Despite being opponents and competitors on the football field each fall, the 14 quarterbacks from the Southeastern Conference have a unique bond in the form of a 14-person group text.
While the quarterbacks are all busy helping lead their own programs in the fall, many events and appearances can overlap during the off-season. Whether it’s participating in a camp, being on the same publicity route, or just putting in work before the season, these quarterbacks do come in contact with each other and have developed friendships along the way.
For Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, one of those specific friendships is with fellow in-state quarterback Mike Wright of Vanderbilt.
Hooker and Wright have crossed paths a number of times, but most recently were paired up together as roommates at the Manning Passing Academy in June.
“Me and Mike [Wright] have always been kind of cool along the way,” Hooker said at SEC Media Days last week.
Wright was the one to reveal the group text among the SEC quarterbacks, to which Hooker agreed.
“Like I said before, me and Mike are cool so we can talk on our own text,” Hooker said. “But the Manning Passing Academy brotherhood is like our own thing.”
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During his appearance with the media last week at SEC Media Days, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was quick to point out his admiration for Tennessee’s starting quarterback.
“Hendon at Tennessee,” Levis said about which of his future opponents he has become friends with. “A really good dude that I was able to get to know really well.”
Despite being one of the new quarterbacks to the SEC, South Carolina transfer quarterback Spencer Rattler has seemingly made a good impression on Hendon Hooker after their time together working at the Manning Passing Academy.
“I never really got to be around Spence beforehand, so really kicking it with him and talking to him, real down-to-earth guy,” Hooker said about his new SEC East opponent. “Real cool. We kind of clicked.”
Tennessee and Hendon Hooker will square off against all three quarterbacks mentioned during the final five weeks of the upcoming 2022 season. The Vols will take on Kentucky and Will Levis on Oct. 29, South Carolina and Spencer Rattler on Nov. 19, and Vanderbilt and Mike Wright on Nov. 26.
2021 Statistics for Players Mentioned
Hendon Hooker (Tennessee, 13 games): 2,945 yards, 68.2%, 31 passing touchdowns, 3 interceptions
Will Levis (Kentucky, 13 games): 2,826 yards, 66.0%, 24 passing touchdowns, 13 interceptions
Mike Wright (Vanderbilt, 10 games): 1,042 yards, 53.1%, 8 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions
Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma, 9 games): 1,483 yards, 74.9%, 11 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions
