Tennessee OC Alex Golesh weighs in on Hendon Hooker, state of the Vols' offense

Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh spoke to the media Tuesday.

Many topics were discussed, including the rise of Hendon Hooker, who was announced as the starting quarterback recently ahead of transfer Joe Milton.

Here are his comments on the toughness of Hooker:

#Vols OC Alex Golesh said that it was hard to tell during fall camp because of the red non-contact jersey, but Hendon Hooker is “a certified dude” in terms of toughness.

Said his teammates see that and that it sparks the rest of the team.

— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) October 5, 2021

After switching around some of the pieces, Golesh also stated that it feels like the team is starting to get an idea of what players are going to give them the best chance to win:

#Vols OC Alex Golesh said Tennessee is finally reaching a point where it knows on offense which players give them the best chance to win and who the backups are going to be.

“We’re getting close to figuring out who we can count on.”

— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) October 5, 2021

Jalin Hyatt and Jimmy Calloway were 2 underclassmen who were projected to have breakout seasons, but have struggled so far. Golesh assured reporters that he is still confident in both players, and that it’s just a matter of understanding the offense:

Alex Golesh on #Vols WRs Jalin Hyatt/Jimmy Calloway: They’ve got to get their process right. Both have a bunch of ability. Still learning to play football within the offense and are getting closer.

Said he wasn’t down at all on either.

— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) October 5, 2021

According to KnoxNews.com, Tennessee had 35 players leave the program this offseason. Some notable players to leave include Eric Gray to Oklahoma, Ty Chandler to North Carolina, and Henry To’oTo’o to Alabama. Golesh commented on those who decided to stay the course so far:

Alex Golesh: The guys that didn’t buy in are no longer here. There’s still a couple that are still trying to figure out and its our job as coaches to put them in the best position possible.

— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) October 5, 2021

Tennessee’s next matchup will be against South Carolina at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Golesh was asked about what the team plans to do against the Gamecocks offensively. He stated that it depends on what they see from the Gamecocks:

Alex Golesh: We’re going to attack whatever the defense gives us. This past Saturday, we needed to run the football so we did.

— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) October 5, 2021