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Tennessee football: Analyzing Josh Heupel’s second year in last five roles

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee Herd Coach Josh Heupel at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee Herd Coach Josh Heupel at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /
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Oct 19, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; UCF Knights head coach Josh Heupel watches the scoreboard during the second half against the East Carolina Pirates at Spectrum Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; UCF Knights head coach Josh Heupel watches the scoreboard during the second half against the East Carolina Pirates at Spectrum Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

886. . 2019: Head Coach. . Knights . 1. team

10-3 (6-2); No. 24 AP and Coaches

Josh Heupel inherited a UCF team that went undefeated in 2017 and actually hung a national championship banner. He followed that up by going undefeated in 2018 during the regular season before losing his bowl game to the LSU Tigers. Still, he proved he could coach his first year.

Big things should have been in store his second year. However, McKenzie Milton, the catalyst behind those undefeated seasons, suffered a knee injury late in 2018, sidelining him for 2019. Heupel then inserted Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, and he still did a good job. The offense was electric, averaging over 43 points a game.

Still, UCF wasn’t able to replicate what they did the year before. They stumbled to a 10-3 record. In their defense, they lost all three games by less than a field goal. That carried into 2020, the COVID-shortened season that saw them go 6-4. It was another drop-off, but they lost all three regular season games by one score.

Next. Ranking all 15 first NFL Draft classes of Vols head coaches. dark

Anyway, Heupel’s second year here isn’t one of his strongest selling points, and it may not be a good omen for what he will do at Tennessee football. However, his second year at Mizzou was a breakout season, and there are different factors in play here than there were at UCF.

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