Tony Colston
{{short description|American football player (born 1981)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{For|the British acid house party promoter|Tony Colston-Hayter}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Tony Colston
|image=
|caption=
|number=
|position=Quarterback
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1981|06|24}}
|birth_place=
|death_date=
|death_place=
|height_ft=6
|height_in=4
|weight_lbs=205
|high_school=Clinton (Clinton, Tennessee)
|college=Tennessee Tech, Tusculum
|undraftedyear=2005
|pastteams=
- Tennessee Valley Vipers ({{af2 Year|2006}})
- CenTex Barracudas (2006)
- Tennessee Valley Vipers ({{af2 Year|2007}})
- Odessa Roughnecks (2008)
- Tennessee Valley/Alabama Vipers ({{af2 Year|2008}}–{{AFL Year|2010}})
- Bolzano Giants (2011)
- Knoxville NightHawks ({{PIFL Year|2012}})
- Georgia Force ({{AFL Year|2012}})
- Alabama Hammers ({{PIFL Year|2012}})
- Georgia Force ({{AFL Year|2012}})
|highlights=
|afl=11314
}}
Antonio Colston (born June 24, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback. He played college football at Tennessee Tech and Tusculum. He was a member of the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the af2, the CenTex Barracudas and Odessa Roughnecks of the Intense Football League (IFL), the Alabama Vipers and Georgia Force of the Arena Football League (AFL), the Bolzano Giants of the Italian Football League, and the Knoxville NightHawks and Alabama Hammers of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL).
Early life
Colston played high school football at Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee and threw for a total of over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns for his junior and senior seasons combined.{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160325201330/http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/tony-colston-goes-long-for-shot-at-playing-ep-406314755-358091201.html | title=Tony Colston goes long for shot at playing | publisher=knoxnews.com | date=February 13, 2011 | accessdate=6 September 2024 | author=Culp, Clayton, A.}}{{cite web | url=https://www.greenevillesun.com/sports/tusculums-tony-colston-wants-to-lead-by-actions-not-words/article_4246c71c-a4a0-5d57-87ec-1847a76f6c03.html | title=Tusculum's Tony Colston Wants To Lead By Actions, Not Words | publisher=greenvillesun.com | date=September 17, 2002 | accessdate=7 September 2024}}
College career
Colston was a member of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in 2000.
After having to sit out the 2001 season, he played for the Tusculum Pioneers from 2002 to 2004, setting school records for completions with 544, completion percentage with .635, passing yards with 6,207, and
total offensive yards with 6,964.{{cite web | url=https://www.tusculumpioneers.com/sports/fball/2008-09/releases/a700.html | title=FORMER PIONEER TONY COLSTON LEADS VIPERS TO AF2 CHAMPIONSHIP | publisher=tusculumpioneers.com | date=August 26, 2008 | accessdate=September 7, 2024}} He earned second-team All-South Atlantic Conference honors in 2003.
Professional career
=Tennessee Valley Vipers (first stint)=
He began his professional football career with the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the af2 in 2006.{{cite web | url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/final-roster-released/n-3284840 | title=Final roster released | publisher=oursportscentral.com | date=March 27, 2006 | accessdate=September 7, 2008}}
=CenTex Barracudas=
He joined the CenTex Barracudas of the Intense Football League (IFL) later in 2006 and completed 88 of 170 passes for 1,133 yards and 29 touchdowns with 9 interceptions.
=Tennessee Valley Vipers (second stint)=
He rejoined the Vipers in 2007 and completed 96 of 171 passes for 941 yards and 16 touchdowns with 9 interceptions. He missed 7 games due to a dislocated elbow on his non-throwing arm. In November 2007, he re-signed with the Vipers for the 2008 season.{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160325201635/http://www.arenafan.com/news/?page=pressrel&article=8059 | title=Vipers announce signings | publisher=arenafan.com | date=November 13, 2007 | accessdate=September 7, 2024}}
=Odessa Roughnecks=
He signed with the Odessa Roughnecks of the IFL in March 2008 after starting quarterback Dennis Gile was injured.{{cite web | url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/roughnecks-add-experienced-qb-to-roster/n-3610954 | title=Roughnecks add experienced QB to roster | publisher=oursportscentral.com | date=March 26, 2008 | accessdate=September 7, 2024}}
=Tennessee Valley/Alabama Vipers (third stint)=
He rejoined the Vipers for the third time later in 2008. After starter Kevin Eakin injured his ankle on the first drive of ArenaCup IX on August 25, 2008, Colston, who had only attempted four passes all season, entered the game as Eakin's replacement. Colston then proceeded to
