No. 2 quarterback always the ‘most popular guy in town’
By Tom Mattingly
Here’s a guide to several scenarios that have emerged over the years when there has been extensive debate among Vol fans about who should lead the team under center. It happened as recently as 2003 with Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava as elements of the fan base went jaw-to-jaw over the merits of each. History records other such battles since the Vols discovered the quarterback position in 1964, Doug Dickey’s maiden season in Knoxville.
1964: A Tough Year, but Help Was on the Way
When Dickey led the Vols into the opening game of the 1964 season, a 10-6 win over Chattanooga, Hal Wantland was the first man under center, backed up by Art Galiffa and David Leake. Dewey Warren, known as the “Swamp Rat,” was tearing up the varsity as scout team quarterback. Dickey resisted the temptation to take away Warren’s redshirt, thus saving him for service in 1965-67.The Vols were offensively challenged this season, scoring but 80 points in 10 games, but better times lay ahead.
1967: Three Quarterbacks and an SEC Title
In this SEC title season, Dickey faced a myriad of injuries, including losing his No.1 and No. 2 quarterbacks to injuries early in the season. The Vols had to face defending Alabama with Bubba Wyche, a redshirt junior, under center at Legion Field in Birmingham. The Vols won 24-13, the first win over the Crimson Tide since 1960. Warren and Fulton both eventually returned, Fulton playing more tailback than quarterback, and the Vols won the SEC for the first time in 11 years. They also won the Litkenhous National Championship.
1971: The Blue Max Arrives Under Center from Deep on the Depth Chart
It was a quarterback controversy that took until the sixth game of the season to untangle. Head coach Bill Battle tried Phil Pierce, Dennis Chadwick, and Chip Howard under center with not-so-hot results. (Condredge Holloway was on the freshman team this season, but rookies would not be eligible until 1972.) The Vols were 3-2, but the two losses were to Auburn (10-9) and Alabama (32-15). Out of desperation, Battle inserted senior signal-caller Jim Maxwell, nicknamed the “Blue Max,” into the Mississippi State game, and, with the help of a tenacious defense, the Vols won seven in a row down the stretch run to finish 10-2, including victories over Penn State and Arkansas.
1994: Two Freshman Quarterbacks Lead the Way
In the opener at UCLA and three weeks later at Mississippi State, the Vols lost quarterbacks Jerry Colquitt and Todd Helton, leaving Vol fortunes in the hands of rookie quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Branndon Stewart. At this critical moment, Tennessee looked up at a 1-3 record. It was a battle that energized the denizens of chat boards and talk shows, with fans choosing up sides to root for their favorite Vol. The Vols gradually got better as the season progressed, with each player making a contribution to the eventual 8-4 record. Stewart transferred to his home state Texas A&M after the season and led the Aggies to an upset win over Kansas State in 1997 that aided the Vols considerably in their drive to the 1998 national championship.
2000: Clausen Leads the Vols Down the Stretch
When Tennessee lost three of its first five games with losses to Florida, at LSU, and at Georgia under signal-callers Joey Mathews and A.J. Suggs, Phillip Fulmer turned to heralded California freshman Casey Clausen, and the Vols won out from the Alabama game on. Clausen provided the spark and rallied the team and the fan base. Fans were dazzled by the freshman’s competitiveness, as he scrambled after his helmet had been knocked off at one juncture in the game against the Crimson Tide. He brought a sense of bravado to the position. Casey won twice at Alabama and at Florida as well as leading the Vols past Michigan in the 2002 Florida Citrus Bowl. He also led a win at Notre Dame in early November.
2013-16: Dobbs Energizes the Fan Base
When it came to Josh Dobbs’ seasons at Tennessee, the question was always whether and when to redshirt him. Head coach Butch Jones tried his hardest to do so, twice, but circumstances and Dobbs’ natural ability seemed to dictate that he would rise to the top of the heap. It happened in 2013 and in 2014, with Vol fans rooting openly in whatever forum was available at the time, that Josh was the man to run the Tennessee offense. He always had the mythical quality termed “it,” one that fans often seem to recognize before the coaches catch on. He also had that “home run” potential on nearly every play that caught fans’ attention. He had a shrewd sense of smarts on and off the field that got fans in his corner, where they stayed throughout his career.
Finally, when it comes to quarterbacks battling for playing time, there are a number of clichés from over the years that seem to apply, brought to light whenever the situation demanded it:
“The No. 2 quarterback is always the most popular guy in town.”
“If you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have any.”
“The No. 2 quarterback is just a play away from being No. 1.”
Whether these are clichés or not, they do serve one useful purpose. They add to the ambience of following Vol football over the years.
