Derrick Brodus, freshman walk-on placekicker, was sitting in a UT frat house about to watch the upcoming 2011 football game against MTSU when he got a call to come to Neyland stadium immediately. Both the starting and the back-up kickers were injured, and he was to kick. A police escort took him to the stadium where he started as a Tennessee kicker, becoming the first African American kicker for UT. After making a field goal and scoring three extra points, Brodus received the game ball as thanks.
Against Akron, he tied the single-game scoring record for a placekicker with 17 points—4 field goals and 5 of 5 extra points. For his effort, he was named Honorable Mention on the College Football Performance Awards’ Player of the Week.