Why Hendon Hooker's Season is the Best in Tennessee History

Hooker, Peyton, or Clausen?

  • Hooker

    Votes: 32 65.3%

  • Peyton

    Votes: 15 30.6%

  • Clausen

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Total voters
    49
#27
#27
This is a great comparison, and yes, I agree HH had the best statistical season that I can remember.

Manning won the SEC championship that season, though, and I don't see any mention of that. If you talk to the players, it's about the rings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GetYouSomeofThat
#28
#28
pimo1 said:
Agreed and I would go so far as to say its not close. If you look at the team Peyton played on not only was it littered with future NFL players a lot of them were stars and pro bowlers. Pretty 4 RBs on that roster started in the NFL. 5 Wr's made the league. The defense produced multiple pro bowlers and contributors at the next level. Seriously close to half of that team cashed at least 1 NFL check.

Hendon didn't play with scrubs but most of his teammates that did or will go pro are of the late-round variety. He did more with less and had he not been injured it would have been insane. Change the results of that USCe game... we win and Hendon is not injured and I think its unquestionable he gets the Heisman.
Click to expand...
Agreed, and that's why I mentioned the point that Hooker took over at a time where Tennessee wasn't a contender. Tennessee was always competing with the national landscape when Peyton arrived, and it was much easier to get big time recruits. Peyton was also the #1 recruit and helped bring in some of the best talent in the country (another reason why the Vols won in '98). No one knew who Hooker was, or how good of a coach Huepel is. He took Pruitt's squad and turned them into stars, and Hooker elevated that offense to another level.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pimo1
#30
#30
orangeblooded16 said:
Agreed, and that's why I mentioned the point that Hooker took over at a time where Tennessee wasn't a contender. Tennessee was always competing with the national landscape when Peyton arrived, and it was much easier to get big time recruits. Peyton was also the #1 recruit and helped bring in some of the best talent in the country (another reason why the Vols won in '98). No one knew who Hooker was, or how good of a coach Huepel is. He took Pruitt's squad and turned them into stars, and Hooker elevated that offense to another level.
Click to expand...
Going back to those mid 90's teams and looking at the rosters is kinda crazy. I mean there were periods where we had 6 rb's on the roster at the same time that started games in the NFL including 2 FB';s that started as RB's in the NFL. Its kinda wild how deep our teams were...pretty much all the starters for those mid 90's teams got at least a UDFA chance. Those days are over in college football, with the portal no one will be able to stack that type of talent again. but in the end its positive for college football.. more parity is good.
 
#31
#31
On paper HH has the best QB season ever, but there is always art and science to consider. The game, rules, and schemes 20-25 years ago were very different, even more so with Heupel’s offense. No doubt HH’s 2022 season was spectacular regardless of the era. HH will be a fan favorite and VFL forever.
 
  • Like
Reactions: volmanjr
#32
#32
orangeblooded16 said:
I'm sitting here thinking about how good Hendon Hooker was in 2022 and how fun that team was to watch. So just as a little reminder of how good Hooker was, I want to compare Hooker's senior season with the senior seasons of 2 other Tennessee greats: Peyton Manning and Casey Clausen.

Below are Hooker's 2022 stats with their ranking in the SEC in bold:

Comp Percentage: 69.6% (1)
Passing Yards: 3,135 (4)
Passing Yards Per Attempt: 9.5 (1 in SEC and NCAA)
Adjusted Passing Yards Per Attempt: 10.9 (1 in SEC and NCAA)
Passing TDs: 27 (3)
INTs: 3 (1 in SEC and NCAA, not counting the Air Force QB)
Passing Efficiency Rating: 175.5 (1)
Total Yards: 3,565 (5)
Total TD Responsible For: 32 (5)
Total Yards Per Play: 8.2 (2)

Keep in mind, this was in just 11 games against 6 AP Top 25 teams. If he had played 13, 14, or even 15 games, his total yardage numbers would have been through the roof. Using his yards per game number, he would've totaled almost 4,000 passing yards had he had played 14 games. His efficiency is something Tennessee has never seen before; and his career efficiency rating is 10th all time in college football, behind some legends of the game. Yes, there is the argument that he benefited from the beautiful scheme of Josh Heupel's offense, but we've seen it takes a special QB to make that offense flourish if the uber talented Joe Milton couldn't do it.

