Josh Heupel discusses Hendon Hooker’s school record for consecutive games with passing touchdown

Tennessee Volunteers star quarterback Hendon Hooker etched his name in the school’s record books again in Saturday’s victory over sister school University of Tennessee-Martin. In the first quarter, Hooker connected with wide receiver Bru McCoy for a five-yard touchdown. That pitch and catch would turn him into the school’s record holder for the most consecutive games with a passing touchdown. After the game, his head coach Josh Heupel praised him and raved about his maturity since joining the program.

“Yeah, I saw Heath before the game. If I would’ve known he was breaking it today, I would have gave Heath a little bit of grief, before the football game,” said Heupel jokingly about the previous record holder. “But Hendon’s consistency and growth from the time that he’s gotten here, and you guys have seen it from the time that he’s been able to be the starting quarterback.

“It’s a great lesson for everybody to continue to invest. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. He’s playing at an elite level right now. And I’m excited he’s playing that way. But how he handles himself and the maturity that he has that’s important for our football team.”

Hooker has been nearly impossible for opposing defenses to stop. On the season, he’s completed 119 of his 170 pass attempts or 1817 yards. He also boasts an impressive 15-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio and a completion percentage north of 70 percent while averaging over 10 yards per completion.

Hooker’s level of consistent play has the Volunteers in a prime position to represent the SEC East in the conference’s championship game. And a victory there would possibly land them in the College Football Playoffs.

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Hooker addresses new school record for consecutive games with passing touchdown

Hooker now owns the Volunteers’ record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass, previously held by Heath Shuler. Shuler, set the mark in Tennessee’s 1993 season, where he also finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Florida State’s Charlie Ward.

During the Volunteer’s postgame press conference, Hooker addresses the new school record for consecutive games with a passing touchdown and the words shared with him by the former record holder.

“It’s a blessing. I haven’t had that chance to talk to Heath Shuler yet,” said Hooker. “I was talking to Navy, his son yesterday and he was telling me, ‘Hey you gotta grab a picture with my dad after you break his record.’ And then last week talking to Heath he was telling me, ‘Hey you’ll break that record.’ So it’s an honor to get that encouragement from him and to actually go out there and do it.”