Manning Award Names Hendon Hooker Finalist

Manning Award Names Hendon Hooker Finalist

Posted on December 5, 2022

NEW ORLEANS – Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker continued his stretch of finalist recognition, earning Manning Award finalist honors Friday afternoon.

Hooker becomes the first finalist for the Manning Award in program history after it was commissioned in 2004. The award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Eli and Tennessee legend Peyton Manning.

No stranger to recognition by the Manning Award, the Tennessee signal-caller earned the award’s weekly recognition, Manning Award Star of the Week, four different times this season. He did so following a 349-yard passing day against Florida that also saw the redshirt-senior rush for 112 yards and a touchdown. His five-touchdown, 385-yard heroic performance against Alabama netted him recognition and he followed that up with a three-touchdown, 245-yard game in prime time against Kentucky. His final collegiate home game also earned the attention of the award after Hooker threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns in a record-setting offensive showing against Missouri – one that produced 724 total yards of offense, a single-game program high.

Though hard to do following his first-year production, Hooker one-upped his 2021 season totals, further cementing himself in the Tennessee record books and program lore. He completed a single-season record 229-of-329 passes, a 69.6 completion percentage, topping his own high-water mark of 68.0 from 2021. For his career, he surpassed one of the namesakes for the award, connecting on 435-of-632 passes for a 68.6 percent completion rate while dawning the Orange & White. That figure was good enough to topple Manning’s previous career mark of a 62.5 percent.

The Big Orange signal caller passed for 3,135 yards in a season cut short by injury. He was on pace to surpass 30 passing touchdowns for the second-consecutive season, but concluded his final collegiate season with 27 aerial scores and five touchdowns on the ground in 11 games.

Currently, Hooker still ranks as the Southeastern Conference leader in multiple statistical categories, leading the toughest conference in college football in completion percentage (69.6), passing efficiency (175.5), total offense (324.1) and yards per passing attempt (9.53), a category he also ranks as the national leader in. Those figures become especially impressive given he did so against the seventh-toughest schedule in the FBS and earned five AP Top 25 victories at the helm of the Big Orange offense.

Hooker was named the SEC Player of the Year on Wednesday, Nov. 30, by the USA Today Sports Network, which is selected by a group of 13 writers who cover the conference on a daily basis.

A sixth-year senior and captain of the nation’s No. 1 offense, Hooker led the No. 7 Vols to their first 10-win regular season since 2003 and the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking by the College Football Playoff committee when the rankings debuted on Nov. 1.

With the Manning Award being the only quarterback award that takes into consideration bowl performance, the 2022 honoree will be announced in January, following the conclusion of all bowls. Other finalists for the award include Stetson Bennett (Georgia), Max Duggan (TCU), Sam Hartman (Wake Forest), Drake Maye (North Carolina), Bo Nix (Oregon), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), Will Rogers (Mississippi State), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Caleb Williams (USC) and Bryce Young (Alabama).

2022 Tennessee Football Postseason Honors

OC Alex Golesh
Frank Broyles Award Finalist

QB Hendon Hooker
Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Finalist
Maxwell Award Finalist
Manning Award Finalist

WR Jalin Hyatt
Biletnikoff Award Finalist

TE Jacob Warren
2022 SEC Community Service Team

-UT Athletics

Vols QB Hendon Hooker / Credit: UT Athletics
Manning Award Names Hendon Hooker Finalist

Manning Award Names Hendon Hooker Finalist

Posted on December 5, 2022

NEW ORLEANS – Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker continued his stretch of finalist recognition, earning Manning Award finalist honors Friday afternoon.

Hooker becomes the first finalist for the Manning Award in program history after it was commissioned in 2004. The award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Eli and Tennessee legend Peyton Manning.

No stranger to recognition by the Manning Award, the Tennessee signal-caller earned the award’s weekly recognition, Manning Award Star of the Week, four different times this season. He did so following a 349-yard passing day against Florida that also saw the redshirt-senior rush for 112 yards and a touchdown. His five-touchdown, 385-yard heroic performance against Alabama netted him recognition and he followed that up with a three-touchdown, 245-yard game in prime time against Kentucky. His final collegiate home game also earned the attention of the award after Hooker threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns in a record-setting offensive showing against Missouri – one that produced 724 total yards of offense, a single-game program high.

Though hard to do following his first-year production, Hooker one-upped his 2021 season totals, further cementing himself in the Tennessee record books and program lore. He completed a single-season record 229-of-329 passes, a 69.6 completion percentage, topping his own high-water mark of 68.0 from 2021. For his career, he surpassed one of the namesakes for the award, connecting on 435-of-632 passes for a 68.6 percent completion rate while dawning the Orange & White. That figure was good enough to topple Manning’s previous career mark of a 62.5 percent.

The Big Orange signal caller passed for 3,135 yards in a season cut short by injury. He was on pace to surpass 30 passing touchdowns for the second-consecutive season, but concluded his final collegiate season with 27 aerial scores and five touchdowns on the ground in 11 games.

