Playing Career
Dickey attended Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. He initially joined the University of Tennessee football team in 1980, but left the team for a year after suffering an injury. He redshirted in 1982.
For most of his college career, Dickey was a backup to star quarterbacks Alan Cockrell and Tony Robinson. His lone start prior to the 1985 season came against Army in 1984, when he completed 14 of 24 passes for 167 yards en route to a 24-24 tie.
During the 1985 season, Robinson, at the time a candidate for the Heisman Trophy, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter of a close game against Alabama. Dickey, by that time a fifth-year senior, stepped in as his replacement, and the Vols held on for a 16-14 victory. After a 6-6 tie against Georgia Tech the following week, Dickey led the Vols to five consecutive victories, helping the team earn its first SEC Championship since 1969. During this run, Dickey threw just one interception in 130 attempts, at one point throwing 106 consecutive passes without an interception.
As SEC Champions, the Vols earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl, played on New Year's Day in 1986. Their opponent, the Miami Hurricanes, were ranked number two in the nation, having won ten consecutive games, and were in contention for the national championship. Completing 15 of 25 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, Dickey led the Vols to a 35-7 upset of the Hurricanes, and was named Sugar Bowl MVP.
Dickey played professional football for the San Diego Chargers in the NFL and for the Memphis Showboats in the USFL.
Read more about this topic: Daryl Dickey
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