Hendon Hooker (Photo from Google Images)
We learned on Sunday, that Hendon Hooker’s college career is now over. Early in the fourth quarter of that bleeping awful South Carolina game, Hooker tore his ACL on a non-contact play. Hooker never returned to the game and sadly, we will never be able to see him play in a Tennessee uniform again.
When you look back at Hendon Hooker’s college career all you can say is “THANK YOU”!
Hooker started his college career at Virginia Tech with then-coach Justin Fuente. With 2020 and all the issues from Covid-19 almost physically ending his career, Hooker made the best decision of his life and left Blacksburg. After only being in Knoxville for a few weeks, Jeremy Pruitt was fired and the shit show for UT football continued, again. While half the team entered the NCAA transfer portal and left like Kiffin in the middle of the night, but Hooker stayed.
With QB Joe Milton being the 2021 starter, Hooker kept working and was soon named QB1. During his starts this year, Hooker was able finally beat Florida, Alabama, beat the bleep out of LSU in Death Valley to start the season 8-0.
After only starting in 21 games for the Vols, he will end his career with 6,080 passing yards, 1,046 rushing yards, 68 total touchdowns and only five interceptions. With a nearly a 70% completion, he’s simply one of the best quarterbacks to play college football. This years’ stats alone, Hooker ranks 2nd in QBR yet he played the second-toughest schedule (ESPN-FPI) and four FBS total defenses that rank in the top 25.
Hendon Hooker will never get to play in or win a National Championship for the University of Tennessee. He will never get to play in or win an SEC Championship game for the University of Tennessee. And still, Hendon Hooker is the definition of what it means to give their all for the University of Tennessee.
When Hooker was on the field, the fans knew they always had a chance to win. Hendon Hooker restored a program what was starving to be competitive again. He reminded older generations of Tennessee fans what Saturday’s down south should feel like again. He inspired younger generations to want to yell “it’s great to be a Tennessee Vol”. There is something special about a player who can calmly command an offense that plays in fast-forward. We have been truly blessed to witness his poise, his strength, his ability to run and his example of being a leader on and off the field.
Somehow, Hooker managed to be the hardest worker in the locker-room. He had a full-time job in community service hours, co-wrote a children’s scripture book with his brother and found time to for day-trading with sister. All while taking a full academic load with graduate school classes, not because it was required by the NCAA or UT, but because it was required by his mother.
Number 5 was just special.
Playmaker. Leader. Teammate. Legend…
Hendon.#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/QCbtseWVki
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 24, 2022
Playmaker. Leader. Dedication. Faith Driven. Clutch. Legend. Vol For Life.
‘Hooker to Hyatt’ is a phrase I’m really going to miss on Saturdays. It was just fun to watch how beautiful college football is.
He is still a Heisman contender and in my biased and unbiased opinion, Hooker is the Heisman winner.
No matter what direction life takes Hendon Hooker, he will be successful. We are all praying for a speedy recovery. No matter what team Hooker ends up on at the next level, all of Vol Nation will be rooting for him on and off the field.
We are so thankful to call Hendon Hooker a VFL and we can never say THANK YOU enough for what you mean to the University of Tennessee.
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1 Comment.
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