Heupel interview with ESPN

#1

VolForLife83

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#2
#2
I really like how CJH is approaching NIL. He brings a relevant perspective which should be an advantage for UT

Collectives linked to Tennessee's athletic department reportedly have been especially aggressive in the world of name, image and likeness. What's your stance on NIL and players' ability to earn money?

Heupel: For me, it's real simple. I just go back to my playing days. I look at what I was doing for the university I played for (Heupel was the Heisman Trophy runner-up at Oklahoma in 2000) and the logo that I played for, and at the same time, I feel like I had created a brand too, and would have liked to have been afforded the opportunity to take advantage of those things. I think that's why today's student-athletes, like freshmen coming into campus, the positive of it is kids are very aware of what they're doing and what's out on social media and that there's a maturity they have to operate with.

But this is the game now. It is not going away, and we better embrace it. And from my playing days, I understand the positive side of it.
 
#3
#3
Heupel knows that even more will be expected in Year 2 on Rocky Top. He expects more as well, which is why his office and the recruiting road have become second homes. It's also why he's just now taking his first real vacation with his family since being named the Vols' coach on Jan. 27, 2021.



'I believe in what we're doing': How Josh Heupel plans to keep the buzz building at Tennessee
So weird that he was hired last year in 2021. A lot's happened and it feels like a lifetime ago.
 
#4
#4
I really like how CJH is approaching NIL. He brings a relevant perspective which should be an advantage for UT

Collectives linked to Tennessee's athletic department reportedly have been especially aggressive in the world of name, image and likeness. What's your stance on NIL and players' ability to earn money?

Heupel: For me, it's real simple. I just go back to my playing days. I look at what I was doing for the university I played for (Heupel was the Heisman Trophy runner-up at Oklahoma in 2000) and the logo that I played for, and at the same time, I feel like I had created a brand too, and would have liked to have been afforded the opportunity to take advantage of those things. I think that's why today's student-athletes, like freshmen coming into campus, the positive of it is kids are very aware of what they're doing and what's out on social media and that there's a maturity they have to operate with.

But this is the game now. It is not going away, and we better embrace it. And from my playing days, I understand the positive side of it.

Just speaking for myself I'm hoping for further improvement but am tempered in my expectations because so much was accomplished last year. However, we are definitely headed the right directions and with a few more top quality players at specific positions I think we'll be much better.
 
#5
#5
Just speaking for myself I'm hoping for further improvement but am tempered in my expectations because so much was accomplished last year. However, we are definitely headed the right directions and with a few more top quality players at specific positions I think we'll be much better.
I am in complete agreement. I was guilty of "looking toward the bright side" with the prior coaches. I stopped that with Pruitt. I wasn't pro or con on Pruitt. I tried to be as objective as possible. I hope I am looking at CJH the same way. Is he a perfect coach? No. Do we have areas in our team performance that are concerning? Yes. But top to bottom, I like far more than I dislike. IF he is the coach i think he is, we will eventually be competitive against our rivals which puts us in the national championship conversation. I also think he gives UT the best opportunity to have a Heisman winner since we were robbed 25 years ago.
 
#6
#6
Just speaking for myself I'm hoping for further improvement but am tempered in my expectations because so much was accomplished last year. However, we are definitely headed the right directions and with a few more top quality players at specific positions I think we'll be much better.
I like Heupel. IMO, he's the best "leader" of the program UT has had in all my years of following the Vols. I go back to Majors.

That said, what was the "so much" from last year? It was a "good" season... but they left wins on the field. They should have beaten Pitt and OM. They should have beaten Purdue. Was there a game they won and really, really shouldn't have? You might argue UK... but I think you'd be wrong.

To play off of Patton... I'm ready for a season where WE aren't the ones explaining away losses that should have been wins... I want to see others explaining away why they lost to the Vols when they didn't think they should have.
 
#7
#7
CJH understands that the NIL deals are the best motivation ever to keep these young men out of trouble. How many times have you looked at Vols news and cringed because some of our best players were arrested or suspended for doing something stupid? The NIL money teaches a life lesson that has been hard for ALL CFB coaches to get across to young men.

One of my favorite quotes ever was Spurrier speaking on playing UGA early in the year when at SC. Something like.. "I love playing Georgia early in the season. You can always count on about 8 of their best players being suspended."
 
