The numbers continue to add up for Tennessee sixth-year senior quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Especially the ones that matter most.
"I haven't played to my standard yet, but we've been winning ballgames," Hooker said this week in a news conference, "and that's the end story I'm looking for."
While victories continue to take precedence for the 6-foot-4, 218-pounder from Greensboro, North Carolina, ranking a strong second is avoiding mistakes. Hooker has picked up where he left off last season in that department, having yet to be intercepted through the 3-0 start that has earned Josh Heupel's Volunteers a No. 11 ranking entering Saturday afternoon's Southeastern Conference Eastern Division showdown against No. 20 Florida inside Neyland Stadium.
Since making his first Tennessee start in the third game last year against Tennessee Tech, the transfer from Virginia Tech has thrown 35 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. Hooker finished last season as the nation's third-most efficient quarterback, and his current 69.4% completion rate and 9.9 yards per attempt are ahead of his 2021 totals in those categories.
"They do a good job systematically in terms of what they ask him to do," Florida coach Billy Napier said. "They've got a great system, and I certainly think Coach Heupel puts him in position to do a good job of taking what the defense gives him. He's got really good awareness relative to the importance of taking care of the ball, and he does a good job of extending the play if it does get a little bit muddy.
"He's a good athlete who often uses his legs, so I couldn't be more complimentary of his growth as player. He's certainly off to a great start this year."
Hooker began last season as Joe Milton's backup before replacing an injured Milton during the second quarter of the second game, a 41-34 home loss to Pittsburgh. He handled Tennessee Tech with ease in his first start, completing 17 of 25 passes for 199 yards with three touchdowns, but his first starting SEC test was the following week at Florida.
In the 38-14 loss to the Gators, who scored the game's final 28 points, Hooker completed 13 of 23 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked four times and held to just 23 rushing yards. Heupel this week has referred to that loss as a turning point to last season, and players remember liking what Hooker had to offer.
"We saw that he was a great competitor who could make a lot of plays for us," left guard Jerome Carvin said. "Even when there is nothing there, he can make a play. He's just a special player for us."
When asked about his first go-around against the Gators, Hooker gave himself a "D," adding: "I honestly just judge it off if we're winning and if I'm doing my job in order for us to win. If I'm not, then it's not a good game."
Saturday will mark Hooker's 30th college start, having made 15 during his final two seasons with the Hokies.
"I think it's how he's grown in his preparation and what he does off the field and his ability to reset when he's on the field," Heupel said when asked to compare Hooker from a year ago. "He does not let one play affect the next."
Though Florida redshirt sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson has been with the Gators longer than Hooker has with Tennessee, nobody is questioning which team has the experience edge Saturday. This will mark Richardson's fifth career start, with his first four having yielded no touchdown passes and six interceptions.
"Anthony is going into his fourth game in this system and this way of operating compared to Hendon, who is in year two," Napier said. "There is a certain comfort level there. Experience matters, and veteran players and veteran teams benefit from that. It's not that the young player can't perform well or play well, but I just think there is a certain amount of wisdom that comes from experience.
"It's not only playing in the game but preparing for games and having to do what's required Sunday through Saturday each week along the way. Football is a developmental game, and you do that in a practice environment and in meetings in the offseason. That's where the quarterback position is made."
Unheralded battle
The matchup of Florida receivers and Tennessee defensive backs could be the battle of the unheralded Saturday.
While the Vols are 100th nationally in pass defense after finishing 122nd last year, the Gators don't have any receivers ranked among the SEC's top 20. Tennessee's tandem of Jalin Hyatt (267 yards) and Cedric Tillman (246) rank third and fifth within the league, while Florida's leader is Ricky Pearsall, a transfer from Arizona State who is tied for 24th with 120 yards.
"We're in the SEC, so they have good athletes, of course," Vols fifth-year senior safety Trevon Flowers said. "Almost every team does. We've got to go in there like they're the best receivers in the world.
"We've just got to be the more physical team."
Odds and ends
Heupel on Neyland Stadium: "I can't imagine that this won't be the loudest stadium in the country on Saturday." ... Tennessee is 8-of-9 this year on fourth-down conversions. ... Heupel when asked Thursday if Tillman has practiced this week: "All those guys who were nicked up last week — we're going to find out here in the next couple days where they're at and their availability for the game. We're hopeful with all of them."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.