INDIANAPOLIS – Former Tennessee Volunteer quarterback Peyton Manning was selected by the NCAA for the 2023 Silver Anniversary Award, the association announced Monday afternoon.
The Silver Anniversary Award recognizes six individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their collegiate athletics careers. The individuals honored are nominated by administrators and are selected by a panel of former student-athletes and representatives from NCAA member institutions and conferences.
Manning, a 1997 graduate of the University of Tennessee with a degree in speech communication, finished his career on Rocky Top with a resume as impressive as any in the collegiate ranks. Many of his records still stand today in the Volunteer history books, including being the only student-athlete in program history with over 10,000 yards passing, holding 11,201. He threw 89 touchdown passes in his time at Tennessee, including 36 in his final season of action with the Vols. At the time of his graduation from UT, Manning held 42 NCAA, SEC or school records.
His illustrious career at Tennessee landed him a myriad of honors, both while in college and as a postgraduate. Manning was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 and the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2018. The New Orleans, Louisiana native was a two-time All-American and a First Team All-America recipient in 1997. That year he also won SEC Athlete of the Year and SEC Player of the Year while winning multiple college football awards like the Maxwell Award, honoring the nation’s most outstanding player, the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Manning becomes the fifth Tennessee Volunteer to earn the NCAA Silver Anniversry Award in the history of the program, along with Andy Kozar in 1977, Bob Johnson in 1993, John Trembley in 2000 and Heath Shuler in 2019.
Joining Manning as 2023 Silver Anniversary Award recipients are Phil Dawson, a former kicker at Texas, Allison Feaster, a former women’s basketball player at Harvard, Dr. Marsha Harris, a former women’s basketball player at NYU, Lenny Krayzelburg, a former men’s swimmer at Southern Cal, and Kate Markgraf, a former soccer player at Notre Dame.
All six recipients will be recognized at the NCAA Convention taking place on Jan. 11 in San Antonio, Texas. The recognition will be included in the NCAA Honors Celebration.
INDIANAPOLIS – Former Tennessee Volunteer quarterback Peyton Manning was selected by the NCAA for the 2023 Silver Anniversary Award, the association announced Monday afternoon.
The Silver Anniversary Award recognizes six individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their collegiate athletics careers. The individuals honored are nominated by administrators and are selected by a panel of former student-athletes and representatives from NCAA member institutions and conferences.
Manning, a 1997 graduate of the University of Tennessee with a degree in speech communication, finished his career on Rocky Top with a resume as impressive as any in the collegiate ranks. Many of his records still stand today in the Volunteer history books, including being the only student-athlete in program history with over 10,000 yards passing, holding 11,201. He threw 89 touchdown passes in his time at Tennessee, including 36 in his final season of action with the Vols. At the time of his graduation from UT, Manning held 42 NCAA, SEC or school records.
His illustrious career at Tennessee landed him a myriad of honors, both while in college and as a postgraduate. Manning was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 and the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2018. The New Orleans, Louisiana native was a two-time All-American and a First Team All-America recipient in 1997. That year he also won SEC Athlete of the Year and SEC Player of the Year while winning multiple college football awards like the Maxwell Award, honoring the nation’s most outstanding player, the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Manning becomes the fifth Tennessee Volunteer to earn the NCAA Silver Anniversry Award in the history of the program, along with Andy Kozar in 1977, Bob Johnson in 1993, John Trembley in 2000 and Heath Shuler in 2019.
Joining Manning as 2023 Silver Anniversary Award recipients are Phil Dawson, a former kicker at Texas, Allison Feaster, a former women’s basketball player at Harvard, Dr. Marsha Harris, a former women’s basketball player at NYU, Lenny Krayzelburg, a former men’s swimmer at Southern Cal, and Kate Markgraf, a former soccer player at Notre Dame.
All six recipients will be recognized at the NCAA Convention taking place on Jan. 11 in San Antonio, Texas. The recognition will be included in the NCAA Honors Celebration.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel spoke at the Orange Bowl selection coaches’ press conference ahead of their matchup with Clemson in Miami, December 30th at 8pm.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel spoke at the Orange Bowl selection coaches’ press conference ahead of their matchup with Clemson in Miami, December 30th at 8pm.
