Josh Heupel - winning record vs the SEC's top tier

[VFL-82-JP]

We've been talking for a few years now about how we'll know Josh is for real when he starts beating the best teams in the SEC and nation.

We've defined the best as our three top rivals: Florida, Bama, and Georgia. Starting in 2024, let's add Texas and Oklahoma (even if OK is, like FL, a basket case this season).

Well, take away 2021 because Josh shouldn't be tarred with that brush--not with the mass defection of many of our best players (remember, 35 of a roster of 85--over a third--and probably mostly the best third, talent wise, left or were asked to leave with Pruitt).

So not counting 2021, Josh is now 5-4 against those top rivals. Yep, winning record against the gators, dawgs, tide, and sooners (we haven't played Texas yet).

Can we make it 6-4 here in a few weeks? Sure hope so.

Go Vols!

 

[Volfan8282]

We've been talking for a few years now about how we'll know Josh is for real when he starts beating the best teams in the SEC and nation.

We've defined the best as our three top rivals: Florida, Bama, and Georgia. Starting in 2024, let's add Texas and Oklahoma (even if OK is, like FL, a basket case this season).

Well, take away 2021 because Josh shouldn't be tarred with that brush--not with the mass defection of many of our best players (remember, 35 of a roster of 85--over a third--and probably mostly the best third, talent wise, left or were asked to leave with Pruitt).

So without 2021, Josh is now 5-4 against those top rivals. Yep, winning record against the gators, dawgs, tide, and sooners (we haven't played Texas yet).

Can we make it 6-4 here in a few weeks? Sure hope so.

Go Vols!

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

 

[Nico ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

Better than the last 4 guys combined

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Here here! I'm still a little stunned by how good this defense is. I said on Saturday that it's the best since 2005 but it's better than that I think. It honestly rivals those late 90s/early 00s defenses. What if the light really did come on for Nico in the second half and it's here to stay? Look out.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

BTW, just realized this. Josh Heupel and Kalen DeBoer were practically neighbors, growing up.

Josh raised in Aberdeen, SD (pop about 28,000). DeBoer in Milbank (pop about 3,000). Both small towns in the NE corner of the state.


Maybe 75 miles apart, in a state without a lot of population centers.

Not only that, they're about the same age. DeBoer is a couple of years older.

So they'd have overlapped in their high school years. They might even have played against each other.

Out of all the places in the world you can be from, what are the chances we have two head coaches for two of the SEC's leading programs, both from northeastern South Dakota?

Heh.

Go Vols!

 

[Halph66]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

So, a coach is judged by wins and losses, but because it's a Tennessee coach we have to judge on a different scale? Makes sense.

 

[ntxVOL]

Leaving out 2021 is just cherry picking IMO. 5-4 but 0-3 vs UGA over that stretch, still some work to do.

We are improving but still need to put it all together or else, it will be another loss in Athens.

 

[J C Higgins]

BTW, just realized this. Josh Heupel and Kalen DeBoer were practically neighbors, growing up.

Josh raised in Aberdeen, SD (pop about 28,000). DeBoer in Milbank (pop about 3,000). Both small towns in the NE corner of the state.

View attachment 689630
Maybe 75 miles apart, in a state without a lot of population centers.

Not only that, they're about the same age. DeBoer is a couple of years older.

So they'd have overlapped in their high school years. They might even have played against each other.

Out of all the places in the world you can be from, what are the chances we have two head coaches for two of the SEC's leading programs, both from northeastern South Dakota?

Heh.

Go Vols!

Not relevant to this discussion but Doug Dickey was born in South Dakota also.

 

[RockyTop140]

Leaving out 2021 is just cherry picking IMO. 5-4 but 0-3 vs UGA over that stretch, still some work to do.

We are improving but still need to put it all together or else, it will be another loss in Athens.

How is leaving out 2021 cherry picking? Like mentioned by OP, 1/3 of our roster left. Either way, he’s winning these games now and we are almost at the point where he have enough guys stacked up to not drop off too much at any position group year to year.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

So you can’t give him a lot of credit for progress?

Wow, UT has lost to UF for how many years now when UT was superior?

I would say 50% is progress even if not perfection. Not to give CJH proper credit is lunacy.

No desire to go back to the wilderness for me.

