Regardless of what happens in the coming years, the 2022 season is one that Tennessee Vols fans will never forget. 

After nearly 15 years of ups-and-downs and coming up short in big games, the Vols delivered in a big way in 2022 with massive wins against Florida, LSU, Alabama, and Clemson. For a new generation of Vols fans, it was their first time seeing Tennessee at the top of the college football world. And for older generations of Vols fans, it was a reminder of what's possible at Tennessee when everything "clicks". 

As much fun as the 2022 season was for fans, it was even more fun for the players that lived it. 

Late last year, former Vols quarterback Tayven Jackson, who transferred to Indiana after one season at Tennessee, appeared on Hoosier Barber Talk and he shared some stories from UT's wild 2022 season. 

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"I saw in Coach (Josh) Heupel and his staff a quarterback friendly system, almost air raid, they play so fast," said Jackson of his decision to sign with the Vols. "What I saw was an offense I want[ed] to play for. And it's Tennessee. So I told my dad, I'm there. I want to play there. And obviously it didn't work out and I came back home (Jackson is from Indiana). But man, Tennessee was crazy.

"SEC, the fan base, and just the history — obviously Peyton Manning went there. Their football is unbelievable and the fans go crazy for that stuff and down in the south, so it was like a no brainer (to sign with UT)." 

"So here's a story," continued Jackson. "We're playing Kentucky. I broke my collarbone (against UT-Martin the previous week), so I'm on the field with just my jersey on. And Peyton Manning and Morgan Wallen are standing right behind me. I had no idea. And they tap on my shoulder. Peyton's like 'hey Tayven' and I look over and then I look over to the right and it's Morgan Wallen and he's like 'what's up kid, how you doing'. I'm like 'hey sir, how you doing'. And Peyton's just like 'hey, what happened to your shoulder', actually he knew what happened because he watches all the games. I'm like 'yeah, I broke my collarbone' and he's like 'that's alright, I've been hurt a couple of times, but man when you're in there you look good, you look athletic, you look almost like a Josh Dobbs that can go out there and rip it and use his feet'. And I'm like 'thank you sir, that means a lot' and he goes 'whatever you do just keep going, just always keep going no matter what, there's going to be a lot of ups-and-downs, but you're the guy that sets the tone, you gotta be a leader'. And I took those words (to heart)." 

"I was like a little kid in that moment," added Jackson. "I was like holy crap it's Peyton Manning and it's Morgan Wallen. And Morgan Wallen didn't — he was just standing there, but I was just kinda eyeing him like dude this is crazy….you're just like a little kid in those moments, you just soak it up." 

Later in the podcast, Jackson quickly detailed seeing Peyton after Tennessee's epic 52-49 win against Alabama. 

"A lot of people said Penn State is the loudest (stadium) out of all of them," said Jackson. "I'm always going to be ride or die Tennessee all the way because the Alabama game was unreal. I couldn't even hear myself think. That's how loud it got. It took me 45 minutes to get from one end zone to the locker room."

"Dude he (Peyton) was so gone," added Jackson. "It was hilarious. He was so gone. It looked like he had been drinking the whole game. It was so funny….he was having a great time."

Jackson also detailed what it was like being a football player at Tennessee once the team started winning big games in 2022. 

"Dude, when we started winning games at Tennessee, I was cool with Hendon (Hooker)," said Jackson. "So after our Thursday night meetings at like 9 PM, he was like 'let's go out to dinner'. So all the quarterbacks went out to dinner. And so I was like 'alright, I'm gonna ride with you'. This dude's got an AMG. So I'm like duh, I'm riding with you, I want to see an AMG, I've never seen one before. We get to his car, there are fans on a Thursday night waiting, they have football helmets for him to sign. And we walk out and I'm like 'dude, do you know these people?' and he's like 'nah' and he goes 'first of all get in the car, lock the door, we're leaving'. And so we dead sprint to the car and they see him and they sprint to him and he locks the car and pulls out. And I was like 'hey man, why don't you just sign some stuff?' and he's like 'bro, if I stop and sign, there's going to be a mob and won't make it to dinner'". 

(Before you get the wrong idea about Hooker, Jackson noted that Hooker wasn't a fan of autograph seekers who sell autographs from players on websites like eBay.)

It sounds like being a football player at Tennessee when the team is winning big games is a like being a member of a boy band in Times Square on MTV's TRL in 1998 — rubbing shoulders with some of the most famous faces in the country while encountering mobs of fans. 

If you're a football player who wants to play at the highest level while enjoying one of the most insane atmospheres in sports, then Tennessee is the place for you. 

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