#8
#8
I'm close to agreeing with you, SJT. He's certainly the best leader since Fulmer. And probably better than Fulmer when Phillip was partially mailing it in, toward the end (as coach; not talking about AD time).

But Josh Heupel is also the most football-intelligent we've seen at least since Fulmer, and possibly since even before Majors. He just has such deep understanding of the game and how it works, and how the locker room functions, and how the coaching staff needs to meld, and the roles of each of those coaches, and the dynamics of being a player, and ... Josh simply shows great mental acuity and insight in all these aspects of the game.

Heck, he might be even better in his football IQ than Fulmer, Majors, and Dickey all three. Might be the brightest mind we've had at head coach since The General.

Only time will tell. But one thing's already certain: this fella is sharp as a tack when it comes to the game that uses a pointy oblong ball.
 
#9
#9
I like Heupel. IMO, he's the best "leader" of the program UT has had in all my years of following the Vols. I go back to Majors.

That said, what was the "so much" from last year? It was a "good" season... but they left wins on the field. They should have beaten Pitt and OM. They should have beaten Purdue. Was there a game they won and really, really shouldn't have? You might argue UK... but I think you'd be wrong.

To play off of Patton... I'm ready for a season where WE aren't the ones explaining away losses that should have been wins... I want to see others explaining away why they lost to the Vols when they didn't think they should have.
That's the thing he needs to prove. Winning the close ones.

I looked at every close game he's had as a head coach.

1-3 here

0-3 in 2020

1-3 in 2019 and that one win was against Tulane

2018 2-0 Against Memphis. And a game against Temple where they had a 2 point lead with 9 minutes left. Won by 12.

Hasn't been great. He's proven most everything else at this point. Needs to prove he can be clutch. I mean he was pretty outclassed in the Purdue game. Lots of questionable clock management issues and running out of the freaking shotgun with a SCATBACK on 4th and 1 multiple times last year and it never worked.
 
#10
#10
That's the thing he needs to prove. Winning the close ones.

I looked at every close game he's had as a head coach.

1-3 here

0-3 in 2020

1-3 in 2019 and that one win was against Tulane

2018 2-0 Against Memphis. And a game against Temple where they had a 2 point lead with 9 minutes left. Won by 12.

Hasn't been great. He's proven most everything else at this point. Needs to prove he can be clutch. I mean he was pretty outclassed in the Purdue game. Lots of questionable clock management issues and running out of the freaking shotgun with a SCATBACK on 4th and 1 multiple times last year and it never worked.
PS- I get that the Vols were pretty much screwed in the OM and Purdue games. Could have easily been 3-1. But the law of averages says that has to balance over time.

I more or less discard 2020 for most everyone. Just a screwed up mess.

So that makes him 4-3 at UCF. I'd like to have better but that's at least average.
 
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#11
#11
I really like how CJH is approaching NIL. He brings a relevant perspective which should be an advantage for UT

Collectives linked to Tennessee's athletic department reportedly have been especially aggressive in the world of name, image and likeness. What's your stance on NIL and players' ability to earn money?

Heupel: For me, it's real simple. I just go back to my playing days. I look at what I was doing for the university I played for (Heupel was the Heisman Trophy runner-up at Oklahoma in 2000) and the logo that I played for, and at the same time, I feel like I had created a brand too, and would have liked to have been afforded the opportunity to take advantage of those things. I think that's why today's student-athletes, like freshmen coming into campus, the positive of it is kids are very aware of what they're doing and what's out on social media and that there's a maturity they have to operate with.

But this is the game now. It is not going away, and we better embrace it. And from my playing days, I understand the positive side of it.
It’s nice having Tennessee being forward thinking
 
#12
#12
PS- I get that the Vols were pretty much screwed in the OM and Purdue games. Could have easily been 3-1. But the law of averages says that has to balance over time.

I more or less discard 2020 for most everyone. Just a screwed up mess.

So that makes him 4-3 at UCF. I'd like to have better but that's at least average.
I have a good amount of hope Hooker will be more clutch than the other guy in a close game situation this year.
 
#13
#13
I like Heupel. IMO, he's the best "leader" of the program UT has had in all my years of following the Vols. I go back to Majors.

