Hendon Hooker loses to Caleb Williams for Maxwell, Walter Camp Awards
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker did not win the Maxwell Award or Walter Camp Award, both given to the best player in college football.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams won both awards, which were announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN. Before that, Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt won the Biletnikoff Award as the top pass-catcher in college football.
Hooker and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud were the other Maxwell Award finalists. Hooker, Stroud, TCU quarterback Max Duggan and Michigan running back Blake Corum were Walter Camp finalists.
On Monday, Hooker did not make the list of the Heisman finalists, which included Williams, Stroud, Duggan and Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett.
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Seven of the past eight Maxwell Award winners also won the Heisman Trophy. The exception was in 2018, when Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa won the Maxwell and Oklahoma's Kyler Murray won the Heisman.
Hooker led the No. 1 scoring offense and total offense in the nation. He ranked No. 2 in FBS in passer rating (175.5), trailing only Stroud (176.3). He led the SEC in total offense (324.1 ypg), ranking No. 9 in FBS. And he had 27 TDs and two interceptions for one of the best ratios in college football.
Hooker was Tennessee's first finalist for the Maxwell Award since Peyton Manning won it in 1997. Hooker is a finalist for the Manning Award, which will be announced in January.
Hooker suffered a torn ACL against South Carolina, ending his Vols career. So he will not play when No. 6 Tennessee (10-2) faces No. 7 Clemson (11-2) in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Miami.
Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Hendon Hooker loses to Caleb Williams for Maxwell, Walter Camp Awards
