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

#26
#26
VFL-82-JP said:
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!
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4 wins 7 losses to this point against Bama, Georgia and Florida. Those are the ones fans care about the most
 
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#30
#30
VFL-82-JP said:
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.

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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!
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If I remember correctly, Doug Dickey is a South Dakota native.
 
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#31
#31
Volfan8282 said:
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.
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We take credit when we can get it. UF beat us many times when we had supposedly a better team. UF at some point, will get right.
 
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#32
#32
cherokeeeVOL said:
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.
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Well, I give a lot of credit to an improved oline performance to give Nico more time & protection. Not really a JG fan but it was hard for him to complete passes when he was on his back all the time & running for his life. Let's hope the improved oline performance continues.
 
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#33
#33
1998 we beat Florida Georgia and Alabama. The season ended well. Hasn't happened since.

Huepel from 22-24 has been in a position to handle both Florida and Bama. We bungled it on the road in 23 but we could have won.

We are going to have to beat UGA soon.

GoVols. 🍊
 
#36
#36
RockyTop140 said:
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.
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He still was the coach in 2021. It's just a little dishonest. We don't have to bend stats our way to know Heupel is a good coach. In due time it won't matter.
 
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#37
#37
ntxVOL said:
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.
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Probably. Dogs were butt-hurt & ready to play against TX. But they have been up & down too. Which UGA team will show up? Being at home the automatic advantage we have to overcome. If we can get our offense going then we've got a better chance. Usually UGA plays better in the second half. Even if we lose we've accomplished a lot. I think the VOLS will be ready. Should be quite a game. TN defense will keep us in the game.
 
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#39
#39
Volfan8282 said:
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.
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Oh please you can’t have it both ways. They racked up wins during our down years and their fans rejoiced in it. As did the other teams. The Vols beat them, we didn’t choke. We have won 2 out of last 3, same with Bama. They are what they are, just like we were what we were! GBO
 
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#40
#40
Vol865 said:
He still was the coach in 2021. It's just a little dishonest. We don't have to bend stats our way to know Heupel is a good coach. In due time it won't matter.
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Yeah, it's just more or less pretending it never happened. The statement "Josh Heupel has a winning record versus the SEC's top tier" is factually incorrect.
 
#41
#41
Vol865 said:
He still was the coach in 2021. It's just a little dishonest. We don't have to bend stats our way to know Heupel is a good coach. In due time it won't matter.
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It’s the exact opposite of dishonest. OP stated he was excluding the season and gave fair reasoning. I agree it won’t matter eventually, but it makes perfect sense to not include that season when evaluating his performance against UF, UGA, and Bama.
 
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#42
#42
chuck0303 said:
Well, I give a lot of credit to an improved oline performance to give Nico more time & protection. Not really a JG fan but it was hard for him to complete passes when he was on his back all the time & running for his life. Let's hope the improved oline performance continues.
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Agreed that they did play much better. I thought Nico was still a little hesitant or jumpy or something in the first half. Then after he got his clock cleaned he looked like a different player.
 
#43
#43
RockyTop140 said:
It’s the exact opposite of dishonest. OP stated he was excluding the season and gave fair reasoning. I agree it won’t matter eventually, but it makes perfect sense to not include that season when evaluating his performance against UF, UGA, and Bama.
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It does make sense. Because this thread is about who Josh Heupel is as a coach. That's different, by a bit, from who the Vols are as a program.

As a program we were broken after the 2020 season. Nothing Josh Heupel could do about it his first 8 months and into the 2021 season. He did the best he could that year with a patchwork roster. He was never gonna beat the best teams that year, no matter what. So it's not a good measure of what kind of coach he is to include the season.

I appreciate you understanding the reasoning, RockyTop. Can't help if others don't.

Go Vols!
 
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#44
#44
VFL-82-JP said:
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!
Click to expand...
I forget which interview it was, but Heupel said the reason he played football was because he "wasn't a good athlete" and wasn't good at basketball. Basketball is more popular at the high school and college level there than football, according to him, simply because it gets so cold. I'm sure there's some self-deprecation there given that his dad was a DII football coach.

It's also been fascinating to me how many great FCS programs are in that part of the country. 6 of the current top 11 schools in the FCS rankings are from North Dakota, South Dakota, or Montana. And all of the top 4 are.
 
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#46
#46
RockyTop140 said:
It’s the exact opposite of dishonest. OP stated he was excluding the season and gave fair reasoning. I agree it won’t matter eventually, but it makes perfect sense to not include that season when evaluating his performance against UF, UGA, and Bama.
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I get the sentiment, but there's a difference in excluding it to make a point and acting like it doesn't count. He lost those games. However, there was good reason why he lost those games. My one exception is UF because I feel like if Hooker starts that game we have a good shot at winning.
 
#48
#48
Dadof2Vols said:
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.
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I’m talking specifically about including Florida in this discussion. He’s made a ton of progress compared to where we were… I’m just saying going 2-2 against Florida with the state of that program isn’t indicative to me of that progress. Going 2-2 against Bama? Absolutely.
 
#50
#50
DaddyChad said:
Kind of dumb imho. Those Florida rosters still had more talent than Tennessee if were going by recruiting ranks
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Florida won’t make a bowl this year. Just like they didn’t last year. They’re headed for their 4th straight losing season.

I like Heupel a lot. I’m just not using Florida as a reason to say he’s the real deal.
 
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