Latest news with #Heupel
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee Football Turns Heads With Josh Heupel Announcement on Tuesday
Tennessee Football Turns Heads With Josh Heupel Announcement on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Tennessee Volunteers have been widely regarded as one of the best teams in college football over the past several years, led by head coach Josh Heupel. Advertisement Tennessee competes in the SEC with several other college football powerhouses such as Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss. Despite the opposition, the Volunteers have been quite successful as of late, recently earning a trip to the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. While they suffered a loss in the first round, Heupel led the Volunteers to their second double-digit win season since he took over as head coach. Before he was on the sideline, however, Heupel was a star between the white lines. The Tennessee head coach spent his final college playing days at Oklahoma. After an incredible career, he's appeared on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot as a player. Advertisement "Congrats to our very own @coachjoshheupel, who will appear as a player on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot," posted the official social media account of the Tennessee Volunteers. Upon the release of the announcement, some fans took to social media, sharing their thoughts on the latest news from Tennessee football. "Well deserved," said one fan. "Congratulations coach!! Go Vols," said another fan. "Should've won heisman," mentioned one fan. "CONGRATULATIONS COACH HEUPEL!!!" commented one fan. "Tennessee Football HC Josh Heupel will appear on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot (as a player) GET THIS MAN IN," said one fan. Advertisement "Get him in," said another fan. Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Alcantar/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images Josh Heupel started his college football playing career at Weber State. He played for the Wildcats from 1996 to 1997. Heupel then transferred to Snow, where he went on to play the 1998 college football season. His final stop, with the Oklahoma Sooners, established him as a star in the college football scene. During his time with the Sooners, Heupel won the Quarterback of the Year, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, AP College Football Player of the Year and the Walter Camp award. Related: Kansas Basketball Turns Heads After Average GPA Surfaces Related: Chiefs React to Patrick Mahomes' Personal Decision Amid Offseason This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Trio of former Sooners on College Football Hall of Fame ballot
Trio of former Sooners on College Football Hall of Fame ballot A trio of Oklahoma Sooners players are once again on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot. After also being included on last year's ballot, quarterback Josh Heupel and linebackers Rocky Calmus and George Cumby are back on the list for induction into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. In all, 79 FBS players and 10 head coaches are on this year's ballot for induction into the Hall, as well as 100 players and 35 coaches from all other divisions. Votes will be tabulated from among the more than 12,000 NFF members and Hall of Famers and submitted to the NFF Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the next class, which will be revealed in January. Over the years, OU has had 30 players and four coaches inducted into the Hall. The most recent inductee is defensive lineman Dewey Selmon in 2024. Heupel was the first starting quarterback of the Bob Stoops era in 1999. After playing college football for Weber State in 1996 and 1997 and Snow College (a community college) in 1998, he transferred to Oklahoma for his final two collegiate seasons. After guiding the Sooners to a 7-5 record in 1999, the Aberdeen, South Dakota native helped lead OU to an undefeated 13-0 record and a consensus national championship in 2000. He was the runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting after an excellent season in Year 2 under Stoops. Heupel helped usher in the Air Raid offense to Oklahoma, a place that had relied heavily on the triple option for its entire history up until 1999. The Sooners have been running some form of the Air Raid or Spread offenses ever since. Despite going undrafted, Heupel spent time with the NFL's Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers, but never saw the field in the pros from 2001 to 2002. He returned to OU as a grad assistant in 2004 before coaching tight ends at Arizona in 2005 under head coach Mike Stoops. Heupel returned to Oklahoma to coach quarterbacks from 2006 to 2010, where he mentored Paul Thompson, Heisman-winner Sam Bradford, and Landry Jones. He earned the role of co-offensive coordinator (along with Jay Norvell) once Kevin Wilson left to take the Indiana head coaching job, and called the plays for the Sooners from 2011 to 2014, while also coaching the quarterbacks. Despite a solid first two seasons with Landry Jones still under center, Heupel's offenses fell off in the last two seasons with the trio of Trevor Knight, Blake Bell and Cody Thomas starting games. Stoops fired Heupel and Norvell after the 2014 season, replacing them with Lincoln Riley. Heupel spent a season as Utah State's OC and two years as Missouri's OC. He became UCF's head coach in 2018, spending three years there before landing his current gig, head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. He's done an excellent job on Rocky Top, leading the Vols out of the wilderness they were in before his arrival. Calmus was a local product from Jenks, Oklahoma who played for the Sooners from 1998 to 2001. He saw the final season of the John Blake era and the first three seasons under Stoops. He too was a big part of OU's 2000 national title team, and ended his career as a two-time consensus All-American. Calmus' position coach was none other than Brent Venables, who was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in Norman back in those days. Calmus was a two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and won the 2001 Butkus Award that is given annually to the nation's best linebacker. One of the best defensive players in the modern era of OU Football (1999 to present), Calmus spent three NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans and one with the Indianapolis Colts, after being selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft with the 77th overall pick. Calmus dealt with plenty of injuries during his pro career, but that certainly doesn't diminish what he did at the college level. He was an integral part of those early Stoops-Venables defenses in Norman. Cumby was a two-time All-American at linebacker for Oklahoma from 1976 to 1979 under head coach Barry Switzer. He was a two time Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year as well. The Tyler, Texas native finished fifth in school history with 405 tackles, including 160 as a senior in 1979, still fourth in school history. He was a first round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1980 NFL Draft (26th overall). In his second season in the league, Cumby had three interceptions and was named second-team All-Pro. He played six professional seasons with the Packers, one for the Buffalo Bills and one for the Philadelphia Eagles, ending his NFL career with five interceptions and six recovered fumbles. Another familiar name on the ballot to Sooner fans is Larry Coker, who coached the Miami Hurricanes to the 2001 national title. He was Oklahoma's offensive coordinator under head coach Gary Gibbs from 1990 to 1992. Coker is Oklahoma through and through. He is a native of Okemah, played football at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, and coached at both of the state's other FBS programs, Oklahoma State and Tulsa. Additionally, former Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2027. The Hall lowered the win percentage eligibility criteria from .600 to .595, meaning Leach can now get in. "The Pirate" passed away in 2022 with a .596 win percentage. Leach was the first offensive coordinator Stoops hired upon getting the OU job, and he was the pioneer of the Air Raid at Oklahoma. Though he spent just the 1999 season in Norman, his impact is still being felt at Oklahoma to this day, as the Sooners just hired a young Air Raid disciple named Ben Arbuckle to be the new offensive coordinator. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where did ESPN rank Brent Venables as a player?
