Hocker had an enormous breakthrough indoors last year at age 19 to run 3:50 in the mile, then to win U.S. trials at 20 over the reigning Olympic champion, and get sixth in 3:31 at the Olympics. This year he ran 3:50 again in the mile and 13:06 before getting injured. He just turned 21 in June. There is literally no reason not to believe in his future.
Sticking with a coach who got him there makes plenty of sense, though you'd like to see him with training partners of a similar level again.
Nor is there any reason to compare him with Andrew Wheating, not by body type (tall/short), not by region of the country (New England/Midwest), not by 800 speed (1:44/1:46), not by early running (started junior year/started in elementary school).