 

[TNinSC]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

they've been bad for a while. Kiffin's year was the last year with tebo meaning the decline of UF started in 2010... dooley (0-3), jones (1-3), and pruitt (0-3) couldn't get it done. The 2-2 looks good to me so far

 

[DaddyChad]

He’s kind of beaten a lot of the guys who are talked about as being the elite coaches. Saban, Kelly, Dabo, etc

 

[McDad]

How is leaving out 2021 cherry picking? Like mentioned by OP, 1/3 of our roster left. Either way, he’s winning these games now and we are almost at the point where he have enough guys stacked up to not drop off too much at any position group year to year.

I like what JP put together. And I don't believe this is something to quibble over.

But, I think if we get a mulligan because a third of our roster leaves, then Bama should get a mulligan for their roster loss since Saban's retirement. I know the two programs were in different strata of competition when the loss occurred.

 

[DaddyChad]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

Kind of dumb imho. Those Florida rosters still had more talent than Tennessee if were going by recruiting ranks

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

Dumb take. Heupel gets credit for going 2-2 against them. You would be bashing him if he was 0-4 against them. You can’t on one hand bash him yet not give credit where it’s deserved.

 

[ntxVOL]

How is leaving out 2021 cherry picking? Like mentioned by OP, 1/3 of our roster left. Either way, he’s winning these games now and we are almost at the point where he have enough guys stacked up to not drop off too much at any position group year to year.

2021 is still part of Heupel's record. But agree that great progress has been made.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Leaving out 2021 is just cherry picking IMO. 5-4 but 0-3 vs UGA over that stretch, still some work to do.

We are improving but still need to put it all together or else, it will be another loss in Athens.

lol. How many teams have beaten UGA the last 3 years?

 

[RockyTop140]

I like what JP put together. And I don't believe this is something to quibble over.

But, I think if we get a mulligan because a third of our roster leaves, then Bama should get a mulligan for their roster loss since Saban's retirement. I know the two programs were in different strata of competition when the loss occurred.

That’s a fair point. But Bama is still more talented on paper than we are. We lost quality starters across the board and had to play guys who quite frankly weren’t SEC level talent. Bama lost Caleb Downs and instantly replaced him with a stud, Sabb.

 

[rocketskates]

While Florida is a rival, I’m not giving him a ton of credit for going 2-2 against them. They’re an awful program right now. There’s still no excuse for 2023.

I agree. But, Butch lost to some Florida teams that were worse than this years. At least he got the W.

 

[ntxVOL]

lol. How many teams have beaten UGA the last 3 years?

Don't care irrelevant, I still stand by my statement. I don't think we should concede the conference to UGA.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

That’s a fair point. But Bama is still more talented on paper than we are. We lost quality starters across the board and had to play guys who quite frankly weren’t SEC level talent. Bama lost Caleb Downs and instantly replaced him with a stud, Sabb.

Like a walk on making a defining play to beat Bama in 2022 & 2024?

 

[RockyTop140]

Like a walk on making a defining play to beat Bama in 2022 & 2024?

William Wright in 2022 correct? Nearly forgot about that. And Will Brooks has made big plays in most of the games this season. Even with the injury trouble we’ve had at safety, I think Brooks would play a fair amount still.

 

[McDad]

That’s a fair point. But Bama is still more talented on paper than we are. We lost quality starters across the board and had to play guys who quite frankly weren’t SEC level talent. Bama lost Caleb Downs and instantly replaced him with a stud, Sabb.

which is why I referenced the two programs at different strata of competition.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Don't care irrelevant, I still stand by my statement. I don't think we should concede the conference to UGA.

We aren’t. But the likelihood of us beating UGA in Athens is incredibly slim. We just aren’t in their level. But losing to UGA again shouldn’t be a negative mark on Heupels record here.

 

[Voltopia]

Can't take away 2021 because it's inconvenient to the narrative. Heupel is 4-7 against our big three (Georgia, Florida, Alabama). There's no shame in that. There's absolutely no shame in that at all. It's fantastic that he's 4-7. Tennessee was 3-27 against them in the 2010s. Heupel has already bested that number, and the trajectory of the program suggests he's going to add more Ws and right quick. He's also one of only a handful of coaches who've even beaten Saban while he was at Alabama.

But we can't just ignore 2021 because it's inconvenient. Hell, Heupel going 7-6 that season might be one of his best coaching jobs. To drag them out of the fire like that deserves acknowledgment. Not dismissal.