complete 20 of 30 passes for 288 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions while scoring the game-winning 2-point conversion on a rushing attempt in overtime to defeat Nick Davila and the Spokane Shock by a score of 56–55.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/777240271/?match=1&terms=%22tony%20colston%22%20%22football%22%20hollywood | title=A Hollywood ending for MVP Colston | work=The Knoxville News-Sentinel | date=August 27, 2008 | accessdate=7 September 2024 | pages=D5}} He was named the Schutt Offensive Player of the game. In February 2009, the af2 announced that ArenaCup IX had been named the greatest game in league history by a group of current and former af2 head coaches, media members, and fans.{{cite web | url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/2008-arenacup-named-af2s-top-game-of-all-time/n-3781510 | title=2008 ArenaCup Named af2's Top Game of All-Time | publisher=oursportscentral.com | date=February 23, 2009 | accessdate=September 7, 2024}}
In October 2008, he was re-assigned to the Vipers for the 2009 season.{{cite web | url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/colston-re-assigned-to-vipers/n-3730870 | title=Colston re-assigned to Vipers | publisher=oursportscentral.com | date=October 21, 2008 | accessdate=September 7, 2024}} The Vipers moved to the Arena Football League (AFL) in 2010 and were renamed the Alabama Vipers. After an injury to Kevin Eakin and poor play by backup Stephen Wasil, Colston made his first AFL start on May 22, 2010, throwing for 238 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for a touchdown in a 56–19 victory over the Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings.{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160325201502/http://blog.al.com/huntsville-times-sports/2010/05/colston_vipers_clobber_battlew.html | title=Colston, Vipers clobber BattleWings | publisher=al.com | date=May 22, 2010 | accessdate=7 September 2024 | author=Benson, Reggie}} Overall, he completed 65 of 118 passes for 817 yards and 14 touchdowns with 4 interceptions while also rushing for 3 scores during the 2010 season.{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20110918040035/http://www.arenafan.com/players/Tony_Colston-11314/ | title=Tony Colston | publisher=arenafan.com | accessdate=September 7, 2024}} The Vipers folded after the 2010 season.
=Bolzano Giants=
He played with the Bolzano Giants of the Italian Football League in 2011.{{cite web | url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/veteran-qb-colston-is-nighthawks-first-signee/n-4305269 | title=Veteran QB Colston Is Nighthawks First Signee | publisher=oursportscentral.com | date=October 11, 2011 | accessdate=September 7, 2024}}
=Knoxville NightHawks=
In October 2011, Colston signed with the Knoxville NightHawks of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) for the 2012 season. He completed 62 of 122 passes for 731 yards and 13 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 5 games before being released on April 24.{{cite web | url=https://www.al.com/sports/2012/05/alabama_hammers_colston_under.html | title=Alabama Hammers: Colston under center again | publisher=al.com | date=May 17, 2012 | accessdate=September 7, 2024 | author=Benson, Reggie}}{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20120612134233/http://www.arenafan.com/news/?page=origcol&article=3259 | title=Eight Steps Commissioner Kurz Has To Take To Save The AFL | publisher=arenafan.com | date=May 8, 2012 | accessdate=September 7, 2024 | author=Markowitz, Adam}}
=Georgia Force (first stint)=
He was assigned to the Georgia Force of the AFL on May 10, 2012. He was reassigned on May 16, 2012.{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230615233851/http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=transactions&type=old&team=95 | title=Historical Team Transactions | publisher=arenafan.com | accessdate=September 7, 2024}}
=Alabama Hammers=
He signed with the Alabama Hammers of the PIFL in May 2012 after Hammers rookie Arvell Nelson was benched. However, Colston was also benched and replaced by Nelson after completing
38 of 78 passes for 357 yards, and 9 touchdowns with 3 interceptions in 2 starts, both losses.{{cite web | url=https://www.al.com/sports/2012/06/alabama_hammers_notebook_quart.html | title=Alabama Hammers notebook: Quarterback change could be coming | publisher=al.com | date=June 6, 2012 | accessdate=September 7, 2024 | author=Benson, Reggie}}{{cite web | url=https://www.al.com/sports/2012/06/alabama_hammers_notebook_littl.html | title=Hammers notebook: Little gives a lot in win | publisher=al.com | date=June 13, 2012 | accessdate=September 7, 2024 | author=Benson, Reggie}}
=Georgia Force (second stint)=
Personal life
Colston now runs a quarterback training program called The Gunslinger Academy.{{cite web | url=https://www.gunslingeracademy.com/gunslinger-training/ | title=Gunslinger Training | publisher=gunslingeracademy.com | date=September 7, 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.usatodayhss.com/2016/gunslinger-qb-challenge-coming-to-brevard | title=Gunslinger QB Challenge coming to Brevard | publisher=usatodayhss.com | date=March 25, 2016 | accessdate=7 September 2024 | author=Pearson, Andrew}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Alabama Vipers starting quarterback navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colston, Tony}}
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles football players
Category:Tusculum Pioneers football players
Category:Tennessee Valley Vipers players
Category:CenTex Barracudas players
Category:Odessa Roughnecks players
Category:Alabama Vipers players
Category:Italian Football League players
Category:Knoxville NightHawks players
Category:Georgia Force players