Tennessee football: Ranking all 25 full-time head coaches in Vols history
player. 839. 2021-present. Josh Heupel. 12. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 25th head coach
7-6 (4-4 SEC)
He could rise or fall depending what he does in the future. Obviously, the situation Josh Heupel left Tennessee football in isn’t a factor right now since he hasn’t actually left the Vols. Meanwhile, what he’s done on the field puts him somewhat on the higher end of middle of the pack coaches, especially those who have lasted just one year.
Of course, it’ll be two for Heupel this year, and he’s the first since Phillip Fulmer to have a second year after having a winning record his first year. What puts Heupel higher on this list, though, are the circumstances that were working against him as he went 7-6.
Remember, Heupel took over a team that was 3-7 the year before and then lost over half its starting lineups along with over 20 players, including the majority of its best young players, to transfer. Oh, and the 2021 recruiting class was wrecked, as Heupel was a late hire.
This was all due to Jeremy Pruitt being fired for cause and leaving the program under NCAA investigation, another mess Heupel inherited and still hasn’t gotten out of. However, while installing a new system and dealing with tons of turnover, he led a turnaround.
Heupel led Rocky Top to a winning record with victories over three teams that reached bowl games: the Missouri Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks and Kentucky, which was a top 20 team they beat on the road. That was incredibly impressive, and Heupel could move into the top 10 with a solid season this year.