Senior Bowl Director Comments on Vols’ QB Hendon Hooker’s Future

Hendon Hooker did not participate in Senior Day festivities during Saturday’s regular season finale against Vanderbilt. However, this did not make it a foregone conclusion the starting quarterback would return to Knoxville. 

Hooker has yet to publicly reveal his plans, however, the growing optimism around the Tennessee program is he will return for one more season. 

Earlier today, the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl, Jim Nagy, commented on Hooker, and it was another sign of optimism for the future of the Vols QB. 

Nagy and his staff are widely known for their years of expertise in Draft Preparation and insight, so this is a strong comment from him about Hooker’s potential to return and his play. 

Hooker has been one of the most efficient passers in the country throwing for 2,411 and 24 touchdowns to just three interceptions. 

Hooker did suffer a left thumb injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, and he did not return. The thumb was taped in post game, but Tennessee will have roughly a month to get him ready for the bowl game. 

“For all those guys, you just approach it in the way that you want to present information to your players, and make sure that they understand where they're at, what's being said, what the process looks like, and you help them and their families,” Josh Heupel said about conversations with Hooker. “You want the best for them, and I want every one of our players to go to the NFL and have a 10-year career and change the course of their life forever. To do that, you have to be physically, emotionally, and mentally ready to make that stride. It's not a leap. It's a developmental league. You want to make sure that your kids are in the right position and in the right frame of mind. He has to jump and 'chute. Nobody's happier for him than myself and our staff.”

It is now a waiting game for Vols’ fans and staff, but signs are certainly pointing in the right direction for Hooker to return to Tennessee.