Tennessee football: 10 Vols who should be in CFB Hall of Fame
1972-74. 8. player. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Quarterback. Condredge Holloway
The first Black quarterback to start in the SEC, Condredge Holloway led Tennessee football to three straight bowl games and top 20 finishes.
If Tee Martin is going to be in for breaking barriers, Condredge Holloway has to be in too. No, he didn’t lead Tennessee football to an SEC or national championship, but he shattered barriers like nobody else to become the first African American to start at quarterback in the SEC, and he was electrifying in doing so.
Despite battling injuries, Holloway completed 238-of-407 passes (58.5 percent) for 3,102 yards (7.6 yards per attempt), 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over three years. He also had 351 carries for 966 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers may seem pedestrian, but they were incredible at the time.
In fact, Holloway had fewer interceptions, a better touchdown to interception ratio and more yards per attempt and yards per rush than Archie Manning, who is in the Hall of Fame. Add in the barrier he broke, and he clearly belongs. He led UT to records of 10-2, 8-4 and 7-3-2, slowing the inevitable slide that was happening under Bill Battle.
Lester McClain is one other player who was close to making this list, as he was the Vols’ first Black player and the first Black player to score a touchdown in the SEC. But accolades and production matter for the Hall of Fame, even if breaking down barriers is part of your resume, and McClain never earned All-SEC, so we couldn’t put him on here.