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Tennessee football: Comparing Josh Heupel’s fourth year of career to other Vols head coaches

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 6, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel motions to his team during the fourth quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel motions to his team during the fourth quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

John Barnhill. 5. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1945. Tennessee Volunteers. player

8-1 (3-1 SEC)

No. 14 AP

When Robert Neyland was first called to duty during his tenure as head coach of Tennessee football, his assistant, W.H. Britton, went 4-5 in 1935. Neyland then returned and ushered in the Golden Age of the Vols with three SEC Championships, two national championships and three straight undefeated regular seasons from 1938 to 1940.

Then Neyland was called away again to start training soldiers in preparation for an inevitable entry into World War II. John Barnhill took over, and this time, he made sure UT maintained its level of success. It was a difficult era, with so many Vols fighting in the war like every other program, but Barnhill went 8-2 and 9-1-1 in 1941 and 1942, finishing No. 18 and No. 7 respectively.

Barnhill won the Sugar Bowl in 1942. There was no team in 1943, and the Vols returned to go 7-1-1 and finish in the top 12 while reaching the Rose Bowl in 1944. Enter 1945. UT lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide, but they won every other game to finish in the top 15.

Now, by not winning the SEC, they didn’t make a bowl game, as they had no other quality wins. Alabama was the one elite team they faced. But this was Barnhill’s final year as head coach of the Vols, as Neyland returned the next year, and he deserves credit for keeping the program elite. This final year helped in a huge way. He then took over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

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