How Tennessee's crew of castoffs came together to sit atop college football

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Byron Young was connected his mode backmost from a workout astatine Planet Fitness successful January 2019 erstwhile helium noticed a flyer that changed his life, and ultimately, helped alteration the trajectory of Tennessee's shot program.

It was a flyer publicizing unfastened tryouts for the Georgia Military School shot team. At the time, Young was moving agelong hours arsenic an adjunct manager astatine Dollar General successful Columbus, Georgia. He'd besides done immoderate moonlighting astatine Burger King and aboriginal worked immoderate nighttime shifts astatine a Circle K convenience store.

"I wasn't connected anybody's radar, astatine slightest not connected anybody's shot radar. But I stayed successful signifier and ne'er gave up connected my imagination of playing assemblage football," said Young, a 24-year-old elder extracurricular linebacker and the Vols' apical pass-rusher. "It wasn't an casual path, but a batch of guys connected this squad didn't person casual paths. That's a large portion of what's made america who we are."

So conscionable who are these Vols, different than a squad that has risen from the shot ashes implicit the past decennary and a fractional to drawback the No. 1 spot successful the archetypal College Football Playoff rankings heading into Saturday's showdown with No. 3 Georgia astatine Sanford Stadium?

Put simply, it's a squad with a batch much five-star stories than five-star recruits.

"A batch of guys connected this squad were told what they weren't oregon what they couldn't do," said inferior receiver Jalin Hyatt, who leads the federation with 14 touchdown catches. "That has a mode of bringing a squad unneurotic due to the fact that you cognize what the feline beside you had to bash conscionable to get here."

Up and down Tennessee's roster, determination are castoffs, transfers who were fixed up connected by their erstwhile schools, breakout players who person seemingly travel retired of nowhere, players who person battled done adversity oregon were spurned during the precocious schoolhouse recruiting process and coaches who were fired.

"I deliberation everything that everybody's gone done earlier they got present oregon portion they were present is simply a portion of the cloth of who they are," said Tennessee manager Josh Heupel, himself a castoff from Oklahoma, his alma mater. "I deliberation it reveals the quality and the competitiveness of those individuals too. I don't cognize if there's a spot connected their enarthrosis necessarily, but it's a portion of the crushed wherefore we proceed to get better."

No subordinate personifies the individuality of this Tennessee squad much than backmost Hendon Hooker, the odds-on Heisman Trophy favorite. It was made wide to Hooker pursuing the 2020 play that his days arsenic a backmost astatine Virginia Tech were implicit and helium needed to find a caller spot to play. He recovered that spot successful Tennessee.

Hyatt is connected the benignant of teardrop receivers imagination astir with 11 touchdown receptions successful his past 4 games, aft catching a full of 4 TDs successful his archetypal 2 seasons connected campus. As a precocious schoolhouse recruit, Hyatt was told helium was excessively skinny and excessively frail to play astatine either of the Power 5 schools (Clemson and South Carolina) successful his location authorities of South Carolina. That was contempt catching 57 touchdown passes during his precocious schoolhouse vocation astatine powerhouse Dutch Fork, which is located astir 20 miles from South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium.

Kicker Chase McGrath started his vocation arsenic a walk-on astatine USC earlier tearing a ligament successful his genu arsenic a sophomore, sitting retired the full COVID-19 play successful 2020, past transferring to Tennessee.

His knuckleball 40-yard tract extremity was the game-winner against Alabama, snapping the Vols' 16-game losing streak successful the bid and mounting disconnected a chaotic solemnisation astatine Neyland Stadium.

Cedric Tillman, the Vols' All-SEC receiver from a twelvemonth ago, came to Tennessee from Las Vegas arsenic a two-star recruit. His different offers were from Hawai'i, UNLV and Weber State. Tillman has missed astir of this play aft undergoing ankle surgery. He returned past week against Kentucky, but the Vols constricted his snaps. Heupel said Tillman is "ready to roll" against Georgia.

There are akin stories connected the coaching staff.

Rodney Garner, 1 of the apical antiaircraft enactment coaches and recruiters successful the country, was a portion of Gus Malzahn's Auburn unit that was fired pursuing the 2020 season.

