blue Smokey” actually threw his head back and howled into the air. The stadium went wild for the very vocal Bluetick, and Rev. Bill Brooks soon found himself with the prize-winning entry. Smokey the First had spoken, and UT had discovered its lucky charm as well as the beginning of a bloodline that would yield Dixieland canine delight in the Tennessee family for years to come.

When Smokey X isn’t the center of UT’s world, he’s the center of the Hudson family’s for sure. He spends his days playing in miles of Tennessee land and snuggling up with his owners, Charles and Cindy Hudson, and their children. After Rev. Brooks passed away in 1986, his wife Mildred continued caretaking duties until 1994 when she handed the reins to her brother, the late Earl Hudson who then passed the responsibility to Charles. Thus, the family tradition and Smokey lineage live on ― Big Orange strong. Reportedly, Smokey X jumps with excitement when he sees Charles packing the suitcase for their football weekend outings. This celebrity Bluetick Coonhound is a bold and fun-loving dog on the go, bearing a name that reminds us of both his whimsical coat and the Great Smoky Mountains of good ol’ Rocky Top.