Inducted 1989
Quote from fellow TSSAA Hall of Fame member Kenny Coulter:
“I know of no individual who has impacted the high school game more than Vernon Osborne. Most students of the game acknowledge the fact that Coach O brought defensive basketball to the high school arena in East Tennessee. It was not only his aggressive defensive schemes but his overall game plan and method of preparation which brought Alcoa to the forefront of high school basketball in Tennessee.” (Taken from “Coach O: The Glory Days of Alcoa Basketball”)