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Tennessee football: Five ways Josh Heupel hire resembles Butch Jones

By Caleb Calhoun

At left University of Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel shakes hands with University of Tennessee athletics director Danny White after being presented a jersey, during a press conference announcing his hiring in the Stokely Family Media Center in Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan.27, 2021.Heupel0127 0123
At left University of Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel shakes hands with University of Tennessee athletics director Danny White after being presented a jersey, during a press conference announcing his hiring in the Stokely Family Media Center in Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan.27, 2021.Heupel0127 0123 /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – JANUARY 19: Tee Martin of the Tennessee Volunteers introduced during a break in the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 71-68. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – JANUARY 19: Tee Martin of the Tennessee Volunteers introduced during a break in the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 71-68. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

4. Tee Martin departure

This is just another one of those eery coincidences, but it does make this hire similar. Both Josh Heupel and Butch Jones were involved in headlines related to Tee Martin when they first took over as head coach of the Tennessee football program. Each time, they involved UT’s national championship winning quarterback not working under the new coach.

When Jones arrived in 2012, fans expected him to bring in Martin after Derek Dooley reportedly didn’t offer him the year before, according to Chris Low of ESPN at the time. However, Martin reportedly rejected Jones to stay on Lane Kiffin’s staff with the USC Trojans.

All wounds seemed healed in 2019, though, when Martin came back home to join Jeremy Pruitt’s staff, and with the way Jones left Rocky Top, his rejection seemed more understandable. When Heupel was hired, though, it seemed like something happened related to Martin based on Vol icons speaking favorably of him and also hinting at a bit of controversy.

The Baltimore Ravens then hired Martin 10 days later, which we reported on here, as their wide receivers coach. So just like Jones, Heupel dealt with Martin taking a job elsewhere not at UT mere weeks into his tenure.

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