What do we really have with CJH?

[sjt18]

So at this point in the CJH era, what does everyone think we have in him as a head coach?

A rising star leveraging a style of leadership that aligns with the needs of the current generation of players to produce a very good culture.

When you look at him and his body of work so far, what do you see?

Mild underperformance in year 1. Significant overachievement in year 2. Excellent developer of offensive talent. Outstanding schemer on O.

Not sure about the D. He has to delegate it a lot more and so far it has been unimpressive. I would give the O an A++ and the D a D so far.

Do you see a coach that can bring conference championships and playoff berths to the program or do you see it different?

Yes. For one the portal introduces a new degree of instability with most programs. A few here are convinced as I once was that the portal was the route to success. But instability isn't particularly good for a locker room or chemistry on the field. Frequently players leave their old team because they're the cancer looking for a new host. Heupel seems to be intent on building mostly from recruiting and then only bringing in portal players that mesh with the culture and provide benefit. He's not finding a ton of those guys... and that's fine.

Personally what I see is a coach that has brought much needed stability and a healthy culture to the program. I see a coach that will consistently bring 8 to 9 wins a year with the occasional 10+ win season. And I see a coach that will have us in a decent to very good bowl game each year and for now, that's good enough!

He took a bunch of players from the Island of Misfit Toys over the past two years and developed them into a team that won 10 games and was ranked #1 in the country for a brief period. He was one bad game with a roster depleted by injuries away from making the CFP. He is a championship caliber coach and based on what he did with the 19th most talented roster according to 247... I'm anxious to see what he does when they average around 10th.

Up to this point the only thing I dont see in CJH is a dynamic recruiter that will consistently get us top 5 nationally which is what you absolutely need to have to contend for SEC conference titles. That's my only real concern going forward in the CJH era.

Fulmer never stopped "winning" on NSD. I believe he had one recruiting class outside the top 25 in his entire tenure. Kiffin brought in a class that was liked by the recruiting sites. Dooley's classes averaged 13th. Jones' classes were even better- 21st, 5th, 5th, 15th, and 15th. Pruitt for all of his spots and flaws was 20th, 13th, and 8th.

UT has had two problems. One is coaches that sucked at developing talent and were average on gameday or worse. Two is UT signed a lot of overrated players who never looked better than they did on NSD.

Heupel can coach with anyone on gameday. Heupel can develop talent. The remaining question is whether his "rebellion" against the recruiting "stars" is brilliant or stupid. Either "trusting their own evals" will lead to finding underrated players and avoiding overrated 4* guys... or the talent won't be there to win. There's not a ton of in between. UT took some players in this class with early commitments that the recruiting sites pretty much hate. Bussell, Bishop, Luttrell, Spillman, Robinson, Conyer, and maybe some of the others will make or break this class. Either UT found guys who will develop into high tier SEC players that no one else believed in... or lack of talent will eventually catch up with Heupel.

I have relatively high confidence based on Heupel's performance so far that he can do it. We will see.

 

[Hopeful Vol]

It’s going to be really tough for him to get over the Kirby and Georgia monster and win the East and perhaps the SEC but he can def have some solid 9 and 10 win seasons here but this is Tennessee as we all know and our goals are to win the East and the SEC so he must beat Kirby eventually. But his first two seasons have been really good and he’s been the best coach we have hired since we fired Phil in 2008. 17-8 in two seasons and 10-6 in the SEC is really good considering what he walked into here. I’m really intrigued to see what he does next season without Hooker at QB and will he put more of a emphasis on having a better defense. He’s earned my trust though and I’m happy with him as our coach right now and he did beat Florida and Bama in year 2 ending those long losing streaks.

 

[swampfoxfan]

What do we have? The coach that put us back on the mind of college football fans.

 

[sjt18]

It’s going to be really tough for him to get over the Kirby and Georgia monster and win the East and perhaps the SEC but he can def have some solid 9 and 10 win seasons here but this is Tennessee as we all know and our goals are to win the East and the SEC so he must beat Kirby eventually.

Bad news is that you are right and Kirby if nothing else is smart enough to leverage the best recruiting situation for any program in CFB. NO ONE has a better recruiting situation than UGA. Tons of instate talent with a significant portion of it having "heart" ties to UGA. He sits in a state with a bunch of homers that can play football and live football like it is a religion. Years ago my kid played in the state championship in GA... for 7 and 8 year olds. They play a state championship tournament for kids that age!

So no. It won't be easy to beat him. The good news is... Heupel is a better coach of the game. He appears to be a better leader as well though I wouldn't knock Kirby's culture at UGA. This year UT had the 19th most talented roster in the country according to 247. Bama was #1 and UGA was #2. UT beat Bama and wasn't uncompetitive with UGA at their place. Imagine what it will be when his roster is more like the 10th most talented.... or a little better.

