Tennessee Hires Josh Heupel - Rapid Reaction (Late Kick Cut) 

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He’s our coach now , and I’ll be behind him the whole way

We had no idea how this changed our program for the better.

After going after a few "big" coaches I think this was a safe hire for the stated goal of integrity and offensive firepower. If he chooses the right staff it could be fun.

Well, a Tennessee team ranked 6th in the nation going into the Orange Bowl against number 7 and ACC Champ Clemson: Now the Orange Bowl is history with the Vols winning 31-14 and celebrating an 11-2 season. Not bad for a second year coach and a team that bought in, worked really hard, and told itself “We know we can”. Way to Go VOLS!

I cannot for the life of me understand why Tennessee needed a search firm to hire a guy their athletic director barbeques with on Sunday.

That was some very good analysis. We’re two years in and I think we have the right guy. GBO

Well, it's a year later. I was one of the old (65 years old) fans that sad "Who?". Well, I here to say I'm eating crow. I had to look up White and Hype. I'm very impressed with the way each of these men have worked for us this year. TN was a freaking mess. Both are men of character and I see a change in out players attitudes and behavior. Wins will come, he is slowly going to bring us back to revelance. Pray they both stay long enough to get there. BTW, this old man loves the black and grey uniforms. I wish we'd get a flat black helmet with a bright orange power T.

As a UT fan, I’ll back this hire until he gives me a reason not to. Outside of that, I’m excited to see what he can do with the offense. However, he really needs to hire a good DC. It all comes down to his staff choices.

Aggie fan here, hope nothing but the best for this coach however he is at the SEC table now. Sitting with the big boys. Goodluck Tennessee 👍🏼

Josh, Huepel went 12-1, 10-3 and 6-4 in 3 years at UCF. His 6 loses as a HC are by a combined total of 19 points... Jeremy Pruitt was averaging 20 points a loss per game...

Tennessee fan, here- As I've been since the Fulmer Era, just numb in regards to this hire...No opinion. It's just another 'wait and see' circumstance...🙄✌

2years in and Danny White is potentially the best AD in America and the Vols missed the playoffs by 1 game. . . in year 2! 11-2.

All the big names said NO, so we are lucky 🍀 we got Josh to say yes.

Bama fan here, two words "DUMPSTER FIRE".

UT Fan here. This is this first year I am looking forward to fall weddings.

Josh, you stated it perfectly for me. As a Vol fan for almost 40 years, I don't want to be negative (there are more than enough doing that already), but I don't know how positive I can be. I will support my team even if they go 0--12. I don't think that will happen, but I have learned that I can never rule out the crazy at Tennessee. I am grateful for the players sticking around and being positive. I hope he is able to assemble a great staff, but I think much of that will have to wait a year or two before it happens. Is it harder to hire quality support staff this late into the "silly season" or do you think they will wave enough money around to get some quality pieces?

This is one of the most Tennessee things I’ve ever seen

As a big OU fan, Heupel deserves this more than anything. Hope he succeeds with the Vols!!!

LOL! This aged well! So that AD is now a huge hero.

Tennessee student and life long mega fan here, not what I was hoping for, but he’s bringing the offense Tennessee has lacked for so long, I hope we can get defense figured out too, whatever that situation may be. I’d be content with a winning season next year, even 6-6 if there’s a bowl ban headin our way. Crappy stuff we’re going through, I just hope he can weather the storm and make these next few years of sanctions not completely awful.

I have been a Tennessee fan since the mid 80s. Have the people who are upset about the university hiring coach Heupel been watching the same team I have for 12 years. Tennessee has great tradition but hasn't won a sec championship since 98. They have not played in the sec championship since 07. He's a damn good offensive coach and quarterback developer. Let's give him a chance. Tennessee fans need to understand that it will take time but I believe it will be entertaining football as they build back. Go Vols

Me coming out from under my rock: Tennessee hires Josh Heupal Me: we fired Pruitt? 😯

