Draft Scout Tennessee Player News, College Football: Tennessee

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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Tennessee

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12/20/21 - Jackson Hannah, rSr/2024, Tennessee + More +

A reserve linebacker is leaving Nebraska. Nebraska inside linebacker Jackson Hannah is entering his name into the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday, a source confirmed to the Journal Star. Hannah, a Nashville, Tennessee, native, played in every game in 2021 on special teams but was down the depth chart at inside linebacker. Hannah first signed with Nebraska as part of the 2019 class out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Tennessee. He didn't appear in a game in his first two seasons with the program before carving out the special teams role this fall. - Lincoln Journal Star

rSr/2024

OLB Jackson Hannah, Tennessee
News Source: Lincoln Journal Star
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12/14/21 - Cedric Tillman, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Wide receiver Cedric Tillman had the best season of his career with 57 catches for 931 yards and nine TDs. He could declare for the NFL Draft or return to perhaps improve his stock. There's no indication that Tillman's decision will be tied to Hooker's announcement. But it certainly doesn't hurt the chances that he'll come back. Returning to UT in 2022 without Hooker could've been risky for Tillman. Building chemistry with a new quarterback may have lessened Tillman's impact and dropped his draft stock. But with Hooker back, he can pick up where he left off this season. - Knoxville News Sentinel

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WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
News Source: Knoxville News Sentinel
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12/14/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker will have an encore. After a standout debut season, Hooker will use his final year of eligibility by returning to the Vols as a super senior in 2022. "Looking forward to many more. Let's run it back," Hooker posted on Twitter on Sunday. Even with coach Josh Heupel signing his first recruiting class Wednesday, Hooker's announcement represents the biggest news for UT's 2022 roster. The Virginia Tech graduate transfer climbed the UT record book in his first season, and he ranks third nationally in passer rating.

Hooker's return means the Vols may not miss a beat in 2022 from their frenetic pace in Heupel's first season, when they ranked ninth in scoring offense (38.8 ppg) and led FBS in plays per minute. And it also stabilizes UT's quarterback situation. Four-star prospect Tayven Jackson plans to sign with UT on Wednesday and enroll in January. He can now learn behind Hooker for one season rather than compete for the starting job with backup Joe Milton or potential transfers. - Knoxville News

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QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: Knoxville News
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12/08/21 - Velus Jones Jr., rSr/2022, Tennessee + More +

2021 SEC CO-SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR (COACHES): Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee,...Jones leads the SEC in punt return average (16.0) and ranks second in kickoff return average (28.1). He leads all active FBS players with 2,851 career kickoff return yards. Jones was named SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week after he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against South Alabama. - SEC Football

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WR Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee
News Source: SEC Football
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11/27/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Hendon Hooker threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 75 yards to lead Tennessee to a 45-21 season-ending Southeastern Conference victory over Vanderbilt Saturday. Jabari Small rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns as the Volunteers (7-5, 4-4) grabbed bragging rights over their intrastate rival Commodores (2-10, 0-8). Tennessee receiver Cedric Tillman caught six passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, After taking a hit on an option play, Hooker left the game with 8:03 left in the fourth quarter holding his left hand. He was replaced by Joe Milton.

The Vols and their high-octane offense had their six scoring drives total 11 minutes, 26 seconds time of possession. Commodores quarterback Mike Wright collected 198 passing yards and a TD. Rocko Griffin rushed for 104 yards and a score. Vanderbilt waited until the last play of the first half for its only highlight. Down 24-0, Wright heaved a desperation pass 56 yards and, with three Vols around him, Will Sheppard hauled it in in the end zone. Defensive back Theo Jackson scored Tennessee's first touchdown with a 45-yard interception return. - Tennessee/AP College Football

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QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: Tennessee/AP College Football
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11/24/21 - McCallan Castles, rSr/2024, Tennessee + More +

2021 ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM (COACHES): TE: McCallan Castles, UC Davis,...Castles finished the regular season as UC Davis' second-leading receiver with 363 yards and averaged 14.52 yards per catch with four touchdowns. He was also part of the blocking scheme for a run game that averaged 175 yards per game this season. - California-Davis Football

rSr/2024

TE McCallan Castles, Tennessee
News Source: California-Davis Football
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11/21/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

All season, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has stressed maintaining a high competitive level, no matter the opponent. Saturday night, thanks to a 60-14 win over South Alabama, Heupel's players proved they got the message. "They answered my question," Heupel said. "Who are we going to be? We were assignment sound. We took care of business." Hendon Hooker threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Tennessee. The nonconference win gives the Volunteers (6-5) bowl eligibility in Heupel's first season. The Jaguars (5-6) have one more try to reach that level under first-year coach Kane Wommack. "(Bowl eligibility) is important for sure," Heupel said. "Nobody focused on that part of it. We just wanted to continue to grow and compete. Now we have an opportunity to grow and compete in December." Hooker connected on 17 of 20 passes, with touchdowns going to Cedric Tillman (27 yards) and Princeton Fant (24).

