Virginia Tech lost to No. 3 Clemson for their fourth straight loss. However, the focus of many Hokies fans was on the health of quarterback Hendon Hooker.
After losing a fumbled snap in the third quarter, ESPN cameras showed Hooker struggling on the sidelines. At times his body jerked and he appeared to be shivering as teammates talked to him. Ultimately, he walked back to the locker room with a trainer, drawing concerns of his health from many watching the game.
After the 45-10 loss, Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente explained Hooker was to return in the game following the third quarter fumble.
“The trainer came to me and told me he was cold,” Fuente said, per Mike Barber of the Roanoke Times.
Fuente said he was unaware if it was anything serious or not. He could only go by what the trainer told him.
Hooker had fumbled in the first quarter that resulted in him being benched to settle down. An injury to Braxton Burmeister forced Hooker back in the game. His return was short-lived with the fumbled snap and subsequent scary sidelines scene.
Hokies running back Khalil Herbert said Hooker was doing just fine and “warming up” in the locker room, per Andy Bitter of The Athletic.
Hooker needing to warm up is a great update considering the concerning scene along the sideline. A redshirt junior, Hooker missed the first two games of the season. A routine preseason coronavirus testing revealed an unrelated health issue that required immediate medical attention.
Virginia Tech did not disclosed Hooker’s medical issue due to student privacy. He appeared in seven games this season prior to Saturday’s game against Clemson, completing 65.1% of his passes for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns with five interceptions. He has added nine rushing touchdowns this year.
