 Holloway in 2023 | |
| Born: | (1954-01-24)January 24, 1954 (age 71) Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | University of Tennessee |
| High school | Lee (Huntsville, Alabama) |
| NFL draft | 1975, round: 12, pick: 306 (By theNew England Patriots) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1975–1980 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1981–1986 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1987 | BC Lions |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| CFL All-Star | 1982 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1978,1982,1983 |
| Honors | Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 181 |
| Comp–Att | 1,710–3,013 |
| Completion % | 56.8 |
| Passing yards | 25,193 |
| TD–INT | 155–94 |
| Passer rating | 88.4 |
Condredge Holloway Jr. (born January 25, 1954) is an American formerquarterback for theUniversity of Tennessee and later in theCanadian Football League (CFL). Holloway was one of the first African-American quarterbacks to receive national exposure. His nickname at Tennessee was the "Artful Dodger".[1]
Holloway was born to Condredge Holloway Sr., and Dorothy Holloway. Condredge's grandfather on his father's side was born a slave, but was emancipated as a child in 1865. Dorothy was hired to work at theMarshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville in 1962.[1]
Holloway starred as a high schoolbaseball player atLee High School in Huntsville, where he was named to theABCA High School All-America Baseball Team.[2] He was selected as ashortstop by theMontreal Expos in the1971 Major League Baseball draft.[3] Holloway was Montreal's first pick, and he was the fourth player selected overall.[4] However, Holloway's mother, insisting her son attend college, refused to sign the contract (Condredge was 17, too young to sign a contract under Alabama law) and instead he went toTennessee. In so doing Holloway became the first African-American to start at the quarterback position in aSoutheastern Conference school.[5] In addition to being the first black quarterback atTennessee and in the Southeastern Conference, Holloway also was the first black baseball player inTennessee history. The outstanding prospect bypassed a baseball career, and Holloway opted instead for a two-sport collegiate career and went on to excel on the diamond. He garnered All-SEC and All-America honors as a shortstop in 1975 and finished with a .353 career batting average. Holloway — still the owner of Tennessee's longest hitting streak at 27 games — was selected to Tennessee's All-Century Baseball Team, making him the only Tennessee student-athlete named to all-century squads in both baseball and football.
In his three seasons (1972–74) as a starter, Holloway directed the Vols to the1972 Astro-Bluebonnet,1973 Gator, and1974 Liberty Bowls and an overall record of 25–9–2. He ended his career with the best interception-to-attempt ratio in Tennessee history, throwing just 12 interceptions in 407 collegiate attempts. During his three seasons, he completed 238 of 407 passes for 3,102 yards and 18 touchdowns, and rushed 351 times for 966 yards and nine touchdowns.[6]
After leading the Volunteers to threebowl game appearances from 1972–74, Holloway was drafted by theNFL in 1975—but only in the twelfth round, as adefensive back, by theNew England Patriots (few pro teams hadAfrican-American quarterbacks at that time). Instead, Holloway went to theCanadian Football League, playing for theOttawa Rough Riders starting in 1975.[7] Later, he moved to theToronto Argonauts, capturing theCFL's Most Outstanding Player award in 1982 and guiding the Argos to aGrey Cup championship the following season—Toronto's first title in 31 years. Holloway finished his career with theBC Lions and was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1999.[8]
Currently, Holloway is the assistant athletic director at the University of Tennessee.[9] Holloway is a co-owner of D1 Sports Training in Huntsville, Alabama.
In 1996, he was part of theSEC Football Legends, representing Tennessee.
In 2010, he was selected to the 1970s all-decade team ofMadison County, Alabama, high school basketball players byThe Huntsville Times.[10]
On February 20, 2011,ESPN Films releasedThe Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story. It was produced and narrated by country music starKenny Chesney.