Jabari Small rushed for 73 yards and a pair of TDs. Jalen Wright and Len'Neth Whitehead also scored one on the ground. "(We were) hitting on every angle," Hooker said. "We're trying to tire you out tonight." "(Hooker) keeps being aggressive," Heupel said. "He's a competitor." Besides an offense that collected 561 yards, the Vols defense stifled the Jaguars with 1 of 16 in third-down conversions and had 13 tackles for loss. "We did a good job of maxing things out (on defense)," Heupel said. "We had pressure on their quarterback." - Tennessee/AP College Football

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QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: Tennessee/AP College Football
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11/12/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

NOV 8 SEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee,...Hooker was spectacular in leading Tennessee to a 45-42 high-scoring win at No. 18 Kentucky as he accounted for four touchdowns and 357 yards of total offense...He averaged an incredible 11.52 yards per play. It was the Vols' first ranked win on the road vs. a top 20 opponent since 2006, while the 45 points were Tennessee's most vs. a ranked opponent on the road since Oct. 7, 2006 (51 at No. 10 Georgia)...Hooker finished an efficient 15-of-20 for a career-best 316 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He also added 41 yards on the ground. Hooker fired multiple touchdown passes over 70 yards, becoming the first Vol QB since at least 2000 to achieve the feat in the same game and the only player in the SEC this season to do it in a conference game...Hooker moved into a tie for the national lead in 70+ yard touchdowns on the season with four, while elevating his QB passer rating to 190.01, good for fourth in the nation...He also surpassed Peyton Manning (20 in 1996) for 10th place in Tennessee all-time single-season touchdown passes with 21. - SEC Football

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QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: SEC Football
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11/12/21 - Cade Mays, rSr/2022, Tennessee + More +

NOV 8 SEC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Cade Mays, OT, Tennessee,...Mays paved the way and protected for a Tennessee offense that racked up 462 yards of total offense in a 45-42 win at No. 18 Kentucky...The win over a ranked opponent on the road saw Mays play every offensive snap at right tackle as he did not allow a pressure, a sack, or a penalty...Mays was a part of a Tennessee unit that put up 42 points - its most vs. a ranked opponent since scoring 45 vs. Northwestern in the 2016 Outback Bowl...For the season, Mays has now played 418 snaps without allowing a sack. - SEC Football

rSr/2022

OT Cade Mays, Tennessee
News Source: SEC Football
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11/07/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Even for a team that's embraced a fast pace, Tennessee's efficiency against No. 18 Kentucky was something to behold. Especially the little time Hendon Hooker needed to move the Volunteers up and down the field. Hooker threw a career-high four touchdown passes, including a 6-yard insurance score to Cedric Tillman early in the fourth quarter, and Tennessee held off the Wildcats 45-42 on Saturday night to halt a two-game skid. The Volunteers (5-4, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) emerged from a bye to strike quickly in a back-and-forth game between border rivals that totaled 1,073 yards combined. They needed just four plays and 37 seconds to score their first two TDs, drove 35 yards in 16 seconds for a go-ahead field goal before halftime, and used only 37 seconds on the way to another go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.

The Vols were outgained 612-461 and held the ball for just 13:52, but made the most of it before a sellout crowd in hostile territory. Many spectators had barely settled into seats when Hooker tossed his first TD pass to Javonta Payton on the game's first snap. "We scored extremely quickly on some big plays and even when we didn't, we move the ball down into plus-red zone territory and end up fumbling," Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. "It's just really unique how the game really unfolded." Hooker's final TD to Tillman with 11:40 remaining proved to be the biggest as Kentucky (6-3, 4-3) got within a field goal on Will Levis' 24-yard touchdown toss to Izayah Cummings. The Wildcats got one last chance after Chase McGrath's missed field goal but couldn't take advantage, turning the ball over on downs with 29 seconds left. It was Tennessee's first win over a ranked opponent since 2018, also against Kentucky. - Tennessee/AP College Football

rSr/2023

QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: Tennessee/AP College Football
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10/09/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Hendon Hooker threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns to lead Tennessee to a 45-20 Southeastern Conference victory over South Carolina Saturday. The Volunteers (4-2, 2-1) led 35-0 in the second quarter before the Gamecocks (3-3, 0-3) staged a recovery. Vols' running back Tiyon Evans rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown before leaving midway through the third quarter with an injury.

