Lipscomb University student-produced documentary on Gen. Robert Neyland to have free public screening May 27 at NECAT

Lipscomb University student-produced documentary on Gen. Robert Neyland to have free public screening May 27 at NECAT

Film explores the military service, football legacy of the legendary University of Tennessee Volunteers football coach; panel discussion to feature Neyland's grandson

Office of Public Relations & Communications | 05/20/2026

A Lipscomb University student-produced documentary that explores the life and legacy of Gen. Robert Neyland, one of the most influential figures in college football history, will have a public screening at Nashville Education, Community and Arts Television's (NECAT) studio Wednesday, May 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at NECAT's studio, 120 White Bridge Road, Suite 46, Nashville.

"The Bull," produced by Lipscomb School of Communication students under the guidance of veteran journalist and former Lipscomb professional-in-residence Demetria Kalodimos, examines Neyland's remarkable career as both a U.S. Army brigadier general and the legendary University of Tennessee Volunteers football coach whose name is now synonymous with one of college football's most storied stadiums.

The screening, co-hosted by NECAT, a division of Nashville Public Library, will include the documentary followed by a panel discussion moderated by Kalodimos. Panelists include Ben Barry, one of the student producers; Tim Johnson, Lipscomb's Elizabeth Gentry Brown Chair in History and author of a forthcoming book on Neyland; Blake Neyland, Neyland's grandson; and veteran Nashville sports broadcast journalist Rudy Kalis. The event is free and open to the public.

View Trailer

While Neyland is best known as the coach who helped build Tennessee football into a national power, "The Bull" explores a lesser-known but defining part of his life: his military service. Neyland graduated from West Point in 1916, served in two world wars and remained in active military service during much of his coaching career. Johnson's research frames Neyland not simply as a coach who also served in the Army, but as a military officer whose discipline, strategy and precision shaped the way he coached.

"I have always known that Robert Neyland was one of the most dominant football coaches of the 20th century. However, it was his military career that drew me to the topic," said Johnson, a noted military historian and author of eight books. "Neyland's West Point years and his Army career are often hidden in the shadow of his gridiron success, and that is what I tried to emphasize in the book."

Johnson's book, "Robert Neyland: The West Point Engineer Who Built Tennessee Football," is scheduled for release this summer, during the 100th anniversary year of Neyland's first season as Tennessee's head coach. Neyland's engineering background also played a significant role in his legacy. During his tenure at Tennessee, he used his engineering expertise to help coordinate five expansions of the university's football stadium, increasing seating capacity from 3,200 to 53,000. The stadium was named for him in 1962, the year of his death.

READ MORE: Honors students and professionals team up to produce documentary on Gen. Robert Neyland

The documentary grew out of Johnson's research and Kalodimos' interest in giving students a professional, hands-on documentary production experience. Lipscomb 2025 graduates Barry, who earned a degree in sports media, and Anastasia Boldyreva, who earned a degree in journalism and new media, helped lead the project by conducting interviews, working with archival materials, filming on location and collaborating throughout the editing and production process.

The student team interviewed several people connected to Neyland's story and legacy, including his grandson, Blake; James Haslam, captain of Neyland's 1951 championship team; Mack Franklin, one of the last living members of a Neyland-coached team; and former Tennessee football coach Phil Fulmer; along with others with ties to Tennessee football history.

The team also worked with photos, clippings, letters and family materials connected to Neyland's life, including materials from his years at West Point. During the documentary project, the film team presented Blake Neyland with two of his grandfather's West Point cadet jackets that were discovered during the research process.

"After shepherding a small group of students on a previously very successful short documentary, Tim Johnson's extraordinary scholarship on Neyland seemed to be begging for the film treatment," said Kalodimos, a former longtime anchor at Nashville's WSMV. "We were a small but mighty crew that enjoyed a couple of great travel adventures and, of course, the inevitable challenges that come with cameras and microphones."

Barry said he decided to join the documentary team because the project combined two of his strongest interests, history and sports. It became one of the most meaningful experiences of his time at Lipscomb.

"Looking back, it was far more than just interesting; it was one of the best decisions I made at Lipscomb," said Barry. "The documentary work environment was fast-paced and hands-on, but, by being guided by some of the most skilled teachers at Lipscomb, the experience was extremely conducive to my learning. I'll never forget the long days and nights editing with Demetria, the high-profile interviews we conducted and the opportunity to film at Neyland Stadium."

Boldyreva said the project helped her apply the skills she developed at Lipscomb in a professional production environment.

"From camera operation and lighting to post-production collaboration, the experience expanded both my technical knowledge and creative perspective," she said. "Lipscomb consistently encouraged experiential learning, and projects like this helped prepare me for a career in media and storytelling."

The May 27 screening gives the university community and the public an opportunity to see the students' work during a milestone year in Neyland's legacy.

"The Bull," which was completed last year, builds on a growing body of student documentary work in Lipscomb's School of Communication. Kalodimos previously mentored a student team that produced "Grand Ole Guitar," an award-winning documentary about the iconic guitar-shaped scoreboard at Greer Stadium, former home of the Nashville Sounds. That project received national accolades, including an Edward R. Murrow Award.

For more information about the screening, contact Cameron McCasland, NECAT manager, at cameron.mccasland [at] nashville.gov (cameron[dot]mccasland[at]nashville[dot]gov) or 615.354.1273.