The Last Time Kentucky Played Quarterback Hendon Hooker

Hendon Hooker is in his first year starting under center for the Tennessee Volunteers, but it will not be the first time he’s played Kentucky. The last time he shared a field with the Wildcats, he was out-played by a wide receiver.

On New Year’s Eve 2019, Lynn Bowden punched Virginia Tech in the mouth, then ripped out the Hokies’ hearts. In his final game at quarterback Bowden rushed for 233 yards and two scores, then threw the go-ahead touchdown to Josh Ali with just seconds left on the clock.

The BBN remembers Bowden’s heroics, but they probably forgot exactly how the game ended. Virginia Tech had a throwback play dialed up to perfection, until Brandin Echols teed off on Hendon Hooker. The Virginia Tech quarterback fumbled the ball, Jordan Wright recovered it ran it back for a touchdown.

The last time Hooker took a snap against Kentucky, the Wildcats smashed the quarterback.

New Look Hooker

Before the last hit of the Belk Bowl, Hooker exceeded expectations. He completed only 12-of-22 passes for 102 yards, but he threw two touchdown passes, including a beautiful fade in the end zone to Damon Hazleton. Hooker might have been even better on the ground, picking up an aggravating 50 yards to keep Virginia Tech drives alive. The Hokies did not like to use his legs too much. That has changed since Hooker transferred to Tennessee.

“I think there’s even a higher level of sort of maturity, poise, confidence in the pocket with him right now that he’s playing with. It’s allowing him to play really efficient, and I think he’s maybe number four in the country right now in QB efficiency,” said UK defensive coordinator Brad White.

“He’s making the right decisions, he’s making big plays in the air and then when it’s time for him to make plays with his legs, he can do it on the design QB runs, then he can also do it on broken plays. When the pocket’s starting to collapse, he puts stress on you because he can break the pocket. He’s got a really nice arm, so he can still throw it down the field. You got to stay patched to those receivers. But then if you get to attach the receivers, he can make one guy miss and he makes a big play on a scramble. He puts a lot of stress on you in a lot of different ways.”

Tennessee started the season slow with Joe Milton at quarterback. Hooker entered the picture and gave Josh Heupel’s offense life. To get a third win over Tennessee in the last five years, the Wildcats need to make more plays like the last snap they shared the field with Hooker.