WHO’S BACK
Tennessee returns the guy who changed their season a year ago in Hendon Hooker. Hooker came on for an injured Joe Milton and never gave Milton the job back. Hooker finished the 2021 season throwing for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
Hooker also ran for 616 yards and five scores. The Virginia Tech transfer’s game elevated when he was under the lights and in a non-contact jersey. Hooker flourished in Josh Heupel’s system in his first year. The result has Hooker on many pre-season watch lists.
Hooker’s back up from last season is back in Joe Milton. Milton won the starting spot last August with his big arm, but it didn’t transfer with the accuracy needed as Milton missed several deep ball throws agains Bowling Green and Pittsburgh. Milton chose o remain at Tennessee and compete for playing time. He has dropped some weight and reportedly has improved his accuracy, but he hasn’t shown Hooker’s play making ability with his arm or his legs.
WHO’S NEW
While everyone is talking about the quarterback coming in next year, the Vols brought in a very successful high school quarterback this past January in Tayven Jackson from Indiana. The four star Jackson led his Cedar Grove High School team to back to back state titles. In his high school career Jackson threw for 4,813 yards and 47 touchdowns.
Jackson showed himself pretty well in the spring making several plays with both his arm and his legs. He’s also a guy who has natural leadership skills. Jackson comes from an athletic family. His father played at Washington State and Jackson’s brother was an All-Big10 forward for Indiana.
Speaking of an athletic family, Navy Shuler, son of Vol great Heath Shuler, transferred in from Appalachian State in January as well to help give the Vols depth at the position.
BY THE NUMBERS
0 — Number of times a Vol quarterback has thrown 30 or more touchdown passes in consecutive years. In fact only Peyton Manning and Tyler Bray have had a 30+ TD passing season.
33 — Number of pass completions of 25+ yards
53:10 — That’s Hooker’s career touchdown to interception pass ratio
BIGGEST STRENGTH
The biggest strength of the position is the fact that the Vols are bringing back a starter who has full command of the team and the offense. Hooker was really good in year one and history says he should be only more productive in year two in the system.
If you want to have a chance at a successful season you start by having an experienced productive quarterback which is what the Vols have for the first time since Josh Dobbs was going from his junior to senior season.
BIGGEST CONCERN
Proven depth. Few to no one has it at the quarterback spot. Tennessee is bringing back a quarterback in Joe Milton who has started for two different Power 5 teams. But he struggled in Heupel’s system a year ago. How much improvement has he and can he make.
Jackson is a talent with confidence but he’s also a freshman who’s never played at this level.
So the question mark is could Tennessee be successful if Hooker were injured. There’s talent behind the senior but it’s not been successful in Heupel’s system.
