Best Freshman QB since Peyton

[Carl Pickens]

I have to go with Ainge as the best freshman, redshirt or otherwise. I remember Schaefer receiving all of the hype and how he was the next Michael Vick. But, the way Ainge hung in the pocket at the end of that Florida game, I knew he was the better of the two.

He always looked like he could have been a cross dresser to me

 

[molsen81]

He always looked like he could have been a cross dresser to me

Ok??

 

[LittleVol]

Nico

Clausen
2000 - 1500 yards 15, TDs 6 ints

Ainghe
2004- 1459 yards 17 Tds


Nico
2024- 2,980 yards 22 Total TDs


This is why the electoral college still exists. People vote with their emotions.

I completely understand why people voted what they did but the NUMBERS aren’t even close…

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Nico

Clausen
2000 - 1500 yards 15, TDs 6 ints

Ainghe
2004- 1459 yards 17 TD


Nico
2024- 2,980 yards 22 Total TDs


This is why the electoral college still exists. People vote with their emotions.

I completely understand why people voted what they did but the NUMBERS aren’t even close…

Casey and Ainge were both TRUE freshmen. Casey didn't start until the Alabama game too

 

[laroc99a]

Feel like it would have been Bray if they had a decent defense the numbers he put up was wild.

 

[LittleVol]

Casey and Ainge were both TRUE freshmen. Casey didn't start until the Alabama game too

But it was still his first full year.

They didn’t have real options when either took over.

Nico had a hand picked Joe Milton that is now with the Dallas Cowboys ahead of him.

 

[LittleVol]

Not to mention WHY are we even including NICO if y’all are going to use his Redshirt year against him???

The most useless thing to do is to create an argument, where one of the variables is already at a loss haha.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Ainge won at a Georgia team that had national championship aspirations and started for a team that went to the SEC Championship. If his sophomore year had not been a disaster, I think he would be unanimous, but some probably let that cloud their opinions. He has to be the answer. Clausen benefited from a weak schedule by the time he took over but was good as a freshman.

I think the answer would have been Dobbs if he could have redshirted as planned. He got a brutal schedule playing a Bama team that went 11-0 before the kick 6, the Kick 6/Georgia Miracle Auburn team, and Mizzou team that won 12 games and went to the SEC Championship, and a 9 win James Franklin Vandy team for his first 4 games he saw the field.

Clausen is my favorite Vol Qb due to his toughness. However, Ainge was without question, at least IMO, the best true freshman we've had since Peyton. Maybe the best ever.

Nico could have been but since he didnt play until having one year in the system, we will never know,

 

[vol94]

Clausen was handicapped by an inept OC Randy Sanders. That said, dude had ice water in his veins. 4th & 19 at Bama? Road wins both years at Fla, 2 wins at Alabama, wins at ND.

Nothing bothered Ice Man. He had the same demeanor regardless of situation.

 

[vol94]

Clausen was a punk. Glad he disappeared after college.

???

 

[vol94]

Im not sure about the Sanders thing. The second half of that 01 SEC title game was certainly questionable. I think Sanders get dogged a little too much around here, especially knowing now how domineering Fulmer was.

2001 debacle vs LSU was on Fulmer and Chavis.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Clausen is my favorite Vol Qb due to his toughness. However, Ainge was without question, at least IMO, the best true freshman we've had since Peyton. Maybe the best ever.

Nico could have been but since he didnt play until having one year in the system, we will never know,

I don’t think Nico as a redshirt freshman was as good as Ainge as a true freshman.

Of course Ainge as a sophomore wasn’t as good as Ainge as a true freshman either

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Nico

Clausen
2000 - 1500 yards 15, TDs 6 ints

Ainghe
2004- 1459 yards 17 Tds


Nico
2024- 2,980 yards 22 Total TDs


This is why the electoral college still exists. People vote with their emotions.

I completely understand why people voted what they did but the NUMBERS aren’t even close…

Different eras, different systems, different coaches with different philosophies. Never in a million years does Nico go down to Athens and beat that 2004 Georgia team.

 

[Volizona]

Nico

Clausen
2000 - 1500 yards 15, TDs 6 ints

Ainghe
2004- 1459 yards 17 Tds


Nico
2024- 2,980 yards 22 Total TDs


This is why the electoral college still exists. People vote with their emotions.