Clemson’s head coach, Dabo Swinney, spoke at the Orange Bowl selection coaches’ press conference ahead of their matchup with Tennessee in Miami, December 30th at 8pm.
“Good afternoon, everybody. So happy to have the opportunity to be here with you guys today. We are so excited and happy about the invitation to the Capitol One Orange Bowl. I’m really proud of our program, the steps that we’ve taken in the last two years. Extremely proud of our staff and our players. This season was a really unique one. So proud of the accomplishments that we had on the football field. It’s truly a team that’s connected, that competes extremely hard. We’re really proud of the steps that we’re making. Really excited to have the opportunity to compete in the Orange Bowl here later this month. I know, having played in it and coached in it two previous times, this bowl game is as good as it gets. It’s a very unique and special opportunity for our football program, and one that we couldn’t be more excited to partake in. I know that our fans, Vol Nation, are going to show up in droves. They’re excited about this opportunity to compete. What a prestigious game. Very honored to be a part of it.”
Q. Curious how much you’ve been able to follow Clemson from afar over the years, how you perceive Coach Swinney’s program, if you’ve seen them at all this season, how you compare their defense to Alabama’s defense?
“Yeah, in recent years obviously I’ve had an opportunity to see them sporadically throughout the season, but see them. It’s a tradition-rich program. They’ve had a ton of success, not just in past seasons but in this season, too. Obviously finishing it out with an ACC championship. We have great respect for the quality of opponent. Coach Swinney has done a fantastic job with that program since he’s taken over. Obviously you look at what they’ve done defensively year in and year out, one of the top in the country. Haven’t had a chance to follow up and watch in detail, just the personnel or the scheme. Can’t dive too much into that. Obviously we’ll do that here in the coming days and certainly over the next week. But offensively they’re historically a really good program, too. Certainly last night were very explosive and created a bunch of big plays. Great opponent, one that we’re excited about having the opportunity to go compete with here at the end of the month.”
Q. Could you talk to me about coming back to Florida. You had a very successful stint at UCF, now you’ll be back in Florida. You know a lot about the state. You have Joe Milton, who is from Florida. He’ll be leading you against Clemson.
“Yeah, Joe is certainly going to be excited about having an opportunity to go play in an area that he certainly is familiar with, but so many friends and family, coaches and mentors that have been a part of his life will have an opportunity to come see him play in the football game.
Certainly for me, having familiarity with the state of Florida, having been down there, a lot of our staff as well, having recruited down there. It’s a place that we certainly know well. But not just through my experience down there as a coach, also just having played in this bowl game as a player, having coached in it two previous times as a coach, as well. This is a great week leading up to the kickoff. The bowl committee does an unbelievable job of taking care of the athletes and the staff. It’s absolutely first class. The football game itself is always one that is highly competitive and a special environment.”
Q. What’s the plan for kind of filling the gap of Alex Golesh? How will you fill his shoes? Who is the accountable coach that can recruit over this next month with Alex gone?
“Yeah, certainly losing Alex is something that we’re excited about. I think it speaks to the growth inside of our program. When I say that, just that the success that we’re having on the field, the style of play, the culture that we have inside of our building, for him to have an opportunity to go run his own program is one that I and the staff are excited for him to have that opportunity. In the coming days we’ll understand how we want to fill that out on the recruiting trail, then as we get into game preparation as well. Excited for him. Again, I think it speaks so well to what our players and staff has done in a short amount of time here at Tennessee.”
Q. You talked about your past experience in this game, won a national title here in 2000. Talk about how what you’re going to say to the players who may not have experienced this big bowl game atmosphere. How are you going to tell them about what they’re going to see here?
“Yeah, at the end of the day the game is the most important thing. It’s the most memorable thing of all the week of festivities. I think it’s important that you enjoy the buildup and opportunity to see a new place, see a new culture, enjoy the festivities of the week. At the end of the day the most important thing is the game. When it’s time to lock into your game preparation, your practice, you got to be completely invested in those moments. At the end of the day, at the end of the week, man, you’re going to get an opportunity to play in a very special game. This is an historic, iconic game. A lot of these guys have grown up in an era of watching the importance of this football game. I know I grew up in that as well. This is a special opportunity. You’re going to have the entire country watching this football game when this is slotted here on TV. It’s a special opportunity, a special moment, and a memory that you’ll have forever.”
