Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker left the game against South Carolina with an injury in the fourth quarter on Saturday night.
While running with the ball and making a cut, Hooker appeared to suffer a non-contact lower-body injury. Hooker fumbled the ball on his way down and stayed on the ground as Tennessee trainers rushed out to help.
After a few minutes on the ground, Hooker was helped up and able to walk off the field under his own power. Although, despite that, Hooker was moving extremely slowly and looked to be in a significant amount of pain.
Please Be Ok Hendon Hooker 🙁 pic.twitter.com/ipOSNREcZs
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) November 20, 2022
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After being evaluated in the medical tent, Hooker then walked off the field and into the locker room. Again, though, Hooker was moving very slowly on his own strength.
Following the game in Columbia, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel did not have an update to give on Hooker’s status. That update, though, will come after a further evaluation back in Knoxville.
“We were all definitely concerned,” Senior tight end Princeton Fant said about Hooker after the game. “That’s our brother, our quarterback, that’s somebody that we all believe in on this offense. He’s in our prayers tonight. We’re praying for him.”
Hooker finished the game with 25-of-42 passing for 247 yards and three touchdowns. The Tennessee quarterback has been widely considered one of the Heisman favorites while leading Tennessee this season.
“It was probably one of the worst things I’ve seen out there, just knowing how hard he works,” Senior OL Jerome Carvin said about Hooker’s injury after the game. “Probably the hardest working player I’ve ever seen, I’ve ever played with. It’s so unfortunate to happen to a guy like that. But, if I know anything, I know he’ll bounce back from this – for sure. Man, he’s a warrior. So I know he will.”
Tennessee HC Josh Heupel does not have an update on quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Says the evaluation will come back in Knoxville.
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) November 20, 2022