Now here are Peyton's stats from his 1997 Heisman season (Bump Charles Woodson) with their ranking in the SEC in bold:

Comp Percentage: 60.2 (5)
Passing Yards: 3,819 (2)
Passing Yards Per Attempt: 8 (3)
Adjusted Passing Yards Per Attempt: 8.5 (2)
Passing TDs: 36 (2)
INTs: 11 (6)
Passing Efficiency Rating: 147.7 (2)
Total Yards: 3,789 (1 in SEC and 2 in NCAA)
Total TD Responsible For: 39 (2)
Total Yards Per Play: 7.2 (1)

Peyton's stats came in just 12 games against 5 AP Top 25 opponents. All of his numbers are extremely impressive, but it puts in perspective even more just how good Hooker's 2022 season was. I understand Peyton's offense wasn't the up-tempo style designed to get receivers open looks generating multiple big time plays per game meaning his yards per attempt numbers would be less than Hooker, but that doesn't take away the fact that Peyton still put up big time stats. Peyton also put up these numbers with Jamal Lewis rushing for 1300 yards, as neither of the other 2 QBs had a RB with more than 900 yards on the ground.

Finally, here are Casey Clausen's stats from his 2003 season with their ranking in the SEC in bold:

Comp Percentage: 56.6% (9)
Passing Yards: 2,968 (3)
Passing Yards Per Attempt: 7.2 (7)
Adjusted Passing Yards Per Attempt: 7.5 (4)
Passing TDs: 27 (3)
INTs: 9 (8)
Passing Efficiency Rating: 134.3 (4)
Total Yards: 2,923 (3)
Total TD Responsible For: 29 (2)

Casey's season is definitely 3rd with these 3, but it is still an impressive season. In 13 games against 3 AP Top 25 opponents, Clausen led Tennessee to a 10-3 season. His WR room was highlighted by Mark Jones, who is a solid WR but isn't the Marcus Nash or Jalin Hyatt that the other 2 QBs had, which helps us appreciate Clausen's season a little more. There's an argument to be made that his 2001 season was better, but I wanted to stick with the senior season of the 3 QBs in discussion here.

So in conclusion, Hooker's 2022 season is probably the best QB season in UT history, and I think without the injury against those dumb Gamecocks it would undoubtedly be the best season of all time. The talent he faced was far and away better than the other 2, and he also took the helm at Tennessee in a time where they weren't a national championship frontrunner and he brought them to a #1 ranking, something the other 2 never did (yes this is the CFP rankings but still, y'all know where I'm coming from). He also broke the streak against Bama and beat Florida, which makes the season even more sweeter. It makes you appreciate how good he was even more when another QB who is far more talented took the reins last season and didn't come close to replicating his success, which leads me to believe it's more than Heupel's system. His efficiency numbers speak for themselves. All 3 of these guys are Tennessee legends and each did their own thing to write their names into Vol history, but there's just something extra special about Hendon Hooker's 2022 season.
Click to expand...
How many snaps per game did Hendon get vs Casey and Peyton?

Which offensive system/coordinator is known for produciing copius amounts of yards?

But the real questions are;
How would Peyton or Casey fare under CJH and how would Hooker fare under Cutcliff or Sanders?
 
  • Like
Reactions: krichunaka
#33
#33
vavolfan6 said:
When all is said and done Hooker's stats will look run of the mill for a Huepel coached QB. Look at the stats of Huepel's previous QBs. Milton was the exception. It's a completely different style of offense under CJH than any other in TN history. There will naturally be more opportunities to score and pad stats with the extra possessions.

