Condredge Holloway's Impact On SEC Football

“Condredge Holloway’s impact on SEC football”

Condredge Holloways is from a small town in Huntsville, Alabama where he was born and raised by Dorothy Holloway and Condredge Holloway Sr. He also attended Lee high school in Huntsville, where he was the star athlete. He was the starting point guard in basketball, the starting short stop in baseball, and the star Quarterback in football. He received full ride scholarship in all three sports. His mother was hired to work at Marshall Space Flight Center, where she became the first African American employee at NASA the sky was the limit for Condredge Holloway, but his impact on the SEC (South Eastern Conference) and college football at that.
Holloway, now at age 56, is maintaining a number of
his football staff duties but now serves as the department's liaison with the Lettermen's Club, assisting with reunions and other projects. Public appearances on behalf of the department, always a strong suit for the popular Holloway, continue to be a major part of his job description. Holloway also is the point person for numerous issues surrounding the conduct of a major college football program. He oversees disability insurance for the student-athletes and assists with the annual Pro Day inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. And Holloway has taken great pride in helping former Vols find their niche in the business world by assisting them with contacts and opportunities after graduation.
Holloway was the nation’s top Quarterback recruit, but wasn’t recruited by his home state, Alabama.
During this time period there was discrimination in Alabama, and Bear Bryant was the head football coach. Once Bear Bryant said “an African American will never play for my team” even though Holloway was the top ranked Quarterback. Football is the sport that Holloway was known for, but in Baseball he could have went to the MLB (Major League of Baseball). He was the Montreal Expos’ first pick, and was the fourth overall pick of the draft, but Holloway’s mother believed that his education was more important. He wanted to a contract with the Expos, but he was only 17 and was not able to sign the contract. That left it up to is mother, but as you know his mother believed in his education. Holloway ended up signing with the University of Tennessee. Bear’s loss was Battle’s gain. There was irony being that Battle once played for
Bear.
Holloway was not eligible to play his freshman year, but the next year he became a star.
He led his team to a couple of bowl games, but his impact on the football field was not the only thing that made him a legend. He was the first African American to ever play in the South Eastern Conference of NCAA football. He led the way for others that you know today, Cam Newton , Jordan Jefferson, and Jared Funk. There are many black quarterbacks drafted in this present age. This past year Cam Newton won the Heisman ,and led his to the BCS Nation Championship and won. There was also another black player on his team, but Holloway took all the criticism because he was the starting Quarterback. All of his coaches tried to shield him away from the media and criticism, but Holloway was very aware of what was going
on.
He not only played football ,but also was the starting short stop. He had a hitting streak of 27 games. Condredge ended his career with a batting average of .353. Yet football was not close to his best sport. You can go back and ask his old Lee county basketball coach, and he would tell you that he still believes basketball was his best sport. UT’s head basketball coach once said, “Holloway would have started for me at point guard.” Football is where he saw his future at ,and he also loved the sport dearly.
In Holloway’s professional days he was a great player. He had a short NFL career, but found another path. Holloway left Knoxville and played 13 seasons in the Canadian Football League, compiling impressive numbers for the Ottawa Rough Riders (1975- 80), Toronto Argonauts (1981-86) and British Columbia Lions (1987). He threw for more than 25,000 yards and rushed for another 3,167 while scoring 155 touchdowns. He was league MVP in 1982. After his playing days ended he returned to UT to earn his degree. Holloway is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the UT Baseball Hall of Fame, among others
Condredge Holloway was also a great role model.He never was a trouble maker of any kind and always knew right from wrong. Condredge Holloway was documented about his impact on SEC football. This documentary was showed on ESPN.Kenny Chesney looked up to Holloway. He wore a UT number 7 jersey during his 7th grade pictured day. During the documentary Holloway said, “The biggest irony with this document is that Kenny grew to be me now my son wants to be him.”When asked how he felt about that he answered, “That’s fine. Last time I checked, Charlie Pride never had a torn ACL, he’s healthy and he’s rich. Go ahead and sing.”This was hilarious to me.
Many believed that Holloway was ahead of his time. On E:60 on ESPN when they should a documentary of him it show his college football highlights.He was once asked did he see himself as like Michael Vick, and he answered,” Actually, I see him as being like me, not me being him.” To all of the fans that are unfamiliar with abilities and style of play, he would be reminiscent of Michael Vick. His nickname was “The Artful Dodger . Condredge Holloway was known as the “Artful Dodger” in college at the University of Tennessee, but he’s one Dodger who chose a career in professional football instead of baseball. In a play against Georgia Tech, it is rumored that every player on the defensive team touched Tennessee Quarterback Condredge Holloway as he ran in for a touchdown.