Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel is a players' coach, and Tennessee's social media has shown off his connection with the players in snippets since he arrived at Rocky Top in 2021. A former Oklahoma beat writer confirms this could be why he has been successful.
RJ Young covered the Oklahoma Sooners when Heupel was an assistant at Oklahoma. His interactions with Heupel have led him to become a fan, even after his time in Norman. Young sat down to talk about Heupel on his podcast, "Adapt & Respond," naming him as one of his favorite coaches in college football.
"Josh Heupel was one of my favorite coaches for a number of reasons," Young said. "But there's one [reason] in particular. When I was new on the [Oklahoma] beat, ... I would ask him, like, dead-ass football questions. Like, 'Hey, he's not really reading that mesh, he's not really reading that end, what are you coaching him on?'"
"And he took time to say, 'Hey, look, sometimes it's feel, sometimes it's getting guys reps. He's running something we didn't ask him to run before he got here. We're going slow.'"
"[Heupel] didn't have to take time to explain to me why his offense was suffering or not suffering, and it certainly came on later that year, but he did," continued Young.
"And anytime that a person is nice to you when they don't have to be, it shows you their character and who they are. There are a lot of things that are going to be said about Josh Heupel. There are a lot of things that probably could change about Josh Heupel. But that aura that he has is one of honesty, authenticity, and sincerity. We need more of that college football."
That's quite the compliment Young has given Heupel. It's hard to find many names across the college football landscape who would match Josh Heupel's character and humility.
Heupel does a great job connecting with people with his humility and authenticity, which is a big reason he is able to bring some of the best talent in America to Rocky Top, even before Tennessee was considered a College Football Playoff contender.