South Carolina's Kevin Harris scored from a yard out to start the fourth quarter. A missed two-point conversion made the score 38-20. Tennessee's offense generated just 25 offensive yards in the third quarter. Len'Neth Whitehead, replacing the injured Evans at running back, scored Tennessee's last TD from two yards. Trailing by 31 midway through the third quarter, South Carolina had fourth-and-9 on the Tennessee 44. Punter Kai Kroeger hit wide-open Payton Mangrum with what turned out to be a scoring pass and a 38-14 difference. A 28-0 first-quarter lead blossomed to 38-7 by halftime. Hooker completed 15 of 20 passes for 217 yards and three scores in the first 30 minutes. - Tennessee/AP College Football

rSr/2023

QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: Tennessee/AP College Football
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10/04/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Hendon Hooker has played well enough to finally earn the starting quarterback job at Tennessee. Volunteers coach Josh Heupel had left open the issue of who his starter is the past five weeks after initially naming Joe Milton, a redshirt junior transfer from Michigan. But an injury to Milton opened the job up to Hooker, a redshirt senior transfer from Virginia Tech. Hooker's performance in a rout of Missouri last weekend was enough for Heupel to finally be named the starter Monday before the Vols host South Carolina on Saturday. Hooker's ball security helped sway his head coach. He has thrown eight TD passes with no interceptions since taking over as the starter Sept. 18. "As much as anything, it's great comfort and understanding what we're doing, the tempo," Heupel said. "He's really in control of what's going on at the line of scrimmage. He's been really decisive with the football. That comes from him having his eyes in the right place." In the 62-24 rout of Missouri, Hooker completed 15 of 19 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 15 times for 80 yards and a TD as the Tennessee offense looked the closest yet to the fast-paced attack Heupel wants. Tennessee has averaged 44 points and 507.7 yards a game with Hooker starting. - AP College Football

rSr/2023

QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
News Source: AP College Football
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10/04/21 - Cade Mays, rSr/2022, Tennessee + More +

OCT 4 SEC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Cade Mays, OT, Tennessee,...Mays, making the start at right tackle, paved the way for a 683-yard output as Tennessee topped Missouri for a 62-24 road win. Mays did not allow a pressure or a penalty...With the help of Mays, Tennessee finished with 458 yards on the ground, representing the most rushing yards in a road game in school history and the most overall since rushing for 513 yards against Washington & Lee on Nov. 10, 1951...The Vols' 683 yards of total offense were their most since racking up 684 yards at Texas A&M on Oct. 8, 2016...Mays was dominant in a first quarter that saw UT rack up 28 points, the most in the first quarter for the Vols since scoring 35 vs. Arkansas on Nov. 11, 2000. - SEC Football

rSr/2022

OT Cade Mays, Tennessee
News Source: SEC Football
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10/03/21 - McCallan Castles, rSr/2024, Tennessee + More +

Wide receiver Carson Crawford tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to McCallan Castles midway through the fourth quarter and eighth-ranked UC Davis held on to beat Idaho 27-20 on Saturday night. UC Davis' Trent Tompkins threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jared Harrell that tied the game 20-20 with 14:08 remaining. On the Aggies' next series, Tompkins lateraled to Crawford, who then hit Castles in stride for the go-ahead score. Castles made the diving catch while dragging a defender across the goal line with 8:05 to play.

Idaho's Mike Beaudry threw an interception to Devon King near midfield on the Vandals' final possession with 1:34 left. UC Davis freshman Miles Hastings was 15-of-27 passing for 144 yards with a touchdown and interception in his first start. Tompkins completed all four of his pass attempts and added 85 yards rushing on 13 carries. Beaudry completed 22 of 35 passes for 255 yards. Elisha Cummings had 15 carries for 125 yards rushing for Idaho (1-3, 0-1). Zach Borisch had a pair of touchdown runs and finished with 82 yards rushing. - AP College Football

rSr/2024

TE McCallan Castles, Tennessee
News Source: AP College Football
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09/18/21 - Hendon Hooker, rSr/2023, Tennessee + More +

Hendon Hooker threw three touchdown passes and scored one of his own to lead Tennessee to a 56-0 victory over Tennessee Tech Saturday. Hooker, who finished last week's loss to Pittsburgh after Joe Milton went down with an injury, rolled up 199 yards while completing 17 of 25 passes for the Volunteers (2-1). The only negative was a lost fumble in the second quarter. Tennessee Tech (0-3) went through three quarterbacks. The Golden Eagles generated just 179 yards of offense.

With Tennessee leading 49-0 late in the third quarter, Harrison Bailey saw his first action of the season under center. Bailey engineered a fourth-quarter drive, kept it alive with an 8-yard first-down run, then finished off the final two yards for a 56-0 score. The Vols went up 35-0 when Hooker found the end zone from a yard out six minutes into the third quarter. - Tennessee/AP College Football

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