With that said he will always live in infamy for taking down Bama, breaking the 15 game streak while Saban was still the coach
Click to expand...
Acclaim instead of infamy. Yes he will.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: sonofUT62
#34
#34
barrylee said:
The question is what kind of season would Peyton have had with Heup’s offense?

Can’t compare Hooker with Peyton and Casey, entirely different offensive system..
Click to expand...
If we're playing what ifs, and why not, how about Heath Shuler in Heupel's system?
 
#35
#35
BigOrangeTrain said:
Wrong my friend. The only reason you are saying a mobile QB is needed in Heupels system is because the QBs were not able to read defenses at an elite level. Something Peyton could. In 2022, you basically had Hyatt getting behind everyone and Hooker hitting him wide open.

As stated Peyton’s ability to read defenses is just as good or better than any QB we have ever seen at the college level. That followed him in the NFL. Peyton could move if he needed to. And if you don’t think an offensive genius like Heupel wouldn’t have made him the best QB in the nation then you are fooling yourself. There is a reason Peyton was the #1 pick in 1998. He probably could have went #1 in the 1997 draft.

Point is you don’t see QBs with Peyton’s level of abilities very often. And Hooker didn’t have them either. But Hooker had a great season.
Click to expand...
Peyton was brainy, no questioning that. Hooker was mobile in Heup's system, dangerously so. AND AND AND, he could read defenses. Even Saban stated Hooker was dangerously accurate. When Hyatt wasn't open, Hooker threaded passes or dropped dimes even when a WR was covered by two defenders. And NOPE, I didn't say a mobile is needed in Heup's system, I said Peyton wasn't mobile. In today's game, you better be, or you'll get crippled or lose your teeth. Heup's system does work better if the QB is mobile.. OLs do breakdown, or are not very good. QB better be able to move his azz. Despite the pattycake 0 protections, QBs get now. Just ask Hooker who actually got teeth knocked out. Peyton could run if forced to, but not very well. He was a plodder, not a slippery el like Hooker. BUT BUT BUT, as I said in the previous post: Pey-Pey was a legend in his own time, and always will be. Hooker has his own place cemented in Vol Lore, as he should. Let's just enjoy being blessed with two exceptional QBs that will be talked about for decades on decades, maybe even centuries.
 
#36
#36
orangeblooded16 said:
Oh I know, I'm a QB myself and I grew up with Peyton as my hero. I've watched just about every Peyton highlight imaginable. It's even hard for me to admit that someone outperformed the Sheriff. He's also the reason I put 16 in my name.
Click to expand...
I was trapped out west and fully employed in the Peyton era, so missed more of his games than I cared to. At times, I had to ramble about in the desert, including some nights, no fun when you know rattlers are out. Kangaroo rats and sleeping ground birds for supper, you know. My worse experience was missing a night game because I had to be at an observatory located on a mountain. So, I envy you for catching more of his games than I did. Least I can review some of the games online via YouTube, when not commandeered by Shirley or battling encroaching weeds and shrubs. Well, it's better than dealing with seasonal tumbling weeds when I lived in the Southwest. I really envy you.
 
#38
#38
I believe I would say maybe last 20 years would be the right choice of words. Tennessees History is over a 100 years
 
#40
#40
JRich said:
This is a great comparison, and yes, I agree HH had the best statistical season that I can remember.

Manning won the SEC championship that season, though, and I don't see any mention of that. If you talk to the players, it's about the rings.
Click to expand...

That is true but Manning didn't have to deal with Saban's Alabama and Smart's Georgia Dynasties. We were 1-1 against those teams.

Manning was 0-1 against the only real top ten threat on his schedule (Florida) and lost bad to Nebraska. SEC was just weaker in the Manning era. Hooker also didn't have the defensive talent that Manning's teams had on their squad. It was only 2-years into the Heupel rebuild.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JRich
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top