We are moving in the right direction, albeit at a more glacial.pace than I would prefer. But as long as our trajectory continues to be on the incline, I cant complain.
Honestly, no matter how things turn out in the end, what matters most to me is that the direction of the program stays consistent. If Josh Heupel is still our head coach ten years from now, and we are regularly hitting 10 or 11 wins with a shot at the playoff, I see that as a huge accomplishment. That kind of sustained success would mean more to me than a one-off national title followed by a collapse, like LSU had in 2019. They had the best team in the country that year, but where are they now? That kind of flash-in-the-pan success feels hollow in comparison to a stable, competitive program that earns national respect year in and year out.
What I want is a culture of winning, not just a lucky season. If we can rebuild Tennessee’s reputation as a consistent contender, that puts us in a stronger position for the future. Just like Georgia made the jump from being good under Mark Richt to becoming elite under Kirby Smart, we could eventually take that next step too. But it starts with building the right foundation. Without that consistency, any short-term success will fade just as fast as it came.
So to me, even if Heupel never wins a national championship, he will still be the coach who brought Tennessee football back. If he is the one who helped rebuild our brand, reestablish our culture, and return us to national relevance, then that legacy matters. Wins are important, no doubt, but building something that lasts matters more. In my eyes, Heupel is the one who saved the program.