Overview
This in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the University of Tennessee college football team’s monumental collapse includes all the arrests, losses, and firings that made up the most tumultuous season in school history. A favorite to contend for a spot in the national championship game with a running back hailed as a Heisman Trophy candidate, the Volunteers stumbled to a 5-6 record—their worst mark since 1988. The Heisman hopeful, Gerald Riggs Jr., watched most of his team’s demise from the sideline as the season he waited three years for crumbled under lackluster rushing performances and a season-ending ankle injury. Even head coach Phillip Fulmer endured heavy doses of criticism from fans clamoring for a coaching change. This unforgettable look at the 2005 season also includes information on what the future may hold for Riggs, Fulmer, and Tennessee football.
Synopsis
This behind-the-scenes look at the achievements and heartbreak surrounding college football follows Heismann-Trophy-contender Gerald Riggs Jr. through his senior year of play at the University of Tennessee: the Big Orange. The son of Super Bowl MVP Gerald Riggs Sr., he struggled for three years to maintain his academic standing, even calling a time out on his adversarial relationship with head coach Phil Fulmer. Riggs embarks upon a roller coaster ride—rushing for more than 100 yards during the upset against the University of Alabama-Birmingham, swallowing his pride after the disappointing loss against the University of Florida, and scoring the game-winning touchdown against Louisiana State University—only to have his season end prematurely with an injury. Rather than focusing on the potential loss of a future in the National Football League, Riggs remains close with his teammates and motivates them to continue playing their hardest, exhibiting an unexpected maturity and optimism that mark him as both a team player and a leader.