Joe Milton addresses pressure heading into final campaign, continued guidance from Hendon Hooker

Joe Milton knows he has some big shoes to fill for Tennessee this year. The former Michigan quarterback is tasked with replacing Hendon Hooker, who led the Volunteers to an 11-2 record a year ago before suffering a season-ending knee injury that made Milton the starter again.

Now, ahead of his sixth year in college football, there’s plenty at stake — both for him and for the Vols.

Of course, Milton wants to make his way to the next level as he enters the year as the presumptive starter. But he also has a hand in the development of Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit and the Vols’ potential quarterback of the future. On top of that, expectations are high once again on Rocky Top as Josh Heupel begins his third season as head coach after making a case for the College Football Playoff a year ago before Hooker’s injury.

Milton understands how important this season is. But he also knows how to handle all the pressure.

“It’s a lot on the plate,” Milton said after Tennessee’s spring game Saturday. “But the most important thing … is just having fun. I trust everybody on the team, I trust every coach in the building. It doesn’t matter who it is. Everybody’s important in the building.

“The most important thing is just having that bond of communication, like Wesley (Walker) says. Everybody trusting everybody. Everybody has to buy in to Tennessee. Last year was last year. We can’t go back and change it, we can’t go back and help it. The only thing that’s most important now is this year.”

Of course, Hooker made his mark on Tennessee in his two seasons after transferring from Virginia Tech. As he made his way through the pre-NFL Draft process, he made sure to keep Milton in the loop on everything.

Their bond is obvious, and Hooker showed his trust in Milton by personally calling him after each visit he took as teams expressed their interest in him.

“Man, it’s impressive,” Milton said. “The guy called me after every visit [so] that I can understand what’s going on, and just because he’s a very humble person. He doesn’t like putting things on social media. He’s not that type of person. All his achievements, he’ll just come to me and we’ll just talk about it. We’ll be happy together about them.

“I’m very proud of Hendon and the things he has accomplished, the teams he went to go visit, the things and the knowledge he got from those guys. I can’t be any more proud than anyone.”

Milton also had a simple message for his former teammate as he not only works his way back from a devastating injury, but tries to hear his name called in Kansas City.

“Keep going, man,” Milton said. “That’s all I can say for him.”