He has done more with less. Runs explosive that will carry over to the SEC. He has coached a Heisman trophy winner in Sam Bradford and had Missouri with the #1 offense in the SEC in 2016. His teams have sustained an average of 42 points a game over a 3 year period. His offense's are on par with Clemson, Oklahoma, and Alabama. That's good company. His lone loss in 2018 was to a #11 ranked LSU by a margin of 3 points who went on to boat race everyone and win the NC. In 2019 his 3 loses were by a total of 7 points combined. 1,3, and 3. His offenses scored 34, 24, and 31 points in those losses. This year looked bad, but he had 10 players opt out and still managed to keep games respectable in those loses. Losing by 1 TD to Tulsa, 1 point to Memphis, 3 points to a #7 Cincinnati, which scored 12 more points than the "mighty dawgs" could muster against them. His only embarrassing loss came against a #16 BYU. If you average out his 8 losses it would be a margin of each game being lost by 6 points. Take away the 1 BYU game and it shrinks to a 3 point loss margin. For the most part, he is competing with the better teams and blowing out who he should win against. It's pretty telling when you avg. 42 points a game for 3 years and you still find a way to lose. What he needs is a better defense to help carry his team's. Definitely has potential.

So far so good! Was a confusing hire at the time but it's safe to say he gets an A+ so far

Who knew that he would bring the fire with him ? What a blessing

Holy God. Im so glad we have UT in the SEC. Because every time they make a move--ANY move--all i can think is how its really not that bad being an Auburn fan.

Home run hire! QB play will be improved significantly. I'm not sure if NCAA sanctions are headed toward UT, but even if they are, when QB play is good everything else improves around it. His first two years will be extraordinarily difficult due to the circumstances of right now, but, he'll be given a chance to show progress. The transfer portal will be his saving grace.

I remember when this search started everyone talked about we needed a offensive minded coach, a good relationship between HC and AD, and a person with HC experience. All boxes checked in my opinion. Let’s go get some fire in this offense and develop our QBs.

The absolute most important thing Tennessee fans can do this time around is, if Heupel has a disappointing season or two while trying to clean up the mess he inherited, DON'T TRY TO FIRE HIM FOR NOT WINNING THE SEC!

Vol Fan here. Central Florida resident. I have seen firsthand what his offenses can do. The big question will be the adjustment to the SEC and can he recruit at a high level. Josh you said it best, let me think about this one for a minute.

Watching this after Tennessee just beat Alabama, currently Ranked 3rd in the country, and has the no. 1 offense in the country. Wow. What a great hire

I believe if he can get a really good DC. A good conditioning coach and surround himself with good recruiters than he could do really well. His offense is crazy. Led the SEC in scoring offense for Mizzou in 2017 and UCF was the only team in America to be top 5 in the country in scoring for 3 straight years. We just need a guy that can dial up some stops at times and we will win games.

He's a huge improvement who checks most of the boxes us vols fans wanted. Let's get behind a guy who knows how to scores points and at least not get blown out consistently!!

FINALLY an offense! We may even play 4 quarters!

Life long TENNESSEE FAN here and with that all I can say is at least he won't start Guaranturnover every Saturday lol. Seriously though we will have to wait and see. Like the man said 2021 isn't going to be anything for us this year anyway. Ride it out and give him a chance. Hopefully, he will surround himself with talented coordinators, and who knows by 2023 we might be looking better than we thought we would.

I wish the best for Tennessee, as a Florida fan we need the east to continue to get better. So hope this works for yall

given the relationships that our ADs and Headcoaches have had over the year i think having two that have history and get along is a good thing for us in the long run. if he even has an ounce of coaching in him and knows how to recruit we'll atleast be heading in the right direction.

Very hopeful and just exhausted as a fan.

As a Sooner Born ,bred,and dead fan Josh is a legend he is the qb that turned it around for us. He would of been the next head coach if not for Riley.

The best in college football reporting.

I think he can be a good hire depending on who he gets for a defensive staff.

As a ole miss fan Tennessee reminds me of when ole miss was going thought ncaa issues

I like the hire overall. It’s not flashy but I think offense has been a huge issue for UT and Heupel is a very innovative offensive mind. His work with Drew Lock and Dillon Gabriel has been incredible. Overall if given proper time and adequate resources Heupel can make UT a contender in the East and perhaps years down the line in the SEC as a whole.

There is still a decent amount of talent left. Probably the best QB room a coach at TN has inherited since Fulmer with Bailey, Hooker, and Salter. The schedule isn't daunting next year either. TN could surprise people from a record standpoint in 2021.

Lincoln Riley: I'll trade you Josh Heupel for Wanya Morris, Keshawn Lawrence, and Eric Gray.

