In an earlier post I looked at the general conditions and aspirations of the program here at Tennessee and some of the similarities and challenges we share with the program at Nebraska. One of the suggestions I heard from the Nebraska side is that as a program they needed to find a new identity. They’ve mostly given up on going back to what they were when Osborne was there.
So I got to thinking about us. What sort of identity could we establish that might take us back up the mountain to the pinnacle of college football?
General Robert Reese Neyland was considered by many to be the Father of modern football. Granted, that consideration, and the modern part, is pretty well dated now.
“People think I’m the greatest damn coach in the world,” said Coach Bear Bryant, “but Neyland taught me everything I know.”
Bryant coached against Neyland in 7 games and never beat him.
What was so special about Coach Neyland. Why was he so successful? Beyond the man, what did he do for the game that earned him such accolades?
Throughout my life, and it’s been long, one word that I’ve often heard associated with Coach Neyland that may be the key to our future is that in his time Coach Neyland was considered one of the greatest innovators in the history of the game.
I know a lot of our fans who post here recognize the young coaches of today that are considered the new innovators. I think if we’re going to be at a talent disadvantage then maybe our path back to the top might be with a young innovator.
The media has to generate content to make money so we see all sorts of lists ranking this and that. Some of those lists turn out to be laughable in hindsight. Popularity is often a fleeting thing; only the best retain that popularity indefinitely.
In recent years Josh Heupel has been hailed as one of the top young coaches of today in the game of college football. During his junior year at OU his OC was Mike Leach. He learned the Pirate’s offense that year and while Mike went on to Texas Tech the next year, Josh’s senior year, Josh took what he had learned from the Pirate to the National Championship game for OU and brought home the trophy, while also being runner up for the Heisman.
As you might expect, getting fired from OU years later had some effect on him. I’m not sure from what I can gather if he was hurt or just flat out pissed off. While he was at Missouri Odom was asked if could sense if Heupel was still bitter that his alma mater fired him? “You bet”, replied Odom.
“He approaches every day with a chip on his shoulder,” Odom said. “He’s a competitive dude. He’s got something to prove and he acts like it every day.”
“He’s a rocket-science brain surgeon,” offensive line coach Glen Elarbee said. “Rocket surgery, whatever you want to call it — he’s freaking smart, man.”
Bob Stoops never doubted Heupel would have success elsewhere. It just wasn’t going to be at Oklahoma. Speaking of Heupel's mounting success, Stoops said, “Josh is an excellent coach, an innovator. It’s no surprise to me.”
Innovation is about being creative and moving forward toward the future not trying to go back to the past. The door is open; there’s at least a chance we may be on the right track now. jmo.