Where did ESPN rank Brent Venables as a player? The time of year when college football fans are hankering for college football but have little recruiting or transfer-portal news to keep up with always produces some engaging offseason content. Way off-season. Over at ESPN, college football analyst Adam Rittenberg put together a tier list of every FBS coach ranked by how good that coach was in college. More specifically, he put coaches into tiers that appear largely unranked, then capped the list with a top 30. So, where does Oklahoma's Brent Venables fit in? Not as high as Tennessee's Josh Heupel, but not in a bad landing spot. The Sooners coach slotted into the "Pre-portal transfers" tier. That tier ranks sixth of eight, though, again, differentiating between the middle tiers is a matter of perspective. Venables fit there because he began his career at Garden City Community College, becoming a JUCO All-American in 1990. From there, he transferred in-state to play for his mentor, Bill Snyder, at Kansas State. In Manhattan, Venables earned All-Big Eight honorable mention status his senior year after logging 114 tackles. No other SEC coach was among the nine remaining in that tier. The top-30 rankings yielded five Southeastern Conference head coaches. At the top, of course, former Sooners Heisman Trophy winner Josh Heupel. He immediately made his presence known in 1999 with 3,850 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Heupel then led the Sooners to a national title in 2000, recording 3,606 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. He was named AP Player of the Year, won the Walter Camp Award and consensus All-America honors, and was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. - Rittenberg, ESPN Oklahoma and Tennessee meet on the field with Heupel and Venables roaming the sidelines in Knoxville on November 1 this fall. Last year, Heupel's Volunteers won the matchup in Norman, 25-15. For those with a curious bit of state pride, four coaches with ties to the Sooner State ranked in the top 30. Purdue's Barry Odom (Ada) ranked 24th, Arkansas' Sam Pittman (Grove) ranked 21st, and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy (Midwest City) ranked fifth. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Tennessee football post-spring game-by-game predictions
2025 Tennessee football post-spring game-by-game predictions 2025 will mark the fifth football season for Tennessee under head coach Josh Heupel. He has compiled a 37-15 (20-12 SEC) record with the Vols since 2021. Tennessee concluded spring football practices with its Orange & White Game at Neyland Stadium on April 12. Following the Vols' spring game, the NCAA transfer portal was open from April 16-25. Tennessee added Grand Valley State defensive lineman Josh Schell, UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar and Colorado defensive back Colton Hood. Wide receiver Dayton Sneed (North Carolina), quarterback Nico Iamaleava (UCLA), defensive back John Slaughter (Colorado), defensive back Christian Charles (Virginia), offensive lineman Ayden Bussell (West Virginia), offensive lineman Larry Johnson III (Colorado) and defensive back Jakobe Thomas (Miami) transferred from the Vols during the spring window. Following the conclusion of the Orange & White Game and the spring transfer portal window, Vols Wire provides game predictions for Tennessee in 2025. Vols Wire correctly projected regular-season win-loss records for Tennessee in 2021, 2022 and 2024 under Heupel. A final 2025 win-loss record projection for the Vols will be released in fall training camp. 2025 Tennessee football post-spring game-by-game predictions Syracuse Orange Tennessee will kick off its 2025 season against Syracuse in a neutral site matchup. Tennessee leads the all time series, 3-0, and last played the Orange in 2001. Prediction: W Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia) Date: Aug. 30 East Tennessee State Buccaneers The two in-state schools will play for a second time with the first meeting taking place in 2018. The Vols were victorious, 59-3, at Neyland Stadium. Prediction: W Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Sept. 6 Georgia Bulldogs Georgia has won eight consecutive games against Tennessee. The Vols last win in the series was in 2016. The longest win streak in the series is nine games by Tennessee from 1989-99. Prediction: L Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Sept. 13 UAB Blazers Tennessee leads the series against UAB, 5-0, all time. The Vols and Blazers have played two one-possession games in the series (2005, 2010). Prediction: W Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Sept. 20 Mississippi State Bulldogs Tennessee defeated Mississippi State, 33-14, in 2024 at Neyland Stadium. The Vols will play at Mississippi State for the first time since 2012. Tennessee was led by then-head coach Derek Dooley. Prediction: W Location: Davis Wade Stadium (Starkville, Mississippi) Date: Sept. 27 Open date Date: Oct. 4 Heupel in games after an open date at Tennessee: Nov. 6, 2021: Tennessee 45, Kentucky 42 (Lexington, Kentucky) Oct. 8, 2022: Tennessee 40, LSU 13 (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Oct. 14, 2023: Tennessee 20, Texas A&M 13 (Knoxville, Tennessee) Oct. 5, 2024: Arkansas 19, Tennessee 14 (Fayetteville, Arkansas) Nov. 2, 2024: Tennessee 28, Kentucky 18 (Knoxville, Tennessee) Arkansas Razorbacks Tennessee suffered its first loss after an open date under Heupel at Arkansas in 2024. The Razorbacks last played at Neyland Stadium in 2015. Prediction: W Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Oct. