Tennessee QB Joe Milton will statistically go down as one of the best to play for the Vols
Tennessee Vols quarterback Joe Milton didn't quite live up the Heisman hype that surrounded him ahead of the 2023 season. But Milton still helped deliver one of Tennessee's best seasons in the last 15 years. And he will statistically go down as one of the best quarterbacks to play for the Volunteers. Since the 2007 […]
Tennessee Vols quarterback Joe Milton didn't quite live up the Heisman hype that surrounded him ahead of the 2023 season.
But Milton still helped deliver one of Tennessee's best seasons in the last 15 years. And he will statistically go down as one of the best quarterbacks to play for the Volunteers.
Since the 2007 season, which was the final time Tennessee won the SEC East, the Vols have had five seasons where the program won at least eight games.
The starting quarterbacks during those seasons were Josh Dobbs (2015, 2016), Jarrett Guarantano (2019), Hendon Hooker (2022), and Milton (2023).
Milton's 2023 season, which isn't complete yet because the Vols still have a bowl game left to play, has the redshirt senior quarterback among Tennessee's all-time top 10 quarterbacks in several categories.
Milton is No. 8 on Tennessee's list of single-season completion leaders with 229 (tied with Hooker's 2022 season). If he completes 16 passes in the Vols' bowl game, he'll pass Peyton Manning's 1996 and 1995 seasons and move into sole possession of fourth place on the list.
Additionally, Milton's 3,112 total yards of offense this season puts him at No. 8 for the most total yards of offense in a season at Tennessee, just ahead of Dobbs' output in 2015. Milton is just 44 yards behind Manning's output in 1996 and he's 378 yards behind Erik Ainge's output in 2007. Milton should surpass Manning's total from 1996 and he has a chance to best Ainge's 2007 season to move into No. 6 on the all-time list.
Milton is also tied with Manning (1995) at No. 10 with 27 total touchdowns accounted for this season. Three touchdowns in the Vols' bowl game would move Milton into sole possession of No. 7 on the list.
One touchdown in Tennessee's bowl game would put Milton at No. 10 on Tennessee's all-time list of total touchdowns accounted for. He could move to sole possession of No. 9 on that list with three touchdowns in the Vols' bowl game (which would put him just behind Tee Martin).
With 133 passing yards in the bowl game, Milton can move to No. 10 on Tennessee's single-season passing yards list as well. 322 passing yards in the bowl game could move Milton to No. 5 on that list.
Milton and the Vols could've been better the season. No one will suggest otherwise. But considering the way the last 15 years have gone for Tennessee, the 2023 season is still one that should be remembered fondly. And Milton, despite not living up the Heisman hype, still had one of the best seasons we've seen from a Tennessee quarterback.
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