Even Heupel was unceremoniously dumped successful 2014 arsenic quarterbacks manager and violative coordinator astatine Oklahoma, the schoolhouse helium helped pb to a nationalist title successful 2000 arsenic its QB and the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Heupel primitively landed successful Oklahoma by mode of Weber State and Snow College, a inferior assemblage successful Ephraim, Utah, and lone aft then-OU violative coordinator Mike Leach convinced the remainder of the Sooners' unit that Heupel was worthy a scholarship.

"We each person immoderate chill stories, and you know, we're not done penning them," Hooker said. "We each person the aforesaid goal."

That extremity -- the archetypal step, getting to Atlanta and winning an SEC title -- was unimaginable little than 2 years agone erstwhile Heupel took implicit a programme that was successful shambles with 30-plus players transferring retired and an NCAA probe looming. The assemblage had launched its ain interior probe into recruiting improprieties that led to the firing of erstwhile manager Jeremy Pruitt for cause.

But present that extremity appears wrong the Vols' reach, and they tin instrumentality a large measurement toward it Saturday if they tin drawback a five-game losing streak to Georgia successful lone the 3rd AP No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular-season matchup successful SEC history.

Tennessee past won the nationalist title successful 1998, and Garner, who was connected the unit successful 1996 and 1997, helped enlistee respective of the halfway players of that team, including Tee Martin, Jamal Lewis, Cosey Coleman and Deon Grant.

When Garner (who played astatine Auburn nether Pat Dye) had a accidental to travel backmost to Tennessee nether Heupel, it was a no-brainer for Garner, his woman Kim and their six daughters.

"Back then, you could locomotion anyplace with that 'T' connected your chest, and it commanded respect," Garner said of his earlier stint astatine the school. "Even though I didn't play here, this has ever been a peculiar spot to me, and to play adjacent a tiny portion successful its resurgence means a lot. I'm arrogant of the mode these guys person played for each other, conscionable similar those teams successful the '90s. It was ever much astir Tennessee than it was astir the individuals. That's the happening we had to get backmost to erstwhile Coach Heupel and each of america got here.

"Everybody needed to recognize however blessed they were to beryllium astatine Tennessee versus that Tennessee was blessed to person you. It's been awesome to spot these guys travel unneurotic and play for thing bigger than themselves."

It ne'er hurts erstwhile you're chasing a title to person your champion players connected discourtesy (Hooker) and defence (Young) besides beryllium 2 of your champion leaders. They're some 24 and person seen a small spot of everything.

Hooker started 15 games astatine Virginia Tech implicit 3 seasons, but ne'er got the feeling that helium was genuinely then-coach Justin Fuente's guy. After a crippled against Clemson successful 2020, Hooker began shivering and shaking connected the sideline aft losing a fumbled drawback successful the 3rd quarter. Hooker walked backmost to the locker country with a trainer.

Fuente told reporters afterward that Hooker was "cold." Hooker said helium had a absorption to immoderate medicine helium was taking for a bosom information helium had successful 2019. Either way, helium ne'er played different drawback astatine backmost for Virginia Tech.

"I don't privation to marque assumptions, but I had a feeling thing was going connected astatine the opening of that season. Hendon won the job, but they said the different kid [Braxton Burmeister] deserved to play," said Hooker's father, Alan Hooker, who was a North Carolina A&T Hall of Fame quarterback.

"Somehow, immoderate way, they conscionable decided Hendon wasn't their guy. They didn't person implicit spot successful him, and helium wasn't going to beryllium invited back. It was beauteous overmuch that simple."

Hooker's dependable demeanor is unchanged whether he's trying to elude a 250-pound antiaircraft end, talking to a newsman oregon rallying his teammates. But his eyes constrictive astatine immoderate notation that Virginia Tech gave up connected him pursuing that Clemson crippled due to the fact that the coaches determination made it look similar helium was soft.

"I'm definite you tin inquire my opponents, and they'd archer you I'm not brushed astatine all," Hooker said. "And I don't get the full 'cold' happening either. In 2019, we played successful pouring-down rainfall against Pittsburgh, and I threw 3 touchdowns with abbreviated sleeves on. I didn't perceive thing past astir being acold oregon soft."

Once helium arrived astatine Tennessee, Hooker had to beryllium himself each implicit again. There was besides a twist. Less than 3 weeks aft helium got connected campus, Pruitt was fired arsenic Tennessee's coach, meaning Hooker had a full caller violative strategy to learn, a strategy that couldn't person been a amended fit.

