So Josh Heupel has been here 18 months now. He took over a 3-7 program, under NCAA investigation, with essentially every major starter transferring out of the program. A national laughingstock, a has-been of a program, a roster in shambles…and he was a hire that most all of us viewed to be Danny White’s safety valve after swinging and missing on all the candidates he really wanted. So let’s look back at the other reported names in that coaching search, as Josh Heupel takes his 4-0 Tennessee Vols into a top 10 national ranking this week… - Tony Elliott: Clemson OC at the time. Now the head coach at 2-2 UVA. [uck fay] him. Didn’t want. - Matt Campbell: HC @ unranked Iowa State. Voluntarily lives in Aimes, Iowa. Doesn’t have the sack to saunter into SEC ball. [uck fay] him. Didn’t want. - Sonny Dykes: HC @ 2-2 unranked SMU, just took an ass whooping from a TCU team not coached by Gary Patterson. [uck fay] him. Didn’t want. - PJ Fleck: don’t even get me started. [uck fay] him. Didn’t want. - Jamey Chadwell: still dominating the Sun Belt. [uck fay] him. I might’ve sorta wanted him. Sue me. [uck fay] you. - Gus Malzahn: HC at unranked, unexciting UCF. We were so low, half of us wanted to settle for Auburn’s garbage. [uck fay] him. Didn’t want. - Lance Leipold: now HC at undefeated Kansas and doing a helluva job. Can’t speak highly enough about the job he’s done there thus far. That said, [uck fay] him. Didn’t want. In summary: Though he was nobody’s first choice, the 18-month eval suggests he was as good as it gets amongst the options we had. Who knows how it’ll all shake out - but early in year #2, Heupel has Tennessee ranked in the top 10, holds a victory over a top-20 Florida team, a top 25 road win, and leads a top 5 scoring offense nationally. At this moment in time, I’d have to grade the hire an A. Can’t imagine anyone doing a better job with the hand he was dealt. I’m summary, thankful for Josh Heupel, and all other coaches can go [uck fay] themselves.
Not many thought 4-0 was possible 4 weeks ago. No one thought it probable. He's doing this with not a full cupboard too.
Safe to say he’s won all of us over. It’s a breath of fresh air to have a head coach who you can feel comfortable in his competency.
Nope, and if I had to pick one it would be 3-0 Kansas coach Lance Leipold because that man may be a wizard.
Probably wouldn’t trade Heupel for Leipold, but if I were Kansas, I wouldn’t trade Leipold for Heupel. Clear best two on the list.
His resume shows he'll be an awesomely average coach for a few years and get fired or inexplicably get offered a job he has no business getting
No clue how he would do with the extra pressures on recruiting and boosters at a school like Tennessee but that guy can flat out coach. And it is obvious. Glad we have Heupel though.
Yup. Of course hiring Liepold probably woulda incited an even bigger initial meltdown from our fanbase at the time than DW hiring JH did. I know personally I would have been very unhappy with hiring him at the time.