Hooker Tabbed to Manning Award Preseason Watch List

Manning Award Preseason Watch List

NEW ORLEANS — Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker added to his impressive list of preseason honors on Monday, as he was one of 30 signal callers named to the Manning Award preseason watch list.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting.

This marks the third national award list that Hooker has been included on this preseason after also being named to the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award watch lists.

The redshirt senior shattered single-season program records for completion percentage (68.0) and passer efficiency rating (181.4) last fall in his debut season on Rocky Top. Hooker produced 3,561 yards of total offense and 36 total touchdowns during the 2021 campaign, his first at UT after transferring to Knoxville from Virginia Tech.

The Greensboro, North Carolina, native played in all 13 games with 11 starts in 2021, completing 206-of-303 passes for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns with three interceptions. His 2,945 passing yards were fourth-most in the SEC, while his 9.7 yards per passing attempt ranked second in the league and fourth in the nation.

Hooker stamped his breakout 2021 season with a career outing in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Purdue. He accounted for five passing touchdowns and 437 total offensive yards, both setting Tennessee bowl records, while completing 26-of-42 passes for a career-best 378 passing yards.

Finalists for the Manning Award will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship. The winner will be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, following the conclusion of all bowl games.

This year’s watch list includes players from all 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The SEC leads the way with six selections, while the ACC and Big Ten have five each.

The complete Manning Award preseason watch list can be seen HERE.

Hooker and the Volunteers open their 2022 season under the lights at Neyland Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 1 against Ball State. The game will be broadcast nationally on the SEC Network.

2022 Tennessee Football Preseason Honors

R-Sr. LB Jeremy Banks
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)

Jr. DL Tyler Baron
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)

Sr. P Paxton Brooks
Ray Guy Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon, Media, Phil Steele)

Sr. OL Jerome Carvin
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)

Sr. DB Trevon Flowers
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

R-Sr. QB Hendon Hooker
Manning Award Watch List
Davey O’Brien Award Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Media, Phil Steele)

Jr. OL Cooper Mays
All-SEC Third Team (Media)

Jr. RB Jabari Small
Doak Walker Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

R-Sr. WR Cedric Tillman
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Biletnikoff Award Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
Third-Team All-American (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC First Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Second Team (Media)

R-Sr. TE Jacob Warren
John Mackey Award Watch List
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Sr. OL Darnell Wright
All-SEC Second Team (Media)
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

Sr. DL/LB Byron Young
All-SEC First Team (Athlon, Media)
All-SEC Second Team (Phil Steele)