Players

• A highly recruited prep passer who initially started his collegiate career at the University of Tennessee, spending two years with the Volunteers program before transferring and playing his remaining three seasons at Tennessee-Chattanooga.
• Finished his career at Chattanooga ranked either first or second in every major statistical passing category in school history after he started 29 games over three seasons and threw for 6,871 yards and 52 TDs on 579-of-1,008 passing (57.4 percent).
• Improved his draft stock with a solid performance at the 2012 East-West Shrine Game, where he completed 10-of-15 passes for 170 yards and a TD as a member of the East squad.
• Father, Bryon Sr., was an offensive lineman at Chattanooga from 1977-80, and his brother, Jarrod, was a tight end and a teammate of his during his recent three-year stint at the school.
• Received the Reggie White Player of the Year Award for the state of Tennessee following his senior year of high school in Chattanooga, an award named in honor of the late Packers legend and presented by his mother, Thelma White Collier.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Selected by the Packers in the seventh round (No. 243 overall) with the last of four compensatory draft choices awarded to the team following the 2011 season.
• Entered the college ranks as a highly regarded high school recruit, beginning his career at the University of Tennessee. Redshirted in 2007 and appeared briefly in 2008 for the Volunteers before electing to transfer to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in his hometown.
• Spent the next three seasons as the starter for UTC at the I-AA level, helping to key a landmark turnaround for the program that followed his arrival on campus. The team improved from 1-11 in 2008 to 6-5 in 2009, the first year of head coach Russ Huesman’s tenure and Coleman’s first as the starting QB.
• Started all 29 games in which he appeared and finished his career ranked either first or second in every major statistical passing category in school history.
• For his career at UTC, threw for 6,871 yards and 52 TDs on 579-of-1,008 passing (57.4 percent), with 31 INTs. The attempts and TD passes set new school records and he finished ranked second in completions, yards and both 200- and 300-yard passing games.
• Had his best statistical season in 2010 when he completed 215-of-382 attempts (56.3 percent), setting career highs with 2,996 yards and 26 TDs and leading the team to a 6-5 record, giving the program its first back-to-back winning seasons in 20 years.
• Appeared in only seven games as a senior in 2011 after suffering an injury to his throwing shoulder following a late hit in a game at Georgia Southern. Missed the ensuing four games (the first of his career lost to injury), but returned for the season finale against Wofford.
• Was the Packers’ third-ever draft pick to hail from Tennessee-Chattanooga and the first since halfback Bill Butler was chosen by the franchise in 19th round of the 1959 draft more than 53 years ago. Also became just the third QB ever to be drafted out of the school, joining Hal Ledyard (San Francisco – 1953) and Johnny Green (Pittsburgh – 1959).
• Earned a degree in communications with a minor in business.

2011: A preseason second-team All-Southern Conference selection, he started all seven games in which he played, but was sidelined for four games in the season’s second half after suffering a shoulder injury in the game at Georgia Southern (Oct. 8)…Did not return to the game and missed the subsequent four contests, the first of his career lost to injury...For the season, completed 137-of-225 attempts (60.9 percent) for 1,527 yards and nine TDs…His completion percentage was a career high…Surpassed 200 yards passing in five of his seven outings, highlighted by a season-high 296-yard, two-TD effort against Jacksonville State (Sept. 10)…Also punted twice during the season, netting 57 yards (28.5 avg.) with a long of 34…Was invited to compete as a member of the East squad in the annual East-West Shrine Game, and acquitted himself well, completing 10-of-15 passes (66.7 percent) for 170 yards and a TD during the all-star game…At Nebraska (Sept. 3): Opened the season at No. 10-ranked Nebraska, completing 19-of-33 attempts (57.6 percent) for 174 yards and a TD, with an interception…Vs. Jacksonville State (Sept. 10): Bounced back the following week with a strong performance, posting a season-high 296 yards and two TDs on 23-of-33 passing (69.7 percent) in a 38-17 win. Also carried the ball seven times for 40 yards (5.7 avg.), including a career-long 19-yard run…At Georgia Southern (Oct. 8): Suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder following a late hit in the first half and did not return…Vs. Wofford (Nov. 19): Returned from the shoulder injury after missing the previous four games and threw a season-high three TDs. Threw for 232 yards on 26-of-39 passing (66.7 percent).

