I am just going to say this about Hendon Hooker

[rocketskates]

Different era, different style, different game. Hendon is the BEST in the game today though.

I agree. Offense has evolved a lot since the 90s.

 

[volintears]

Doesn’t matter what he does in the NFL.

I disagree when it comes to the love thrown his way
Manning got a lot more for his records and super bowl wins from Tennessee fans

 

[nomads-11]

He is the best Quarterback that I have seen playing in the Orange and White and I remember watching Tee Martin, Josh Dobbs, Casey Clausen, and Peyton Manning.

Sure Peyton Manning is an NFL HOFer and a legend but his time in Knoxville doesn't match up with what Hooker is currently doing. Manning never beat Florida and he struggled at times in games such as Alabama in 1996, Memphis in 1996, Vanderbilt in 1996 and 1997, Nebraska in 1997, and of course Florida every year.

Hooker has yet to have a major let down and walked into a far more difficult situation than any of the great QBs listed above. He has been more impactful than any of these QBs.

This is a big statement but I feel this is a true statement. We will see how he finishes the season but man this guy has been special on Rocky Top.

Solid post....

 

[VOLtaism]

Depending on how he finishes, he might be having the best year of any UT QB. Any comparisons must be one year. Peytons body of work dwarfs everyone. The speed Hooker plays at is phenomenal.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

He is the best Quarterback that I have seen playing in the Orange and White and I remember watching Tee Martin, Josh Dobbs, Casey Clausen, and Peyton Manning.

Sure Peyton Manning is an NFL HOFer and a legend but his time in Knoxville doesn't match up with what Hooker is currently doing. Manning never beat Florida and he struggled at times in games such as Alabama in 1996, Memphis in 1996, Vanderbilt in 1996 and 1997, Nebraska in 1997, and of course Florida every year.

Hooker has yet to have a major let down and walked into a far more difficult situation than any of the great QBs listed above. He has been more impactful than any of these QBs.

This is a big statement but I feel this is a true statement. We will see how he finishes the season but man this guy has been special on Rocky Top.

As a Vols fan you should hope this isn't true.
You should be hoping that Hooker is instead just as a good QB who has been made to look elite because we finally have a genius offensive coach who will have a track record of making QBs look way better than they really are.

I personally think our success offensively this year says far more about Huepel than Hooker. I believe going forward you will see other QBs come in and surpass what Hooker is doing right now.

 

[RavinDave]

These type topics usually cause unwanted controversy talk... Peyton came in and had to compete as a true freshman and grew and became an absolute legend... He slung it around all over the field..... Hendon has came from an average at best ordeal at VT and scratched and clawed at every opportunity since stepping foot on UT... His grind and work ethic combined with a good coaching staff has paid off... Just enjoy the ride and put comparisons away... We are in the thick of it! THICK!

Thick… as a brick?

sorry…

 

[VFL 89]

He is the best Quarterback that I have seen playing in the Orange and White and I remember watching Tee Martin, Josh Dobbs, Casey Clausen, and Peyton Manning.

Sure Peyton Manning is an NFL HOFer and a legend but his time in Knoxville doesn't match up with what Hooker is currently doing. Manning never beat Florida and he struggled at times in games such as Alabama in 1996, Memphis in 1996, Vanderbilt in 1996 and 1997, Nebraska in 1997, and of course Florida every year.

Hooker has yet to have a major let down and walked into a far more difficult situation than any of the great QBs listed above. He has been more impactful than any of these QBs.

This is a big statement but I feel this is a true statement. We will see how he finishes the season but man this guy has been special on Rocky Top.

True dat!

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

Hooker is the second best QB to ever wear Orange and White. If he wins the Heisman or national championship this year, he will be #1.

 

[EZE]

Depending on how he finishes, he might be having the best year of any UT QB. Any comparisons must be one year. Peytons body of work dwarfs everyone. The speed Hooker plays at is phenomenal.

This is the way it should be viewed.

 

[nomads-11]

Well Peyton probably could have had a better college career, but coming up short for the Heisman isn't too bad - unless you think he was robbed (IMO he was). But he was about the only QB I had little doubt would succeed in the NFL, in all these years. After some adjustments, he did just that, had a HOF career. Can't ask for more than that.

Hendon? Well he's certainly a great story...and success in college. Even if it covers a year and a half. IMO he's got more to offer than Dobbs, but that doesn't make an NFL career much less a HOF finish. That's gonna take a number of things out of his control. But it's possible. Look where he is today.

