Clausen leads big comeback

[Solomon]

This is the best story about Clausen and what he has been through. A very well told mini bio. You know, we may have our own Rudy right here in Tennessee. A movie might just be in the making in the near future......

 

The best part was when he basically told all the LSU fans, and I think Fulmer as well, that they could kiss his @$$ on national television. How can you not like the guy after that?

 

Now if Davies could only say his name right...................

[ERA]

The best part was when he basically told all the LSU fans, and I think Fulmer as well, that they could kiss his @$$ on national television. How can you not like the guy after that?

 

Now if Davies could only say his name right...................

You just gotta love a story like this. Given up for dead over and over yet he comes back like the Energizer Bunny. The reason I love this story so much is because of my oldest daughter found herself in a similar situation throughout her career but wouldn't give up despite my frustrated rants telling her to quit..........well that's enough about thatt. Rick is the ROCKY of today's generation except he's for real. There shouldn't be a kid in this country to not know the story of Rick Clausen. It's inspirational and motivating.

 

Reckon there's a TouchDown Jesus in Neyland's future........?????

[dandy82]

The players love Clausen...who better to lead the team??????? The players fight for Clausen. Who better to lead the team???????

 

 

 

Erik Ainge will have his day in the orange sun, it just shouldn't be this year. I don't care if Clausen never throws another completion the rest of the year....he is our QB..... period.....

 

If I see this coaching staff turn to Ainge again, unless we are blowing someone out or in mop up duty, I'll not go to another game this year.....

 

 

Coach Fulmer....coach sanders...... Don't change again this year.

[muffin]

Demonte Bolden from Tyner was redshirted last year,is he playing this year?

[gotmilk?]

I am very proud of what Rick has been able to accomplish and I hope he can keep it rolling for us! The major thing I like about Rick over Casey is that when the pressure is on, Rick is at his best and Casey always folded!

 

Erik Ainge is a good QB, but he has something going on in his head right now and is just not playing at the level he was last season! And I cant help but wonder if Ainge will ever start another game at UT, with Crompton set to challenge for the starting QB job next season?

[Solomon]

The major thing I like about Rick over Casey is that when the pressure is on, Rick is at his best and Casey always folded!

 

Do what?

 

He led what, 4 4th quarter drives to win his freshman year? Vandy, Memphis, South Carolina. Ok, excuse me, only 3.

 

Sophmore year- led the comback against UGA (Mustang defense was the culprit that day), led combacks at Bama and Notre Dame, won for the first time at the swamp in 30 years, threw for 400 yards in the SEC title game with no picks (thank you Stephens and Stallworth for key fumbles and the defense for quitting when Davey and Toefield went down),

 

Junior year- played and won a 5 OT game with a broken collar bone,

 

Senior year- won at the swamp (again), won OT against SC, threw for another 400 yards against Auburn and just about led the comeback, then beat Miami?

 

I can think of three bad games he had. K-State his freshman year, Florida his junior year, and UGA his senior year.

 

Sorry, Casey was about as cool as they came under pressure. Apparently that family has ice runnin through their veins.

[wpasi]

Do what?

 

He led what, 4 4th quarter drives to win his freshman year? Vandy, Memphis, South Carolina. Ok, excuse me, only 3.

 

Sophmore year- led the comback against UGA (Mustang defense was the culprit that day), led combacks at Bama and Notre Dame, won for the first time at the swamp in 30 years, threw for 400 yards in the SEC title game with no picks (thank you Stephens and Stallworth for key fumbles and the defense for quitting when Davey and Toefield went down),

 

Junior year- played and won a 5 OT game with a broken collar bone,

 

Senior year- won at the swamp (again), won OT against SC, threw for another 400 yards against Auburn and just about led the comeback, then beat Miami?

 

I can think of three bad games he had. K-State his freshman year, Florida his junior year, and UGA his senior year.

 

Sorry, Casey was about as cool as they came under pressure. Apparently that family has ice runnin through their veins.

Great post.

[Guest catfish-hunter]

Do what?

 

He led what, 4 4th quarter drives to win his freshman year? Vandy, Memphis, South Carolina. Ok, excuse me, only 3.

 

Sophmore year- led the comback against UGA (Mustang defense was the culprit that day), led combacks at Bama and Notre Dame, won for the first time at the swamp in 30 years, threw for 400 yards in the SEC title game with no picks (thank you Stephens and Stallworth for key fumbles and the defense for quitting when Davey and Toefield went down),

 

Junior year- played and won a 5 OT game with a broken collar bone,

 

Senior year- won at the swamp (again), won OT against SC, threw for another 400 yards against Auburn and just about led the comeback, then beat Miami?

