Rookie of the year...

#2
#2
Dale Carter won the Pro Football Writers Rookie of the Year in '92. Santana Dotson won the TSN award.
 
#6
#6
VolunteerHillbilly said:
Carl Pickens in 1992.
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You are correct, VH, at least mostly. I show Pickens as awarded the "AP Offensive Rookie of the Year" in '92. Carter also won the "AP Defensive Rookie of the Year" that season in addition to the award I mentioned above.

They are the only two Vols I can find in my cursory search that have won any major ROY awards.
 
#9
#9
I know the question was about Rookie of the Year, but I think other awards bear mentioning.

Peyton Manning is the only ex-Vol to be named NFL MVP. He shared the award with Steve McNair in 2003 and won it outright in 2004.

Reggie White is the only ex-Vol to be named Defensive Player of the Year. He won the award in 1987 and again in 1998.

Jamal Lewis, in 2003, and Peyton Manning, in 2004, and the only two Vols to be named Offensive Player of the Year.
 
#10
#10
Has Tenn. ever had a R. Bush, M Vick, Neon Deon type player who everytime they touch a football you cant keep your eyes off of them? I mean a moving highlight
 
#12
#12
finevol said:
Has Tenn. ever had a R. Bush, M Vick, Neon Deon type player who everytime they touch a football you cant keep your eyes off of them? I mean a moving highlight
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Don't think Dale Carter had the numbers of R Bush or M Vick, but he was a phenominal athlete.
 
#13
#13
finevol said:
Has Tenn. ever had a R. Bush, M Vick, Neon Deon type player who everytime they touch a football you cant keep your eyes off of them? I mean a moving highlight
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I would think Manning would rank above all of the listed in number of highlights. It is hard to keep your eyes off of him, but of course he has the advantage of having the ball on every offensive play.

If you are talking about pure athletic ability, Stanley Morgan had his share of "wow" moments, as did Pickens, although because he had them in Cincinnatti, you might have missed some. Jamal Lewis has also left some defenders wondering what just happened to them, although I don't know if he will ever regain his pre-prison form.

EDIT: I assumed from the fact that this is posted in an NFL oriented thread that you were talking about ex-Vols and their pro careers. There have been quite a few more worthy of mention if you limit the discussion to college.

Another EDIT: Also please note that I only included players which I have some memory of seeing play in the NFL. That excludes such players as Flowers, Majors, Lauricella, Cafego, Feathers, and McEver. There have also been UT greats on the defensive side of the ball, of course, but since the original question focused on offensive players, I didn't list any of them.
 
#14
#14
Peerless Price was pretty flashy. I always enjoyed those one-arm catches he used to make look so easy.
 
#15
#15
finevol said:
Has Tenn. ever had a R. Bush, M Vick, Neon Deon type player who everytime they touch a football you cant keep your eyes off of them? I mean a moving highlight
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Carl Pickens fit that category, while in college anyway. to a certain extent so did Chuck Webb....the guy was absolutely awesome.
Neither got the national attention those guys got, but the media outlets were a bit different back then...Carl Pickens was every bit as exciting and a showman as those kind of guys mentioned above.
 
#19
#19
orange+white=heaven said:
I'm amazed this question sat as long as it did without someone writing the name, Willie Gault.
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I may have misinterpreted the question, as I based my list of players on their NFL careers only. Gault certainly belongs in the discussion because of his college career, but although he was a very good NFL player, I'm not sure he makes the list with Manning, Lewis, Pickens, or Morgan for his pro career alone.

In college, Gault set 12 UT records and 6 SEC records. He was an explosive receiver, averaging well over 16 yards per catch, but was even better as a return man, scoring 5 touchdowns (1 punt, 4 KOs including 3 in the 1980 season,) and averaging 23.7 yards per KO return (brought down by a 12.3 yard average his freshman year.)

He also was part of a world-record setting 4x100 meter relay team and would have been a member of the 1980 Olympic team as a 110 meter hurdler had the US not boycotted.
 
#21
#21
what about Condridge Holliway (spelling)? Maybe because the fact that all I've seen is highlights, but that guy was really a mobile quarterback (kinda Vickuesqe.
 
#23
#23
In 1977, Stanley Morgan was drafted in the first round by the New England Patriots, where he was named Patriot Rookie of the Year. In addition, he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team.

The versatile Morgan still leads the list of career all-purpose yards leaders with 4,642 yards. He also ranks third in career touchdowns, with 39, and was the first Volunteer running back to rush for 200 yards in a single game.

Taken from Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame

By the way Jessie86, My father in law agrees with your choice of Condrege Holloway. He talks about him all the time. That was before I was born but he was a great one from the stories I've heard.


 
#24
#24
Doughbelly said:
In 1977, Stanley Morgan was drafted in the first round by the New England Patriots, where he was named Patriot Rookie of the Year. In addition, he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team.

The versatile Morgan still leads the list of career all-purpose yards leaders with 4,642 yards. He also ranks third in career touchdowns, with 39, and was the first Volunteer running back to rush for 200 yards in a single game.

Taken from Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame

By the way Jessie86, My father in law agrees with your choice of Condrege Holloway. He talks about him all the time. That was before I was born but he was a great one from the stories I've heard.
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My guess was Stanley Morgan as well.
 
#25
#25
volfanbill said:
my first thought was willie gault.
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Mine too. While I was pretty young at the time, I don't think the Vols have had a player since who was as potentially explosive every time he touched the ball. Every time the Vols received a kickoff or returned a punt, you felt like Gault had a chance to take it the distance. The Vols have had better receivers since then, and for all I know they may have had kick returners with better statistics. But they haven't had anyone since who made you feel like every punt or kickoff could go all the way.

Sure, he had a pretty indifferent career with the Bears. But when he played in Knoxville he was something special.
 
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