 

[nomads-11]

As a Vols fan you should hope this isn't true.
You should be hoping that Hooker is instead just as a good QB who has been made to look elite because we finally have a genius offensive coach who will have a track record of making QBs look way better than they really are.

I personally think our success offensively this year says far more about Huepel than Hooker. I believe going forward you will see other QBs come in and surpass what Hooker is doing right now.

I tend to agree....Hendon may be the beneficiary of Huepel and his staff, and no knock on his talent or intelligence. But that will need to be proven either way in the future.

As for Dobbs.....great mind. Great running athlete....a bit better than Hendon IMO. Here's the thing, the #1 thing a QB has to do is pass effectively, if not accurately. Dobbs was adequate in college....but it's what keeps him off the starting roster in every NFL stop. Hooker could actually overcome that. Dobbs - No. Hooker may turn out to be much more than that...or not. As for Dobbs, asked and answered. It's over pretty much.

 

[Sea Ray]

The best QB I've ever seen in a UT uniform was Heath Shuler. Peyton was 2nd...until HH of course...

 

[BACKDOC]

He is the best Quarterback that I have seen playing in the Orange and White and I remember watching Tee Martin, Josh Dobbs, Casey Clausen, and Peyton Manning.

Sure Peyton Manning is an NFL HOFer and a legend but his time in Knoxville doesn't match up with what Hooker is currently doing. Manning never beat Florida and he struggled at times in games such as Alabama in 1996, Memphis in 1996, Vanderbilt in 1996 and 1997, Nebraska in 1997, and of course Florida every year.

Hooker has yet to have a major let down and walked into a far more difficult situation than any of the great QBs listed above. He has been more impactful than any of these QBs.

This is a big statement but I feel this is a true statement. We will see how he finishes the season but man this guy has been special on Rocky Top.

I just wish you were old enough to see Tony Robinson, and Heath Shuler.

 

[BACKDOC]

He is the best Quarterback that I have seen playing in the Orange and White and I remember watching Tee Martin, Josh Dobbs, Casey Clausen, and Peyton Manning.

Sure Peyton Manning is an NFL HOFer and a legend but his time in Knoxville doesn't match up with what Hooker is currently doing. Manning never beat Florida and he struggled at times in games such as Alabama in 1996, Memphis in 1996, Vanderbilt in 1996 and 1997, Nebraska in 1997, and of course Florida every year.

Hooker has yet to have a major let down and walked into a far more difficult situation than any of the great QBs listed above. He has been more impactful than any of these QBs.

This is a big statement but I feel this is a true statement. We will see how he finishes the season but man this guy has been special on Rocky Top.

One thing is different about Hendon ; in eight games he has yet to throw the ball in harms way. The one int. was a ball that sailed on him a little. I do remember seeing Peyton throw it up for grabs a time or two against the Gators.

 

[Orangepantsforever]

True, but I think the key with Hooker is the situation he walked into. I think what he has done is more impactful.

Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, etc. didn't step into a dumpster fire Tennessee program and bring it back from the dead. That is harder to accomplish. They didn't get a win against the GOAT coach and end a 15-year streak in a 52-49 shootout (Hooker lead our offense to 52 points!).

The only other QB that took over in a tough spot was Josh Dobbs but even he didn't get us to where Hooker has taken us. (I do think Josh Dobbs is underrated as a QB and his time at Tennessee. Give him a coach not named Butch Jones and he probably would have been better).

Without Dobbs, I don’t even want to think about where this program would be. He almost single-handedly kept us afloat in 2016.

 

[perico]

I love Hooker but he isn’t Peyton. Mannings ability to read a defense pre snap is unparalleled. And will you please stop with the Peyton didn’t beat Florida BS? Do you even remember those UF teams he had to play? Obviously you don’t. Here is a little refresher. From 94-97 UF won 44 games, 3 straight SECE titles, 29-3 in SEC and one NC. Oh and they had a Heisman winning QB.

No offense to Hooker but if you want to say he beat UF, he beat a bad UF. I mean Napier compared to Spurrier??? Come on.

No but Peyton never faced a Saban coached Bama team either, who have one 6 or is it 7 NCs?

I hate these arguments, but I tend to agree that if Hendon wins another game against a Top 3 team this Saturday, then his accomplishments at Tennessee will be unparalleled by anyone and should be considered a legit contender for the greatest at least of the last 50 years.