That said, what was the "so much" from last year? It was a "good" season... but they left wins on the field. They should have beaten Pitt and OM. They should have beaten Purdue. Was there a game they won and really, really shouldn't have? You might argue UK... but I think you'd be wrong.

To play off of Patton... I'm ready for a season where WE aren't the ones explaining away losses that should have been wins... I want to see others explaining away why they lost to the Vols when they didn't think they should have.

The three games you refer to all had screw jobs by the refs sprinkled in. Not saying that’s the only reason but it detracts from your argument
 
#14
#14
The three games you refer to all had screw jobs by the refs sprinkled in. Not saying that’s the only reason but it detracts from your argument
I don't disagree except that there were missed opportunities to win those games. IIRC, Hooker had a fumble on a late drive vs Pitt that could have put the game away. Just a tackle or two vs OM wins that game. Purdue really shouldn't have been in it at the end. UT should have put them away earlier.

But... ultimately it is the kinds of arguments that you just made that I want to stop having to make. We've made them for a long time much too often.
 
#15
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I don't disagree except that there were missed opportunities to win those games. IIRC, Hooker had a fumble on a late drive vs Pitt that could have put the game away. Just a tackle or two vs OM wins that game. Purdue really shouldn't have been in it at the end. UT should have put them away earlier.

But... ultimately it is the kinds of arguments that you just made that I want to stop having to make. We've made them for a long time much too often.
I also cannot help but wonder if Pitt would have been different had HH started from game 1. He didn't and there is nothing which changes the outcome now. It also doesn't dissuade from your point the team let one get away they could have won.

HH will be starter from game 1 this year. I hope that will be an extra boost especially against UF.
 
#16
#16
I like Heupel. IMO, he's the best "leader" of the program UT has had in all my years of following the Vols. I go back to Majors.

That said, what was the "so much" from last year? It was a "good" season... but they left wins on the field. They should have beaten Pitt and OM. They should have beaten Purdue. Was there a game they won and really, really shouldn't have? You might argue UK... but I think you'd be wrong.

To play off of Patton... I'm ready for a season where WE aren't the ones explaining away losses that should have been wins... I want to see others explaining away why they lost to the Vols when they didn't think they should have.

Agreed but this typically happens in first seasons with most coaches. Kirby Smart lost to Vandy and a bunch of other people his first year. Saban was 7-6 with that famous UL Monroe loss, Kiffin at Tennessee lost to Auburn and UCLA teams we should have beat.

Heupel also walked into a very bad situation and didn't make excuses and got us to bowl game. Both Jones and Pruitt made excuses and went 5-7 their first season.
 
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#17
Agreed but this typically happens in first seasons with most coaches. Kirby Smart lost to Vandy and a bunch of other people his first year. Saban was 7-6 with that famous UL Monroe loss, Kiffin at Tennessee lost to Auburn and UCLA teams we should have beat.

Heupel also walked into a very bad situation and didn't make excuses and got us to bowl game. Both Jones and Pruitt made excuses and went 5-7 their first season.
I like him. I like his leadership above everything else. He still needs players. He still has to do a good job coaching. But without leadership you can't get far.
 
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#18
#18
Or you could look at it as, We Almost Beat PITT, OM and Purdue...from where we were the previous year and All of the crap the program has been through, I'll look at the Glass Half Full and going for a second round.

I like Heupel. IMO, he's the best "leader" of the program UT has had in all my years of following the Vols. I go back to Majors.

That said, what was the "so much" from last year? It was a "good" season... but they left wins on the field. They should have beaten Pitt and OM. They should have beaten Purdue. Was there a game they won and really, really shouldn't have? You might argue UK... but I think you'd be wrong.

To play off of Patton... I'm ready for a season where WE aren't the ones explaining away losses that should have been wins... I want to see others explaining away why they lost to the Vols when they didn't think they should have.
 
#19
#19
I also cannot help but wonder if Pitt would have been different had HH started from game 1. He didn't and there is nothing which changes the outcome now. It also doesn't dissuade from your point the team let one get away they could have won.

HH will be starter from game 1 this year. I hope that will be an extra boost especially against UF.
Maybe, but the defense could have helped out more in that game and OM.
 