 

I can think of three bad games he had. K-State his freshman year, Florida his junior year, and UGA his senior year.

 

Sorry, Casey was about as cool as they came under pressure. Apparently that family has ice runnin through their veins.

 

Casey had a great career at Tennessee. In fact, I say his career at UT was better for the TEAM than Peyton's. Just because he did not win a National Championship doesn't mean he was a disappointment.

 

GREAT POST!!!

[Solomon]

Do what?

 

He led what, 4 4th quarter drives to win his freshman year? Vandy, Memphis, South Carolina. Ok, excuse me, only 3.

 

Sophmore year- led the comback against UGA (Mustang defense was the culprit that day), led combacks at Bama and Notre Dame, won for the first time at the swamp in 30 years, threw for 400 yards in the SEC title game with no picks (thank you Stephens and Stallworth for key fumbles and the defense for quitting when Davey and Toefield went down),

 

Junior year- played and won a 5 OT game with a broken collar bone,

 

Senior year- won at the swamp (again), won OT against SC, threw for another 400 yards against Auburn and just about led the comeback, then beat Miami?

 

I can think of three bad games he had. K-State his freshman year, Florida his junior year, and UGA his senior year.

 

Sorry, Casey was about as cool as they came under pressure. Apparently that family has ice runnin through their veins.

 

Please excuse my one mistake, the OT game against SC was soph year, not senior. My mistake.

[gotmilk?]

Do what?

 

He led what, 4 4th quarter drives to win his freshman year? Vandy, Memphis, South Carolina. Ok, excuse me, only 3.

 

Sophmore year- led the comback against UGA (Mustang defense was the culprit that day), led combacks at Bama and Notre Dame, won for the first time at the swamp in 30 years, threw for 400 yards in the SEC title game with no picks (thank you Stephens and Stallworth for key fumbles and the defense for quitting when Davey and Toefield went down),

 

Junior year- played and won a 5 OT game with a broken collar bone,

 

Senior year- won at the swamp (again), won OT against SC, threw for another 400 yards against Auburn and just about led the comeback, then beat Miami?

 

I can think of three bad games he had. K-State his freshman year, Florida his junior year, and UGA his senior year.

 

Sorry, Casey was about as cool as they came under pressure. Apparently that family has ice runnin through their veins.

 

First of all, let me say I am not bashing Casey, because he had a great Career at UT and was very successful! Casey's attitude hurt him alot though and he didnt get along with some of his teammates for this reason and at times he made crucial mistakes in big situations that killed UT! But I will address your statements first!

 

Soph-we lost to UGA, UT never trailed ND in that game so it could have been a comeback, UT was never in real danger against Bama leading most of the game before falling behind 24-21 at the end of the 3rd and Stephans tore the 4th quarter up to get UT the "W", Sure we won in the swamp, but it was Stephans 226 yards rushing that got us the win, not Clausen 168 passing! SECCG, Clausen had a good first half and rolled over and died the second half only leading UT to a FG, so he wasnt lights out, sure he threw for 332 yards, but who couldnt if they got to throw the ball 43 times?

 

JR-It was a 6 OT game against Arkansas(I was there) and Clausen wasnt exactly lights out in that game going 19-28 291 yards and throwing the INT late in the 4th that allowed Ark to put it in OT! How bout that 14-26 3 int performance against Bama or that 5-14 against Miami?

 

SR-He played decent at the swamp, 12-23 235(48 on the HM)yards td and INT, but the defense is what won this game, 10 points to UF at the swamp, it was all "D"! The SC game he wasnt that impressive with 149 yards, I believe it had more to do with the 137 rushing! Ah NOW to one of the two biggest choke plays he ever had:AUBURN- see Clausen threw for 355 yards but also att. 47 passes, but if anyone remembers that game they will remember UT was driving for the win and with the ball on the AU 29 with :58 seconds remaining, Clausen drops back and with Banks wide open on a slant(no one withing 10 yards) he throws the ball a country mile over Banks head and it gets INT, LOL @ the Miami game, he was 11-18 81 yards in that game which was won by the "D", come on 6 points to Miami, dont be giving Clausen credit for that!

 

 

Now once again I thought Clausen had a good career at UT, but dont be saying UT was better off than when they had Manning to whomever said that!

 

4 years that Manning was at UT-41-9

4 years that Clausen was at UT-37-14

 

But besides the Auburn choke, I also think about the LSU choke his frshamn year in OT on 4th down with 2 WR wide open and he cant hit neither one of them, instead he pretty much lofts the ball out of bounds!

 

Whew that was a long post but I had to prove a point!

