Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols’ dominating season-opening 59-10 win vs. Ball State

3. Passing game was on point

You honestly couldn’t ask for a more efficient passing attack. It obviously starts with Hendon Hooker. While he ran for two touchdowns because of Ball State’s formations and selling out to stop run plays up the middle, Hooker’s success was through the air, and it was his typical highly efficient performance through the air.

Hooker was 18-of-25 for 222 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. That means he completed 72 percent of his passes and averaged nine yards an attempt, picking up right were he left off from last year. However, he wasn’t the only quarterback who was efficient in this one.

Joe Milton III came in and showed much better accuracy than a year ago, going 8-of-9 for 113 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee football went four-deep at quarterback, as Tayven Jackson came in for a drive, and then Gaston Moore came in. Moore completed his only attempt of the day, a 17-yard strike to Jack Jancek.

If you take away a Princeton Fant drop that Hooker delivered to him and one overthrow by Milton, their numbers would look even greater. Cedric Tillman did his job, as usual, leading the team with 70 receiving yards, but Jimmy Holiday caught Milton’s touchdown pass, a 53-yard strike. He finished with 62 yards, and Ramel Keyton had 57 yards. All in all, it was a great day for this unit.