Hendon Hooker 'extremely proud' of Tennessee's defense

Tennessee had a dominant performance on both sides of the ball in their 44-6 victory over Kentucky this weekend. Offensive dominance is commonplace for the Volunteers, as they lead the nation in total yardage and points per game. But on the defensive side of the ball, Tennessee arguably had their strongest showing of the season, as quarterback Hendon Hooker spoke about the improvement of that unit.

“Day in and day out I see the defensive guys put in extra work. Whether it’s getting on the jugs, which you can see these guys they’ve been on the jugs heavily, making great plays on the ball and coming out with their hair on fire which is their goal,” Hooker said as he sat next to teammates Brandon Turnage and Doneiko Slaughter who both secured interceptions against Kentucky.

The work on the jugs machine surely paid off for the Volunteers, as they forced quarterback Will Levis into three interceptions in Saturday’s game, tying his career-worst for a single game.

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The Vols defense did a great job in both stopping the run and pass, holding Kentucky to less than 100 yards in the air and just 107 on the ground in a dominant performance across the board. Tennessee held Alcorn State to six points in their week 3 matchup, but doing so now for a second time this season against an SEC opponent that averages 24 points per game is impressive. Not too bad for a defense that had to line up against the nation’s top offense every single day in practice.

“So I’m extremely proud of them and to compete against them every day, it’s a heated battle on that practice field, so just excited to go out there and compete with them.

On both sides of the ball, Tennessee will be in a very heated battle in their next game, as they take on No. 1 Georgia on the road in a matchup that many fans have had circled on their calendars since their upset victory over Alabama.

Hendon Hooker says battling Will Levis did not add motivation

Tennessee‘s 44-6 win over Kentucky improved their record to 8-0 and their ranking in the AP Poll to No. 2, and was a matchup headlined by two quarterbacks that you’ll likely see playing on Sundays following this college football season. Kentucky’s Will Levis and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker squared off on Saturday, and are both names that have been highly discussed as two of the top quarterback prospects headed into the 2023 NFL Draft. Following the win, Hooker was asked if there was any added motivation facing another opposing quarterback that could be a top draft pick, which he quickly dismissed.

“Not really, I mean just coming in every day trying to do my job to get the ultimate goal, and that’s winning,” Hooker said.

Hooker and his squad got the best of Levis not only on the scoreboard, but on the state sheet as well. Hooker ended the evening with 245 passing yards, zero interceptions, and three touchdown passes, his third straight game with three or more touchdown passes.

He also added a touchdown run to his day, but Levis was not as fortunate. The Vol’s defense gave him fits all night, forcing him into throwing three interceptions, zero touchdowns, and his first game of the season throwing for under 200 passing yards, ending the game with just 98.

Hooker may have won the individual matchup against Levis, but it seemed far from his focus, as he looks to continue leading Tennessee on their historic, unprecedented run.

“So coming in on a daily basis and making sure that I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, motivating my teammates, and locking into my assignment, and communicating at a high level,” Hooker said. “That’s what I try to do day in and day out.”