Q. Because you have coached in this game twice since you won the national championship, is it only natural to have some pangs of nostalgia when you come to this event?
“Yeah, there will be things that will spark memories from my two stints as a coach being back in Miami. But certainly as a player, too, absolutely will bring back a lot of great memories. Really excited about having an opportunity to lead a program in this football game. This game is extremely special to me. A lot of great memories. Really looking forward to that opportunity. Already have teammates that will be able to come to the ballgame, guys that shared the field with me. Really looking forward to that opportunity.”
Q. Obviously there’s a lot of kids that opt out of bowl games these days. With this being such a big game, do you expect most of your guys to be there?
“Yeah, I certainly expect most of our guys to be there. There’s guys that are still gaining information, guys that were nicked up on the back half of the season, that got to see where they get to here over the coming days and make a smart, educated decision for them and their future. This is a special football game. This is important to our program. It’s important to our players inside of the locker room. Certainly I believe we’ll have a majority if not a full roster when we get down there for it.”
Q. You obviously know the American Athletic Conference, what it takes to succeed. Why do you think Alex could succeed at that level as a head coach at this moment?
“He’s smart. He’s competitive. Offensively what he came in and learned while we were at UCF, then transitioned up here to Tennessee. He has a great ability to communicate and relate to student-athletes. He’s relentless as a recruiter. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s going to do a great job of leading that program.”
Q. Speaking of your playing days, you were actually a Heisman finalist at that point. Hendon Hooker may have a chance to go through the same process. Has he leaned out to you for that process, from your experience?
“Yeah, unfortunately he doesn’t have control of that at this point. Hendon certainly deserves to be at that ceremony. He certainly is one of the best players in college football. The growth of our program is a direct correlation to what he’s done, what he’s invested, how he’s helped build the culture inside of our locker room. Dynamic play-maker that has played his best in the biggest moments. Fierce competitor that makes a ton of plays. I certainly hope that he has that opportunity.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Dominating around the rim on both ends of the floor, the 13th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers dropped Alcorn State, 94-40, Sunday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Volunteers (7-1) outscored Alcorn State (3-6) 50-16 in the paint on the evening, throwing down a season-high seven dunks and almost doubling the Braves in rebounds, 44-23. That domination down low led to a 54-point margin of victory, tying for the eighth-best in program history—last done Dec. 18, 2020, against Tennessee Tech.
A strong night all-around for UT was led by Olivier Nkamhoua, who had a team-high 20 points and six assists, which marked a career-best. His night was joined by an outstanding effort from Jahmai Mashack, who recorded career-highs in points (13), rebounds (seven) and steals (four). Zakai Zeigler also impressed on the defensive side, leading the squad with five takeaways in the game, matching a career-best.
Zeigler was the leader for the Volunteer defense that poked away 13 steals in the game. For the third time this season, the Tennessee defense logged more steals than it gave away turnovers, posting a 13-11 margin. Continuing the momentum from last time out against McNeese State Wednesday, the Vols posted a season-best 36 points off turnovers, outscoring the Braves 36-7, while conceding just two second-chance points and three fast-break points. Tennessee, on the other hand, had 20 second-chance points and 20 fast-break points.
As a whole, the Vols finished with six players in double-figures for scoring. Nkamhoua and Mashack were complemented by Julian Phillips’ 18 points, Uros Plavsic’s 12, Tyreke Key’s 11 and Zeigler’s 10. The night marked the first game since Dec. 21, 2020, that the Big Orange had six individuals finish with 10 or more points, doing so against Saint Joseph’s that night.
The offense supplied the firepower early. Tennessee earned a 49-22 lead after the first half of action, courtesy of 14 points from Phillips on 5-of-7 shooting, and nine points from Key, courtesy of three made 3-pointers. The offense played a mostly clean half, only surrendering three turnovers while notching six steals in the first 20 minutes. Alcorn State did not make a 3-pointer in the period, and the Vols kept up their stretch of assisting on made baskets, logging 14 assists on 17 buckets in the half after posting assists on 91.3 percent (21-of-23) of its scores from the field against McNeese.
The Vols opened the second half on a 14-2 run and added to its advantage the entire half. Tennessee utterly dominated in the paint in the final 20 minutes, outscoring Alcorn 26-4 down low. Nkamhoua was a large part of that success. He was on fire in the stanza, dropping 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a 3-pointer, and hitting all four free throws.
