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Tennessee football: Ranking head coaches on Vols’ 2022 schedule

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart (left) and Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel (right) meet at midfield after the game at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart (left) and Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel (right) meet at midfield after the game at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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UT Martin’s head coach Jason Simpson looks at the clock during the game against MTSU at MTSU on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.636720462036708035-21-MTSU-v-Martin.JPG
UT Martin’s head coach Jason Simpson looks at the clock during the game against MTSU at MTSU on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.636720462036708035-21-MTSU-v-Martin.JPG /

Pick Analysis. UT-Martin Skyhawks. 16th season. Jason Simpson. 7. player. 839. Scouting Report

100-80

Yes, he’s a career FCS head coach, but if you consider the success Jason Simpson has had with the UT-Martin Skyhawks, he shockingly belongs up here. Simson faced Tennessee football once, back in 2010, and the Vols won that game 50-0. It was Derek Dooley’s first game as head coach of the program. Even then, Simpson was seeing rare success.

When Simpson took over in 2006, UT-Martin had been in FCS, or what was called Division I-AA before that, since 1992. However, they had only enjoyed two winning seasons during those 14 years, both 6-5, and they had a period of nine straight years from 1996 to 2004 in which they never won more than two games in a season.

We should note that Simpson inherited a team that had that second winning season in 2005 under Matt Griffin, a dramatic improvement. However, the next year, Simpson won UT-Martin its first Ohio-Valley Conference Championship, going 9-3 overall.

Since then, Simpson has built a solid program, and now, he is riding higher than ever, coming off his second conference championship last year and a 10-3 season, easily the best season in UT-Martin history. Taking that into account, this is the best FCS program Tennessee football has faced in years, and Simpson deserves credit for it.

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