Tennessee football: 10 historic coaching hires that resemble Josh Heupel

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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Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel greets Tennessee coach Butch Jones after their college football game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014. Missouri won 29-21.1123 Kcsp Utum0926 Km
Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel greets Tennessee coach Butch Jones after their college football game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014. Missouri won 29-21.1123 Kcsp Utum0926 Km /

Pick Analysis. Missouri Tigers. Gary Pinkel. 3. Scouting Report. 2001-2015. player. 822

Record at time of hire: 73-37-3; Record at Missouri: 118-73

Previous schools:

  • Toledo Rockets: 1991-2000

In 2001, the Missouri Tigers hired Gary Pinkel based on the success he continued at a program after following the guy who would become the greatest coach of all time. Yes, Pinkel and Nick Saban have a connection. Pinkel took over as head coach of the Toledo Rockets after Saban went 9-2 there in 1990 and won the MAC championships.

Through 10 years, Pinkel continued that success, winning one MAC title and then three subsequent MAC West titles once the conference split into two divisions. He didn’t immediately maintain Saban’s success, though, going only 23-19-2 through his first four years.

However, succeeding a successful coach makes him similar to Josh Heupel. Pinkel then went to Mizzou, which is ironically where Heupel became a national phenomenon as an offensive coordinator under Barry Odom, who succeeded Pinkel in 2016. Anyway, in 16 years there, Pinkel never won a conference title, but he saw tons of success.

There may be higher expectations, fair or not, for Heupel as Tennessee football’s head coach. The key, though, is that Pinkel is proof you can be an up and down coach following a successful coach at a smaller school and still work out long-term. That’s enough for him to make the list.