Heupel is a championship caliber coach when it comes to schemes, game day, playcalling, game planning, leadership, culture, player development... He just has to find the right players.

But his first two seasons have been really good and he’s been the best coach we have hired since we fired Phil in 2008.

Frankly, he's better than Fulmer. The game passed Fulmer by. He refused to change and became uncompetitive both on the field and off of it.

17-8 in two seasons and 10-6 in the SEC is really good considering what he walked into here. I’m really intrigued to see what he does next season without Hooker at QB and will he put more of a emphasis on having a better defense. He’s earned my trust though and I’m happy with him as our coach right now and he did beat Florida and Bama in year 2 ending those long losing streaks.

His big test IMO is how he CEO's the D. He knows enough to participate in coaching the D. But really he needs a strong lieutenant who pretty much takes care of business on that side of the ball. I'm personally not sure that's Banks.

I'm going to speak some heresy. I love Hooker. I really do. Great guy. Tremendous character. Good talent. Good QB. But I believe he had limitations that Heupel schemed over. I actually believe the right QB can do MUCH more in Heupel's O.

 

[#1fulmerite]

Why is no one asking about sustainability?

 

[EZE]

I think there are 2 outliers to the season schedule that stand out. We go on the road and blow out LSU and we go on the road and get blown out by SC. As I've stated many times on VN, you typically win one you shouldn't and lose one you shouldn't. The blow outs in both of these games are what doesn't make sense. Outside of those 2 games, the season went pretty much status quo. Getting Bama and Florida at home was key also.

Beating Florida and Alabama is status quo? Have you been watching UT play those two schools over the past 15 years?

 

[sjt18]

Why is no one asking about sustainability?

What do you mean?

UT can sustain at this level of recruiting or perhaps better.

Culture leads to sustainable results more than any other single factor.

Player development is sustainable.

There may be fits and starts in the first 4 years but this year showed what he can do... and with a much less than ideal roster.

 

[sjt18]

I think there are 2 outliers to the season schedule that stand out. We go on the road and blow out LSU and we go on the road and get blown out by SC. As I've stated many times on VN, you typically win one you shouldn't and lose one you shouldn't. The blow outs in both of these games are what doesn't make sense. Outside of those 2 games, the season went pretty much status quo. Getting Bama and Florida at home was key also.

Blowing LSU out was an "outlier" result. Beating them IMO was not. UT was a better team and especially at that point of the season.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I think there are 2 outliers to the season schedule that stand out. We go on the road and blow out LSU and we go on the road and get blown out by SC. As I've stated many times on VN, you typically win one you shouldn't and lose one you shouldn't. The blow outs in both of these games are what doesn't make sense. Outside of those 2 games, the season went pretty much status quo. Getting Bama and Florida at home was key also.

Uhhh, what?

Beating Alabama, even at home, was in no way the "status quo." In fact, it was the first time that Tennessee had beaten Alabama since 2006 - home or away.

 

[Chitlin&theDude]

We had a great year. He's clearly overachieved both years. Period. Did he catch lighting in a bottle with Hooker? Can we improve the defense next year? We'll see. Taking another step forward next year would answer any doubts.

 

[stolitonic]

I'm happy with him so far. You would have to be a fool to not see Heup is head and shoulders above the last few jokers we have had in here.

I'm with the Op here just a bit though. Let's see what he does with his own guys. Something that hit me about midway through the season-Pruitt as much as I hated him was not a complete idiot in terms of talent evaluation. Most of the guys who were lighting it up this year are guys Cornbread brought in. Now, developing and using them on ways that Pruitt never considered-that is all on Heup.

The SC game still worries me. Whatever happened leading up to that game, something big happened. The fact it was not addressed and the team gotten onto the same page concerns me.

Looking forward to the future with guarded optimism at this point. Call it BVS, call it what you want. A good showing in the bowl game would go a long way towards easing my concerns.

 

[SpookyAction]

Next season will have growing pains and we will learn a lot about him as a locker room manager/motivator.
I am very optimistic he is the right man for this job.
He seems to think so, too.

 

[vettefool]

You mean, besides the fact that we were top 5 nationally when the CFP rankings came out? You mean, besides the fact that we were #1 with victories over UF, Pitt, LSU and ALA? And still #4 after a Loss to UGA?

You mean, the coach that had us set up to be in the CFP in year 2 of a massive rebuild with only one draft class under his belt here?

That is the coach you do not believe leads us to the CFP?

Yep, most thought Butch was the answer. LSU thought coach O was the answer. Auburn thought they had the right coach Several times. Mich St. thought they had a coach worth Sabin money. Georgia thought they had the coach b4 Smart. And on and on. The jury is still out on CJH. Hopefully he’s the right one. Don’t rush to judgement.

 

[SaltyBro]

Starting in 2024, all you need to be is a top 10 program and you will have a chance at the playoff. I think we will be in that discussion more times than not.

