Hendon Hooker injured in loss to South Carolina

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) is assisted off the field after suffering an apparent injury against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Outpouring of support rolls in for QB Hendon Hooker following injury in loss to South Carolina

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Nov 20, 2022 12:36 AM ET

Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker gained a lot of fans this season with his spectacular play. They paid respect to the QB after he suffered a lower-body non-contact injury in the fourth quarter of the team's 63-38 loss to South Carolina and didn't return.

Absolutely BUMMED for Hendon Hooker
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 20, 2022

I really hope Hendon Hooker is ok. I hate seeing kids get hurt. He is a special talent
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 20, 2022

we love you, brother!! @henhook2
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) November 20, 2022

Hendon Hooker is pure class and impossible not to root for. The way he went down and it being a non contact injury I fear that’s an ACL. Man that stinks.
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) November 20, 2022

If Hendon Hooker is done, I hope he knows what he has meant to VolNation. In my opinion, he will go down as a Tennessee legend.

He has helped spearhead the resurgence of the Tennessee football program. We love ya, buddy. #VFL
— John Dunn (@JxhnDunn) November 20, 2022

Don’t care who you root for. That’s heartbreaking to see @henhook2 gingerly walking to the locker room. That kid is everything that’s right about college sports.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) November 20, 2022

Hendon Hooker always did right by Tennessee...committed to the program and stayed through the coaching change, lost a quarterback battle then eventually played his way to QB1, and led them on one heck of a ride this season.

No one deserves injury. But especially him.
— Jordan Crammer (@JordanCrammer) November 20, 2022

The loss puts an end to Tennessee's playoff hopes. Even worse is the game potentially serving as Hooker's swan song. The fifth-year senior entered November as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and his NFL draft stock rising to the level of him being considered a first-round talent.

Hooker is 229-of-329 (69.6 percent) for 3,135 and 27 touchdowns with two interceptions this season.

Losses to Georgia and South Carolina put a dent in his Heisman candidacy and depending on the severity of the leg injury, his draft stock could be greatly impacted.

It would be unfair for Hooker's college career to end on such a sour note. Because of his play this year, we witnessed both what makes this sport so much fun to watch and also what makes it difficult.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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