Currently, Hooker still ranks as the Southeastern Conference leader in multiple statistical categories, leading the toughest conference in college football in completion percentage (69.6), passing efficiency (175.5), total offense (324.1) and yards per passing attempt (9.53), a category he also ranks as the national leader in. Those figures become especially impressive given he did so against the seventh-toughest schedule in the FBS and earned five AP Top 25 victories at the helm of the Big Orange offense.

Hooker was named the SEC Player of the Year on Wednesday, Nov. 30, by the USA Today Sports Network, which is selected by a group of 13 writers who cover the conference on a daily basis.

A sixth-year senior and captain of the nation’s No. 1 offense, Hooker led the No. 7 Vols to their first 10-win regular season since 2003 and the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking by the College Football Playoff committee when the rankings debuted on Nov. 1.

With the Manning Award being the only quarterback award that takes into consideration bowl performance, the 2022 honoree will be announced in January, following the conclusion of all bowls. Other finalists for the award include Stetson Bennett (Georgia), Max Duggan (TCU), Sam Hartman (Wake Forest), Drake Maye (North Carolina), Bo Nix (Oregon), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), Will Rogers (Mississippi State), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Caleb Williams (USC) and Bryce Young (Alabama).

2022 Tennessee Football Postseason Honors

OC Alex Golesh
Frank Broyles Award Finalist

QB Hendon Hooker
Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Finalist
Maxwell Award Finalist
Manning Award Finalist

WR Jalin Hyatt
Biletnikoff Award Finalist

TE Jacob Warren
2022 SEC Community Service Team

-UT Athletics

Vols QB Hendon Hooker / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 13 Vols Earn 20th Consecutive Home Win, Downing McNeese, 76-40

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 13 Vols Earn 20th Consecutive Home Win, Downing McNeese, 76-40

Posted on December 5, 2022

BOX SCORE  |  HIGHLIGHTS  |  BARNES POSTGAME  |  AIDOO POSTGAME  |  PHILLIPS POSTGAME  |  PHILLIPS POSTGAME ON SEC NETWORK

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Making their return to Rocky Top after a superb showing last week at the Battle 4 Atlantis, the 13th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers defeated McNeese State, 76-40, Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena, earning their 20th consecutive home victory dating to the 2020-21 season.

While defense once again highlighted the game for the Big Orange, the offensive side of the floor showcased balance and the ability to capitalize on opportunities. The Vols forced McNeese (2-6) into 24 turnovers on the night, 10 coming by way of the steal, and also swatted away 10 shots. Then, on the other end of the floor, UT outscored the Cowboys 30-4 in points-off-turnovers. Four different Vols scored in double-figures, and an unselfish offensive attack saw Tennessee record an assist on 21-of-23 made baskets in the game, with the two non-assisted buckets being put-backs.

The offense was led by reigning SEC Player of the Week Santiago Vescovi, who was a sparkplug Wednesday, generating a team-high plus/minus of +37 in 33 minutes played. He led the squad in scoring, sinking 16 points, while draining four shots from beyond the arc.

The offensive attack largely ran through ftrue freshman Julian Phillips, who led the team with four assists and added 12 points. He tallied a plus/minus of +30 to complement Vescovi. Phillips tallied five rebounds, blocked two shots and swiped a pair of steals to round out his night.

Jonas Aidoo and Olivier Nkamhoua were forces in the post for the Vols and shared the team lead in rebounds, each recording six. Aidoo guarded the rim with a fury, swatting away five Cowboy attempts and rejecting four shots in the first half alone, while Nkamhoua was efficient around the rim, dropping in 5-of-8 from the floor and totaling 11 points.

Tennessee’s defense came ready to go from the jump. The Vols forced 13 turnovers in the first half, five of which came on steals, and used their height advantage to block six Cowboy shots, equal to the total of made Cowboy baskets in the half, while limiting McNeese State to just 14 points in the first 20 minutes. That first-half total marked the third-fewest points allowed by the Vols in the Rick Barnes era. McNeese’s total of 40 points for the game, stood as the third time in the Barnes era a Tennessee opponent was limited to 40 points or fewer.

On the offensive end in the first half, every Vol who checked into the game scored a point, and Vescovi provided the offensive momentum, draining a pair of 3-pointers. Tennessee’s defensive success was met by equal amounts of discipline, as the Big Orange committed just three fouls in the period, conceding just two free-throw attempts. At the end of the first half, Tennessee held a 30-14 lead.

Tennessee, as it has for much of the season, turned up the heat coming out of the break. The Vols opened the second half on a 10-0 run and steadily increased that margin throughout the half, topping out at a 37-point lead and concluding with a 36-point margin of victory. The Vols only surrendered five turnovers in the second half and made 8-of-17 3-point tries while shooting at a 50 percent clip from the field in the period.

