By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Sept. 3, 1994, was a dark day for Tennessee football. But it also spawned a legend who is still going strong 20 years later. Not even college football is immune to the power of Hollywood.

1994 was supposed to be a bit of a rebuilding year in Knoxville. Tennessee had said farewell to star quarterback Heath Shuler, selected third overall in the NFL Draft by Washington. They began the season ranked No. 13 as they traveled west to face UCLA at the storied Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Not even those just down the road in Hollywood would believe the script that came to fruition 20 years ago Wednesday.

Fifth-year senior Jerry Colquitt began the night at quarterback for Tennessee, having patiently waited his turn behind Shuler. The Philadelphia Daily News even compared the East Tennessee native to Notre Dames Kevin McDougal, who as a one-year starter the year before, had nearly guided Notre Dame to the No. 2 ranking in the final polls.

But football can be a cruel game at times. Colquitt became one of its unfortunate victims as he tore his ACL and was lost for the season.

Before becoming one of the best first basemen of our generation, Todd Helton once had a promising career on the gridiron as well. As a junior, he was next in line to replace Colquitt, but was ineffective as the host Bruins stormed to an 18-0 lead in their quest for an upset.

Head coach Philip Fulmer turned to two freshmen to try and spark the Volunteers. One was Brandon Stewart, who, after transferring to Texas A&M, led a famous upset of undefeated Kansas State in the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game. The loss allowed, of all teams, Tennessee, to face a Florida State team without injured quarterback Chris Weinke in the national championship instead of the Wildcats.

Helton was forced back into the game after the young quarterbacks couldnt muster anything, leading the Vols to within 18-16 before a damaging interception. Final score: UCLA 25, Tennessee 23.

Injuries happen in football, and coaches are always prepared with a Plan B. But no one could have envisioned a proud program like Tennessee having to play four quarterbacks in one game.

Colquitt never played another down at Tennessee, spending a year in NFL Europe and four seasons as a quality control coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Helton went on to great success in Major League Baseball. Stewart won a conference championship at Texas A&M.

But what about that other freshman who struggled that night?

That was a tall, skinny Louisianan named Peyton Manning. Born into a football family, Manning chose not to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father, Archie, who starred at Ole Miss in the 860s. He instead opted to create his own legacy in Knoxville.

That legacy just happened to begin being written under the worst of circumstances.

cI can’t believe that happened,d Manning said of Colquitts injury. cThat’s the worst thing I can imagine, because Jerry’s the hardest-working guy on this team and nobody deserves success more than he does.d

A lot of people are cited as inspiration for Manning ultimately becoming perhaps the best quarterback to ever throw a football 3 Archie, Fulmer, Tony Dungy, etc. But you never hear Jerry Colquitt mentioned in that same breath.

While Colquitts injury led to earlier playing time for Manning, he was clearly devastated to see a player whose work ethic he respected so much have his season end before it even got started. Colquitt might not be remembered for what he did on the field, but he had a hand in laying the foundation for one of the sports greatest players.

Because of his play against UCLA, Helton was named the starter for the following weeks game at Georgia. Helton would only last three games before he too was injured. Manning made his first start on Oct. 1, in Neyland Stadium against Washington State.

He would lose only one game that season, and only five more during his four-year career at Tennessee, three to arch nemesis Florida.

But as Colquitt was being helped to the sideline that night in Pasadena, no one could have thought that the Volunteers would spend the remainder of the decade ranked in the top 10 and contending for national titles well into November on an annual basis (ironically winning their only modern-era consensus national title the year after Manning left).

Sept. 3, 1994, was a dark day for Tennessee football. But it also spawned a legend who is still going strong 20 years later. Not even college football is immune to the power of Hollywood.