Keenan Thomas
You've seen him, you love him, and − for the first time ever − you can know his true identity. The person inside the furry, lovable mascot version of Smokey has finally been revealed by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
The student identities of the bluetick coonhound mascot have been secret ... until now. Meet Connor Solsbee, one of the students behind the mask, who has played Smokey for the past three and a half years.
There’s a “handful” of people behind Smokey, but Solsbee didn’t reveal a number to keep the “magic alive” for fans.
“Between all of the sports and appearances, it takes a village,” he told Knox News.
Solsbee was on hand to rally the Vols crowd during the pivotal "Third Saturday in October" victory over Alabama in 2022, and he was there in Omaha when the Tennessee baseball team won its first College World Series. He even appeared in a wedding and performed in a commercial as Smokey, in addition to showing up in costume to campus events.
But who is Connor Solsbee?
Connor Solsbee revealed as Smokey mascot at University of Tennessee
Solsbee is a graduating student earning a degree in biomedical engineering. The Etowah, Tennessee, native has always shared a connection to campus sports with his dad, and UT was always on his radar.
Solsbee was diagnosed at 16 with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma blood cancer that targets immune cells that fight infections. He was treated at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, a transformative experience that instilled in him the desire to help others.
“That experience shaped me,” Solsbee told Torchbearer, UT's magazine. “But with that I also kind of got a window into the medical field. And, you know, by the grace of God, I’m still here today, and I’m better than ever.”
After beating cancer, Solsbee arrived at UT in 2021.
After being told he'd be a great candidate for his high school mascot, Solsbee was encouraged by his new UT friends to give Smokey a try. The Spirit Program advertised an interest clinic. He attended the tryout and got the job.
Ever since, he's donned Smokey's mascot head and uniform, attending three practices and workouts a week. He has designed props and spectacles to complement the on-field athletic displays.
But Solsbee told Torchbearer it's things like visiting nursing homes and spending time with fans that mean the most. Being intentional in every moment − even if it's just to lend an ear for those who need it − is the biggest lesson Solsbee has learned as Smokey, and it's one that he has applied to his personal life.
Solsbee's time as the beloved mascot is coming to a close as he prepares to graduate. He accepted a job with Epic, a medical software company in Wisconsin, where he hopes to continue changing lives.
The history of Smokey the Dog as University of Tennessee's mascot
Solsbee is one of many former students who have played the iconic hound, and he won't be the last.
It started decades ago with a contest by UT's Pep Club to determine the university's mascot. In 1953, the club settled on a bluetick coonhound after deliberation, with the alternate choice being the Tennessee Walking Horse.
Students voted from a lineup of 10 dogs by cheering during halftime of a football game against Mississippi State. At the end of the row, Rev. W.C. “Bill” Brooks' prize-winning bluetick coonhound, “Brooks' Blue Smokey,” howled after his introduction and instantly over the fans.
"Blue Smokey" became the first Smokey, and there have been 10 more since.
UT didn't introduce the costumed Smokey until later, making its first unofficial appearance in the late 1960s. UT's official version of the costumed Smokey came in 1973 when Nancy Nelson, daughter of sportscaster Lindsey Nelson, donned the first orange-and-white jumpsuit and coonhound ears.
This version of the costume remained until 1982 when a more realistic version was introduced. Students and fans rejected the costume, and it was quickly retired. The previous version came back.
UT settled on the Smokey we know today in 1988. Since then, the Smokey mascot has won three national championships and was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Famein 2008.