UP NEXT: Tennessee continues its three-game homestand, hosting Alcorn State on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets are on sale at AllVols.com, and the contest will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

CONSIDER THE FLOOR FED: Tennessee extended its home win streak to 20 games with Wednesday’s victory—a streak that dates to March 7, 2021. The Vols’ current home win streak is tied for the sixth-longest in program history.

Tennessee has also won 17 straight home games against non-conference opponents.

SLIM PICKINS : Tennessee has now held its opponent under the 1.000 points per possession mark in six of seven games this season, going undefeated when doing so.

The Vols held McNeese to .606 ppp on Wednesday—the fewest points per possession that Tennessee has allowed in a game this season.

NO EASY BUCKETS: For the fifth time this season, Tennessee held its opponent below 33 percent shooting from the field for the game, as McNeese finished the night shooting 28.6 percent (16-for-56).

JONAS PROTECTING THE RIM: Jonas Aidoo’s five blocked shots during Wednesday’s win are tied for the second-most in a single game in program history.

His five blocks marked the most by a Vol in a game since John Fulkerson’s five last season against Texas Tech on Dec. 7, 2021.

-UT Athletics

Vols F – Olivier Nkamhoua / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: Lady Vols vs. #9/9 Virginia Tech

Hoops Preview: Lady Vols vs. #9/9 Virginia Tech

Posted on December 5, 2022

RV/RV Tennessee (4-4) welcomes No. 9/9 Virginia Tech (7-0) to Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET for the Jimmy V Women’s Classic.

The contest marks the Lady Vols’ third of a six-game home stand and a stretch of nine out of 11 on The Summitt between Nov. 25 and Jan. 5. Coach Kellie Harper‘s squad is off to a 2-0 start during that stretch on Rocky Top and improved to 3-1 at home this season with dominant wins over Colorado (69-51) and Eastern Kentucky (105-71) last Friday and Sunday.  VT remained unbeaten on Thursday night, handling Nebraska easily, 85-54, in Blacksburg. 

The Hokies will represent the third top-10 team in the current AP Poll that UT has met this season, preceded by contests vs. No. 4 Ohio State and No. 5 Indiana. All told, the Hokies are the fifth team in the current AP Top 25 UT has played in nine games, with No. 15 UCLA and No. 23 Gonzaga counting as the other two. The Big Orange women also are slated to meet No. 1 South Carolina, No. 2 Stanford and No. 3 UConn later in the year, as well as No. 11 LSU.

UT and Virginia Tech are meeting for the 11th occasion and the second straight year, with the Lady Vols owning an 8-2 advantage in all-time match-ups. Last season, on Dec. 5, No. 11/10 Tennessee claimed a 64-58 victory over the RV/RV Hokies in Blacksburg to end a two-game series skid.

Following the UT-VT showdown, the arena will clear and the Tennessee men and Alcorn State will hit The Summitt to face off in an SECN+ streamed contest at 6 p.m. Fans must have tickets to each game to attend both.

About The Jimmy V Classic

  • The Jimmy V Classic, named for legendary NC State men’s basketball coach Jim Valvano, annually raises money and awareness for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
  • The men’s classic began in 1995 and is in its 28th year – 19th at Madison Square Garden. The women’s event debuted in 2002.
  • Both events are part of ESPN’s V Week initiative, which utilizes platforms to talk to sports fans about the importance of cancer research. To date, ESPN has helped raise more than $155 million dollars for the V Foundation. In 2021, V Week raised $13.35 million, surpassing the previous high of $8.8 million in 2019.

Game Promotions

  • In addition to the Tennessee-Va. Tech contest being part of the Jimmy V Women’s Classic, Sunday is Knox County School Day. 
  • Fans who donate two new school supplies will receive one complimentary ticket. 
  • All donations benefit the Knox County School Supply, supporting local teachers and education.
  • Other tickets are available at AllVols.com.

Broadcast Information

  • ESPN2 will televise the Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech contest, with Courtney Lyle (PxP), Carolyn Peck (Analyst) and Tamika Catchings (Analyst) on the call.
  • All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
  • The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Voice of the Lady Vols Brian Rice on the call and Andy Brock serving as studio host.  
  • A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com. 
  • For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
  • Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
  • The Lady Vol Network broadcast also can be heard on satellite radio via SiriusXM channels 135 and 190, and via channel 961 on the SXM App.

