Another Dickey at UT; ex-Farragut QB to walk on

Former Farragut High School quarterback Dylan Dickey is set to participate in spring practice for Tennessee as a walkon. He is the grandson of former UT athletic director Doug Dickey who retired in 2003 after 18 years. Dickey has been a consultant to AD Mike Hamilton since his retirement.

"I won't even be able to throw 100 percent this spring so I just want to go out there and learn as much as I can and sit back and watch the quarterback battle," said Dickey, who underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder last year. "It's going to be interesting."

Dickey, who was 10-10 as a starter at Farragut, faces a tough road before ever being considered for playing time at UT.

Sophomores Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer and senior Rick Clausen will compete for playing time this spring. Jonathan Crompton, a highly touted quarterback from Waynesville, N.C., will arrive on campus this summer.

Bo Hardegree and Jim Bob Cooter are also on the depth chart.

Dickey won't complain about depth chart projections after spending last year watching football from afar as his shoulder healed.

"Football didn't even exist to me for a while," he said. "I didn't do anything. I'd come watch practice every once in a while. That's about it. It was a frustrating thing. It was really the first time I've ever been injured at all.

"It's the first time I haven't played football since I was 8-years old. It was definitely a different transition for me."

Dickey's shoulder was in a sling for nine weeks after surgery. Then, there was rehab. He said his shoulder is 50 percent recovered. While his throwing will be limited this spring, Dickey said he will focus on other facets of his game.

"It's still an ongoing thing right now," he said of the injury. "I'm still not back 100 percent at all. I probably won't be 100 percent until the fall."

Dickey would love to repeat the success of his uncle and former tutor. Daryl Dickey led UT to one of its most memorable seasons in 1985, culminating with a win over Miami in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. Daryl is quarterbacks coach at Florida State.

"Daryl waited his turn," Dylan said. "He was actually a sixth-year senior himself when he got to start. He could have quit several times but he just stuck it out and was a backup guy forever. He got a chance to play and made the most of it.

"He always tells stories about how he wasn't that good of an athlete and how he couldn't throw the ball that hard or far. He just made good decisions. He always jokes around and says he was just lucky to be in the position he was in."

Dickey said he doesn't expect to have the same clout that he might have had if his grandfather was still the AD.

"A lot of guys don't really know who he is," Dickey said of his grandfather. "Some of the guys do, but most of the guys my age don't know who he is. Most of them have never heard of him before."