Tennessee football: Five key Vols to watch for against Georgia Bulldogs
2. player. Pick Analysis. Quarterback. Redshirt senior. Hendon Hooker. 839. Scouting Report
6’4″ 218 pounds
Two receivers made this list, and we had to make the case why the third receiver wasn’t going to make this list. However, the guy responsible for getting them the ball is the most important of all of them, and amidst all of the hype he’s generated for Tennessee football this year, he’s now got his toughest challenge yet.
Hendon Hooker had one of the most efficient offensive performances all season last Saturday at Kentucky. He completed 15-of-20 passes for 316 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. If you’re keeping score, that’s a 75 percent completion rate, 15.8 yards per attempt and a touchdown for every five attempts. That’s insane.
Add in 41 yards rushing, and Hooker is an amazing playmaker. Now, there were some issues, as he once again was sacked five times, and he suffered two fumbles, one lost on a miscommunication play. Simply put, he wasn’t perfect. Against UGA, Hooker has to manage to find a few more of those big plays. If he can do that and limit the turnovers, he could make this interesting.
UT won’t be able to run the ball with its running backs against UGA’s dominant front, so Hooker’s play will be key. This year, he has completed 129-of-186 passes (69.4 percent) for 1,894 yards (10.2 yards per attempt), 21 touchdowns and two interceptions, and he also has 112 carries for 457 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. Those elite numbers will now be tested.