Lady Vol Trending Topics

  • Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston have both scored in double figures the past five games, with Jackson hitting for 10+ in every game but the first and Horston having done so in each game she played except for the UMass content in which she was knocked out by an injury in the second quarter.
  • Horston and Jackson are averaging (points/rebounds) 16.7/7.0 and 14.0/5.5, respectively, vs. teams ranked in this week’s national polls, while Jasmine Powell is putting up 11.8 ppg., 3.3. rpg. and 3.3 apg. 
  • Rickea Jackson has carded three 20+ scoring games, including 26 vs. Rutgers, 24 vs. UMass and 20 vs. Colorado, while Jordan Horston filled the nets with 20+ vs. Ohio State in the opener (20) and against Colorado (23) last Friday night.
  • Tennessee has had six different leading rebounders over the first eight contests, including Jordan Horston, Rickea Jackson, Jasmine Powell, Marta Suárez, Jasmine Franklin, Horston and the trio of Jillian Hollingshead, Horston and Jackson in that order.
  • Jasmine Powell has 33 assists vs. 16 turnovers for a 2.1 assist/turnover ratio that is fourth among SEC players. 
  • Jasmine Franklin and Jillian Hollingshead have shown signs of settling in the past three games off the bench, with Franklin producing 11 points, nine boards vs. Gonzaga, and Hollingshead coming up with seven points and four rebounds vs. Colorado and 13 points and eight rebounds vs. Eastern Kentucky.
  • Tennessee has forced an average of 19 turnovers per contest over the last five games, including an opponent season-high 25 by Colorado last Friday.
  • The Lady Vols have held four of their past five opponents under 40 percent shooting, with UCLA’s 43.5 effort serving as the exception.
  • After averaging 20.8 turnovers over the first four games of the season, UT cut that number to 15.5 over the last four contests, including a season-low 12 vs. Eastern Kentucky.
  • Defensively, the Big Orange women have averaged 5.6 blocks and 9.8 steals over the past five contests after posting three-game averages of 2.3 and 6.0, respectively, to open the campaign.

What’s Next?

  • The Lady Vols make two appearances next week when they face Chattanooga at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. (SECN+), followed by Wright State at 2 p.m. on Sunday (SECN+).
  • The contest vs. UTC features a December Deal 4-Game Pack, where fans can get two tickets to LV Hoops vs Chattanooga, Wright State, UCF, and Wofford, plus two $10 concessions vouchers to each game.
  • It also has an option for a Weekday Family 4 Pack Deal, including four tickets & four $10 concession vouchers starting at $48 (plus tax/fees).

Looking Back At The Eastern Kentucky Game

  • No. 23/24 Tennessee posted a season high in points, eclipsing the century mark to defeat Eastern Kentucky, 105-71, in a wire-to-wire victory last Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • The Lady Vols (4-4) were led by Jordan Horston, who became the 48th player in Lady Vol history to surpass 1,000 career points during her career. The 6-foot-2 senior guard finished with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and a block in the all-around performance.
  • In addition to her stat-stuffing effort, senior forward Rickea Jackson enjoyed a strong game, totaling 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a steal. Senior center Tamari Key posted one her strongest outings of the season, tallying 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks.
  • Offensively, Tennessee was on fire all day long, shooting 52 percent from the field and knocking down eight 3-pointers. UT dished out a season-high 26 assists, while turning the ball over a season-low 12 times. The Lady Vols won the game in the paint, outscoring the Colonels (4-3), 70–32, and doubling them up on the glass, 62-31. Tennessee grabbed a campaign-best 25 offensive rebounds, which led to a 2022-high 34 second-chance points.  
  • The Lady Vols dominated defensively, holding Eastern Kentucky to only 36 percent shooting, while forcing 15 turnovers. The Big Orange also notched eight steals and six blocks on the day.
  • UT’s bench accumulated a season-high 58 points, including impressive performances from sophomore forward Jillian Hollingshead, who posted 13 points and a career-high eight rebounds, and sophomore forward Karoline Striplin, who shot 5-of-6 to post a season-best 10 points.

Coming In Hot

  • Tennessee turned in 33 first-quarter points against EKU, going six of 10 from behind the arc and shooting a scorching 59 percent from the floor. The total tied for the 10th-most points scored in a single quarter in program history.  
  • Nine Lady Vols contributed at least one bucket to the 22-point lead, which was their largest first-quarter lead of the season.
  • The Lady Vols went on to amass 60 points in the first half, the most since Dec. 6, 2017, when they put up 61 in the first half against Troy.  

Balanced Attack

  • All 15 active Lady Vols saw the floor against the Colonels.
  • Fourteen tallied at least one point, and five Tennessee players ended the game in double figures for the first time this season and the initial occasion since Jan. 2, 2022, vs. Arkansas.  

Paint Presence

  • UT racked up a season-best 70 points in the paint against Eastern Kentucky.
  • Coming into the contest Tennessee’s previous high in the paint was 44 against Ohio State in the season opener.  

A Look At The Hokies

  • Va. Tech features five players scoring in double figures, led by 6-6 All-American and 2022 ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley (20.3 ppg./11.6 rpg.).
  • Other double-figure scorers include Georgia Amoore (13.3), Kayana Traylor (12.5), Taylor Soule (10.9), Cayla King (10.4) and Ashley Owusu (10.4),
  • VT has beaten Kentucky and Missouri from the SEC and Nebraska from the Big Ten, but Tennessee will be the first ranked team it has faced in 2022-23.
  • The Hokies are coached by Kenny Brooks, who is 131-69 in his seventh year in Blacksburg and 468-191 overall in his 21st year as a head coach.

