The one thing about Tennessee Vols' QB situation that Josh Heupel still needs to address
The Tennessee Vols received some great news on Sunday afternoon. Quarterback Hendon Hooker announced that he's returning to UT for his final season of eligibility. Hooker, who transferred to Tennessee from Virginia Tech before the 2021 season, was a welcome surprise for the Volunteers this season. The Greensboro, NC native started the season as the […]
The Tennessee Vols received some great news on Sunday afternoon.
Quarterback Hendon Hooker announced that he's returning to UT for his final season of eligibility.
Hooker, who transferred to Tennessee from Virginia Tech before the 2021 season, was a welcome surprise for the Volunteers this season.
The Greensboro, NC native started the season as the backup quarterback to Joe Milton, but he took hold of the job during UT's second game of the season and never looked back.
With Hooker back in 2022, the Vols should have a legitimate shot at winning 10 games (winnable games against Florida and LSU loom large).
While this is obviously tremendous news for the Vols, there's still one thing about Tennessee's quarterback situation that head coach Josh Heupel needs to address.
The Vols need to find a backup quarterback in the transfer portal.
And that's not going to be easy.
Here's why.
Anyone who watched Milton play for the Vols this season saw that Tennessee's offense didn't operate at an efficient level. Milton is talented, but if he's under center for the Vols in 2022, Tennessee's ceiling is likely capped at six or seven wins.
I don't think the Vols should feel comfortable going into the 2022 season with Milton as the primary backup (if Milton even returns…he could be tempted to transfer, again, with the news that Hooker is returning).
And I don't think Tennessee should count on Tayven Jackson, a 2022 UT commit, either.
Quarterback depth is extremely important. Just ask LSU. The Tigers are in a situation where they may not even have a scholarship quarterback for their bowl game (due to Max Johnson and Myles Brennan transferring and the program wanting to redshirt Garrett Nussmeier). A program is always a couple of injuries or transfer portal decisions away from a bleak quarterback situation.
The Vols need to find a No. 2 quarterback in the portal they can count on. Again, that's not going to be easy. Any quarterback Tennesee pursues will know that Hooker is the starter and that Jackson is the future. They have to be ok with being a role player who might get called upon in the event that Hooker is injured.
Tennessee has a lot of momentum going right now. They can't afford to lose a game in 2022 because Hooker has to miss a week and they don't have a quality backup option.
This is going to be a tough task for Heupel this winter, but I think it could be as important as any move he makes this offseason.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
