The Tennessee Volunteers have hired former UCF head coach Josh Heupel to be their head coach. Heupel replaces Jeremy Pruitt, who was fired for cause after the NCAA discovered some of Tennessee’s recruiting violations.
Former UCF athletic director Danny White did not spend very long on his coaching search and pulled the trigger on Heupel. The duo reunite with a tall task ahead of them.
Tennessee has some talent, but has lost a lot of experience to the NCAA transfer portal. Georgia fans and the rest of the SEC can expect Tennessee to install a no-huddle offense with lightning speed. Tennessee’s offense should improve. The SEC has seen a recent influx of aggressive offensive schemes in recent seasons.
In 2018, Josh Heupel replaced former UCF head coach Scott Frost, who helped UCF to an unbeaten 13-0 record the year prior. Heupel finished 28-8 in his head coaching career with the Knights, including a 12-1 season in 2018.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Tennessee’s latest head coach Josh Heupel:
Breaking: Tennessee is hiring UCF’s Josh Heupel as its next head football coach, sources told @ClowESPN. pic.twitter.com/OTGSqvuwH7
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 27, 2021
#VolTwitter right now pic.twitter.com/sEjNvlwTIj
— Mark Nagi (@MarkNagi) January 27, 2021
UCF offense rank under Josh Heupel (among Group of Five teams):
2018: 2nd
2019: 4th
2020: 3rd pic.twitter.com/emjTJo2jND— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 27, 2021
In 130 years of Tennessee football, The Vols have had a total of 3 QB's throw for over 3,500 yards in a season.
Josh Heupel has had 2 QB's in the last 3 years throw for over 3,500 yards.
It's a passing league & sport in 2021.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) January 27, 2021
Great day getting to know our new Volunteer football family!#GBO pic.twitter.com/uaCAUtC3yC
— Josh Heupel (@coachjoshheupel) January 28, 2021
SOURCES: UCF’s Josh Heupel is finalizing a deal to be the next coach at Tennessee. Details here at @yahoosports: https://t.co/nrxs7cafwF
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 27, 2021
A propensity for putting up points. pic.twitter.com/xtETvjQFwL
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 27, 2021
Tennessee should be an entertaining program to watch this season. It will be interesting what they do to improve on the defensive side of the football.
With the quarterbacks and young receivers on the roster and Josh Heupel’s hire, Tennessee’s offense should be unrecognizable next season.
Should make for some entertaining games.
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) January 27, 2021
Danny White and the #Vols earn a “C” for Josh Heupel.
BY FAR the lowest grade of any major CFB hire this cycle.
“…it is simply crystallizing the reality of how far a once great and proud program has fallen.” -Finebaum
“Clearly he wasn’t #Tennessee’s first choice.” -Low#UCF pic.twitter.com/C5W5ATnAhl
— CHRIS TORELLO (@TorelloSports) January 28, 2021
#Vols coach Josh Heupel’s son immediately asked his dad whether he could catch passes from Peyton Manning at Neyland Stadium.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) January 27, 2021
First impressions. pic.twitter.com/kWoBfGPp8B
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 28, 2021
Drew Lock's passing numbers his junior season at Missouri playing for Josh Heupel in 2017.
He threw 16 fewer touchdowns the following season in Dooley's offense (same number of games played each of those seasons). pic.twitter.com/ev9WmU5RhX
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) January 27, 2021
#Vols coach Josh Heupel on his message to his players considering the portal: I’m all about family. Everyone has a different perspective on what they consider family. To me, at the end of the day, a family is defined as a group that, when push comes to shove, it stays together.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) January 28, 2021
