Latest update on Josh Heupel's status

#101
#101
Fickle isn't going to OU. Definitely not with the ND job open, IMO.

I doubt Stoops comes out of retirement unless he's really really hungry to get his teeth kicked in by Bama every year.

I can see Campbell leaving ISU, but he honestly seems fairly content there. He had a bad year this year with big expectations. That doesn't get him fired at ISU. That gets him fired at OU.

Mark Stoops I think is somewhat likely.

Venables has been courted for a ton of jobs. Dude seems happy as a DC, always has been. HC just isn't for some people.



The rest of the list is a wash, IMO. OU is a fairly bad job, just IMO. They're close to Dallas, sure, but that's all they have going for them. Kids flocked there because they won a bunch of meaningless games and had a chance to get their teeth kicked in by a much better opponent. Once they move to the SEC they're with us on the 2nd tier at best. JMO Tennessee is a better job than OU is. Knoxville >>>> Norman. Atlanta >> Dallas (playing talent). They're like 7 hours from Houston... 7 hours for us puts us in mid-Ohio, DC, Jacksonville, Mobile, AL or Memphis.

Plus we have lowered expectations after 20 years of sucking. OU still thinks they're a top-shelf program so whoever OU gets better win 10+ games every year. That's a hard task in the SEC-W.
 
#106
#106
Volador said:
Newly updated OU HC search list
  • Luke Fickle – Cincinnatti head coach: 3-1
  • Bob Stoops – Oklahoma interim head coach: 4-1
  • Matt Campbell – Iowa State head coach: 5-1
  • Mark Stoops – Kentucky head coach: 6-1
  • Brent Venables – Clemson defensive coordinator: 7-1
  • Josh Heupel – Tennessee head coach: 15-2
  • Dave Aranda – Baylor head coach: 8-1
  • Jay Norvell – Nevada head coach: 9-1
  • Alex Grinch – Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator: 12-1
  • Kliff Kingsbury – Arizona Cardinals head coach: 16-1
  • Butch Jones - 2,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1/2
  • Oklahoma Native Son Garth Brooks - 24 - 1
Click to expand...

I would have to say that the odds on Butch are a bit conservative.
 
#107
#107
VolAnonShaman said:
Ainge just asked the question. Heupel says he loves Knoxville. Family loves Knoxville. Says we are building a championship team here. Says he's staying at Tennessee.
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Maybe you heard something I didn't hear, but I didn't hear him say "I'm staying at Tennessee." I heard Ainge say that, but all CJH said was that he is still working to build something great at Tennessee and how much he loves Knoxville. Nor should he say "I'm staying at Tennessee" at this point, especially when discussing a job opening at his alma mater. I do hope he stays! But if he leaves, I'm on the Garth Train!!
 
#108
#108
VolAnonShaman said:
Ainge just asked the question. Heupel says he loves Knoxville. Family loves Knoxville. Says we are building a championship team here. Says he's staying at Tennessee.
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I heard his interview live and he never explicitly said he’s staying or will be here next year. I do believe he is staying but when pressed and asked point blank will you be here next year? His answer was as you said “the family loves it in Knoxville, we’re building a program we’re proud of, we have the resources to win here”. It was typical coach speak with no flat out denial or confirmation. If he leaves I would be surprised, but not because of the answer he gave today.
 
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#109
#109
MocVol said:
Maybe you heard something I didn't hear, but I didn't hear him say "I'm staying at Tennessee." I heard Ainge say that, but all CJH said was that he is still working to build something great at Tennessee and how much he loves Knoxville. Nor should he say "I'm staying at Tennessee" at this point, especially when discussing a job opening at his alma mater. I do hope he stays! But if he leaves, I'm on the Garth Train!!
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Good grief, he said (Heupel) "he's excited with what he's building here. Can't be happier with what he's going to be able to do HERE, next year and in to the future." That's pretty close to an exact quote. GEEZE!!!!
 
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#110
#110
agent|orange said:
Fickle isn't going to OU. Definitely not with the ND job open, IMO.

