Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Tennessee hires Josh Heupel as head coach

By John Makuch

From left University of Tennessee athletic director Danny White, UT chancellor Donde Plowman, University of Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel, and president of the UT System Randy Boyd, pose for a photo after a press conference announcing Heupel as football head coach, in the Stokely Family Media Center in Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan.27, 2021.Heupel0127 0300
From left University of Tennessee athletic director Danny White, UT chancellor Donde Plowman, University of Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel, and president of the UT System Randy Boyd, pose for a photo after a press conference announcing Heupel as football head coach, in the Stokely Family Media Center in Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan.27, 2021.Heupel0127 0300 /
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The Tennessee Volunteers have found a new head coach, hiring former Oklahoma football quarterback and offensive coordinator Josh Heupel.

The hiring comes in the aftermath of a major recruiting scandal that has created a black cloud over one of college football’s historic programs.

Heupel, who many Oklahoma fans criticized during his time as the Sooners’ offensive coordinator, was the quarterback of the Sooners 2000 national championship team, the last OU team to win the national title and finish as the country’s No. 1 team.

As an assistant coach and coordinator, Heupel had his ups and his downs in Norman. The 2000 Heisman runner-up was the Oklahoma quarterback coach from 2006 to 2010. In 2010, Heupel was named co-offensive coordinator with Jay Norvell for four seasons, but was relieved of his duties in 2015 after an embarrassing 40-6 bowl loss to Clemson.

02 Dec 2000: Quarterback Josh Heupel #14 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates with an orange in hand after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 27-24 during the Big 12 Championship at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT
02 Dec 2000: Quarterback Josh Heupel #14 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates with an orange in hand after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 27-24 during the Big 12 Championship at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT /

After leaving Oklahoma, Heupel replaced Scott Frost as head coach at Central Florida (UCF) and led the Knights to an undefeated 12-0 season in 2018. Many thought that UCF team was a College Football Playoff-caliber team. Heupel now leaves UCF after three seasons for the SEC and Tennessee, a program coming off of a 3-7 2020 season under head coach Jeremy Pruitt.

Heupel will also have the challenge of leading a team through a recruiting scandal in which players allegedly were given Mcdonald’s bags with cash according to multiple news sources, which is clearly against NCAA rules.

The Volunteers clearly need a new identity and a guy that has had success in his first season as a head coach. You cannot get much better than going undefeated, like Heupel did, in his first season as a college head coach.

Heupel will have the challenge of going from coaching in the Group of Five American Athletic Conference to arguably the strongest conference in college football.  He will have to coach against the likes of Florida and Georgia year in and year out in the SEC East Division. Missouri, where Heupel was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two seasons (2016-17) is also in the SEC East.

Heupel has a history of putting together great offenses but not so much great defenses while at UCF, and you need to play outstanding defense in the SEC, so Tennessee fans have their questions about this hire.

Heupel will not only need to put a good staff together but also bring back recruits to make up for the players lost in the wake of the current scandal. A number of Tennessee players have entered the transfer portal after the firing of Pruitt.

The new Tennessee head coach has his work cut out for him, but Heupel was a solid choice who has had previous coaching success. He can be a good transition coach to keep the program steady for what lies ahead.

Oklahoma football fans will keep a close eye on what happens during this season for Heupel and his Volunteers. While these may be dark days for the program, with the experience Heupel has, he can begin to get the listing Tennessee ship righted and headed in the right direction.

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