The senior quarterback who has led Tennessee into the Top 5 while vaulting into Heisman Trophy contention said this week his pregame prayers focus on family, health and gratitude.
Hendon Hooker has guided the Volunteers to an 8-0 start, including a high-profile 52-49 win over Alabama that broke a 15-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide. He is considered a favorite for the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious individual award.
A video recently went viral on social media showing Hooker on one knee bowed in prayer moments before kickoff. A reporter asked him about the prayer.
Hooker said the prayer focuses on his family’s travels and the safety of his brother, Alston, a freshman quarterback for North Carolina A&T.
Hooker said, “It’s the same prayer every time. I’m a routine type of guy. Just praying over my family, thanking God for safe travel. I pray for my brother as he had his game. … [I’m] praying for his game and their safety. Then just praying that God touches my mind, my hands, my feet, to just go out there and do what He’s blessed me to do, to put on a show.”
Hooker, a transfer from Virginia Tech who is in his second season as a Volunteer starter, has been outspoken about his Christian faith.
Last year he and Alston released a book, “The ABC’s of Scripture for Athletes,” that included their favorite memory verses. It was designed for children and published in the form of a comic book.