Josh Heupel opens up on Hendon Hooker's torn ACL

The game was nearly out of reach when Hendon Hooker took a snap and ran on a designed run. He cut and collapsed, reaching for his knee. On a non-contact injury, people’s worst fears jump to a ligament injury. That’s exactly what it was, as Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers lost their quarterback to a torn ACL.

In what was a magical season, this was a devastating blow. Josh Heupel tried to put into words what he felt for Hendon Hooker and what type of person Hooker has grown into.

“Hate it for him,” Josh Heupel said. “Just how much he’s poured into it and the competitor that he is and how much he’s grown and the opportunity here still on the back end of the season for him.”

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“He represents everything good in college football, man. A young man that’s learned how to become a grown man that does it the right way, that cares about his teammates, that’s grown outside of the game, that’s grown inside of the game, that’s put himself in a position to have a great future in the game too, and [I] just hate that we don’t get the chance to go compete with him again and that he doesn’t have that opportunity.”

Josh Heupel then explained that Hendon Hooker is now beginning the process of recovering from his injury and figuring out the next steps for his future.

“For him, his future, he’ll make some decisions here during the course of this week and start moving on as far as getting healthy, and we’re going to do everything that we can to help him in that process.”

More from Josh Heupel on Hendon Hooker

Later, Josh Heupel was asked about Hendon Hooker’s growth and what it’s like to see him develop into such a huge figure at Tennessee.

“It’s been a great journey with him, watching him through the journey,” Josh Heupel said. What he means to this program, currently, but long-term too. He’s got an unbelievable legacy that he’s built here, and he’s built it.”

Josh Heupel emphasized that the team now needs to build on what Hendon Hooker started and finish the job.