Tennessee Volunteers News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Vols QB Hendon Hooker got snubbed for Heisman consideration

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker got snubbed for Heisman consideration

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 12/5/22

University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker had himself one heck of a 2022 season.

That season apparently wasn't enough to get him invited to New York as one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy, though. That's a fact that has many on social media upset. There's good reason to believe that those who are upset are in the right as well because Hooker was just that good this season for the Volunteers.

Hendon Hooker should have been invited to New York.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 5, 2022

Hendon Hooker being the best player in America for two-thirds of the season and not even getting invited to NYC is crazy.

What even is this award anymore?
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) December 6, 2022

Hendon Hooker had 27 TD and 2 INT, and led the country in QBR (ahead of all four of these guys).

He had a historic season against a brutal schedule and he missed ONE game. One! And it costs him a trip to New York.

What a joke. https://t.co/yGCgivt5dn
— Brett Edgerton (@EditorEdge) December 5, 2022

The issue for voters seemed to be that he missed Tennessee's final game against Vanderbilt, a 56-0 blowout. Hooker had torn his ACL the game before, which effectively ended his 2022 campaign.

The thing is, even with one less game, Hooker's stats are right up there with the four finalists chosen — all quarterbacks mind you.

Hooker threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns with just two interceptions, which just may be the most impressive part of his stat line. He also rushed for 430 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, and he was a huge reason the Volunteers were considered one of the top teams in the nation for much of the season.

Compare Hooker's stats to the four quarterbacks chosen for the Heisman Trophy ceremony and it would have made more than enough sense for the Tennessee quarterback to get an invite.

Caleb Williams: 4,075 yards and 37 touchdowns with four interceptions (66.1 CMP%), 10 rushing touchdowns.

C.J. Stroud: 3,340 yards and 37 touchdowns with six interceptions (66.2 CMP%).

Max Duggan: 3,321 yards and 30 touchdowns with four interceptions (64.9 CMP%), six rushing touchdowns.

Stetson Bennett: 3,425 yards and 20 touchdowns with six interceptions (68.1 CMP%), seven rushing touchdowns.

Hooker helped the Vols notch wins over No. 20 Florida, No. 25 LSU, No. 3 Alabama and No. 19 Kentucky. In fact, Tennesee's only loss this regular season came against the No. 1 team in the country, Georgia, which is nothing to scoff at.

Hooker should have been a Heisman Trophy finalist, even if it meant replacing the quarterback who beat him, Stetson Bennett.

He was snubbed.

More must-reads: