Does Heupel make it to 2027 season?

[Big Orange Captain]

What ya say guys? I think next season is the biggest of Heupel’s tenure here with a highly paid new DC. Unfortunately Knowles defense usually takes a year for the transition to take place and installing his defense. Our schedule is brutal next year and we will be breaking in a new QB as well. i can easily see a 5-7 or 4-8 type season in 26 with that schedule and so many question marks on defense and offense, Heupel absolutely has to hit the portal hard on defense there is no doubt about that. Would Danny White pull the trigger on his boy if we go 4-8 or 5-7 next season or 6-6 and miss the playoff again, remember now Heupel has never had a losing record here yet.

 

[ntxVOL]

We'll be laughing at this post in 2028.

 

[T-for-Tennessee]

I have shaken the Magic 8 Ball and the answer is.....no.

 

[Megatron88]

Not a chance in Hell

 

[landscapingvol]

What ya say guys? I think next season is the biggest of Heupel’s tenure here with a highly paid new DC. Unfortunately Knowles defense usually takes a year for the transition to take place and installing his defense. Our schedule is brutal next year and we will be breaking in a new QB as well. i can easily see a 5-7 or 4-8 type season in 26 with that schedule and so many question marks on defense and offense, Heupel absolutely has to hit the portal hard on defense there is no doubt about that. Would Danny White pull the trigger on his boy if we go 4-8 or 5-7 next season or 6-6 and miss the playoff again, remember now Heupel has never had a losing record here yet.

He isn’t going anywhere but the entire defensive staff needs to as well as the strength and conditioning staff

 

[TheVolsFrog]

If Golesh and Kiffin roll us at Neyland next year.
I'm gonna be out on CJH

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

I think Danny maybe having to find both a football and women’s basketball HC by 2028. Not a good look for him.

 

[vegasvolfan]

What ya say guys? I think next season is the biggest of Heupel’s tenure here with a highly paid new DC. Unfortunately Knowles defense usually takes a year for the transition to take place and installing his defense. Our schedule is brutal next year and we will be breaking in a new QB as well. i can easily see a 5-7 or 4-8 type season in 26 with that schedule and so many question marks on defense and offense, Heupel absolutely has to hit the portal hard on defense there is no doubt about that. Would Danny White pull the trigger on his boy if we go 4-8 or 5-7 next season or 6-6 and miss the playoff again, remember now Heupel has never had a losing record here yet.

I was saying White should extend the contract of every coach Heupel chooses to hire or keep 3 years with no buyouts and set a goal of making it to the playoffs by year three and being competitive in the first round.

My belief is that if Erlabee (OL) and Schmidt (S&C) are kept, he will not only fail to achieve that goal, it will be ugly.

Josh has benefited from weak schedules, and just had his worst year in his HC career with an average SOS.

A LOT will depend on what happens within the next couple of months.

 

[vavolfan6]

Yes, 100%. Heupel still had a top 5 offense this last season. With Jim Knowels running the defense, we should be back in the playoffs conversation.

 

[Baseball25]

If everyone is satisfied with mediocre seasons he will stay.

 

[onevol74]

It depends if the fanbase is happy with a coach that wins 8 games per year. Heupel has got a lot of mileage out of 2022.

 

[lilesrt]

No. Next season will do him in. And the fans as well.

 

[LibertyVol]

I was saying White should extend the contract of every coach Heupel chooses to hire or keep 3 years with no buyouts and set a goal of making it to the playoffs by year three and being competitive in the first round.

My belief is that if Erlabee (OL) and Schmidt (S&C) are kept, he will not only fail to achieve that goal, it will be ugly.

Josh has benefited from weak schedules, and just had his worst year in his HC career with an average SOS.

A LOT will depend on what happens within the next couple of months.

Tennessee is in trouble. The defense is terrible. The offensive line is average. They have no QB. The schedule is off the charts. This was not a good Illinois team at all. I do believe recruiting was good this year. The best in a long time. A 4-4 conference record will be about as good as Tennessee can hope for.

 

[Volizona]

He sure isn’t trending in the right direction. This is his worst coaching season by far. You could argue that several of our losses were directly due to coaching decisions and poor clock management.

 

[#1fulmerite]

OP, this is a poll type question.

My answer is yes. However, if the administration is fine with average or mediocre, he will be here longer.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

If everyone is satisfied with mediocre seasons he will stay.

As long as the fans (and boosters) keep spending $$$ he will stay.

 

[Wahoooo]

I’m not discounting anything from happening.

All you need to do is go back to Fulmer and Dooleys last year.

Fulmer brought in a OC who cost him his job. Tried to do things like flipping the OL to the opposite side of the line of scrimmage.

Dooley brought in a DC who was the worst in program history. He had a great offense, however the defense sealed his doom. The offense had 5 guys who played pro along with Bray and a great group of receivers.

on the other hand, the right coordinator hire can change everything in a positive light overnight. Ken Donahue in 85, coach Cut coming back for 2 years as OC.

The one thing I am sure of is we for sure have to spend major bucks on defensive portal players in a few weeks or we are doomed for sure.

 

[VolArmy74]

Yes, unless we go 4-8 or something ridiculous, and I don't think we will. But he'll enter 2027 on the hot seat if we have another 8-4 or worse season, and 2027 is just murderers row schedule wise. So even with a tougher schedule next year, he's going to need to get to double digit wins to not be on the hot seat for 2028. Even if it's a post bowl 10-3 record.

 

[Doberman]

Huepel will be here as long as Danny W. can justify it. So yeah, a few more years.

 

[Ratvol]

YES

 

[Hunerwadel]

Yes, 100%. Heupel still had a top 5 offense this last season. With Jim Knowels running the defense, we should be back in the playoffs conversation.

Defense starts in the trenches. To see improvement we are going to have to pick up a couple of really good DTs from somewhere. And of course CB goes without saying. If we can't vastly improve those two positions I don't know how much great scheming is going to help.

 

[JMSqb11]

What ya say guys? I think next season is the biggest of Heupel’s tenure here with a highly paid new DC. Unfortunately Knowles defense usually takes a year for the transition to take place and installing his defense. Our schedule is brutal next year and we will be breaking in a new QB as well. i can easily see a 5-7 or 4-8 type season in 26 with that schedule and so many question marks on defense and offense, Heupel absolutely has to hit the portal hard on defense there is no doubt about that. Would Danny White pull the trigger on his boy if we go 4-8 or 5-7 next season or 6-6 and miss the playoff again, remember now Heupel has never had a losing record here yet.

Heupel will be here in 2027. He would have to have a colossal failure next year like sub .500 record to even contemplate getting fired.

Heupel is good enough to not let the program slide to those depths where we are fighting for bowl eligibility.

The beauty of this season is that Heupel shouldn't have one thing touched in his contract meaning the buyout gets less as we are another season in.

 

[MurphyVol]

Yes, but not 2028

 

[Big Orange Captain]

Yes, 100%. Heupel still had a top 5 offense this last season. With Jim Knowels running the defense, we should be back in the playoffs conversation.

The offense kinda got stagnant in some games though after fast starts.

 

[Cartervol]

Probably.. There are some disturbing trends emerging with his teams 5 years in. Not physical enough is a big one.