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I’m still stuck on the “rat”....nothing personal to who was the tattle tell but they either got what they wanted by burning it to the ground or they just wanted Pruitt and Fulmer gone at a VERY HIGH cost. Good show as always, I don’t know what to think about the hire. Little confused to be honest.

I'm cautiously optimistic. I'm basing the optimism on his track record offensively. With way more talent than he has ever gotten to work with we should be good to go in that category. UCF's roster has ranked in the 50's and 60's and he's gotten them to play at a high level. When he was the OC at Missouri their roster was ranked 38th and 42nd in the country according to the 247 Team Composite rankings and those offenses were plenty effective in the SEC despite being the second to least talented. The Vols are currently 15th with the 15th ranked recruiting class coming in and a good set of QB's to work with. JG is finally gone for good.... Not sure about his decision making, recruiting ability and who knows if he can get a competent DC. His record trending down at UCF is a reason for caution and he's never really awed anywhere he's been, except maybe as a player when he was runner up for the Heisman. Here's another perspective. Can he be better than Dooley, Butch, and Pruitt? That shouldn't be that hard. The way I look at it is, those guys were so inept that they couldn't win at Tennessee! You have to REALLY suck to squander all the resources you get to have at your disposal at Tennessee! Will he make as many awful play calls as Butch in crunch time? Run a stupid gimmicky offense and not be able to recognize how good Alvin Kamara is and lose to Vandy with a team full of NFL players? Will he trot someone as awful as JG out there time and time again to throw pick 6 after pick 6? I mean most of Tennessee's problems have been from STUPID coaching, so as long as he isn't a total IDIOT we should at least be okay! Use that top level talent on an exciting offense, get a good DC and let's win ball games!

As a Tennessee fan I’m very optimistic about their latest hires. This past season the program was dysfunctional, and they probably can’t get any worse. Heuple doesn’t have the “big name” credibility, but like you said, we just need someone to keep us on the train tracks. Plus there’s probably already good chemistry between Heupert and Danny White, which bodes well for the culture of the program

Looky looky - has worked out pretty damn good

I really hope the NCAA bans a ton of our fans from returning, these have been some really awful times in the last several several years but the future is now, New athletic director and a new coach, bring in a solid guy to run the defense and I “think” (don’t really know) we will be fine....BUT this negative culture of Vols fans are making things way worse on ourselves, recruits see the negative things said and it does not help.. so your either all in or all out decide and let’s move forward with positive thoughts and actions and comments and if you out fine go pull for someone else the transfer rules apply to you to negative Vols fans enough is a enough... GO VOLS!!!

The Vols issues are systemic, rather than due to a specific individual or single factor. NCAA violations are actually a symptom, not the cause. Coaching failures are a symptom not the cause. In fact losing is a symptom not the cause. Dysfunctional organization all the way down. Until Tennessee cleans that up they will keep disappointing.

To me all this means is that Heupel is extremely well respected and has a very high ceiling and potential. This could be amazing. Also, it could be disappointing. Either way, I'm backing this and I'm putting a lot of faith in Danny white

Magnificent hire. We need a change of pace on offense.

When you have a bargain basement program, you hire a coach from the bargain basement. James Franklin could have turned this mess into a winner but Tennessee was too cheap. As someone who was a season ticket holder for 30 years and loved weekends in Knoxville as much or more than anybody, I'm through. I'm tired of this mess.

Obviously it’s a little disappointing because all we were hearing were a bunch of big names. But realistically a hire like this is the best we could’ve done for our situation. His recruiting concerns me a bit, so he needs to have a staff full of strong recruiters. I do like his offense. I expect the offense to improve next year and games should be more entertaining to watch than pruitts grind-it-out old school style. I’m going to support him through all the sanctions we’re about receive and hope he’s the man.

Simply depends on what we can do at defense. I have no doubt we will score more points. But doesn't matter if we can't stop anyone.

You might add that Heupel won a nat'l championship at Oklahoma too.

It’s not a bad hire but it wasn’t the homerun Tennessee needed. Hopefully he does well, but this shows how the job is viewed now that they couldn’t land a big coach despite having plenty of money

I've been a fan since Majors, and what many fans don't get is that we haven't been anything notable for about 15 years. You think you deserve top caliber coaches. But they believe they deserve better than you. I love my Vols, but the program has been a cluster**** for years. And now we're staring down the barrel of sanctions. None of the coaches being vetted wanted us. Be glad you got Heupel. Be damned glad. It's a step in the right direction, as is White, and they'll be good for the program. Get over your NC dreams for now.