[ERA]

Casey had a good career at UT. But he did have an attitude problem. Fulmer put up with it because he didn't have good competition for Casey. Besides, when he had two brothers in view for coming to UT, you'll put up with a lot more than normal.

 

Fulmer went with Ainge for TWO reasons.

1. Erik's strong throwing arm.
    
   
2. And even more important, having a returning potentially national ranked QB will do wonders when recruiting for the upcoming years. Backs and WR's along with every other position when they know that UT has a shot for a national championship. Right now, I'll bet Fulmer is trying to figure out how to get Ainge back in the lneup at least in a throwaway quarter just to get his confidence back and show the future recruits that UT will be ready again next year with EXPERIENCE at the helm.
   

[Solomon]

First of all, let me say I am not bashing Casey, because he had a great Career at UT and was very successful! Casey's attitude hurt him alot though and he didnt get along with some of his teammates for this reason and at times he made crucial mistakes in big situations that killed UT! But I will address your statements first!

 

Soph-we lost to UGA, UT never trailed ND in that game so it could have been a comeback, UT was never in real danger against Bama leading most of the game before falling behind 24-21 at the end of the 3rd and Stephans tore the 4th quarter up to get UT the "W", Sure we won in the swamp, but it was Stephans 226 yards rushing that got us the win, not Clausen 168 passing! SECCG, Clausen had a good first half and rolled over and died the second half only leading UT to a FG, so he wasnt lights out, sure he threw for 332 yards, but who couldnt if they got to throw the ball 43 times?

 

JR-It was a 6 OT game against Arkansas(I was there) and Clausen wasnt exactly lights out in that game going 19-28 291 yards and throwing the INT late in the 4th that allowed Ark to put it in OT! How bout that 14-26 3 int performance against Bama or that 5-14 against Miami?

 

SR-He played decent at the swamp, 12-23 235(48 on the HM)yards td and INT, but the defense is what won this game, 10 points to UF at the swamp, it was all "D"! The SC game he wasnt that impressive with 149 yards, I believe it had more to do with the 137 rushing! Ah NOW to one of the two biggest choke plays he ever had:AUBURN- see Clausen threw for 355 yards but also att. 47 passes, but if anyone remembers that game they will remember UT was driving for the win and with the ball on the AU 29 with :58 seconds remaining, Clausen drops back and with Banks wide open on a slant(no one withing 10 yards) he throws the ball a country mile over Banks head and it gets INT, LOL @ the Miami game, he was 11-18 81 yards in that game which was won by the "D", come on 6 points to Miami, dont be giving Clausen credit for that!

Now once again I thought Clausen had a good career at UT, but dont be saying UT was better off than when they had Manning to whomever said that!

 

4 years that Manning was at UT-41-9

4 years that Clausen was at UT-37-14

 

But besides the Auburn choke, I also think about the LSU choke his frshamn year in OT on 4th down with 2 WR wide open and he cant hit neither one of them, instead he pretty much lofts the ball out of bounds!

 

Whew that was a long post but I had to prove a point!

 

This has no chronoligical order.

 

That LSU game in Red Stick would have been Mr. Suggs. Casey played one series in the first half that game. I also remember him leading us back from a 31-15 deficit in the 4th quarter to go to OT and then rolling out to his left and throwing over everyone in the endzone.

 

The Auburn game we fell behind 21-0. Our defense couldn't stop a middle school team in the first half. It was 14-0 before I had time to blink. And the final was 28-21, so we would have been driving for the tie. Considering we threw the ball every play in the 2nd half, I'll allow one pick.

 

SEC title game - 7.2 YPP average. And I do believe he threw for closer to 400 than that. Still, not too shabby. Once again you conveniently forget both Stephens' and Stallworth's fumbles in LSU territory late in the game. And the fact that LSU's backup QB and RB led them to a come from behind victory because our defense never adjusted.

 

Aganst those games agaisnt ND and Bama sophomore year, I forget how many 3rd down and long cenversions we completed. I don't feel like researching it.

 

Both times at Florida, we won. Shuler, Manning, and Martin all couldn't. Casey did. In 01 it was one of the biggest wins in UT history. One again, stats don't always tell it all. Stephens was the hero, but again Casey made some clutch throws. And also his stats might have been a little better had Whitten been able to hold onto the ball that day.

 

And oh yeah, if you've ever tired to do any activity other than walk with a broken collar bone, much less throw a football, then you will understand how impressive him playing against Arkansas, Miami, or Bama was, no matter what his stats were. Trust me, I've broken arms, sprained ankles, and had cortizone shots in my back for spasms, and I have never had as much pain as a broken collar bone.

 

He was no Manning, but as of now I'll rank in the top 5 UT QBs of all time.