It was just a little over two years ago that the future of Tennessee’s football program was in a state of despair. The Jeremy Pruitt era ended in scandal leaving one of the south’s blue bloods with far more questions than answers.

The Vols’ fall from grace was dramatic as the program hadn’t won double digit games since 2007, and it certainly didn’t appear to be an attainable goal anytime soon.

Shortly before Pruitt’s dismissal, Tennessee brought QB Hendon Hooker in from the transfer portal after spending three seasons with Virginia Tech. Hooker was a talented recruit out of Greensboro, North Carolina but didn’t show off his full potential while with the Hokies.

Initially it looked like Hooker was entering a nightmare scenario for any QB as his new program was in disarray. Tennessee whiffed on its three head coaching hires since Lane Kiffin bolted Knoxville for Los Angeles after just one season.

If there was any hope on Rocky Top to return to relevance in the SEC, the Vols needed to ace its next hire. To say they aced that hire would be an understatement as Josh Heupel has done what was thought to have been impossible when he was hired 24 months ago.

The Volunteers were projected to be a bottom feeder in 2021, and Hendon Hooker wasn’t even expected to be the starter in Knoxville. Hooker wasn’t the only signal caller Tennessee landed in the portal. Former Michigan QB, Joe Milton transferred to Tennessee and won the starting job in fall camp.

Hendon Hooker didn’t wait long for his opportunity after Joe Milton was injured in the Vols’ Week 2 road trip to Pitt. Hooker took over the starting role and never looked back as he had the best season for a Tennessee QB since a certain someone in the mid-90s.

Hooker accounted for 36 total touchdowns while throwing just 3 picks all season, leading Tennessee to a respectable 7-6 record. While 2021 showed that Hooker had the ability to be an elite signal caller in the right system, 2022 is what Tennessee fans will remember when reminiscing on Hooker’s career in Neyland Stadium.

There was no question who the man to lead Heupel’s offense would be in year two, and unlike the previous season, the Vols had real expectations.

This wasn’t the first time Tennessee had lofty preseason aspirations, many teams in the past were expected to put the Tennessee brand back in the national spotlight but failed to do so.

Those teams didn’t have a player like Hendon Hooker however and it became evident very early that this Tennessee team wasn’t like its predecessors.

After narrow victories over ranked Pittsburgh and Florida, Tennessee traveled to Death Valley where they  bludgeoned LSU 40-13. The Vols were red hot and Hendon Hooker was a legit Heisman hopeful, however their season would be defined by their next opponent.

The Third Saturday in October was once one of the most heated and iconic rivalries in all of college football, however Alabama’s dominance over the Vols made the showdown lose its appeal. 

Tennessee’s record against Alabama since 2007 was 0-Saban entering this past season, however there was real hope the Tide could turn this go around.

Hooker would have the game of his life, throwing for 5 TDs and accounting for nearly 450 total yards in a 49-49 game with 9 seconds left.

The Vols needed one more big play out of their superstar QB, and Hooker delivered, finding Bru McCoy on a 27-yard completion to set up the biggest kick in program history.

Chase McGrath’s 40-yard knuckleball would barely clear the crossbar sending Neyland Stadium into chaos as fans wasted no time storming the field and lighting their cigars that they bought back in 2006.

Hendon Hooker was the Heisman front runner by the time the goalposts reached the bottom of the Tennessee River, and the Vols would eventually be ranked No. 1 for the first time since their national title campaign in 1998.

Hooker and the Vols appeared destined for the College Football Playoff even with a disappointing loss to the defending(and eventual) national champion Georgia Bulldogs.

Tennessee’s playoff hopes came to an end as did Hooker’s season in a 63-38 defeat at the hands of South Carolina when Hendon Hooker tore his ACL. 

In what was a disappointing end to a magical season, the Vols went on to win the Orange Bowl against Clemson and finished 11-2, their best record since 2001.

Hooker improved on his stellar 2021 outing, accounting for 32 total TDs while throwing just two interceptions all year. 

Hendon Hooker established himself as a Vols’ legend and had one of the most efficient two-year runs we have ever seen out of a college quarterback. The question now is, how does Hooker’s play translate to the NFL?

Obviously the torn ACL complicates things as Hooker was widely projected to be a first round pick before the injury. There are also other factors such as his age, he’s 25, and the fact that Josh Heupel’s offense was very QB friendly.

While there are valid points to be made against Hooker being a franchise quarterback, the talent is undeniable.

Hooker throws with elite velocity, and his arm strength gives him the chance to make nearly every throw on the field. He also has good footwork and mechanics along with having the ideal size you want out of an NFL QB.

There’s no way of knowing how this injury will affect Hooker’s mobility or willingness to run, but I am fairly confident he will still be the exceptional athlete we saw in Knoxville.

Hooker is one of the most complicated prospects in this entire draft, he certainly has the tools to succeed at the next level, however there are several question marks that keep him from being viewed on the same level as guys like Bryce Young or CJ Stroud.

I don’t doubt that Hooker can make the more difficult throws into tight windows, we just haven’t seen him have to very often in Josh Heupel’s offense.

Hooker will likely be a day two or early day three selection so he will have time to acclimate to the NFL while sitting behind a veteran QB.

The talent is there, it’s just a matter of how Hooker adapts to a more pro style offense.

If there is any QB in this class that falls out of the first round and goes on to be a bonafide franchise guy for the next decade, I feel comfortable saying it will be Hendon Hooker.