Va. Tech’s Last Game

  • Georgia Amoore showed out with a triple-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Virginia Tech past the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 85-54, in Blacksburg on Thursday night.
  • The Hokies (7-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Elizabeth Kitley, who recorded a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
  • Amoore tacked on a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, and Taylor Soule helped out with 18 points.

UT/VT Notes

  • Tennessee leads the all-time series over the Hokies, 8-2, including 3-1 in Knoxville, 4-1 in Blacksburg and 1-0 at neutral sites. 
  • Kellie Harper is 5-1 all-time vs. the Hokies as a head coach, including a loss in 2007 while at Western Carolina, four victories as head of the program at NC State in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and another while leading the Lady Vols in 2021.
  • Harper played in a Tennessee win over Virginia Tech on March 20, 1999, as the #2/2 Lady Vols prevailed over the #13/15 Hokies, 68-52, in the NCAA Sweet 16 at Greensboro, N.C.
  • In that contest, 13,204 fans were on hand as UT legend Chamique Holdsclaw went over 3,000 career points.
  • Tennessee is 112-30 vs. schools in the ACC.

Last Time We Met

  • No. 11/10 Tennessee pulled off a gritty win in Cassell Coliseum on Dec. 5, 2021, defeating Virginia Tech 64-58 to remain unbeaten and card the finest opening to a season in Kellie Harper‘s 18-year career.
  • UT overcame a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit with a 16-3 run over the final 6:01 to end the Hokies’ 63-game home win streak against non-conference opponents. It also kept the Lady Vols perfect on the season at 8-0, with the program starting with that record for only the seventh time in the past 20 years.
  • Tennessee was led by graduate guard Jordan Walker, who went four of four from behind the arc to tally 17 points, and freshman guard/forward Sara Puckett, who logged a career-high 15. Junior center Tamari Key turned in her fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while holding VT standout Elizabeth Kitley to four points on 1-of-12 shooting.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: #13 Tennessee vs. Alcorn State

Hoops Preview: #13 Tennessee vs. Alcorn State

Posted on December 5, 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 13th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team is back at Thompson-Boling Arena this weekend to play consecutive home games for the first time this season, taking on Alcorn State Sunday at 6 p.m.

Fans can catch Sunday’s game on SEC Network+ and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Andy Brock (play-by-play) and VFL Steve Hamer (analyst) will have the call.
 
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
 
Tennessee (6-1) followed up last week’s Battle 4 Atlantis championship in the Bahamas with a 76-40 victory over McNeese State on Wednesday. Reigning SEC Player of the Week Santiago Vescovi led the way with 16 points for the Vols, while Julian Phillips had 12 points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists.
 
For the second straight game and third time this season, Tennessee is set to face a team for the first time in program history—the Vols and Alcorn State (3-5) have never previously met. It marks the seventh time that Tennessee has faced a SWAC member.
 
Following Sunday’s game, Tennessee caps off its three-game homestand Wednesday against Eastern Kentucky at 7 p.m. on SEC Network. Tickets remain available at AllVols.com.
 
TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including men’s basketball, are now digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.
 
Fans will gain admission into Thompson-Boling Arena via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android).
 
Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!
 
Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue.
 
The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.
 
A complete step-by-step guide on how to best access and use your digital tickets and parking passes, including diagrams and FAQ is available here.
 
TENNESSEE ATHLETICS APP
Fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app, which now houses the Coca-Cola GBO Zone. Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this link to download: utsports.com/app.
 
THE SERIES
• Tennessee has never previously faced Alcorn State on the hardwood, and Sunday’s clash mark’s only the seventh time in program history that the Vols will meet a current member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
• Tennessee is unbeaten against SWAC opponents, with all six games taking place at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• A Vols victory Sunday would extend UT’s home win streak to 21 games overall and to 18 games against non-conference foes (dating to a loss to Wisconsin on Dec. 28, 2019).
• Pulitzer-winning author Alex Haley attended Alcorn State. Knoxville’s Alex Haley Heritage Square is home to a 13-foot bronze statue of Haley. Additionally, UT maintains a collection of Haley’s personal works in its libraries’ special collections department. Haley died in 1992 and is buried near his boyhood home in Henning, Tennessee.
 
SCOUTING REPORT
• The Volunteers are in the middle of a three-game homestand, their longest of the season.
• Reigning SEC Player of the Week Santiago Vescovi is 12 points shy of becoming the 54th Vol ever to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
• Preseason All-SEC selection Josiah-Jordan James sat out Tennessee’s last four games due to left knee soreness. There is no timetable on his return.
• The Volunteers own the best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country, allowing only 83.0 points per 100 possessions. For more on UT’s defense, see Page 3.
• Five times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less. Tennessee held its foes to 50 or less five times all of last season and have now done it 25 times during the Barnes era.
• Tennessee has yet to trail at the half this season and is outscoring its opponents 32.3 ppg to 23.4 ppg (+8.9 ppg) in first-half action.
 
