Josh Heupel: Hendon Hooker’s return to Tennessee ‘speaks to his love’ for the Vols

When Hendon Hooker showed up at Tennessee’s team hotel Friday night, he jumped right back into the same conversations he always had with Joe Milton III. The two quarterbacks started talking game plan. 

“We always talk about what the game plan is for every week,” Milton said after Tennessee’s 41-20 win over South Carolina Saturday night at Neyland Stadium. “We always talk about that. It’s just pretty much our routine since he had been here.” 

Hooker was honored on the field during a timeout in the first quarter, receiving an ovation from the sellout crowd. 

“I stood up for that,” Milton said. “It was great having him back and having the energy from the guys and the fans. That’s all you can ask for.”

Milton completed 21 of 32 passes for 239 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the win. It was against South Carolina last November when Milton had to take over for Hooker at quarterback after he tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of the 63-38 loss at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

That’s why having Hooker back on hand — the Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday night, giving him the weekend off — meant a little more Saturday night. 

“He got hurt last year in this game,” Milton said. “Being able to come out and win with the team, having him here, we’re going to go back in the locker room and celebrate that.”

Hooker over the last two seasons passed for 6,080 yards and 58 touchdowns and ran for another 1,050 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. 

“One of the best to play here,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said during his postgame press conference. “Guy that cares about his teammates still. Joe to everybody that’s in that locker room. 

“I think it speaks to his love of this university and this program that on a bye week, or a short week I should say, he got a couple days off (and) this is where he chooses to come. It was awesome to have him back and and be a part of this win.”

Hooker was a Heisman Trophy frontrunner before suffering the torn ACL last season. He led Tennessee to an 8-0 record and a spot at No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings in November. 

He was the 68th overall pick in the NFL Draft in April, selected by the Lions in the third round. 

“A lot of great memories (at Tennessee), a lot of great moments that I’ll treasure forever,” Hooker told WBIR before the game Saturday. “Just growing up here at the end of my college career, being able to be part of a change is amazing. I’m just happy to be here.”

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