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#20
#20
I also cannot help but wonder if Pitt would have been different had HH started from game 1. He didn't and there is nothing which changes the outcome now. It also doesn't dissuade from your point the team let one get away they could have won.

HH will be starter from game 1 this year. I hope that will be an extra boost especially against UF.
Not trying to trash Milton but we had receivers running wild in Pitt that he consistently missed
 
#21
#21
I really like how CJH is approaching NIL. He brings a relevant perspective which should be an advantage for UT

Collectives linked to Tennessee's athletic department reportedly have been especially aggressive in the world of name, image and likeness. What's your stance on NIL and players' ability to earn money?

Heupel: For me, it's real simple. I just go back to my playing days. I look at what I was doing for the university I played for (Heupel was the Heisman Trophy runner-up at Oklahoma in 2000) and the logo that I played for, and at the same time, I feel like I had created a brand too, and would have liked to have been afforded the opportunity to take advantage of those things. I think that's why today's student-athletes, like freshmen coming into campus, the positive of it is kids are very aware of what they're doing and what's out on social media and that there's a maturity they have to operate with.

But this is the game now. It is not going away, and we better embrace it. And from my playing days, I understand the positive side of it.

Pruitt's perspective "we gona need bigger sacks aright"
 
#22
#22
I'm close to agreeing with you, SJT. He's certainly the best leader since Fulmer. And probably better than Fulmer when Phillip was partially mailing it in, toward the end (as coach; not talking about AD time).

But Josh Heupel is also the most football-intelligent we've seen at least since Fulmer, and possibly since even before Majors. He just has such deep understanding of the game and how it works, and how the locker room functions, and how the coaching staff needs to meld, and the roles of each of those coaches, and the dynamics of being a player, and ... Josh simply shows great mental acuity and insight in all these aspects of the game.

Heck, he might be even better in his football IQ than Fulmer, Majors, and Dickey all three. Might be the brightest mind we've had at head coach since The General.

Only time will tell. But one thing's already certain: this fella is sharp as a tack when it comes to the game that uses a pointy oblong ball.

My personal opinion is Josh is a good but nowhere near being a great coach.

I don’t even believe he was the best coach available when he was hired just the best one available for UT in the wake of the Pruitt mess.

With all of that said coaches especially young ones are recruited and hired for upside just like players are recruited for potential. I think Danny White was smart enough to know with CJH’s outlook on family/relationships and as you put it his “great mental acuity and insight in all these aspects of the game” I think CJH could be a great coach if he grows into his full potential. CJH was a leader when he played, if he can lead and continue to grow as a coach as he gets more head coaching experience then there is no ceiling for CJH and the volunteers moving forward.

My 2 cents.
 
#24
#24
Or you could look at it as, We Almost Beat PITT, OM and Purdue...from where we were the previous year and All of the crap the program has been through, I'll look at the Glass Half Full and going for a second round.
I guess my flaw is that I see a glass as both half full and half empty... with potential to be either empty or full depending on what happens next.
 
#25
#25
My personal opinion is Josh is a good but nowhere near being a great coach.

I don’t even believe he was the best coach available when he was hired just the best one available for UT in the wake of the Pruitt mess.

With all of that said coaches especially young ones are recruited and hired for upside just like players are recruited for potential. I think Danny White was smart enough to know with CJH’s outlook on family/relationships and as you put it his “great mental acuity and insight in all these aspects of the game” I think CJH could be a great coach if he grows into his full potential. CJH was a leader when he played, if he can lead and continue to grow as a coach as he gets more head coaching experience then there is no ceiling for CJH and the volunteers moving forward.

My 2 cents.
Great coach? Maybe not. It takes experience and time most often to become that. Saban was about Heupel's age when he was hired by Michigan State. After 4 years, he was on a VERY hot seat with a 25-22-1 record. His fifth year changed sports history. He went 9-2 then parlayed that season into the LSU job.

Heupel has a bit of an advantage in that UCF was a successful program for him to cut his teeth with. However the SEC that Saban stepped into was nowhere near as strong as it is today. He was able to recruit on a different level and win.

My point is that we don't know where he is in his development though the year over year difference in team play with roster losses considered... suggests he may be a tad further along than you think.

Either way, he's a very good leader. That's what will make him successful at UT or somewhere else.
 

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