Virginia Tech football: Hendon Hooker enters the transfer portal

Blacksburg's mass exodus continues as on Thursday, starting quarterback Hendon Hooker announced he was entering the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-4 redshirt junior from Greensboro played in eight games, making six starts for the Hokies in 2020. He completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,339 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Hooker also rushed for 620 yards and five touchdowns.

Hooker’s decision shouldn’t surprise anyone. When he returned in the North Carolina game after missing two games due to an undisclosed illness, it was clear he was the best quarterback on this roster. The offense was just different with Hooker.

He was terrific in his first start in the win over Boston College but had his worst career game the following week in a loss to Wake Forest. Hooker threw three interceptions and was just off the entire game.

He was perfect the following week in a win over Louisville and carried the entire team on his back in the loss to Liberty. In the loss to Miami, Hooker was strong until the fourth quarter when the entire offense stalled.

Unfortunately, the last image we have of Hooker on a field at Virginia Tech is the Clemson game where he misplayed two snaps and left the field shaking. It looked scary from a viewer’s perspective, but head coach Justin Fuente and Hooker’s father declared the quarterback healthy.

Hooker started eight games in 2019, going 6-2 as a starter. He was 2-4 as a starter this season.

Make no mistake; Hooker was Virginia Tech’s best quarterback. However, he never seemed to take the next step and was often limited in the passing game, for which I do not blame him.

This coaching staff has been here five years now, and not one quarterback they have brought in stays for the duration of their career. They either regress or never develop enough to get on the field in the first place.

At some point, all the signs point to one thing, and that is the head coach and offensive coordinator.

Hooker finisheds his Virginia Tech career, completing 63 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Hooker rushed for 1,033 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Hokies have already lost another former four-star quarterback in Quincy Patterson, leaving Braxton Burmeister and Knox Kadum as the only scholarship returnees in 2021.

Hooker is a fantastic young man who has a bright future and it’s been a pleasure watching him over the past three seasons.

Good luck, Hendon.