I completely understand why people voted what they did but the NUMBERS aren’t even close…

Bray freshman numbers below sorry format came out funky We tend to forget about him due to the dark time period his stats are up there with Casey and Ainge Not sure Nico as a redshirt freshman can be compared

Season	Team	GP	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Int	Rtg
2010	Tennessee	9	125	224	55.8	1,849	18	10	142.7

 

[Volizona]

Dobbs only played 5 games his freshman season, but SR season is below. Wow. Big numbers when you combine his rushing stats with almost 1000 yards and 13 TDS. This may be the best pass / run combo season for a Vols qb.

2016		13	9–4	225	357	63.0	2,946	8.3	27	12	150	831	5.5	13Do

 

[Volizona]

Different eras, different systems, different coaches with different philosophies. Never in a million years does Nico go down to Athens and beat that 2004 Georgia team.

Couldn’t agree more about the different era, schemes, etc. a different game today with a lot more short quick passes that inflate numbers a bit. They threw down the field more 20 years ago. Have to believe it’s been almost 20 years since Ainge played.

 

[wmcovol]

Dobbs only played 5 games his freshman season, but SR season is below. Wow. Big numbers when you combine his rushing stats with almost 1000 yards and 13 TDS. This may be the best pass / run combo season for a Vols qb.

2016		13	9–4	225	357	63.0	2,946	8.3	27	12	150	831	5.5	13Do

Dobbs was a great player. Shame that team had a weak HC & a cancer that tore it down.

 

[onevol74]

Clausen was a good QB, but his teams underperformed in 3 of 4 of his seasons. 2001 was his only great team, and we blew it against LSU. He also lost several bowl games to below average ACC teams.

I agree with you about the bowl games but that 2001 LSU game was squarely on the hands of Phillip Fulmer and John Chavis. Not Casey.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Clausen was a good QB, but his teams underperformed in 3 of 4 of his seasons. 2001 was his only great team, and we blew it against LSU. He also lost several bowl games to below average ACC teams.

Blaming him for the 2000 team “underperforming” is kinda funny because we won every game he appeared in until the bowl game. The 03 team didn’t really underperform, they lost on the road to a very talented Auburn team and lost at home to a very good Georgia team. Did no show the Bowl game, but back then the Peach Bowl was considered beneath a 10 win team so I doubt the team was too invested.

 

[Buzzbait]

Also huge road win @ Miami. The Clausen family was a big part of UT football. The last I heard Casey was out west, coaching and influencing young men.
Don’t I recall Casey playing an OT game vs. Arky with his arm hanging by his side (shoulder injury)? The guy was among the toughest competitors ever for those who didn’t see him live.

I’d vote Casey, Dewey Warren and Alan Cockrell in my top 3 tough guy QB rankings

 

[#1fulmerite]

I always remember Ainge literally standing tall in the pocket and holding onto the ball; even for the third or fourth receiver to come open. It was almost as if he was stoic hanging in there. Kid was tall and big.

 

[UTK]

I could hear an argument for Ainge, Clausen or Nico (yes I know shame on me for saying that) I voted Ainge though

 

[feathersax]

I’d vote Casey, Dewey Warren and Alan Cockrell in my top 3 tough guy QB rankings

Casey Clausen was indeed a tough guy...with or without his helmet. This photo taken vs. Miami; saw him as a freshman QB against Bama as his helmet was ripped off & he kept scrambling until they decked him.

 

[VolsnRavens]

Bray without Dooley would have been an awesome couple of years. F'n Rommel, get the he** outta here.

 

[BillyHoyleVol]

I’ve said it a million times over that it’s a shame that the Bray years were wasted on Dooley and that the 2016 team was wasted on Butch. With a competent coach we should’ve been competing for a natty with some of those teams.

I miss Bray too. Kid had a cannon and wasn’t afraid to sling it. I think a lot of his attitude problems stemmed from frustration with the coaching staff. I can only imagine what a qb whisperer like Heupel or Golesh could’ve done with that guy.

Bray would've thrown a million yards somewhere like Texas Tech at the time. I'd imagine he and Leach (RIP) would've gotten on pretty fair, as well. By far the best arm talent I've ever seen in person. He could make every throw and do it with touch, zip, over a guy, in a window...we didn't do him justice in the development department.