I doubt Stoops comes out of retirement unless he's really really hungry to get his teeth kicked in by Bama every year.

I can see Campbell leaving ISU, but he honestly seems fairly content there. He had a bad year this year with big expectations. That doesn't get him fired at ISU. That gets him fired at OU.

Mark Stoops I think is somewhat likely.

Venables has been courted for a ton of jobs. Dude seems happy as a DC, always has been. HC just isn't for some people.



The rest of the list is a wash, IMO. OU is a fairly bad job, just IMO. They're close to Dallas, sure, but that's all they have going for them. Kids flocked there because they won a bunch of meaningless games and had a chance to get their teeth kicked in by a much better opponent. Once they move to the SEC they're with us on the 2nd tier at best. JMO Tennessee is a better job than OU is. Knoxville >>>> Norman. Atlanta >> Dallas (playing talent). They're like 7 hours from Houston... 7 hours for us puts us in mid-Ohio, DC, Jacksonville, Mobile, AL or Memphis.

Plus we have lowered expectations after 20 years of sucking. OU still thinks they're a top-shelf program so whoever OU gets better win 10+ games every year. That's a hard task in the SEC-W.
Click to expand...

Oklahoma is a good job. I'd consider OU the most similar job to UT. Not a lot of talent in Oklahoma, just like there's not a lot of talent in East TN, but both schools are nearby major talent hub (Dallas / TX for OK; Atlanta / NC / VA / Nashville for TN), have a lot of resources, huge fan support, and loads of tradition.

I'm actually surprised Riley left for USC, but I can understand it. I've said all along the three easiest schools to recruit to are: (1) LSU, (2) Georgia, (3) USC. That's the appeal of USC. It doesn't take a lot to land top classes whereas you actually have to work at it at OU and UT. Nevertheless, both OU and UT have landed top 5 classes with good coaches, so the right coach can win big at both.

But I'll be clear .... I think Riley is afraid of the SEC. That's why he left. He could've taken LSU, which is even easier to recruit to than USC, but he doesn't want to face the Murderer's Row that is the SEC. Other than Oregon, USC can pretty easily outrecruit every other Pac-12 program and win on sheer talent.
 
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#111
#111
VolAnonShaman said:
Ainge just asked the question. Heupel says he loves Knoxville. Family loves Knoxville. Says we are building a championship team here. Says he's staying at Tennessee.
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BA745A29-0266-4195-BAAF-ACF863C1F527.jpeg

  • Klahn : We are building a fighting force of extraordinary magnitude. We forge our tradition in the spirit of our ancestors. You have our gratitude.
 
#112
#112
AthensVol2007 said:
I heard his interview live and he never explicitly said he’s staying or will be here next year. I do believe he is staying but when pressed and asked point blank will you be here next year? His answer was as you said “the family loves it in Knoxville, we’re building a program we’re proud of, we have the resources to win here”. It was typical coach speak with no flat out denial or confirmation. If he leaves I would be surprised, but not because of the answer he gave today.
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I'm not really surprised by his answers. He has been far more media savvy than I would have anticipated, and as a smooth operator in front of the microphone, he has no incentive (other than our undying adoration) to completely shoot down a connection to the OU job without securing some sort of additional monetary commitment from the University.

The VQ guys don't think he's leaving, so I'm satisfied for the moment. That said, OU hasn't swung and missed on anyone yet, so we won't know until their search really heats up.
 
#114
#114
K-town Vol Fan said:
He flat out asked him if he was going to be here next season and his response was "We love Tennessee."

That's not exactly reassuring.
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Actually, I think it's pretty re-assuring. You don't want to say something crazy like "I'm staying here FOREVER!" because then you can't get a raise and lose some bargaining power. You have to waffle a little bit to get raises, but Heupel didn't waffle very much. Sounds like he's staying put to me.

And as I've said all along ... I'm not so sure that Oklahoma is his dream job any way. He didn't grow up an OU fan. He was only there for 2 years. Left on bad terms with Stoops, who still has a lot of power there. That said, I've been wrong before ... definitely didn't expect LSU to get Brian Kelly.
 