LAYUP LINES
• Sunday’s game caps a men’s and women’s doubleheader, as the Lady Vols host Virginia Tech at 1 p.m. ET.
• The Vols are wearing their orange uniforms Sunday. In six known instances of the Vols wearing orange at home, they are 3-3. The two most recent home games in orange were losses—to Memphis in 2013 and to South Carolina in 2015.
• Guards Santiago Vescovi and Zakai Zeigler each rank among the top 10 in the SEC in both assists and steals per game.
• True freshman Julian Phillips has attempted more free throws this season (44) than every player in the SEC except Texas A&M’s Tyrece Radford (46) and Florida’s Colin Castleton (45 in eight games).
• The Vols boast an average home attendance of 16,803 this season. That average ranks fourth nationally behind only Kentucky (19,301), Arkansas (19,200) and North Carolina (18,695).
 
ABOUT ALCORN STATE
• Alcorn State (3-5) enters Sunday’s matchup with Tennessee on the heels of back-to-back road losses out west—at Arizona State last Sunday, 76-54, and at Grand Canyon on Tuesday, 80-72.
• In other notable results so far this season, the Braves have faced off against an SEC team—falling at Ole Miss in the season opener, 73-58—and have defeated a power conference opponent, taking down Wichita State last month, 66-57.
• Aside from an exhibition game on Oct. 27, the Braves have yet to play a home game this season. Alcorn has played six true road games and two neutral site contests so far, and aren’t set to play a regular season home game until the start of SWAC play on Jan. 2.
• In the preseason, Alcorn State was picked to finish second in the 12-team SWAC by the league’s coaches. Sophomore guard Dominic Brewton and redshirt sophomore forward Keondre Montgomery were each named preseason second-team All-SWAC.
• Alcorn State’s current leading scorers are Brewton and Byron Joshua, who is coming off a career-high-tying 30-point performance at Grand Canyon on Tuesday. Joshua is averaging 11.6 ppg and also leads the team in assists with 2.6 per game.
• Brewton is also averaging 11.6 ppg and has scored in double figures during six of Alcorn’s eight games.
• Located in Claiborne County, Mississippi, Alcorn State University has an enrollment of just over 3,000 students and is the oldest public historically black land-grant institution in the United States. Former Titans and Ravens quarterback Steve McNair notably attended Alcorn State.
 
TENNESSEE OPPONENTS FACING 40-MINUTE FIGHT FOR 50
• Only two of Tennessee’s seven opponents this season have managed to score more than 50 points.
• Tennessee leads all Division I teams with five games in which they’ve held their opponent to 50 or fewer.
• Even defending national champion Kansas topped out at an even 50 points when the Vols defeated the third-ranked Jayhawks in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game.
 
VOLS RANK SECOND NATIONALLY IN ASSIST RATE
• Tennessee has assisted on 70.8 percent of its made baskets thus far. That assist rate is second-best among all Division I teams and barely trails national leader Liberty (70.9).
• Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi lead the way with 24 assists each (3.4 apg).
 
VOLUNTEERS RIDING 20-GAME HOME WIN STREAK
• Dating to their final home game of the 2020-21 campaign, the Vols are riding an active 20-game home win streak (the sixth-longest active streak in the country).
• Last season’s perfect record at home included five wins over top-15 teams, including three top-10 opponents—No. 14 Arkansas, No. 13 LSU, No. 6 Arizona, No. 4 Kentucky and No. 3 Auburn. Tennessee was one of only five major-conference programs to post a perfect record at home last season, joining Arizona, Auburn, Kentucky and Texas Tech.
• Only five times in program history has Tennessee strung together more than 20 consecutive home wins, most recently from 2018-2019 (31 straight).

-UT Athletics

UT Basketball / Credit: UT Athletics
Hooker Recognized as Finalist for Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Hooker Recognized as Finalist for Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Posted on December 5, 2022

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following an unforgettable final season on Rocky Top, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker added to his impressive list of accolades on Wednesday when he was named one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Football Foundation 2022 Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding college football player.

A sixth-year senior and captain of the nation’s No. 1 offense, Hooker led the No. 7 Vols to their first 10-win regular season since 2003 and the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking by the College Football Playoff committee when the rankings debuted on Nov. 1. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native produced 3,565 yards of total offense, completing 229-of-329 passes (69.6 percent) for 3,135 yards with 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions while rushing 104 times for 430 yards and five scores on the ground.

Hooker’s 175.51 passer efficiency rating ranks second in the Power Five and was achieved against a schedule ranked the seventh toughest in the nation by ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI). He claimed five wins over opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of meeting, combining for 1,817 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns in those games. Hooker touts two victories over current top-14 opponents as the Vols took down LSU, 40-17, in Baton Rouge and defeated Alabama at home, 52-49, in back-to-back weeks.

The 24-year-old leads the nation with 9.53 yards per pass attempt while also ranking atop the Southeastern Conference in completion percentage, passing efficiency and total offense (324.1 yards per game). Hooker’s two interceptions are the fewest of the 24 FBS QBs who have thrown 25 or more touchdowns this season, and his 27:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio leads the Power Five.

