Hendon Hooker set to start at QB for Tennessee vs. Florida

Hendon Hooker is set to make a second straight start at quarterback for Tennessee.

Hooker, a transfer from Virginia Tech, will be the Vols’ starter Saturday night against No. 11 Florida in Gainesville, sources told On3.

Hooker was 17 of 25 for 199 yards with three touchdown passes in Tennessee’s 56-0 win over Tennessee Tech last week. He also ran for 64 yards and a score.

Joe Milton was the starting QB in the Vols’ first two games but has been working back from an injury suffered during Tennessee’s 41-34 loss to Pittsburgh Sept. 11.

“Joe’s gotten some work here during the course of the week,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said Thursday. “We’ll find out more tomorrow with him.”

The Vols enter the matchup against Florida, which lost 31-29 to No. 1 Alabama last week, as a 19-point underdog.

Hooker, who transferred to Tennessee in January, made 15 starts at Virginia Tech in 2019 and 2020. In his seven starts in 2020, Hooker passed for 1,332 yards with nine touchdown passes and five interceptions while also rushing for 627 yards and nine scores.

While Hooker lost out to Milton in the Vols’ quarterback competition this summer, he replaced an injured Milton midway through the second quarter against Pitt and finished 15 of 21 with 188 passing yards, 49 rushing yards, two touchdown passes and an interception.

In the win over Tennessee Tech, Hooker led the Vols to touchdowns on three of their first five possessions and helped Tennessee build a 49-0 third quarter lead before being subbed out for third-string QB Harrison Bailey.

The challenge will be much greater against Florida, though. The Gators held Alabama to just 10 points during the final three quarters last week after giving up only three total first-half points during season-opening blowouts of FAU and South Florida.