When a interception takes place, the player who intercepted the ball screams "oskie" to make his teammates aware that an interception has taken place. As a result, the team turns around and blocks for the player who intercepted the ball.
"The Seven Game Maxims" originated during the 1930s and "pick" may have not been a common term. "Interception" doesn't roll off the tongue as well as "oksie." As Neyland was a general in the Army, the term "oskie" may have also originated from his time in active duty that he carried into coaching football.
Beginning in the 1930s, General Robert Neyland had his team, the Tennessee Volunteers, recite what is known today as "the Seven Maxims of Football." or "the Seven Game Maxims."
- The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
- Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
- If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
- Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
- Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
- Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
- Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.