2010: Earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors from the league’s coaches following the season after starting all 11 games and posting career highs in yardage (2,996), touchdowns (26) and passing efficiency (137.8) on 215-of-382 passing (56.3 percent)…The touchdown total ranked second in both the conference and single-season school history, while also placing him sixth in the nation among players at the FCS level…His average of 272.4 passing yards per game also ranked second in the conference and seventh in the country…Led the team to a 6-5 finish, giving the program its first back-to-back winning seasons in 20 years…Was also elected to serve as one of three team captains for the season and was named to the Athletic Director’s honor roll both semesters…Also punted three times for 89 yards (29.7 avg.) with a long of 37…Vs. Appalachian State (Sept. 4): Opened the season in impressive fashion, throwing for 340 yards and three TDs, with no interceptions, on 23-of-37 passing (62.2 percent). Also carried the ball nine times and added a career-high two rushing TDs. Nearly snapped Appalachian State’s 20-game conference winning streak, but a 28-point fourth quarter put the Mountaineers ahead late by the game’s final score, 42-41. Marked the second 300-yard passing game of his career…Vs. Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 18): Eclipsed the 300-yard passing plateau yet again when he registered 375 yards on 24-of-32 passing (75.0 percent) and four TDs in a win over the Colonels. Passing day was highlighted by his career-long 80-yard TD pass to WR Joel Bradford in the first quarter…At Furman (Oct. 23): Posted a career-high 432 yards on 33-of-58 passing (56.9 percent) with two TDs in a 36-28 win. Yardage total was the fifth-highest single-game mark in school history and the most by a Chattanooga QB since Cedric Stevens had 515 against Appalachian State in 2004. Also marked a high by any player in the Southern Conference that season and the third most in Division I-AA. Threw 15 of his completions to Bradford, who netted a school-record 274 yards and a TD...Vs. Elon (Oct. 30): Followed up his personal-best passing-yardage performance with a career-high five TDs against the Phoenix, completing 33-of-63 attempts (also a career high) and rallying Chattanooga from a 35-14 halftime deficit to a tie score early in the fourth quarter…At Auburn (Nov. 6): Threw for 210 yards and a TD on 20-of-39 passing (51.3 percent) against the eventual BCS National Champion Tigers…Vs. Samford (Nov. 13): Had his most statistically efficient performance of the season, going 12-for-20 passing (60.0 percent) for 319 yards and four TDs in a 48-14 victory.

2009: Enjoyed a productive first season as the starter following his transfer from Tennessee, beating out senior Jare Gault to win the starting QB post prior to the season…Started all 11 games and finished the year having completed a career-high 227 passes on 401 attempts (56.6 percent) for 2,348 yards and 17 TDs against nine interceptions…Became the first UTC QB to throw for 2,000 yards in a season since 2004 and also posted a four-game, 186-attempt stretch between his first and second INTs of the season…Vs. Glenville State (Sept. 3): Made the first start of his collegiate career, completing 18-of-34 attempts (52.9 percent) for 258 yards and a TD, leading the Mocs to a 30-13 victory. Season-long completion came on a 73-yard TD pass to TE Garrett Hughes in the second quarter…At Elon (Oct. 24): Threw for 122 yards and a TD on 14-of-30 passing (46.7 percent). His third-quarter interception snapped a streak of four-plus games he’d gone without throwing one, a 186-attempt stretch that saw him throw for 1,177 yards and 11 TDs between INTs on 113-of-185 passing (61.1 percent)…Vs. The Citadel (Nov. 14): Threw for a season-high 356 yards on 39-of-61 passing (63.9 percent), with three TDs and an INT in a come-from-behind 31-28 win that saw the Mocs outscore the Bulldogs 28-7 in the second half.   

2008: Saw his first collegiate action as a redshirt freshman at Tennessee, coming on in relief in three different contests…Vs. UAB (Sept. 13): Made his debut, but did not attempt a pass…At Vanderbilt (Nov. 22): Saw his most extended action of the season and posted his first statistics, completing 4-of-8 passes for 21 yards and also gaining 24 yards on seven rushing attempts (3.4 avg.)

2007: Redshirted at the University of Tennessee.

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered three times as the starting QB for the McCallie School in Chattanooga, earning first-team All-State honors from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association as a senior in 2006, while also being named the American General Mr. Football Award winner for Division II-AAA following both his junior and senior seasons…Was rated a four-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, ranking as the No. 10 pro-style and No. 16 overall QB on the sites’ respective listings…Was regarded as one of the premier recruits in the state of Tennessee and was named the offensive MVP on the Chattanooga Times Free Press’ “Best of Preps” team and also The Tennessean’s “Dream Team”…Finished his prep career holding the school’s single-season and career records for passing yards and touchdowns…Led the team to the Division II-AAA state championship game in 2006 after throwing for 2,927 yards and 19 TDs on 166-of-257 passing (64.6 percent), while also rushing 51 times for 241 yards (4.7 avg.) and seven TDs during the season…Threw for 2,203 yards and 19 TDs as a junior in 2005 and 1,993 yards and 15 TDs as a sophomore in 2004…Also lettered three times as a member of the varsity baseball team, contributing as both a pitcher and outfielder.

PERSONAL: Given name Bryon Elwyn Coleman Jr. …Born in Chattanooga, Tenn. …Single…Father, Bryon Sr., was an offensive lineman at Tennessee-Chattanooga from 1977-80, and his brother, Jarrod, was a TE and a teammate of his during his recent three-year stint at the school…Received the Reggie White Player of the Year Award for the state of Tennessee following his senior year of high school, an honor presented to him by the late Hall of Famer’s mother, Thelma White Collier, and one he recalled as his most memorable sports achievement…Joined teammates in volunteering at the Community Kitchen in Chattanooga, helping to serve food to the homeless…Also held a job as a caddie at the Honors Golf Course during his time in college…Attended the Kentucky Derby in 2011…Enjoys hunting, fishing, playing golf, being out on the lake and spending time with friends and family…Names Peyton Manning and Phil Mickelson as his favorite athletes, The Replacements as his favorite movie and Big Bang Theory as his favorite television show…Also enjoys listening to country music and lists Gulf Shores, Ala., as his favorite place to visit on vacation…Residence: Chattanooga, Tenn.