KNOXVILLE – Kyle “Buddy” Cruze, who captured All-America honors at wide receiver for the Vols in 1956, died on Saturday at the age of 84.
Cruze re-established the wide receiver position at Tennessee under head coach Bowden Wyatt, leading the Vols to a 10-1 record, including an undefeated regular season and an SEC title in 1956.
Cruze was just the second receiver to reach double figures in receptions in Tennessee history when he caught 12 balls his junior year for 232 yards and a 19.3 average in 1955.
In 1956, he became the first Vol receiver to catch 20 passes and the first to top 300 yards, finishing with 357 to receive All-America honors from the FWAA and All-SEC accolades from the AP and UPI.
Cruze was a three-year starter for the Vols after transferring from Southern Methodist University.
Cruze played two years in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts (1957-58) and later founded a computer software business.
In 1988, he was inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Cruze was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Charlotte Ketchersid Cruze, in 2016. He is survived by his sister and four children.
Friends may call Wednesday from noon until 6 p.m. at Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Highway. Graveside services will be on Thursday at Woodlawn Cemetery at 11 a.m.
Tom Mattingly wrote a detailed obituary on Cruze for the New Sentinel here.
UT Athletics
