Peyton Manning in attendance for Tennessee Vols Wednesday scrimmage

Tennessee football got a visit from a legend on Wednesday. UT quarterback Peyton Manning visited the Volunteers’ Wednesday scrimmage.

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Tennessee football is breaking in a new quarterback. And there’s nobody better to look at the new quarterbacks than the greatest one in Vols history: Peyton Manning.

The retired NFL legend attended Wednesday’s closed scrimmage. Manning was always a great ambassador for the Vols during his time in the NFL.

And now, as he enjoys retirement, he still continues to do so. Showing up at this scrimmage was just another way to prove it.

With Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano both competing to replace Joshua Dobbs, there’s no doubt that Butch Jones, new offensive coordinator Larry Scott and new quarterbacks coach Mike Canales could use Manning’s input.

Manning addressed the team before the scrimmage, and while he gave basic coach speak, it’s still always worth hearing when it comes from him.

Here’s a look at what he said.

This year marks the 20th season the Vols have played ever since Peyton Manning left Tennessee. And while the first one, 1998, was the greatest in Tennessee football history, none since have quite lived up to the three-year show Manning put on in Knoxville from 1995 to 1997.

The only one to come close was 2001.

Of course, the Vols enter the 20th season coming off the most productive season a Tennessee football quarterback has had since Manning left. Dobbs actually came the closest to Manning’s 1997 numbers.

But they still weren’t able to get over the hump, win the SEC East and live up to their Top 10 preseason ranking. Maybe this year will be different with things flying under the radar.

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Perhaps the 20-year anniversary of Manning’s graduation is just the mark the Vols need to get over the hump and win the SEC East. Heck, maybe they win the SEC Championship.