Happy Heupelversary!

#26
#26
I was underwhelmed as well. I kept up with the search as much as I could over the general news, and it seemed we went after and got turned down by some 'big' names. When Heupel was announced, I figured it was White going for a safe hire.

At the presser, I was happy that we at least had a coach who could conjugate verbs correctly, and seemed genuine in his presentation and delivery. He seemed like a bright, likable person. I still had no huge hopes for him, but I figured that at the very least he could stabilize the mess left by Paycheck and Slingblade, and would be a good bridge to a 'big' name coach.

I was half right. He is an excellent bridge. He has stabilized the program. I just never thought HE would become the 'big' name and lead us forward. He seems to be doing just that.

I have rarely been so happy to be wrong.
 
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#28
#28
I can’t express how happy I am with the state of Tennessee’s athletics department under Danny White, as well as the football situation under CJH. Just think, Auburn fired Gus around the same time we hired CJH. Since then, Auburn has spent $37.3 Million in coaching buyouts! There is a new and deserving SEC dumpster fire!
 
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#30
#30
TNHopeful505 said:
I've said this many times in many threads. But I just genuinely like Coach Heup. There's not a part of me that thinks "yeah, but he's probably different than he seems," like I did with Pruitt, Dooley, or Butch. I don't feel like he puts on a front for anyone. I feel like what we see is what we get, and what we get is just a very fun, passionate, caring guy who loves the game of football and loves his players. That, in today's game, is very refreshing. I am pulling for Heup not just as a football coach, but as a person. We need more men in the world like him.
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With Josh it's about everyone else. With the last 3 coaches it was about them and their ego. Josh wants to make everybody around him better. Tennessee is in a great spot. What's crazy is it seems like all the sports at UT are feeding off of each other's energy.
 
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#31
#31
Don’t know if I posted anything regarding the hiring of Heupel but I remember I wasn’t impressed in the least!

Very happy to be wrong in my thinking!!
 
#33
#33
Toujours Pret said:
Its amazing how it's worked out, we finally got lucky shopping on the bargain rack
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There was no luck, that was pure Dan White smarts.

And -- though many of us didn't know it at the time -- it wasn't the bargain rack. More like a 1951 Willy Mays card in a shoe box of odds and ends in a yard sale. But Dan recognized it even if no one else did.
 
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#34
#34
Didn't know much about him but liked what I read. Always liked the idea of hiring a winning coach at a small school that punched the big boys in the nose. When he split up his new team and played dodge ball I knew we had a team builder. Hard for even the most optimistic to believe how far he's brought Tennessee football in two years.
 
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#35
#35
So glad to have JH. I was right in the middle, I didn't like or dislike it. I did the wait and see approach and boy what a pleasant surprise this season was! This guy just churns out great offenses everywhere he goes. With recruiting picking up, and the playoff system changing, we should see the playoffs early and often..
 
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#37
#37
VolInNW said:
In this case, apparently. But after the Kiffin-Dooley-Jones-Slingblade line of hires, I don't think it was unreasonable to have had just a smidge of doubt that ANYONE in the UT Admin knew what they were doing.
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Very true......and we called it BVS
 
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#41
#41
After the Pruitt disaster I thought Tennessee football was the next SMU, staring the death penalty in the face and fading off the national radar. I thought it would take 5+ years just to get back to being a respectable, non bottom dwelling SEC program. Year 2 we finish ranked 6th, orange bowl, beating Bama, landing the number 1 overall recruit. Huepel has truly worked a miracle with this program. I dont think I have ever seen such a dramatic turnaround with a program. 3-7, 30+ transfers (our BEST players) to the best season in 20+ years and a number 1 ranking. The guy at this point almost deserves a statue. He accomplished in 2 years what would take most coaches 5-10. He is Tennessee football's savior. That might sound dramatic but it's true. Still shocked at what he has accomplished with so many things going against him.
 
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#43
#43
N.ohio vol said:
What's crazy is how Heupel has come in and made our previous coaches look silly. How hard the other coaches made things look. Heupel comes in with what 65 scholarship players 30 sum players transferring out. It's been pretty sweet to watch. It's hard to fathom what he has done from a 7-6 which was over achieving to 11-2 a year later one win away from playoffs. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around it.
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Let’s be honest…Heupel is the first coach in 15 years that was even remotely qualified for a job of this caliber. The previous 3 were small market guys and Kiffin was too immature. Knoxville and UT football is just another level than most schools. The town and all of East TN just eats, sleeps, breathes UT football 24/7. Mediocrity is not tolerated and never will be and those guys found out the hard way. I remember Butch basically wanted us to throw him a parade for going 9-4 twice. Everyone was like gtfoh, bro. And yeah, you can’t be fake. Everyone sees right through that.
 
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#45
#45
Sometimes tough times call for bold decisions. The football program was a huge mess and allegations swirling more and more. The university had to do something and quick. UT took a chance with hiring Danny White as AD to start with. And boy did that pay off. He brought Heupel in as someone he could trust with proven track record at UCF. And the results are clear. Heupel has a great rapport with the kids and really gets them to buy in. After 20 years of struggles, UT finally got it right. Let's just hope things continue to be bright for a long time!
 
#48
#48
NeverWe'llSever said:
Let’s be honest…Heupel is the first coach in 15 years that was even remotely qualified for a job of this caliber. The previous 3 were small market guys and Kiffin was too immature. Knoxville and UT football is just another level than most schools. The town and all of East TN just eats, sleeps, breathes UT football 24/7. Mediocrity is not tolerated and never will be and those guys found out the hard way. I remember Butch basically wanted us to throw him a parade for going 9-4 twice. Everyone was like gtfoh, bro. And yeah, you can’t be fake. Everyone sees right through that.
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I agree 100%. up here in ohio we know the standard for Tennessee football and everyone knows the standard hasn't been hit in a long long time! It's nice to see it headed back! Tennessee is a brand that is nation wide.Glad to have a coach that can use that and imbrace it.
 
#49
#49
VOL_Lyfe said:
So stupid.

Im sure someone (who might be stupid enough) can drag out the equivalent thread on Cornbread. Who cares?

"Gotcha!" is a stupid game, cuz if it went the other way, you'd never be found.

Im glad he's here, and that he got paid. OK?
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100%

There is a small but VERY vocal and aggressive cadre on these boards who dream, eat, sleep, poop, and pee the "gotcha" game. In this instance, they seem to take more pleasure in pointing out folks who were less than amazed we hired a coach out of Central Florida than enjoying the fact that we finally seem to have stuck gold and landed a guy who can flat out coach and rebuild a program.

I was underwhelmed. I commented that with this new guy (Heupel) my saturdays would likely be freed up to do other things. I was just about done with 15 years of incompetence.

I was wrong. Heupel is a helluva find.

Can we enjoy the show now???
 
#50
#50
TNHopeful505 said:
I've said this many times in many threads. But I just genuinely like Coach Heup. There's not a part of me that thinks "yeah, but he's probably different than he seems," like I did with Pruitt, Dooley, or Butch. I don't feel like he puts on a front for anyone. I feel like what we see is what we get, and what we get is just a very fun, passionate, caring guy who loves the game of football and loves his players. That, in today's game, is very refreshing. I am pulling for Heup not just as a football coach, but as a person. We need more men in the world like him.
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The one time I have met him personally confirms your take. He was super down-to- earth, engaging, and happy to get with my son for a quick pic.
 
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