Branndon Stewart
Encyclopedia
Branndon Stewart is a former American football player. He played quarterback
for the University of Tennessee
and Texas A&M University
.
led by head coach Art Briles
, Stewart was the Texas high school football player of the year and was recruited by virtually every major program in the country. Not one to back away from a challenge, Stewart chose for Tennessee, which had also signed Peyton Manning
.
He was inducted into the 2008 Texas High School Football Hall of Fame induction class.
and sat out the 1995 season, per NCAA transfer rules.
Stewart had a nice start to the 1996 season with a big game against BYU
in the Pigskin Classic
, completing 20 of 28 passes for 232 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Despite his performance, A&M lost the game 41-37 and went on to a very mediocre 6-6 season. Stewart only threw 9 touchdown passes all season and completed less than 50% of his attempts.
Stewart began the 1997 season as the Aggies starting quarterback, but in the sixth game of the season (a loss against Kansas State), backup Randy McCown
was more effective than Stewart and coach R. C. Slocum
named McCown the starter for the following week's game against Texas Tech
. When McCown faltered, Stewart came off the bench to complete 12 of 17 second-half passes, only to see the Aggies lose on a 47-yard field goal with 19 seconds to play.
That performance was good enough to earn back his starting position. He started the rest of the season, leading the Aggies to the Big 12 South Division championship (the Aggies would go on to lose a very lopsided Big 12 Championship game to the Nebraska Cornhuskers
). After the season, Stewart's teammates voted him most valuable offensive player. On the season, he completed 111 of 196 passes for 1,429 yards and 10 touchdowns. He went seven consecutive games without throwing an interception and threw only four all season (two in the championship game against Nebraska).
Originally, Stewart's transfer from Tennessee was going to cost him two years of eligibility, but Texas A&M's NCAA compliance officer recommended Stewart appeal for another year of eligibility. The NCAA granted the request, giving him another year with the Aggies.
Stewart once again began the 1998 season as the starter, but lost the job to McCown after four games. Going into the Big 12 Championship Game, Stewart had only played in six games, completing 53 of 97 passes for 668 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His best performance had come against the Oklahoma Sooners
, when he passed for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
Stewart's chance came once again when McCown injured his left shoulder on a touchdown dive in the last game of the regular season, a 26-24 loss to rival Texas. The injury was not confirmed as a broken collarbone until the Wednesday prior to the Big 12 Championship game against #2 ranked Kansas State. Despite suffering a hyperextended knee in the first quarter, Stewart bounced back to throw for 324 yards and three touchdown passes, including the fabled slant to Sirr Parker
that sealed the 36-33 double-overtime victory, earning the Aggies and invitation to the Sugar Bowl
.
Despite his ups and downs, Stewart finished his Texas A&M career with a 23-11 record as a starter, and led the Aggies to their only Big 12 Championship and BCS Bowl appearance to date.
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
and Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
High school career
Coming out of Stephenville High SchoolStephenville High School
-Athletics:SHS has been one of the most successful football programs in the state of Texas in recent years. Though it did not make the playoffs from 1952 to 1989, the arrival of Art Briles finally turned the program around. Briles got the Yellow Jackets to the playoffs from 1989 until his departure...
led by head coach Art Briles
Art Briles
Arthur Ray Briles is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Baylor University, a position he has held since the 2008 season. From 2002 to 2007, Briles was the head coach at the University of Houston.-Playing career:A native of Rule, Texas, Briles...
, Stewart was the Texas high school football player of the year and was recruited by virtually every major program in the country. Not one to back away from a challenge, Stewart chose for Tennessee, which had also signed Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
.
He was inducted into the 2008 Texas High School Football Hall of Fame induction class.
College career
Stewart played in 11 of 12 games at quarterback for the Volunteers as a true freshman in 1994, but Manning started the final eight games of the season while exhibiting the skills that would make him a perennial All-American and, eventually, All-Pro quarterback. Realizing he was behind a potential four-year starer in the depth chart, Stewart transferred to Texas A&MTexas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
and sat out the 1995 season, per NCAA transfer rules.
Stewart had a nice start to the 1996 season with a big game against BYU
BYU
-Education:* Brigham Young University, a university located in Provo, Utah, USA administered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.**BYU Salt Lake Center, a satellite center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA...
in the Pigskin Classic
Pigskin Classic
The Pigskin Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Anaheim Stadium from 1990 until 1994, and continued from 1995-2002 at various stadiums. It was initially created as a west-coast counterpart of the Kickoff Classic and hosted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors...
, completing 20 of 28 passes for 232 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Despite his performance, A&M lost the game 41-37 and went on to a very mediocre 6-6 season. Stewart only threw 9 touchdown passes all season and completed less than 50% of his attempts.
Stewart began the 1997 season as the Aggies starting quarterback, but in the sixth game of the season (a loss against Kansas State), backup Randy McCown
Randy McCown
Peter Randolph McCown is a former quarterback for Texas A&M and the Houston Marshals of the Spring Football League. He is the son of Robin and Pat McCown of Jacksonville, Texas...
was more effective than Stewart and coach R. C. Slocum
R. C. Slocum
Richard Copeland Slocum , better known as R. C. Slocum, was the head football coach at Texas A&M University from 1989 until 2002. He has won more games as coach than anyone else in Texas A&M football history.-Personal:...
named McCown the starter for the following week's game against Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
. When McCown faltered, Stewart came off the bench to complete 12 of 17 second-half passes, only to see the Aggies lose on a 47-yard field goal with 19 seconds to play.
That performance was good enough to earn back his starting position. He started the rest of the season, leading the Aggies to the Big 12 South Division championship (the Aggies would go on to lose a very lopsided Big 12 Championship game to the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
). After the season, Stewart's teammates voted him most valuable offensive player. On the season, he completed 111 of 196 passes for 1,429 yards and 10 touchdowns. He went seven consecutive games without throwing an interception and threw only four all season (two in the championship game against Nebraska).
Originally, Stewart's transfer from Tennessee was going to cost him two years of eligibility, but Texas A&M's NCAA compliance officer recommended Stewart appeal for another year of eligibility. The NCAA granted the request, giving him another year with the Aggies.
Stewart once again began the 1998 season as the starter, but lost the job to McCown after four games. Going into the Big 12 Championship Game, Stewart had only played in six games, completing 53 of 97 passes for 668 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His best performance had come against the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
, when he passed for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
Stewart's chance came once again when McCown injured his left shoulder on a touchdown dive in the last game of the regular season, a 26-24 loss to rival Texas. The injury was not confirmed as a broken collarbone until the Wednesday prior to the Big 12 Championship game against #2 ranked Kansas State. Despite suffering a hyperextended knee in the first quarter, Stewart bounced back to throw for 324 yards and three touchdown passes, including the fabled slant to Sirr Parker
Sirr Parker
Sirr Eluan Parker is a former Quarterback for Texas A&M University who went on to play professionally in the National Football League, the Canadian Football League, and the Arena Football League.-Youth and high school:...
that sealed the 36-33 double-overtime victory, earning the Aggies and invitation to the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
.
Despite his ups and downs, Stewart finished his Texas A&M career with a 23-11 record as a starter, and led the Aggies to their only Big 12 Championship and BCS Bowl appearance to date.