A few times last season, Tennessee freshman quarterback Casey Clausen called the formation and the blocking scheme, then broke the huddle.

Guess what? He forgot to call the play.

Clausen smiles sheepishly when he admits the obvious oversight. Such was life in the fast lane for a fast-talker from California, who was thrown into the heat of SEC battle only months after his high school graduation.

Clausen learned on the job well enough to complete 62.4 percent of his passes for 1,473 yards and 15 touchdowns while leading the Vols to a 6-0 mark in his six starts down the stretch. His only blemish was a Cotton Bowl loss to Kansas State.

Clausen's performance as a first-year UT quarterback drew comparisons to Peyton Manning, who was 7-1 as a true freshman in 1994.

"It's an honor to even be mentioned in the same sentence with him," Clausen said. "But I think it's premature."

Clausen competed for the starting job in the spring of 2000, but developed tendinitis in his right arm over the summer by throwing too much and reaching awkwardly during a vertical jump test. He wasn't ready for the season opener.

He didn't play in the second game against Florida, then put up good numbers against weak Louisiana-Monroe. He played sparingly against LSU and Georgia, but made too many mistakes to satisfy offensive coordinator Randy Sanders.

Yet, after Tennessee's 2-3 start, the Vols felt they needed a playmaker at quarterback. Out went A.J. Suggs, who later transferred to Georgia Tech. In came Clausen, who transformed the Vols into winners.

In his first start, Clausen beat Alabama. Just as important, during one pass play, his helmet was ripped off but he kept competing, earning the respect of his teammates, coaches and UT fans.

"The most gratifying thing about last season was asserting myself as the quarterback at Tennessee, and being a leader and a guy teammates could look up to," Clausen said.

"Last year was a good start for me and the team, but I think this year, it's time to take it to the next level."

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