Hendon Hooker drops best quote of the combine while answering question about Vols' offense

Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker dropped an incredible quote on Friday at the 2023 NFL Draft combine. 

Hooker was asked what he says to critics who suggest that he was the product of an "easy offense" at Tennessee. 

The former Vols quarterback had the perfect response. 

"I can't help that defenders can't guard my receivers," said a grinning Hooker. 

"My job is to get them the ball," added Hooker. "A lot of these questions about one-sided reads and stuff, we have pure progression routes. It's not my fault my first read is getting open. We have pre-snap looks, one-high, two-high (safeties), which side, double footwork combo. We have pure progressions with an alert with an option."

"These questions, they're cool and all, but if you really dig into our offense and actually watch the film, then you'd understand it's elevated to another level. And how fast that we're going, I have to process a lot of information at the same time and communicate with everyone."

I think these questions about Tennessee's offense keep popping up because people just don't understand what the Vols are doing.

It's a unique offense that uses elements of the Air Raid, the Veer n Shoot, and traditional offenses, among other looks, and blends it all together. Throw in the tempo and you've got a juggernaut of an offense that puts up a ridiculous amount of points. 

The offense, however, only works if Tennessee has the right personnel. The Vols were fortunate to have some great players in Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, Darnell Wright, Cedric Tillman, etc that made the offense click in 2022. 

Josh Heupel's system works, but he'd be the first to tell anyone that it was players making plays that led to the Vols' success this past season. 

In fact, that's exactly what Heupel said after one of Tennessee's wins last season. 

"At the end of the day, it's players, not coaches," explained Heupel last fall.

Eventually, the narrative that Tennessee's system doesn't prepare players for the NFL will die. But until that happens, players like Hooker will have to continue to deal with these types of questions.