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#115
#115
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#119
#119
I don't see the grand appeal of OU to CJH. Yes, he played there, but, he is not from there. In fact, he was a transfer there. Go over to one of the OU boards and read the comments some have made regarding the idea of him as a candidate. (You should do it if for no other reason than it gives a sense to normalcy to all the stuff posted here) They are pretty divided. He would have a unique baggage there that he didn't have to deal with here.

Further, It's not likely to be a money thing. If OU offers CJH, it is because they have been turned down by 3-4 guys already. With his experience and resume, I don't see OU being willing to pay him more than UT would be willing to match. Tennessee is in the first mile of a marathon, but things are going pretty well from a fan's perspective. They would pay to avoid starting over, IMO. I anticipate season ticket sales to trend upward in a formidable way this winter, and AD DW doesn't want a fly in that ointment.

And, with OU coming to the SEC, why would he think he had a better chance to win at OU? It's certainly not going to get easier for them. I don't think it is coincidence that LR is deciding to fly after this season. What exactly would be the long-term play for CJH to pack up his family and move again after only one season?

Finally, if I'm wrong, I have confidence that AD DW can find another quality coach to keep the train moving in the right direction.
 
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#120
#120
DiderotsGhost said:
Oklahoma is a good job. I'd consider OU the most similar job to UT. Not a lot of talent in Oklahoma, just like there's not a lot of talent in East TN, but both schools are nearby major talent hub (Dallas / TX for OK; Atlanta / NC / VA / Nashville for TN), have a lot of resources, huge fan support, and loads of tradition.

I'm actually surprised Riley left for USC, but I can understand it. I've said all along the three easiest schools to recruit to are: (1) LSU, (2) Georgia, (3) USC. That's the appeal of USC. It doesn't take a lot to land top classes whereas you actually have to work at it at OU and UT. Nevertheless, both OU and UT have landed top 5 classes with good coaches, so the right coach can win big at both.
Click to expand...

LSU is not easier to recruit than USC. UGA has only started recruiting well recently, prior to that they were 5-10 and only occasionally cracking the Top 5.

UGA over the last 15 years: 8/7/4/11/7/9/12/8/8/6/6/3/1/2/4

Kirby is recruiting them well, I'll give him that. USC though? If USC was winning like UGA they'd have the #1 or #2 class easily. Just look at how Clay flipping Helton was recruiting there. And LSU doesn't have that much more talent than Tennessee does. They have 3 5* and 12 4*, we have 2/10. Oklahoma has 6 4* this year. The notion that Tennessee has no in-state talent is a busted myth lingering from the 80s/90s. Nashville has a good amount of talent. We just haven't gotten any of it.
 
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#122
#122
Here are the quotes from the show today taken from an article on si FanNation:



Josh Heupel Addresses Speculation Around Oklahoma Head Coaching Vacancy
Tennessee Volunteers Head Coach Josh Heupel joined the Erik Ainge show on 99.1 The Sports Animal in Knoxville on Tuesday morning to discuss the speculation around the Oklahoma job.
MATT RAY


When asked, "What's up with the Oklahoma job?" Here is what Heupel had to say.

"You know, as you build a successful program with your staff and players, certainly, your name has an opportunity to come up for different openings. Just for myself and my family, we absolutely love Knoxville, and we came to Tennessee because of the power of the T. Believed in the power of the fan base and the opportunity to build something extremely special. It is a program that is top-ten in the history of college football in wins, first-round draft picks and have been through some uncertainty in recent times, but we love being in Knoxville. That is home for us. Love being in the building with our staff, and I know I feel stronger today than ten months ago when I first took the job about what we are going to be able to do and how quickly we are going to be able to get there. I know we are building a championship-caliber football team and program, and I am excited to continue on that venture with our current players and staff."


The answer was followed by, "so you are saying you are staying in Knoxville for at least the time being?"

"We absolutely love Tennessee and believe what we are building here and can't be happier and more excited about what we are going to do next year and in the coming years," Heupel stated.
 
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