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Stetson Bennett defends Hendon Hooker amid Heisman Trophy uproar

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph•12/09/22
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College Football: Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) in action, throws the football vs Tennessee at Sanford Stadium. Athens, GA 11/5/2022 CREDIT: Carlos M. Saavedra (Photo by Carlos M. Saavedra/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164231)

The Georgia Bulldogs’ quarterback Stetson Bennett has been named a finalist for the 2022 Heisman Trophy, but not without some controversy. There has been a clamoring from folks that believe Bennett’s finalist spot should belong to Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker.

With the programs being heated rivals, this could’ve been an opportunity for Bennett to claim another victory for the Bulldogs over the Volunteers. But the Georgia star elected to take the high road recently when asked about the Heisman controversy and even defended Hooker and the year he had.

“I don’t think it’s fair to Hendon. He’s a great player,” said Bennett. “I don’t think he should be spoken of in that light; he should be getting the respect for the year that he had. And not what could have been, but what was. He, almost not single-handedly, was the main factor in the program changing course.”

“As far as me getting hate for it, it doesn’t bother me really because I didn’t make that call.”

Hooker and Bennett both had Heisman finalist worthy season

Hooker and Bennett both had sensational seasons. The Bulldogs’ signal caller completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 3425 yards with 20 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. Meanwhile, the Vols offensive leader completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3135 yards with 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions. However, there are a few distinct advantages Bennett has over Hooker, how fair or unfair they may seem. The first is Bennett, and the Bulldogs beat Hooker and the Volunteers earlier in the season. And Georgia finished with a better record (13-0, SEC champs) than Tennessee (10-2). Another thing is, unfortunately, Hooker was lost for the season in Tennessee’s second to last game of the season, preventing him from adding more to his impressive stat line.

In the end, neither Bennett nor Hooker controls whether or not they get invited to the Heisman ceremony. The Georgia quarterback did what others would do in that situation and is heading to New York to be a part of the festivities. And Bennett’s point still remains, regardless of the opinion of Hooker being snubbed or not; he is arguably the driving force on the field responsible for the impressive season the Volunteers had. And that will be recognized by many for years to come.