London Vol
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2015
- Messages
- 986
- Likes
- 8,289
PLAYER TRIBUTE No 2: DARNELL WRIGHT
11th DEC 2022
I wish to pay tribute to some of the players who are leaving the Tennessee Volunteers in 2022. Today I have my favourite ‘Big Ugly’
Player Tribute No 1: Hendon Hooker on blog
Sometimes a person is inextricably linked with another person such as Laurel and Hardy, Bonnie and Clyde, Abbott and Costello, Lennon and McCartney, Burton and Taylor, Antony and Cleopatra, and Will and Grace. Well for me, Darnell Wright and Wayna Morris were destined to be likewise, just look at this list:
Darnell Wayna
Class 2019 2019
Star 5* 5*
OT ranking 3 5
Height 6’6” 6’6”
Weight 300 293
Debut 8/31/19 8/31/19
Honors FR All SEC FR All SEC
Draft Project 1st 6th
When you compare the first seven categories you could mistake them for twins as their almost identical Bios are uncanny. But oh what different paths they took and this is why I revere Darnell for his time at Tennessee as opposed to feelings of distain that I feel when I hear Morris mentioned. In my opinion one was loyal to the Vols and one was loyal to oneself (Morris shuffled off to Oklahoma, was it for financial gain or for playing time, few people will ever know) but, I do know that one toughed it out and one ran away. The reason why their true identities were uncovered, was that their time at Knoxville coincided with the chaotic era of Jeremy Pruitt.
Darnell in the end played a whopping 2,680 snaps in 46 games for Tennessee. Starting at Right Tackle back in August 2019, he moved to Left Tackle during his career because the team needed him there (there it is again, team first, Darnell second), then finally reverting to his favoured Right Tackle in his last year. The 2022 season was his best and Darnell’s national reputation subsequently blossomed. But apart from seemingly following identical paths, they took vastly different routes. Just look at their draft predictions (shown on the last line of the above comparison) to judge whose choice was the better one of the two.
You were a darn talented player Darnell during your time here, but it is also your loyalty that will put you in the conversation of “Greatest Vols Offensive Lineman”, and it is most richly deserved. Thank you, Darnell Wright.
GO VOLS
11th DEC 2022
I wish to pay tribute to some of the players who are leaving the Tennessee Volunteers in 2022. Today I have my favourite ‘Big Ugly’
Player Tribute No 1: Hendon Hooker on blog
Sometimes a person is inextricably linked with another person such as Laurel and Hardy, Bonnie and Clyde, Abbott and Costello, Lennon and McCartney, Burton and Taylor, Antony and Cleopatra, and Will and Grace. Well for me, Darnell Wright and Wayna Morris were destined to be likewise, just look at this list:
Darnell Wayna
Class 2019 2019
Star 5* 5*
OT ranking 3 5
Height 6’6” 6’6”
Weight 300 293
Debut 8/31/19 8/31/19
Honors FR All SEC FR All SEC
Draft Project 1st 6th
When you compare the first seven categories you could mistake them for twins as their almost identical Bios are uncanny. But oh what different paths they took and this is why I revere Darnell for his time at Tennessee as opposed to feelings of distain that I feel when I hear Morris mentioned. In my opinion one was loyal to the Vols and one was loyal to oneself (Morris shuffled off to Oklahoma, was it for financial gain or for playing time, few people will ever know) but, I do know that one toughed it out and one ran away. The reason why their true identities were uncovered, was that their time at Knoxville coincided with the chaotic era of Jeremy Pruitt.
Darnell in the end played a whopping 2,680 snaps in 46 games for Tennessee. Starting at Right Tackle back in August 2019, he moved to Left Tackle during his career because the team needed him there (there it is again, team first, Darnell second), then finally reverting to his favoured Right Tackle in his last year. The 2022 season was his best and Darnell’s national reputation subsequently blossomed. But apart from seemingly following identical paths, they took vastly different routes. Just look at their draft predictions (shown on the last line of the above comparison) to judge whose choice was the better one of the two.
You were a darn talented player Darnell during your time here, but it is also your loyalty that will put you in the conversation of “Greatest Vols Offensive Lineman”, and it is most richly deserved. Thank you, Darnell Wright.
GO VOLS