This. Just get in the playoffs and anything can happen in single elimination games.

 

[SaltyBro]

He was just what we needed after boring Pruitt ball. They are actually fun to watch now, and for once I don’t feel like everything is going to go bad in games like I have the past 15 years

 

[#1fulmerite]

What do you mean?

UT can sustain at this level of recruiting or perhaps better.

Culture leads to sustainable results more than any other single factor.

Player development is sustainable.

There may be fits and starts in the first 4 years but this year showed what he can do... and with a much less than ideal roster.

Good point(s), SJT. I was referring to the sustainability of this offense.

Will it be viable five years down the road or will defenses be able to start defending against it next year or the year after.

 

[superdave1984]

I said it before, he is Spurrier without the wisecracks. If he stays 10 more years, I think we will be winning the SEC a few times and competing for the NC a few times as well.

 

[JRich]

A quality coach.

10 wins, maybe 11, in year two - I’ll take it. Beating UF, UA, & LSU - I’ll take it. Ranked in the top ten - I’ll take it. The recruiting will improve if the wins become consistent. Needs a better defense to stay at the top.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

So at this point in the CJH era, what does everyone think we have in him as a head coach? When you look at him and his body of work so far, what do you see? Do you see a coach that can bring conference championships and playoff berths to the program or do you see it different?

Personally what I see is a coach that has brought much needed stability and a healthy culture to the program. I see a coach that will consistently bring 8 to 9 wins a year with the occasional 10+ win season. And I see a coach that will have us in a decent to very good bowl game each year and for now, that's good enough!

Up to this point the only thing I dont see in CJH is a dynamic recruiter that will consistently get us top 5 nationally which is what you absolutely need to have to contend for SEC conference titles. That's my only real concern going forward in the CJH era.

The goal is too compete for and win a Sec championship every 3- 4years and go to 12 team playoff every 2-3 years at least. But you have to build on things to get there. In year 2 Heupel has won 10 and we beat Bama,Florida and LSU. I have no doubt we are going to win Championships with Heupel at the helm. GBO!

 

[Sam I Am]

Three letters of the alphabet??

Maybe I misunderstood the question.

 

[vegasvolfan]

So at this point in the CJH era, what does everyone think we have in him as a head coach? When you look at him and his body of work so far, what do you see? Do you see a coach that can bring conference championships and playoff berths to the program or do you see it different?

Personally what I see is a coach that has brought much needed stability and a healthy culture to the program. I see a coach that will consistently bring 8 to 9 wins a year with the occasional 10+ win season. And I see a coach that will have us in a decent to very good bowl game each year and for now, that's good enough!

Up to this point the only thing I dont see in CJH is a dynamic recruiter that will consistently get us top 5 nationally which is what you absolutely need to have to contend for SEC conference titles. That's my only real concern going forward in the CJH era.

I see a guy that took us from the depths of what was beginning to seem like eternal hell to a 10 and most likely would have been if not will be 11 win season in 2 years amongst a bunch of doubters. Unless you are a fortune teller, that is about all you should be looking at.

 

[tennesseeduke]

Uhhh, what?

Beating Alabama, even at home, was in no way the "status quo." In fact, it was the first time that Tennessee had beaten Alabama since 2006 - home or away.

From a season prediction standpoint it was expected when the game came around

 

[tennesseeduke]

Beating Florida and Alabama is status quo? Have you been watching UT play those two schools over the past 15 years?

Missed my point! When we played both of them it was expected. We were not expected to blow out LSU or get blown out by SC!

 

[Devo182]

I see the greatest PPG margin team in modern vol history...IN YEAR TWO!

He may end up being the best coach since Neyland. He certainly has the ability.

 

[JPL]

So at this point in the CJH era, what does everyone think we have in him as a head coach? When you look at him and his body of work so far, what do you see? Do you see a coach that can bring conference championships and playoff berths to the program or do you see it different?

Personally what I see is a coach that has brought much needed stability and a healthy culture to the program. I see a coach that will consistently bring 8 to 9 wins a year with the occasional 10+ win season. And I see a coach that will have us in a decent to very good bowl game each year and for now, that's good enough!

Up to this point the only thing I dont see in CJH is a dynamic recruiter that will consistently get us top 5 nationally which is what you absolutely need to have to contend for SEC conference titles. That's my only real concern going forward in the CJH era.

We have a winner in CJH. National Championship winner at P5 school as starting QB. Coaching is equally, if not more important than recruiting. Look at Clemson’ two most recent national titles where they beat Bama, who consistently signs top 3 classes. Clemson averaged a top 10 class, roughly iirc, I think their highest team recruiting ranking was #7 before their 2 national championships, yet they won 2 national titles in the last 6 years.

Hopefully Nico is our Trevor Lawrence & we’re winning a national title in the next couple years.