All for Tennessee
Fansided

How Tennessee football QBs who won starting job midseason performed the next year

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 11, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) looks to pass the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) looks to pass the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 17, 2011; Gainesville FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray (8) calls a play during the second half against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida Gators defeated Tennessee Volunteers 33-23. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2011; Gainesville FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray (8) calls a play during the second half against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida Gators defeated Tennessee Volunteers 33-23. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

839. Sophomore. Tyler Bray. player. 6. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 2011

147-of-247; 1,983 yards; 17 TDs; 6 INTs; 1 rush TD

Matt Simms started most of Tennessee football’s first year under Derek Dooley, and thanks in large part to the 13-men on the field infamous penalty against the LSU Tigers, the Vols stumbled to a 2-6 record under him. However, Simms was leading a depleted roster and had lost to all ranked teams at that point.

Dooley then threw in all the freshmen, most notably Tyler Bray, and the Vols finished 6-6 to reach a bowl. However, their schedule got much easier, and Simms probably would have gotten them there too. That didn’t stop the excitement behind Bray entering Simms’ second year.

Well, that excitement never took off. Coupled with the most difficult schedule in college football history, the Vols lost their go-to receiver for the year in Justin Hunter at the Florida Gators. They still didn’t have a full roster given the issues Dooley inherited. Then, against Georgia, Bray himself went down. That happened just as the gauntlet of their schedule began.

With a backup quarterback and no go-to receiver, the Vols then lost to LSU, Alabama, South Carolina and the Arkansas Razorbacks over the next five games. All four teams finished in the top 10 with Alabama, LSU and Arkansas finishing No. 1, 2 and 3 respectively. That’s what Dooley faced without Bray and Hunter. Oh, and Georgia won the East that year.

Anyway, Bray finally came back against Vanderbilt and led the Vols to an overtime win in that game. However, at Kentucky, he completely lost his focus and clearly didn’t look interested, and he was the biggest culprit among the players as Tennessee football lost 10-7 to them, suffering their first loss in the series since 1984 and missing out on a bowl because of it.

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