Insane Hendon Hooker stat that shows how efficient the Tennessee Vols' offense was in 2021
The Tennessee Vols finished the 2021 season with the No. 7 scoring offense in the nation (39.3 points per game). That was a vast improvement from the 2020 season when Tennessee's offense finished No. 109 in the nation (21.5 points per game) under previous head coach Jeremy Pruitt. The Vols' rapid offensive improvement was thanks […]
The Tennessee Vols finished the 2021 season with the No. 7 scoring offense in the nation (39.3 points per game).
That was a vast improvement from the 2020 season when Tennessee's offense finished No. 109 in the nation (21.5 points per game) under previous head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
The Vols' rapid offensive improvement was thanks to Josh Heupel's potent up-tempo offensive scheme. Heupel is brilliant when it comes to getting players open.
Of course, scheming players open is just half the battle. Tennessee was fortunate to have a quarterback last season in Hendon Hooker (who is returning in 2022 for his final season of eligibility) who could run Heupel's offense at a high level.
Hooker's efficiency is a big reason why the Vols were able to score nearly 40 points a game.
There's one specific stat that really shows how efficient Hooker was last season.
The Greensboro, NC native threw just three interceptions in 2021. That alone is impressive. It's even more impressive, though, when you consider that Hooker had more completions that went for over 70 yards (four) than interceptions.
We saw last season that not just any quarterback can run Heupel's offense (Tennessee's offense wasn't nearly as effective with Joe Milton under center at the start of the season). Hooker is a special player that has a bright future in football. Vols fans shouldn't take him for granted.
Tennessee isn't going to challenge for a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2022. And they're probably not overtaking Georgia in the SEC East. But the Vols could still be in store for their best season since the Phillip Fulmer era.
The Vols are moving in the right direction, finally, after years of being stuck in reverse.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