Tennessee, for much of the game, looked automatic at the free-throw line, finishing the night 20-of-24 and having a stretch with 19 consecutive makes during 25:35 of game action. Phillips and Nkhamoua wrapped up the night perfect at the line, leading the team with seven makes each.
UP NEXT: The Volunteers round out their current three-game homestand, welcoming Eastern Kentucky to Rocky Top on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m ET. The game will be televised on SEC Network and tickets are available for purchase at AllVols.com.
SPREADING THE LOVE: Tennessee had six players score in double figures for the first time since Dec. 21, 2020.
ORANGE CRUSH : For the first time since March 7, 2015, Tennessee wore orange uniforms at home. It marked just the fourth time since 1980 that the Vols have donned orange uniforms at home.
DOING NUMBERS: Sunday’s 54-point victory is tied for Tennessee’s eighth-largest margin of victory in program history, and its largest since defeating Tennessee Tech by 54 points on Dec. 18, 2020.
DEFENDING TBA: Tennessee extended its home win streak to 21 games with Sunday’s victory—a streak that dates to March 7, 2021. The Vols’ current home win streak is the sixth-longest in program history. Tennessee has also now won 18 straight home games against non-conference opponents.
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE: Tennessee has now held its opponent under the 1.000 points-per-possession mark in seven of eight games this season, going undefeated when doing so.
The Vols held Alcorn State to .588 ppp on Wednesday—the fewest points-per-possession that Tennessee has allowed in a game this season.
JAMES BACK, VESCOVI OUT: While Josiah-Jordan James returned for the Vols Sunday after missing four games, fellow senior guard Santiago Vescovi missed the contest due to a shoulder injury suffered during Wednesday’s win over McNeese State.
Prior to Sunday, Vescovi had not missed a game during his Tennessee career—suiting up for the Vols in 88 consecutive games.
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE PT. 2: For the sixth time this season, Tennessee held its opponent below 33 percent shooting from the field for the game. Alcorn State finished the night shooting 27.1 percent (13-for-48)—a season-low by a Tennessee opponent.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Jordan Horston recorded her second double-double of the season on Sunday, as RV/RV Tennessee battled No. 9/9 Virginia Tech down to the wire in a nail-biter before coming up short in Thompson-Boling Arena, 59-56, in the 2022 Jimmy V Women’s Classic.
The Lady Vols (4-5), who were playing without senior Rickea Jackson, graduate Jasmine Franklin and sophomore Jillian Hollingshead, were led by Horston who finished with a season-high and game-high 26 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Senior Tamari Key and graduate Jasmine Powell were also top contributors, logging 11 and nine points, respectively. Powell also dished out a team-high six assists.
Four players were in double figures for the Hokies (8-0), with Kayana Traylor leading the effort with 18. Cayla King turned in 11 points and Georgia Amoore and D’asia Gregg each finished with 10.
VT jumped out to a 6-0 lead early before Powell got the Lady Vols on the board with a trey three and a half minutes into the game. Tennessee struggled to find a rhythm on offense, as VT heated up from behind the arc to lead 14-5 by the media timeout. A 3-pointer by Traylor extended that lead to 12 before Horston drove into the lane to end the drought for UT. Key followed it up with a bucket from the block on the next possession to whittle the deficit down to single digits by the 3:32 mark. The teams traded buckets through the end of the quarter with the Hokies scoring last to lead by 10 at 23-13.
Marta Suárez scored on Tennessee’s first possession of the second period, and VT responded with a trey on the other end, but the Lady Vols battled back within seven by the 7:05 mark. Another 3-pointer by the Hokies stretched their lead back to 10 by the midway point of the quarter, but Horston answered with a three of her own and followed it up with a layup to set off a 7-0 run that pulled the Lady Vols back within three with 2:14 to go. Amoore hit Virginia Tech’s sixth and final three of the half with just over 90 seconds to play, but a pair of free throws by Horston set the halftime deficit at four with a score of 34-30.
Both teams came out hot in the second half, scoring on each of their first two possessions, but Tennessee then hit a scoring slump while the Hokies racked up a 10-0 run to lead 46-34 three and a half minutes into the third quarter, forcing a Lady Vol timeout. Coming out of the huddle, the Big Orange cut it back to 10 off a pair of free throws by Horston, and two more by Tess Darby on the next possession pulled UT within eight. Virginia Tech once again led by 10 following a 3-pointer by Gregg at the 2:16 mark, but Horston scored the final bucket of the period on the fast break to send the game into the final stanza with the Lady Vols trailing 51-43.
