BLACKSBURG – Redshirt junior QB Hendon Hooker was placed on the inaugural Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List Tuesday afternoon the Award announced Tuesday afternoon. The award is presented each season to the top senior and upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class, and candidates are chosen based on player performance on and off the field.
Hooker (6-4, 228), started in eight contests in 2019, earning wins in each of his first six starts under center beginning with a thrilling 42-35 win at Miami.
For the season, the redshirt junior had a stellar 165.75 efficiency rating after completing 99 of 162 passes for 1555 yards and 13 TDs. He set the program record for passes to begin a career without an INT with a streak of 124 attempts.
A dynamic threat rushing the football, Hooker carried the ball 123 times for 356 yards and found the end zone five times.
Hokies on preseason Watch Lists in 2020:
LB Rayshard Ashby
•Bednarik Award
•Nagurski Award
•Butkus Award
DB Jermaine Waller
•Jim Thorpe Award
OL Christian Darrisaw
•Outland Trophy
P Oscar Bradburn
•Ray Guy Award
K Brian Johnson
•Lou Groza Award
WR Tayvion Robinson
•Paul Hornung Award
QB Hendon Hooker
•Maxwell Award
•Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Phil Steele's All-ACC Team included 13 Hokies; Ashby, Farley, Darrisaw, Oscar Bradburn, Tayvion Robinson, Lecitus Smith, Jermaine Waller, Jarrod Hewitt, Tré Turner, Justus Reed, Dax Hollifield, Divine Deablo and Brian Johnson.
Athlon Sports All-America Teams included: Ashby (Third Team defense).