Vols QB Hooker done for season with torn ACL

Tennessee backmost Hendon Hooker tore the anterior cruciate ligament successful his near genu during Saturday's 63-38 nonaccomplishment to South Carolina and volition miss the remainder of the season.

Team officials feared the worst Saturday aft Hooker was injured successful the 4th quarter, and the schoolhouse announced the quality Sunday.

"Hendon and the Hooker household admit each of your prayers and support," the squad said successful a station connected Twitter. "Hendon's unthinkable travel has been defined by faith, perseverance and strength. Obstacles person ne'er stood successful the mode connected his way to greatness. Forever a Tennessee fable and the eventual teammate, we cognize Hendo volition travel backmost stronger than ever arsenic helium embarks connected a promising NFL career. Thank you, Hendo."

Hooker, a 24-year-old senior, was 1 of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy for overmuch of this season. He suffered the non-contact wounded portion rolling near connected an enactment play, and his limb seemed to get stuck successful the turf astatine Williams-Brice Stadium. Hooker mislaid power of the shot and instantly went to the ground. He was helped disconnected the tract and past limped gingerly to the locker country with the assistance of the grooming staff.

A two-year starter for the Vols, Hooker was a driving unit successful Tennessee's turnaround nether second-year manager Josh Heupel aft transferring from Virginia Tech. He passed for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns and threw conscionable 2 interceptions this season. He ranks ninth nationally successful full discourtesy (and archetypal successful the SEC) with an mean of 324.1 yards per game.

A twelvemonth ago, successful his archetypal play astatine Tennessee, Hooker won the starting occupation successful Week 3 and finished with 2,945 passing yards and 31 touchdowns portion throwing conscionable 3 interceptions. He besides rushed for 9 touchdowns.

Heupel told ESPN earlier this period that Hooker was playing arsenic efficiently arsenic immoderate backmost he'd ever been around.

"It's amusive to watch, however everyone other rallies astir him and the bid helium has retired determination of our offense," Heupel said. "Sometimes helium makes it look easy, but it's his attraction to detail, his enactment ethic and competitory tone that marque him truthful special. He's idiosyncratic they're going to retrieve astir present for a agelong time."

Hooker was the heartbeat of a Tennessee squad that started retired 8-0 and was ranked No. 1 successful the archetypal College Football Playoff rankings. But the Vols mislaid that adjacent week to Georgia connected the roadworthy and past Saturday to the Gamecocks.

With Hooker sidelined, Tennessee volition crook to Joe Milton III astatine backmost Saturday against Vanderbilt. Milton, a transportation from Michigan, started successful the archetypal 2 games a twelvemonth agone for the Vols earlier Hooker bushed him retired for the job. Milton finished the crippled against South Carolina aft Hooker was injured and threw a 21-yard touchdown walk to Cedric Tillman successful the last minutes of the game.