Hooker, of New Castle, Pa., grew up a Steelers fan, but he has no problem being compared to a player who starred for most of his career with one of Pittsburgh’s big rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
“It’s a blessing and a humbling thing for people to tell you constantly that you remind them of a player like Ed Reed, one of the greater players and greater safeties in football,” Hooker said.
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
Reed is the NFL’s all-time leader in interception return yards (1,590). He ranks seventh in league history with 64 career interceptions.
Hooker put up Reed-like numbers in his first season as a starter. He picked off six passes and returned them for a total of 181 yards. He turned three of the interceptions into touchdowns, including one for the first touchdown in the regular-season finale against Michigan.
The No. 3 Buckeyes (11-1) play No. 2 Clemson (12-1) in the College Football Playoff semifinals in the Fiesta Bowl at 7 p.m. Dec. 31 in Glendale, Ariz. They’ll hope for more big plays from Hooker and a defense that set a school record with seven interceptions returned for touchdowns.
“Good defenses create takeaways, and great defenses score,” Hooker said. “That’s been our mindset throughout the season, and I feel like it definitely paid off. I feel like we’ve got to enhance what we’ve been doing. Go out there as if we’re the underdogs. We’re still a young team. We’ve just got to go out there and keep proving people wrong and just stay together. Don’t nobody put themselves above the team.”
Hooker was one of Ohio State’s four unanimous All-Americans. Hooker, center Pat Elflein, right guard Billy Price and hybrid back Curtis Samuel were named to all four All-American teams.
“It’s just a blessing just to be considered for something that great,” Hooker said. “There’s a lot of guys before me, and there’s a lot of guys that are going to come after me that have the privilege to be that. For me to have that happen my first year of playing as a starting safety, it’s definitely a blessing.”
NEXT GAME
Ohio State vs. Clemson, 7 p.m., Dec. 31, ESPN, 1410
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