Looking back now it was such a great hire 🎉🎉

I've been a Tennessee fan for my whole life. Thirty years now. I'm not over the moon about this hire, but it ought to be exciting anyway.

I really feel like until we know what our limitations from the NCAA are going forward, I have no idea what to think. If they're not to bad maybe we have a top 15 recruiting class and a winning recored going into 2022, if they are really bad... well as AD White says I might need to text a buddy

Four words. Kiffin, Freeze, Chadwell, and why?

I am here from the fUTure and this hire was the best home run hire that could have been possibly made.

I find it hard to believe this was their only choice, maybe the most familiar. I don't think any coach with options would have taken the job but Heupel seemed like he was trending more towards being fired at UCF than getting a P5 job. He took the best G5 program at that time and turned it into a middling program again. Jamie Chadwell is making 375k, you mean he wouldn't take 4 million to run that program? I'd rather take a gamble on a rising star. They played it safe, but I wouldn't be confident that Heupel could turn around this program and jump into more difficult recruiting battles

Tennessee punished themselves.

As a Tennessee fan i didn’t know what to think when I firsT saw this. But on the bright side, maybe he can help the offense because boy it needs it

This is no lose situation for Josh. If he flops he can just say “Hey look at what I had to deal with”. If he turns the program around he can pick his next job!

Lifelong fan since Fulmer era - I won’t knock the guy since he’s been a Vol for a hot minute and I’m intrigued by what he can do, but I was admittedly disappointed after hearing you drop James Franklin and listening to Danny White in his introductory presser - I want to like the guy it just feels too similar to what the past 3 coaches have been like when they were hired and I was more a believer in Pruitt at the start than I am today.

I think this will work out fine for Tennessee. I’m actually more curious how UCF fans feel. Does it feel like Heupel abandoned the team?

Optimistic about Heupel. I believe offense will be a lot better but his success will dependent on who his DC is

Great analysis Josh but are you sure that this was actually the best hire for Tennessee? What about the coach from Coastal Carolina? I honestly thought that would have been the best move Tennessee can make.

As a Tennessee fan, I think if heupel can retain Kevin Steele as DC and hire a quality staff I think this is a good hire

As a lifelong Tennessee fan, I am pulling for Heupel, but what a damn clusterfluck.smh

I would classify Heupel's time at Mizzou as a mixed bag. The "top offense" billing from that time is statistically true, but a great Missourian once said there are "lies, damn lies and statistics".

I'm excited for the Offense

Tenn Fan- I like it because he will bring us the offense that was needed. Glad Chaney is gone. It's all going to be about the defense. If he can find the right coordinator and give us a defense that's ranked around the 50s( out of 127 something D-1 teams) then we can win games. We will put up points with Heupel. Sometimes his offenses were either putting up points too fast or going 3 and out and only using up 30 seconds of game time and it leaves the defenses too tired to do anything. That's my biggest concern with him. The D-coordinator will be a crucial hire. One other thing and maybe the most important thing is going to be can he recruit in the SEC. Having classes ranked around 15th is still 7th best in the SEC. We need top 10 classes that are 4th or better in the SEC. Bama Ga, Fla and A&M, will always have better classes unless we start winning. I don't care if we win 45 to 42 as long as he can win. My mood is hopeful. Hopeful that we are still competitive in the SEC during the NCAA issues and become relevant again. Cause right now we're just not.

You know I really thought they were gonna be smart about this hire and search. We needed a coach who has won at a high level of play against some really great teams. To be honest I think Jeff Ficsher has a much better Resume then this guy. I dont understand why you pay a searching firm 120,000 dollars to hire someone you probably intended to hire to begin with. I just cant bring myself to believe that this is the coach that's gonna bring us an SEC Title. Oh well. What's done is done. We will see if he can keep that 42 points per game average going while being in this division. Welcome to the SEC COACH. I never dreamed they'd move UCF to Tennessee.. oh well. GBO

I am impressed with him as an offensive coach. I think the key will be getting a good DC like a Kevin Steele and a good defensive staff. I love the possibility of a more potent high-flying offense but that has to be matched with good defense to win in the SEC and, on both offense and defense, we all know how important the line of scrimmage is. I am trying to stay positive and assume this is the best hire we could make, given the state of the program. GO VOLS!!

