To no one’s surprise, he was all for it.
“He’s certainly one of the best players in college football,” Heupel said on Sunday. “The growth of our program is a direct correlation to what he’s done, what he’s invested and how he’s helped build the culture inside of our locker room and (he’s a) dynamic playmaker that has played his best in the biggest moments, fierce competitor that makes a ton of plays and I certainly hope that he has that opportunity.”
That opportunity is being invited to participate in The Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday. The deadline for votes is Monday.
I didn’t need the reminder that Hooker should be a strong Heisman Trophy candidate. Neither should other voters.
I’ve long had the mindset that an extended absence should preclude a player from being a true Heisman candidate and, therefore, on my ballot. It’s pretty simple math if you think about it. If you play a full scheduled, then you should be a stronger candidate than the player that played in fewer games. That just makes sense.
That means that Hooker had a strike against him when I filled out my ballot, which I’ll keep private at the request of the Heisman Trust. However, there was just too much good in what Hooker did this season to leave him off even though he missed about one-and-a-half games due to the knee injury he suffered against South Carolina.
Had it not been for that night, Hooker would be a lock to be in New York City for the Heisman Trophy induction ceremony. He’d even have a good chance to win it. He might even be the favorite.
In my vote, I factored in Hooker’s character, even though that isn’t a major factor for most voters I speak to. Hooker’s leadership was vastly more important than any throw he threw this season. Tennessee’s football team believed it could be better than the pundits predicted – and they were.
The Vols don’t beat Florida, Alabama or bounce back from losses to Georgia or South Carolina without Hooker’s leadership. No, Hooker didn’t play after the South Carolina game when the Vols thumped Vanderbilt, but his imprint on the team was already made and, if that wasn’t enough, he was coaching and cheering on the sidelines.
I didn’t include Hooker on my ballot for any sentimental reasons. He has the stats to back it up. His 175.51 passer rating is second best in the country. The cumulative stats are skewed against him since he was often on the bench in the third quarter while the Vols sat on a monstrous lead. He also missed a full game and didn’t play in a conference championship game.
Now, back to character. One candidate that I considered liked to paint the F-bomb on one set of fingernails and the opposing team’s name on the other. Really? As a Heisman voter, I’m not looking for choir boys, but it would be nice for kids to be able to look up to athletes without have to see that on social media. Oh, and if you haven’t heard, kids are on social media – a lot.
We’ve seen this kind of thing in the past. Some Heisman candidates have made crude displays on the sideline. I’m not a Heisman Trophy coach, but I can go ahead and tell you that those actions won’t help you get votes. I’m willing to overlook some of those things in the heat of the moment, but to take time and paint those expletives on your nails? I don’t really like that, uh, stuff. Not to mention, that player continued to do so after it became common knowledge.
More than I usually do, I also weighed Hooker’s impact on transforming a program. I think he’s done that and it will continue to show. Tennessee isn’t going to be viewed the same as it was over the past decade. The Vols were a laughingstock before Hooker arrived on campus. Now, they’re a program that is well worth nationwide respect.
The Heisman ballot requires three entries. Was Hooker on my ballot? I’m not supposed to say. However, if you base on-field play, character and the impact on a program, I can’t think of three players in the nation that are more worthy than Hooker.