Powell cut the deficit to six with a jumper 12 seconds into the fourth, but Traylor responded with a bucket on the other end, and the game became a back-and-forth affair with the score standing at 55-47 with five minutes left in the game. Both teams struggled to score following the final media timeout, but with 3:47 to go, Key blocked a shot under the VT basket, and Horston turned it into two points from the free-throw line on the other end. Powell found Key down low on UT’s next possession, and Key beat her defender, hitting the short two to pull the Lady Vols within four at 55-51 with just under three minutes remaining. The Lady Vols got a couple looks on offense but couldn’t convert before Kitley hit a jumper to stretch the lead back to six with just under a minute to play. Key responded with a six-foot jumper on UT’s next possession, and Horston came up with a steal with 30 seconds to play and hit the second of a pair of free throws to pull the Big Orange within three with 23 seconds on the clock.
Tennessee fouled Gregg on the inbounds, and she hit one free throw, giving the Lady Vols the ball back with 15 seconds to play. Horston nailed a jumper with nine seconds left in the game to move UT within two at 58-56, and Powell tied the ball up on the inbounds pass with the possession arrow in Tennessee’s favor. Horston got an open jumper on the baseline, but it bounced long off the rim, and VT hit the second of a pair of free throws to hold Tennessee off with a final score of 59-56.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will be back in action in Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday, hosting Chattanooga in a 6:30 p.m. ET contest that will be streamed on SECN+.
DROPPING 20+: With 26 points against VT, Jordan Horston logged UT’s sixth 20+-point effort of the season. With three on the year, Horston accounts for half of UT’s individual performances of 20 or more points.
DOMINATING THE PAINT: The Lady Vols out-rebounded the Hokies 46-31 to win the battle of the boards for the fourth straight contest and sixth game of the season.
KEY ON DEFENSE ONCE AGAIN: After holding 2022 ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley to four points on 1-of-12 shooting last year, Tamari Key and UT’s inside game limited the All-American to six points on Sunday via a 3-for-13 day from the field.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A historic 10-win season filled with memorable moments on Rocky Top will culminate on Friday, Dec. 30, in Miami as the Tennessee Volunteers will square off against the Clemson Tigers in the 89th Capital One Orange Bowl in Hard Rock Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tickets to the general public are on sale through the Orange Bowl via Ticketmaster.
The sixth-ranked and at-large Volunteers (10-2) will make their first-ever New Year’s Six appearance in the College Football Playoff era and first in the Orange Bowl since Peyton Manning’s senior season on Jan. 2, 1998. It’s Tennessee’s fifth Orange Bowl berth all-time, which includes games in 1939, ’47, ’68 and ’98.
Clemson (11-2) claimed the ACC Championship with a 39-10 victory over North Carolina on Saturday night in Charlotte. The Tigers and Vols will face off for the 19th time but for just the second time in the last 45 years. Clemson won the previous meeting on Jan. 2, 2003, in the Peach Bowl.
Second-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has led the Vols to a national resurgence after taking over a program that was 3-7 prior to his arrival. He has compiled a 17-8 record, winning 12 of his last 15 games with his team setting multiple school records in the process. The 2022 campaign was the first 10-win regular season for UT since 2003, and it featured key victories over final CFP No. 5 Alabama and current Associated Press poll No. 16 LSU by 27 in Baton Rouge.
Heisman Trophy candidate Hendon Hooker guided an offense that led the country in scoring offense (47.3) and total offense (538.1) before being sidelined to injury for the remainder of the season. Biletnikoff Award finalist Jalin Hyatt led the nation in receiving touchdowns (15) and ranked fourth nationally in receiving yards (1,267). A UT rushing attack sparked by Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright was tops in the country in rushing touchdowns with 39.
The Vols finished No. 6 in the final College Football Playoff selection committee rankings and No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and AFCA Coaches poll. They head to the Orange Bowl ranked in the top 10 for 11 consecutive weeks in the AP poll, marking the program’s longest streak in the same season since all 17 weeks of the 1999 campaign.
