Tennessee Football officially revealed on Sunday afternoon that quarterback Hendon Hooker suffered a torn ACL in the fourth quarter of the South Carolina game on Saturday night in Columbia.
The ACL tear is to Hooker’s left knee.
Tennessee posted the announcement to social media with a short paragraph thanking their quarterback. With the news on Sunday, it looks as though Hendon Hooker has officially taken his last snap at the University of Tennessee.
“Quarterback Hendon Hooker sustained a torn ACL in his left knee on Saturday night. Hendon and the Hooker Family appreciate all of your prayers and support. Hendon’s incredible journey has been defined by faith, perseverance and strength. Obstacles have never stood in the way on his path to greatness. Forever a Tennessee legend and the ultimate teammate, we know Hendon will come back stronger than ever as he embarks on a promising NFL future. Thank you, Hendo.”
Thank you @henhook2 🙏#VFL pic.twitter.com/7IlJWpFOmj
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 20, 2022
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During the fourth quarter of the game against the Gamecocks, Hooker went down hard after making a cut. The injury looked to be suffered on a non-contact play. Hooker was immediately helped by trainers getting off the field, made his way to the medical tent on the sideline, but was almost immediately taken back to the locker room to end the game.
As the starting quarterback of Tennessee over the last two seasons, Hooker has been one of the most influential people to walk into the Tennessee Football program in some time. Hooker’s work ethic was routinely said to be infectious as he continued to build up his teammates en route to the season.
Hendon Hooker originally transferred to Tennessee after three seasons with Virginia Tech. Hooker eventually took over for an injured Joe Milton III in the second game of the 2021 season, leading Hooker to become Tennessee’s starting quarterback over the next two years.
Hooker has led Tennessee to marquee wins over No. 18 Kentucky, No. 17 Pittsburgh, No. 20 Florida, No. 25 LSU, No. 3 Alabama, and No. 19 Kentucky. All in all, Hooker finished his Tennessee career with six wins against ranked competition.
Hendon Hooker ends his 2022 season with 3,135 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 89.6. Hooker’s season led him into several Heisman Trophy conversations as the Tennessee quarterback spent a significant portion of the year at the top of that list.
During his time at Tennessee, Hooker led the Volunteers’ program with class and became a household name around the College Football World.
While he certainly has plenty of football accomplishments to his name, Hooker has always especially taken pride in a project he recently completed with his brother, Alston. The Hooker brothers published a children’s book recently titled The ABCs of Scripture for Athletes.
Here’s to a speedy recovery for a monumental individual in the 2022 college football landscape.
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker proudly showing off his children’s book, authored by him and his brother Alston, titled “The ABCs of Scripture for Athletes.” pic.twitter.com/tU02tdj4e7
— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) July 21, 2022