Wednesday’s recognition adds to a long list of honors for Hooker, who has garnered a wealth of national attention this fall, being named a finalist for the Maxwell Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, as well as a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and Jason Witten Man of the Year.

A first team midseason All-American by multiple outlets, the veteran signal caller has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times this year and received national player of the week acclaim from the Davey O’Brien Foundation and Maxwell Football Club for his efforts against Alabama and Florida, respectively.

The 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the 131 FBS head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 8 during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The other four finalists are TCU quarterback Max Duggan, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Michigan running back Blake Corum.

-UT Athletics

Vols QB Hendon Hooker / Credit: UT Athletics
Hooker Recognized as Finalist for Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Hooker Recognized as Finalist for Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Posted on December 5, 2022

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following an unforgettable final season on Rocky Top, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker added to his impressive list of accolades on Wednesday when he was named one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Football Foundation 2022 Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding college football player.

A sixth-year senior and captain of the nation’s No. 1 offense, Hooker led the No. 7 Vols to their first 10-win regular season since 2003 and the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking by the College Football Playoff committee when the rankings debuted on Nov. 1. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native produced 3,565 yards of total offense, completing 229-of-329 passes (69.6 percent) for 3,135 yards with 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions while rushing 104 times for 430 yards and five scores on the ground.

Hooker’s 175.51 passer efficiency rating ranks second in the Power Five and was achieved against a schedule ranked the seventh toughest in the nation by ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI). He claimed five wins over opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of meeting, combining for 1,817 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns in those games. Hooker touts two victories over current top-14 opponents as the Vols took down LSU, 40-17, in Baton Rouge and defeated Alabama at home, 52-49, in back-to-back weeks.

The 24-year-old leads the nation with 9.53 yards per pass attempt while also ranking atop the Southeastern Conference in completion percentage, passing efficiency and total offense (324.1 yards per game). Hooker’s two interceptions are the fewest of the 24 FBS QBs who have thrown 25 or more touchdowns this season, and his 27:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio leads the Power Five.

Wednesday’s recognition adds to a long list of honors for Hooker, who has garnered a wealth of national attention this fall, being named a finalist for the Maxwell Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, as well as a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and Jason Witten Man of the Year.

A first team midseason All-American by multiple outlets, the veteran signal caller has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times this year and received national player of the week acclaim from the Davey O’Brien Foundation and Maxwell Football Club for his efforts against Alabama and Florida, respectively.

The 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the 131 FBS head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 8 during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The other four finalists are TCU quarterback Max Duggan, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Michigan running back Blake Corum.

-UT Athletics

Vols QB Hendon Hooker / Credit: UT Athletics
Warren Tabbed to the SEC Community Service Team

Warren Tabbed to the SEC Community Service Team

Posted on December 5, 2022

SEC Release

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jacob Warren was named to the 2022 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team, the conference announced Wednesday morning.

Warren, a redshirt-senior tight end, has given much of his time to better the Knoxville area and most recently was instrumental in the planning, promotion and logistics of the Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) Coats for the Cold drive that provides thousands of people in need with cold-weather gear for the upcoming winter. Warren, along with his teammates, set out to get 10,000 coats for the upcoming winter.

The homegrown Knoxville native also has bettered his community through work with the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, the Wesley House Community Center and Love Kitchen, where he organized various types of food, sorted donations and cleaned floors, stairs and seats in their auditorium.

He is also heavily involved with his church, regularly volunteering his time at church events and other activities. Warren volunteered at the Boys & Girls Club through a church program, led Bible studies and engaged with kids by playing sports and doing crafts.

Not only is he a leader in the community but he also demonstrates leadership every day on the team and in the classroom. A second-generation Volunteer, he is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, doing so in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He has received academic recognition from the conference all four years he has been at UT, garnering First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll acclaim in 2018.

Warren, who earned his undergraduate degree in August 2021, is on track to complete his master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communication this December and has maintained a 4.0 postgraduate GPA throughout his time in the program.

-UT Athletics

Vols TE Jacob Warren / Credit: UT Athletics
Warren Tabbed to the SEC Community Service Team

Warren Tabbed to the SEC Community Service Team

Posted on December 5, 2022

SEC Release

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jacob Warren was named to the 2022 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team, the conference announced Wednesday morning.

Warren, a redshirt-senior tight end, has given much of his time to better the Knoxville area and most recently was instrumental in the planning, promotion and logistics of the Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) Coats for the Cold drive that provides thousands of people in need with cold-weather gear for the upcoming winter. Warren, along with his teammates, set out to get 10,000 coats for the upcoming winter.

The homegrown Knoxville native also has bettered his community through work with the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, the Wesley House Community Center and Love Kitchen, where he organized various types of food, sorted donations and cleaned floors, stairs and seats in their auditorium.

He is also heavily involved with his church, regularly volunteering his time at church events and other activities. Warren volunteered at the Boys & Girls Club through a church program, led Bible studies and engaged with kids by playing sports and doing crafts.

