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Tennessee football: Top 10 passing leaders in Vols history

By Josh Yourish

Tennessee quarterback and "maestro" Peyton Manning leads the Vols' Pride of the Southland Band in a rendition of "Rocky Top" after the No. 3 ranked Volunteers closed out Vanderbilt 17-10 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville Nov. 29, 1997. Tennessee earned its first ever trip to the SEC Championship game to faced Auburn.
Tennessee quarterback and "maestro" Peyton Manning leads the Vols' Pride of the Southland Band in a rendition of "Rocky Top" after the No. 3 ranked Volunteers closed out Vanderbilt 17-10 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville Nov. 29, 1997. Tennessee earned its first ever trip to the SEC Championship game to faced Auburn. /
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Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) smiles after a Tennessee touchdown during Tennessee’s game against Alabama in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.RAnk 1 Kns Ut Bama Football Bp
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) smiles after a Tennessee touchdown during Tennessee’s game against Alabama in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.RAnk 1 Kns Ut Bama Football Bp /

Tennessee football career passing leader No. 8: Hendon Hooker (2021-22)

  • 6,080 passing yards
  • 58 passing touchdowns
  • 55.4% completion
  • 9.6 yards per attempt

Hooker spent the first three years of his career at Virginia Tech and he struggled as the starter for two years in Blacksburg. Then he transferred to Tennessee to play in new head coach, Josh Heupel’s offense. Joe Milton, a Michigan transfer was slated to start, but Hooker eventually won the job and put up gaudy numbers despite a 7-6 record.

As a fifth-year senior in 2022, Hooker came into the year with the starting job and took his game up another level. With a great receiver tandem of Cedric Tillman and Jalin Hyatt, Hooker threw for 3,153 yards with 69.6% completion rate, and 27 touchdowns to two interceptions en route to an 11-2 record, an Orange Bowl victory, and the Vols finished ranked sixth in the final CFP rankings.

The biggest moment of the season was when Hooker led the Vols to a win over No. 5 Alabama at home.

Hooker suffered an injury at the end of the 2022 season, so he missed the Orange Bowl but was still drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

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