From a Michigan fan good luck guys. U all probably couldn't have got a much better coach right now anyways. Just hope to be decent till u all find out what the ncaa is gonna do and u all will know what your up against. Hopefully u all have a good team again U all deserve and it's tough just hang in there

Given the vols terrible situation I think this is a great hire. They've got to stop thinking that one natty over 20 years ago makes them some destination job. Focus on returning to being ok then you can be good then you can be great. But who am I kidding, they'll fire this coach in three years too after he can't deliver on all their unreasonable expectations.

This is a good hire

Good hire for what we need him to do. First coach that is announcing he intends to lead with the pass in the new style that is winning natties and championships. Secondly, his losses were close and to good schools with the exception of Tulsa. Had they not lost Milton at QB, they would have gone undefeated in 19. Covid issues in 2020. I certainly got an education of how crazy and off the rails some SEC opinions and fans were about how we should have hired Fisher, Gus, or Steele. Remember, opposing teams and their fans have a vested interest in TN losing. They would be over joyed if Tn would have hired some of the above mentioned. The fact they are moaning and groaning tells me White made the right hire. Their heads will explode if we get players from UCF and Lebby.. Just wait.

Great job as always Josh. I think the media has accurately captured my initial thoughts. Not a "WOW!" hire, hopeful for what he can do with the offensive side of the ball. As others have said, his DC hire is crucial. He really needs someone he can just hand the reigns of the defense and let them handle the job. He deserves a fair chance to show what he can do. If he doesn't end up taking Tennessee where we want to go, I'd at least like to think he is to Tennessee what Mike Shula was to that other school south of us.

Unlike the court of public opinion, I'm gonna wait and see how he does before passing judgment.

Best hire, arguably, of any team in recent history

His offensive prowess has me excited to see what he can do with an offense not headed up by JG. Steele has a good track record as well. One thing I think a lot of people are ignoring is what he was able to do with the talent available to him. At best, UCF was the 4th or 5th best option in the state. UF, FSU, and Miami were always gonna get the better talent in the state and from other states yet they consistently send players to the NFL. He has the most upside of any coach since Fulmer. We just have to hope the sanctions aren't so severe that no one wants to play there for a few yrs.

Hindsight from 2022: Heupel was a great hire.

Some fans are calling it a “give up” hire. Season tickets are supposedly plummeting. My sense he’s the Mike Shula hire.

Last summer many experts had Tennessee picked as the sleeper team of the SEC east. Hard to believe that they went from competing to win the division to firing Pruitt, NCAA investigations and the hiring of a coach that just took UCF to a 6-4 season.

As someone who bleeds orange, I am VERY disappointed that White wouldn’t even speak to Kiffin, Freeze, or Chadwell- as I believe each would have seriously considered/taken the job, and met all of the program needs (recruiting, QB development, uptick in offensive production, etc.).... That being said- I believe it will be imperative that Heupel assembles a staff with deep SEC recruiting ties. If I were him, I would keep Steele as DC, try to retain Jay Graham, and bring in R. Garner. If Heupel gets his staff right, and keeps us competitive in his first season, he can compensate for any weaknesses he might have on the recruiting trail bc Tennessee will sell itself again IF the on field product is promising. Anything short of these steps will probably only ensure us repeating this process again in 2-3 years.

The best in the business 💯👏🏾

look at the 5 star QBs he has lined up at UT! great hire

I'm proud of you Josh

I’m happy with the hire. Idc what the negative Vol fans say. Our offense does need some work

I think huepel should get us to where butch had us. Steele is a proven dc and his offense was solid at missouri and ucf so i really think it could work out well if they gel together. My only gripe is that danny white didnt go after any sexton clients especially jamey chadwell who i think is abt the same level as huepel

I am a VOL. But, I think it is the only person they could get to come coach. I dont think he will turn Tennessee into a powerhouse. Hope fully we can get a couple of 7-8 win seasons under our belt. Get the NCAA of our backs. Then we get a highly sought after coach. But I do hope for the best. I just hope Kevin Steele puts together his best Defense ever. And Heupel can get us to 28-25 points a game.

he’s growing on me