Not only is he a leader in the community but he also demonstrates leadership every day on the team and in the classroom. A second-generation Volunteer, he is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, doing so in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He has received academic recognition from the conference all four years he has been at UT, garnering First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll acclaim in 2018.

Warren, who earned his undergraduate degree in August 2021, is on track to complete his master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communication this December and has maintained a 4.0 postgraduate GPA throughout his time in the program.

-UT Athletics

Vols TE Jacob Warren / Credit: UT Athletics
Hooker, Hyatt Named National Award Finalists

Hooker, Hyatt Named National Award Finalists

Posted on December 5, 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The nation’s most electrifying quarterback-wide receiver duo was recognized Tuesday morning as finalists for a pair of national awards. Tennessee redshirt-senior quarterback Hendon Hooker was selected as one of three finalists for the Maxwell Award, while junior receiver Jalin Hyatt was tabbed one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award.
 
Presented by the Maxwell Football Club, the Maxwell Award annually recognizes the best player in college football. Hooker is up for one of the nation’s top honors alongside Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud and Southern Cal signal caller Caleb Williams, and he is Tennessee’s first finalist for the Maxwell Award since College and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning won it in 1997.
 
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc., annually presents the Biletnikoff Award to the college football season’s outstanding FBS receiver, regardless of position. Hyatt is UT’s first Biletnikoff finalist in program history and joins Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson on this year’s ballot.
 
A sixth-year senior and captain of the nation’s No. 1 offense, Hooker led the Vols to their first 10-win regular season in nearly two decades and displayed a confident resilience throughout the 2022 campaign. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native produced 3,565 yards of total offense, completing 229-of-329 passes (69.6 percent) for 3,135 yards with 27 touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing 104 times for 430 yards and five scores on the ground.
 
Hooker’s 175.51 passer efficiency rating ranks second in the Power Five and was achieved against a schedule ranked the seventh-toughest in the nation by ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI). He claimed five wins over opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of meeting, combining for 1,817 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns in those games. Hooker touts two victories over current top-11 opponents as the Vols took down LSU, 40-17, in Baton Rouge and defeated Alabama at home, 52-49, in back-to-back weeks.
 
The 24-year-old leads the nation with 9.53 yards per pass attempt while also ranking atop the Southeastern Conference in completion percentage, passing efficiency and total offense (324.1 yards per game). Hooker’s two interceptions are the fewest of the 24 FBS QBs who have thrown 25 or more touchdowns this season, and his 27:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio leads the Power Five.
 
Hooker has garnered a wealth of national attention this fall, being named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien Award and Jason Witten Man of the Year. A first team midseason All-American by multiple outlets, he has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times this year and received national player of the week acclaim from the Davey O’Brien Foundation and Maxwell Football Club for his efforts against Alabama and Florida, respectively.
 
Hyatt put together a remarkable regular season in his third year on Rocky Top and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most explosive playmakers. His school-record 15 receiving touchdowns lead the FBS, while his 1,267 receiving yards and 105.6 yards per game are tops in the Power Five. Long plays from scrimmage have become second nature for Hyatt as he leads the country in plays of 30-plus yards (15), 40-plus yards (11), 50-plus yards (7) and 60-plus yards (5) this season.
 
The Irmo, South Carolina, product has recorded five games with multiple touchdowns catches this fall, which ties for first in the FBS and leads the Power Five outright. Against teams currently in the AP Top 25, Hyatt sits atop the country with seven touchdowns while ranking eighth nationally with 398 yards across four contests against current ranked foes.
 
With three catches for 86 yards in the regular season finale at Vanderbilt, Hyatt is 31 yards shy of Marcus Nash’s program record for receiving yards in a single season. His SEC-leading 67 receptions this year are tied for the seventh-most in program annals and the most by a Vol since Justin Hunter had 73 catches in 2012.
 
Hyatt has also reeled in national recognition this fall, being tabbed a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year and a midseason All-American by ESPN, the Associated Press and The Athletic.
 
The Volunteer tandem combined for a historic performance in one of Tennessee’s most memorable victories as the Vols took down then-No. 3 Alabama in a thrilling, 52-49 win on Oct. 15. Hooker passed for a career-high 385 yards and five touchdowns, finding No. 11 in Orange on all five passing scores. Hyatt’s five touchdown receptions tied the SEC single-game record, and he finished the contest with six catches for 207 yards to register the 10th 200-yard receiving performance in Tennessee history. With the game tied at 49 with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Hooker heroically connected on passes of 18 yards and 27 yards to set up a 40-yard field goal try, and the rest is history.
 
The 2022 Maxwell Award and Biletnikoff Award winners will be unveiled as part of the 2022 Home Depot College Football Awards Show, broadcasted live on ESPN on Dec. 8, 2022 at 7 p.m. ET.

-UT Athletics

Vols QB Hendon Hooker & WR Jalin Hyatt / Credit: UT Athletics

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