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Tennessee Football Fans Will Not Want to Miss ESPN’s Newest SEC Documentary

He inherited the impossible job of replacing Peyton Manning, then delivered Tennessee a national championship. Now ESPN is telling Tee Martin’s story.
Josh Greer|
Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers athletic director Phillip Fulmer holds the Amway Coaches Trophy during a celebration honoring the 1998 national championship game during the first half of the game against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers athletic director Phillip Fulmer holds the Amway Coaches Trophy during a celebration honoring the 1998 national championship game during the first half of the game against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Tennessee Volunteers

Some quarterbacks get remembered for stats. Tee Martin is remembered for his guts, and now he is getting his own documentary to prove it.

The Setup

ESPN Films is set to release a new entry in its long-running "SEC Storied" series, and this one is personal for Vol Nation. Titled "SEVENTEEN, presented by Southwest," the film centers on Martin and Tennessee's undefeated 1998 national championship team, with the number itself doing double duty: it was Martin's jersey number, and it's a nod to that dominant 13-0 season.

Tee Martin
Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin (17) gets a hug from teammate Neil Johnson after he scored the Vols final touchdown against Alabama. Martin and teammates were the one smoking cigars after a 21-7 victory over Alabama before 86,869 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Oct. 23, 1999. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Following a Legend

The premise practically writes itself. Martin didn't just play quarterback at Tennessee. He replaced Peyton Manning, the most beloved player in program history, and somehow made the transition look seamless. Instead of cracking under the weight of impossible expectations, Martin led the Volunteers to a perfect season and a Fiesta Bowl win over Florida State for the national title, an achievement that still anchors Tennessee football lore three decades later.

Peyton Manning
Tennessee freshman quarterback Peyton Manning (16), making his first start, is being pressure by Washington State defender Chad Eaton (90). Manning completed 7 of 14 passes for 79 yards in leading the Vols to a 10-9 victory over No. 17 ranked Washington State before a homecoming crowd of 95,556 at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 1, 1994. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Why This Story, Why Now

Director Spencer Barry reportedly drew inspiration from Martin's full arc, from his Alabama upbringing to the pressure cooker of Knoxville, where he had to prove he belonged under center for a program that had just won it all with someone else's name on the back of the jersey. That journey, from small-town roots to steering an undefeated championship squad, is the kind of underdog-adjacent story "SEC Storied" has built its reputation on, following acclaimed entries in the collection over the years.

Tee Martin
Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin in action against Alabama on Oct. 23, 1999, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Vols won 21-7. (Michael Patrick/News-Sentinel) Martin | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mark Your Calendar

"SEVENTEEN" debuts at 9 p.m. ET on October 1 on SEC Network, airing right after the Tennessee-Auburn women's soccer matchup, a scheduling choice that keeps the night orange and white from kickoff to credits.

The Bigger Picture

This isn't ESPN's first rodeo with the Manning-to-Martin storyline.

The network's own "Book of Manning" remains one of the most-viewed documentaries in ESPN history, and "SEVENTEEN" casts that same era in a different light, shifting focus from the family dynasty to the guy who had to live in its shadow yet still delivered a title. For a fan base that has spent 27 years reminiscing about 1998, this is less a history lesson and more a victory lap.

Tee Martin never asked to be the guy who followed Peyton Manning. He just went out and won a natty instead. On October 1, Tennessee fans get to relive exactly how he pulled it off.

Vols
The Knoxville News Sentinel front page after the Vols won the 1998 College Football Championship. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Published
Josh Greer
JOSH GREER

Josh Greer is a sports journalist and educator from Paris, Tennessee, whose passion for sports has shaped a career spanning coaching, higher education, and sports media. Before entering journalism, Greer spent time as a Tennessee high school football coach and was part of two state championship-winning teams. His passion for sports eventually led him to higher education, where he spent more than a decade teaching sport management and providing students with hands-on experiences at major sporting events, including national championships, Super Bowls, and NFL Drafts. Greer brings a unique combination of coaching, teaching, and sports industry experience to his journalism. He takes pride in covering the stories, people, and trends shaping sports, with a particular interest in collegiate athletics.

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