Tennessee will open its 2024 campaign against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium on Aug. 31.

In anticipation of the season opener, VolReport is highlighting a former Vols player whose jersey number matches the amount of days until kickoff.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

With 17 days to go, Tee Martin, who led Tennessee to the BCS National Championship Game in 1998 as a quarterback and finished his career as one of the top 10 passers in program history, is selected.

Martin was an two-time all-state quarterback and a Parade All-American out of Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama before signing with the Vols in 1996. He spent his first two seasons as a backup behind Peyton Manning, playing sparingly as a freshman and sophomore during Tennessee's SEC title run in 1997.

After Manning graduated following that season, Martin was the Vols' unquestioned starter at quarterback heading into the 1998 season.

In a season where Tennessee was expected to take a step back, Martin passed for 2,164 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for another 287 yards and seven scores. He totaled 200 yards or more of total offense seven times and led the Vols to wins over Syracuse, Florida and Alabama to get back to the conference championship game for the second-straight season.

As it had done throughout its unbeaten regular season, Tennessee needed a late comeback effort against Mississippi State to win the SEC championship as Martin passed for two touchdowns in the final six minutes to win 24-14 and punch the Vols ticket to a national championship bout with Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.

Clinging to a fourth quarter lead in a defensive struggle, Martin arguably the most important throw of his Tennessee career with a 79-yard touchdown pass to Peerless Price to all but seal a 23-16 victory for the program's sixth national title.

Martin was the first black quarterback to win a national championship for an SEC team.

In his final season at Tennessee in 1999, Martin was a First Team All-SEC selection after tossing for another 2,317 yards and 12 touchdowns. He added more than 300 yards and nine scores rushing.

Martin was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 163rd overall pick in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and spent four years in the league and two year with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Martin began his own coaching career in 2006 that has included stops at Kentucky, Southern California and Tennessee in 2019-20. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens.

Martin ranks 10th all-time in passing at Tennessee, combining for 4,592 yards and 32 touchdowns over four seasons.

–––––

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.

–––––