 

[kiddiedoc]

Let's not argue who is better, and just be thankful we were blessed with both.

This.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

No but Peyton never faced a Saban coached Bama team either, who have one 6 or is it 7 NCs?

I hate these arguments, but I tend to agree that if Hendon wins another game against a Top 3 team this Saturday, then his accomplishments at Tennessee will be unparalleled by anyone and should be considered a legit contender for the greatest at least of the last 50 years.

Maybe Hooker gets revenge for Peyton getting screwed out of the Heisman and wins it

 

[YankeeVol]

True, but I think the key with Hooker is the situation he walked into. I think what he has done is more impactful.

Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, etc. didn't step into a dumpster fire Tennessee program and bring it back from the dead. That is harder to accomplish. They didn't get a win against the GOAT coach and end a 15-year streak in a 52-49 shootout (Hooker lead our offense to 52 points!).

The only other QB that took over in a tough spot was Josh Dobbs but even he didn't get us to where Hooker has taken us. (I do think Josh Dobbs is underrated as a QB and his time at Tennessee. Give him a coach not named Butch Jones and he probably would have been better).

Give Bray a better DC and it’s a different discussion too

 

[sjt18]

Really not fair to any QB to compare them to QB's from different eras of CFB.

Things have changed over time. Almost every block executed by an OL today would be called a hold 30 years ago. Cut blocks were pretty standard in the open field then. The play book was probably bigger then but more complex now with more post snap reads by not just the QB but everyone.

Shuler would be good in today's O's. Manning probably wouldn't be.

 

[Stacmot]

I absolutely love and appreciate everything HH has done for us. I would love to have had a 25 year old Peyton playing for us!

 

[VolsSince78]

You can thank the genius offensive playcaller Phillip Fulmer for the Manning struggles. He took the greatest QB that will ever set foot on campus surrounded by countless NFL picks and has nothing to show for it but 2 Citrus Bowl wins, 4 losses to Spurrier, a loss at Memphis State and was absolutely rocked by Tom Osborne in the Orange Bowl. Facts.

Well, you captured all of Peyton’s losses at UT, plus a loss when he didn’t play (freshman vs UF). But, you omitted Peyton’s 37 other wins as a starter at UT, including an SEC championship game, 3 wins over Bama, and 3 wins over UGA.

I agree that Fulmer wasn’t an Offensive genius, though.

 

[DOCTORLOOMIS]

Well, you captured all of Peyton’s losses at UT, plus a loss when he didn’t play (freshman vs UF). But, you omitted Peyton’s 37 other wins as a starter at UT, including an SEC championship game, 3 wins over Bama, and 3 wins over UGA.

I agree that Fulmer wasn’t an Offensive genius, though.

Yep. Fulmer simply out talented other teams. Honest question: can you think of ONE game where he outcoached the opposition? Out schemed? I can surely think of many examples of the opposite.

 

[HiltonHeadVol]

I am very conscious of doorways or portals in life. Its not possible to always realize we are passing thru one as the moment happens but in retrospect we see what a life-changing event these were. Many ARE recognized or at least hoped-for on occasion. As i stand back and watch this ride that HH has taken and what is shaping up to be one of the best publicly known personal and sports growth stories of the past several decades, I think about this......what was the actual date that Hendon drove from Greensboro to Knoxville to enroll in school at UT (i'm assuming he went home from VaTech after deciding to transfer)? What could have been his thoughts that day? He already had some knowledge of the turmoil ahead but I don't believe he knew the totality of bad press UTenn was about to get and the dumpster fire he was to witness from inside. I wish someone would interview him to encourage his recall of that day and the mindset and the unbelievable journey he has taken as a man, a player, and a leader. It is honestly almost a Hollywood level story.......one he should at least record for his own future kids to study. What a trip it has been for an apparently really fine young man and his family. It is a story of accolades, followed perhaps by self-doubt, and then ultimate belief in himself that was to be tested to a degree impossible to anticipate. thank you Hendon for "hooking" your hopes and dreams to a dark place that you and your teammates are making shine so bright again.
I and Volnation will never forget your commitment to us, yourself, your faith, and your team.

 

[volbound1700]

I just wish you were old enough to see Tony Robinson, and Heath Shuler.

Yeah, I was in elementary school when they played.