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Mel Kiper Jr. details the 2023 NFL draught projection helium sees for Tennessee backmost Hendon Hooker.

But adjacent then, Hooker inactive hadn't won the starting occupation aft his archetypal outpouring signifier nether Heupel. The Vols brought successful Michigan transportation Joe Milton close aft the spring, and Milton was named the starter for the archetypal 2 games of the 2021 season.

But since moving successful arsenic the starter successful Week 3 successful 2021, Hooker has accounted for 59 touchdowns, completed 69.2% of his passes and thrown conscionable 3 interceptions.

"We had seen him connected portion and knew helium was dynamic perchance with his feet," Heupel said. "Now, did we envision that archetypal outpouring that helium was going to beryllium playing similar this? I can't accidental that. But the feline has made specified strides. It's crazy, conscionable fundamentally, the intelligence portion of the crippled and being wholly assured and comfy successful himself and being relaxed retired there.

"He understands that helium doesn't person to play perfect, and you enactment each that together, and he's playing astatine specified an elite level. It's truly amusive to watch."

As large arsenic he's been connected the field, Hooker's precedence is to beryllium a bully teammate. He was the archetypal 1 to unpaid to prime up his close guard, Javontez Spraggins, each greeting astatine 5:30 aft Spraggins' car died.

For the Kentucky crippled past week, Hooker had respective of his aged teammates from Virginia Tech travel to municipality aft the Hokies had played Thursday night.

"They were each astatine Hendon's apartment, sleeping connected couches and the floor," Alan Hooker said.

Young has been the antiaircraft equivalent of Hooker for the Vols. He's played his mode into being a imaginable early-round NFL draught prime successful his 2nd play and leads the squad with 13 backmost pressures. More importantly, he's 1 of the astir respected voices successful the locker room, and his communicative resonates with the full team.

After graduating from tiny Carvers Bay High School successful Hemingway, South Carolina, successful 2017, Young was tiny for an borderline rusher (213 pounds) and didn't person the grades to get into a four-year college. He coiled up astatine Gulf Coast Prep Sports Academy successful Mt. Vernon, Alabama, played 2 games during the 2017 season, lone to person the schoolhouse abruptly fold.

"The full happening was a sham, and Byron came backmost home," said Ike Young, Byron's oldest brother. "But helium wasn't astir to springiness up. That's not however helium was raised."

Young moved to Columbus, Georgia, wherever Ike and immoderate of his brothers lived. There were 13 children successful the family, and Ike is retired from the military. He has a lad who is simply a twelvemonth older than Byron.

"Byron wasn't acrophobic of manual labor. None of america were," Ike Young said. "We had a wood-burning stove and went retired and chopped up wood and dragged it backmost home."

That aforesaid enactment ethic kept Young going for astir a twelvemonth and a half, whether helium was stocking shelves astatine Dollar General oregon opening and closing the store.

"I inactive deliberation astir those days and what it taught me," Young said. "In fact, sometimes erstwhile we're astir to tally backmost connected the field, [teammate] Roman Harrison volition look astatine maine and say, 'Remember Dollar General. Remember wherever you came from.'"

Young tried retired for and made the Georgia Military School squad and blossomed successful 2019 arsenic 1 of the much highly recruited inferior assemblage prospects successful the country. He got bigger and stronger and was a panic chasing down quarterbacks. The 2020 play was canceled due to the fact that of COVID-19, but his 2019 portion was bully capable that respective SEC schools pursued him.

One of those schools was Auburn, and Garner was the constituent antheral successful recruiting Young. At the time, Young was adjacent to picking the Tigers, but arsenic destiny would person it, helium and Garner ended up unneurotic astatine Tennessee.

"I'm conscionable gladsome it worked retired the mode it did due to the fact that I truly wanted him erstwhile I was astatine Auburn earlier we got fired there," Garner said. "That's the mode it goes sometimes. I astir came backmost present to Tennessee erstwhile Lane [Kiffin] got the job. I came up present and interviewed and everything. I really took the occupation earlier I came. But I got up present and things conscionable didn't consciousness right."

Sure enough, Kiffin near Tennessee little than a twelvemonth aboriginal for USC.

Young looks backmost connected his travel and has that aforesaid "it was meant to be" feeling. He jokes that helium has a "senior citizen" connected the squad successful Hooker, who helium tin subordinate to amid each the younger players successful the program.

"I went the agelong way to get present and truthful did Hendon. We weren't the lone ones," Young said. "A batch of guys had to find caller places to play. We've recovered that place, and we're not adjacent to being done."

Hyatt thought helium had recovered his spot astatine Virginia Tech erstwhile helium committed to the Hokies successful February 2019. Both Clemson and South Carolina passed connected him, chiefly due to the fact that helium was 153 pounds coming retired of precocious schoolhouse and they thought helium wasn't sturdy capable to play astatine a precocious level.

"I went to camps astatine Clemson and South Carolina conscionable to showcase my skills," Hyatt said. "They conscionable kept saying, 'We'll see. We'll see.' But thing ever came of it."

It won't beryllium mislaid connected Hyatt that 2 of the radical who didn't deliberation helium could chopped it astatine South Carolina volition beryllium connected the Georgia sideline Saturday. Will Muschamp, the Dawgs' antiaircraft coordinator, was South Carolina's caput manager during Hyatt's recruitment, portion Bryan McClendon, Georgia's receivers coach, was the Gamecocks' violative coordinator and receivers coach.

"It sucked not getting an connection from your hometown schoolhouse due to the fact that I consciousness similar they should beryllium the archetypal ones to offer," Hyatt said. "But they ne'er did, and I cognize why. Things enactment retired the mode they're expected to, and I'm gladsome they thought I was excessively small. It helped pb maine here, and look astatine what each I would person missed."

Hyatt had offers from different FBS schools and ever believed his velocity would acceptable him isolated contempt however bladed helium was. His father, Jamie, felt the aforesaid way.

Jamie remembers a speech they had with Muschamp the summertime earlier Jalin's inferior twelvemonth successful precocious school. Jamie said Jalin ran a scorching 40-yard dash and that Muschamp adjacent called Jalin's precocious schoolhouse manager astatine Dutch Fork, Tom Knotts, to archer him it was 1 of the fastest 40 times he'd ever seen.

When they met afterward, Jamie said Muschamp looked astatine Jalin and said, "Man, you're fast, but you request to devour much peanut butter."

At that point, thing other needed to beryllium said.

"I inactive speech to Coach Muschamp and we chop it up. [Georgia] is recruiting my younger son," said Jamie, whose lad Devin is attending IMG Academy. "But I tin archer you -- and I don't deliberation Coach Muschamp meant it personally -- that our concern was done with South Carolina aft that. We needed to determination on, and I cognize Jalin has utilized it for motivation."

Hyatt's committedness to Virginia Tech didn't last. Former Tennessee nationalist championship-winning backmost Martin was 1 of the coaches connected Pruitt's unit who closed the woody connected getting Hyatt to flip to the Vols.

"I'd ever wanted to play successful the SEC too, due to the fact that you privation to play against the best," Hyatt said.

One of the archetypal radical Hooker texted erstwhile helium got to field was Hyatt. They met erstwhile Hyatt was connected a recruiting sojourn to Virginia Tech.

"Where bash we meet? Let's spell throw," Hooker's substance read.

And arsenic Hyatt would get to the shot analyzable each day, the archetypal car helium would spot was Hooker's.

"His car was the past 1 determination too," Hyatt said. "I thought, 'Does helium ever leave?'"

Hooker's focus, demeanor and enactment ethic each wore disconnected connected Hyatt, not to notation conscionable astir everybody other connected the team. Hyatt admitted helium needed to mature his archetypal mates of years connected campus.

But now, there's not a much dynamic operation successful assemblage shot than Hooker and Hyatt; the brace has been astatine the halfway of an discourtesy that leads the state successful scoring (49.4 points per game).

"It's each of our confidence, really, that's grown, and that goes consecutive to Coach Heup," Hyatt said. "As an offense, I consciousness similar erstwhile we measurement connected the tract there's cipher that tin halt us. The lone radical who tin halt america are ourselves."

One of the favourite traditions of the Hooker household is watching Christmas specials each year. A staple is "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

Alan Hooker looks astatine this Tennessee team, a squad that has surpassed adjacent the wildest expectations, and can't assistance but deliberation astir Rudolph's sojourn to the Land of the Misfit Toys.

"That's benignant of what you person with Tennessee," Alan Hooker said. "All these guys person antithetic stories, immoderate of them stories of rejection. But successful the close setting, they're a cleanable fit."

And if the Vols person their way, that cleanable acceptable volition pb to a cleanable season.