Van Heflin, Vanderbilt's first Black quarterback to consistently start in 1978, has died

Van Heflin, the first Black quarterback to consistently start for Vanderbilt, died Friday after suffering a heart attack. He was 62.

Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee announced Heflin's death on Twitter.

"Van was Vanderbilt’s first Black quarterback to consistently start, breaking the color barrier in 1978. He will always be a Commodore and we are grateful for his life and Our thoughts and prayers are with him and the entire family, Van’s teammates, and all who were fortunate enough to know him," Lee tweeted.

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Final arrangements are not yet complete.

Heflin, who was from Atlanta, became Vanderbilt's starter in 1978, six years after Tennessee's Condredge Holloway became the first starting Black quarterback in the SEC.

David Culley, who was recently named the Houston Texans coach, also was a Black quarterback at Vanderbilt and started against Rice in 1975 when Fred Fisher was injured. Fisher returned as the starter after he recovered.

Also, Walter Overton, who starred at Pearl High, was a Black quarterback who signed with Vanderbilt in 1969. Overton, however, moved to wide receiver after he arrived at Vanderbilt.

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Heflin was the first Black quarterback to earn the starting assignment at the beginning of a season and hold onto it through the year.

In his two years as a starter, he completed 140 of 279 passes for 1,732 yards and seven touchdowns.

Heflin had to fight the stigma that he was not a true quarterback. He told The Tennessean in 2015 that he did not read the newspaper or watch local television sportscasts during his time as a player because he did not want to be distracted by what was being said or written about him. 

"That used to really get to me," Heflin said. "It was crazy because nobody wanted to give me credit for being a great passer. I could pass with the best of them and run and do all the different things a quarterback needs to do. After we played Alabama and I threw three touchdowns, everybody was like, 'Whoa, maybe he can throw.'"

Fred Pancoast, who coached at Vanderbilt from 1975-78, praised Heflin for his versatility and said he never hesitated relying on him as a starter.

"He could throw the ball and he could run it; he did both very well," Pancoast said. "He was a really good player. He also was a good teammate."

Heflin also was extremely versatile and could have played on both sides of the ball.

"Van was initially being played at defensive back," said James Threalkill, a former Vandy receiver from East Nashville.

"One day me and Van were out on the practice field early and he said, 'Run some routes and let me throw the ball to you.' And I am here to tell you he threw the tightest spirals with the best precision long and deep. After about a dozen passes I said, 'Why in the world are you a defensive back? You need to go to the coaches right now and tell them you want to tryout for quarterback."

Another former Commodores standout wide receiver and kick returner Preston Brown from Maplewood said he and Van Heflin established a friendship at Vanderbilt which lasted long after they graduated.

"Van Heflin was an awesome talent and equally great teammate," Brown said. "We remained friends long after our playing days were over. Van was an amazing athlete and could play many different positions and be great at all of them. He will certainly be missed, not only by his family, but also his friends and teammates that he made an impression on, like me."

 Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MIkeOrganWriter.