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide Tennessee defeated the Crimson Tide, 24-17, at Neyland Stadium in 2024. Tennessee's last win at Alabama was in 2003. Heupel is 2-2 against Alabama as the Vols' head coach. Prediction: L Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) Date: Oct. 18 Kentucky Wildcats Tennessee will play back-to-back road games against Alabama and Kentucky in 2025. The Vols are averaging 39.0 points per game at Kentucky under Heupel. Prediction: W Location: Kroger Field (Lexington, Kentucky) Date: Oct. 25 Oklahoma Sooners Tennessee defeated the Sooners, 25-15, in 2024 for Heupel's return to Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners will play at Neyland Stadium for the first time since 2015. Prediction: L Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Nov. 1 Open date Date: Nov. 8 Heupel in games after an open date at Tennessee: Nov. 6, 2021: Tennessee 45, Kentucky 42 (Lexington, Kentucky) Oct. 8, 2022: Tennessee 40, LSU 13 (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Oct. 14, 2023: Tennessee 20, Texas A&M 13 (Knoxville, Tennessee) Oct. 5, 2024: Arkansas 19, Tennessee 14 (Fayetteville, Arkansas) Nov. 2, 2024: Tennessee 28, Kentucky 18 (Knoxville, Tennessee) New Mexico State Aggies Tennessee and New Mexico State will play for the first time in 2025. The Aggies went 3-9 (2-6 C-USA) in 2024 under first-year head coach Tony Sanchez. Prediction: W Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Nov. 15 Florida Gators Tennessee defeated the Gators, 23-17 in overtime, last season. The Vols have not won at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium since 2003 under then-head coach Phillip Fulmer. Prediction: L Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Gainesville, Florida) Date: Nov. 22 Vanderbilt Commodores Tennessee has won six straight games in the in-state SEC series. The Vols won at Vanderbilt, 36-23, in 2024 to clinch an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Prediction: W Location: Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee) Date: Nov. 29 Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Shedeur Sanders' recruitment from Tennessee football
Shedeur Sanders' recruitment from Tennessee football Shedeur Sanders is waiting to be selected in the 2025 NFL draft after a collegiate career at Colorado and Jackson State. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound quarterback was a 2021 four-star recruit (247Sports Composite) from Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Texas. He was recruited by Tennessee. Sanders attended a camp at Tennessee on June 22, 2019, and the Vols offered him a scholarship on June 23, 2019. "Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Tennessee," Sanders said during his recruitment. "God is amazing! Worked very hard for this. Hard work pays off. This is just the beginning!" Oregon was the first school to offer a scholarship to Sanders on July 15, 2017, while Florida was the first SEC school to offer him on May 7, 2018. In addition to Tennessee, he received SEC offers from LSU, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Alabama and South Carolina. Jeremy Pruitt served as Tennessee's head coach when the Vols recruited Sanders. The 2021 prospect was also recruited by UCF and then-head coach Josh Heupel. Heupel and the Knights offered Sanders a scholarship on Jan. 27, 2020. "Very blessed to receive an offer from the University of Central Florida," Sanders said during his recruitment from Heupel. Tennessee hired Heupel on Jan. 27, 2021. PHOTOS: Shedeur Sanders plays in Knoxville In high school, Sanders and Trinity Christian played in Knoxville. Trinity Christian defeated Catholic, 49-14, on Aug. 29, 2020. Sanders completed 24-of-30 passing attempts for 388 yards and three touchdowns. He also totaled two rushing touchdowns. The matchup featured Catholic quarterback Kaden Martin, son of Tennessee national championship quarterback and then-Vols' wide receivers coach Tee Martin, versus Sanders. Sanders is the son of Pro and College Football Hall of Famer, and two-time Super Bowl champion, Deion Sanders. Deion Sanders was offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian in 2020. Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
