Florida slug on Heupel UT turnaround

#76
#76
He’s a Northwestern grad. I would say about 99% of the people in the sports media associated with degrees from Northwestern are terrible and bad for sports in general. They are all incredibly smug. Wilbon is about the one I can handle.
He's playing to the local crowd, considering UCF isn't too far from Tampa. He's going to get a lot of clicks from UCF and UT fans, which is all he's after. I would be willing to bet that he actually doesn't care a bit if Heupel wins or loses at UT.
 
#77
#77
We aren't beating the Ala, Fl, Ga , OSu, or Clemsons of the world anytime real soon, I include UF because somehow we choke up when they have one of the cafeteria staff start at QB for our game , but that doesn't mean we are stuck licking the boots of other teams that ran all over us the past couple years either. UCF is a perfect example of how luck, personnel , and chemistry can fluctuate on a yearly basis. Under O'Leary it was a roller coaster . They'd be like 11-1 one year to 0-12 the next . Their long term stability isn't or wasn't there because they didn't have the depth that the top teams have . Frost may have gone 5-7 after his 13-0 season , and most certainly would have dipped without MM at QB . Of course we'll never know because lightning flashed and Nebraska scooped him up. The point is, people judging Heupel against Frost aren't seeing the whole picture. We could bounce back really quickly and at least be mediocre with a little luck and coaching. That would get our recruiting and progression going the right way.
 
#78
#78
"the guy is spot on, and if you don't think so, you're delusional." Sure he is, and we're all delusional.
“I don’t know why it’s so difficult to agree with me…I don’t ain’t got no problems with it!”
 
#82
#82
He's playing to the local crowd, considering UCF isn't too far from Tampa. He's going to get a lot of clicks from UCF and UT fans, which is all he's after. I would be willing to bet that he actually doesn't care a bit if Heupel wins or loses at UT.
I agree. It just gave me an opportunity to crush Northwestern journalists and the way they write.
 
#83
#83
Can Heupel get it done? I believe so. Will he? Hard to tell. Some fans don’t want to admit this because they think it’s like a broken record but we have never been this low in the modern era. The way recruiting is now makes that especially true. Fulmer and Pruitt put us in a hole we may not be able to fully recover from.

All one has to do is look at our program since 2008 to see many valid points. Since 2008, we are on our 6th HC and what 4th or 5th AD? Lost count of the number of assistant coaches and S&C coaches since then. I mean we average during coaches every 3 years or so. Why? Because we are stuck in the 90s thinking just because we are TN we should never be like this. It’s like oh well we can just keep hiring and firing and the law of averages will somehow work itself out. It’s that line of thinking that has us where we are.

It’s valid to question if the ship will ever get righted.
 
#86
#86
I'll prefer the following:

"Heupel made an immediate impact during his first year at UCF in 2018,"
"The Knights followed that success in Heupel’s second campaign in Orlando with a 10-3 mark in 2019,"
"The passing attack in 2018 was one of the best in country behind quarterbacks McKenzie Milton and Darriel Mack Jr."
"Not to be outdone, the UCF defense had a stellar 2018 campaign" "and ranked sixth in the nation with 28 forced turnovers on the year."
"UCF’s 2019 defense led the nation in tackles for loss at 9.0 per game while permitting only 23.0 points."
"Heupel’s two seasons at UCF both have produced perfect homefield records"


Josh Heupel - Head Coach - Football Coaches - UCF Athletics
Last year, however was different result, at 6-4, but you have to look deeper. 10 UCF players opted out due to Covid, including stud DT Kalia Davis, CB Tay Gowan (drafted by Arizona Cardinals), DT Mason Cholewa, plus 4 other defensive starters were dismissed on disciplinary reasons. That pretty much gutted the Defense, but even at that, 2 of their 3 regular season losses were by 1 point and 3 points ( to ranked Cincy). Along with a toothless defensive effort in their bowl game, some UCF fans were fine with Heupel's departure.

This UCF Alum believes last season was an aberration. Had those 7 starters absent from the defense suited up, the regular season probably could have been an 8-1 campaign, or possibly 9-0. Still believe BYU's QB would have torched us in the bowl game, as CB Gowan's replacement was victimized all night...and that QB was the 2nd overall pick in the NFL draft.

In summary, I think Heupel's 22-4 record compiled in his first two years at UCF are more representative of his coaching prowess than last year's season, and I believe over the course of the next 2-3 years, the Vols will become a thorn in the schedules of their opponents. I'd almost guarantee a surprise or two this season, and anticipate at least twice last year's wins.
 
#88
#88
No matter what you think about the comments, there is only one response that will ever make a difference. Win games baby. Until then, any protestations from us to the contrary, no matter how valid or logical, sound like pitiful whining. The scoreboard is the only objective meter in college football and it doesn’t lie. We are pathetic and remain so until evidence to the contrary is available
 
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#90
#90
My belief is that Huepel has the qualities necessary to be a successful head coach in the SEC, for Tennessee. I am concerned that the team might start the season with a bit of sputtering and inconsistency. A situation like that can tilt either way. Not saying that they will or will not beat Pitt. If Tennessee plays well and wins that game, then I'll think they are on track to becoming a good team.
 
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#91
#91
The harshest reality that the author pointed out in the article is that Huepel likely left what is now considered a better job in UCF to coach at UT. It's sucks, but is true. With the playoffs expanding to 12 teams UCF will be in perfect position to make it year after year.
 
#92
#92
The harshest reality that the author pointed out in the article is that Huepel likely left what is now considered a better job in UCF to coach at UT. It's sucks, but is true. With the playoffs expanding to 12 teams UCF will be in perfect position to make it year after year.

We know Tennessee's recent history. We also know it is a crying shame, because Tennessee has the tradition and the resources to be a great program. That is why Huepel came here. Will he prove himself different from the last three guys? He already has. Look back at his history as QB at Oklahoma, which had been on a down for several years. Their national championship was no gimme. Huepel's personal smarts and determination were key components of that championship. Sure, HC is a different job, but Huepel was successful at UCF. I see him making a lot of good moves so far, without putting up any red flags. Do I think he will be successful, here? Short answer is yes.
 
#93
#93
This guy is trying to convince himself that it will be the sos on the hill as it has been.
Bottom line, he doesn’t know whether it will be or not?
CJH may be the one that turns things around for the better.
Nobody knows and time will tell, period.
 
#97
#97
This guy is spot on and if you don’t think so you are delusional.

Considering the last few years? Sure he is. If Tennessee continues (and I am speaking of the people that continue to undermine the program) to do things the way they have for twenty years? It will be just another cycle of incompetence. Just like having to hear Bob Kesling's voice over a radio. But hopefully, Danny White and Josh Heupel will overcome what those before them did not: The jugheads who think they own the damn program. Hopefully, they can get it right just in time for Kesling to say, "It's time." And then, the curse will be broken. Hopefully.
 
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#98
#98
Considering the last few years? Sure he is. If Tennessee continues (and I am speaking of the people that continue to undermine the program) to do things the way they have for twenty years? It will be just another cycle of incompetence. Just like having to hear Bob Kesling's voice over a radio. But hopefully, Danny White and Josh Heupel will overcome what those before them did not: The jugheads who think they own the damn program. Hopefully, they can get it right just in time for Kesling to say, "It's time." And then, the curse will be broken. Hopefully.
Well said. It is frustrating without a doubt and who suffers the most are the players. I would be happy just to see a consistent improvement, it seems to me they take one step forward and two steps back. I love Tennessee as much as the next man but Im sick of hearing we have the best fan base, the power T is a national brand blah blah blah. That stuff is true and great but we can’t live in the past and get hyped about beating Florida or Alabama every year. To beat Florida and Alabama they have to make mistakes and lose the game themselves in our current situation.
 
#99
#99
A Florida beat writer bashing UT.......what is new. CJH has played at the highest level and coached it as well and comparing him and Pruitt is proof of his idiocy. All of the current successful coaches started the same path. He (writer) is just getting Florida fans optimistic about the gator's chances of coming in 3rd place in the SEC. I love it when UT is the underdog....makes beating Florida, that much sweeter.
And how many times have we beat Florida in the last oh idk 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? 20 years? Maybe 3? And we been pretty much underdogs in all of them... so you been happy 3 times in the last 20 years wow
 
What’s this guys point, we’ve had Derek Dooley and Jeremy Pruitt as our head coaches. Don’t know what bed he crawled out from under. We have stunk for 15 yrs.
You absolutely cannot get worse than the two coaches I mentioned. Only direction we have is up.
 

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