Josh Heupel provides updates on the state of Tennessee's program

Josh Heupel provided updates on the state of Tennessee’s football program on Tuesday, acknowledging that the Volunteers have made strides but still have “a lot of work” to do before opening the season against Bowling Green on Sept. 2.

“We will balance [the work], and we do that during the course of the season, too,” Heupel said. “I think good teams continue to get better as you go through the season, and a part of that is still continuing to work on your fundamentals, your technique by position, but then get some good-on-good work as well during the course of the season. I think it’s imperative that you do that inside your program.”

Heupel said that the Volunteers have begun game prep but will continue to work on the fundamentals they’ve been installing all offseason. He said he’s seen strides from the offense so far; however, one important question remains: who will start under center.

Heupel hasn’t named a starting quarterback yet between Michigan transfer Joe Milton, Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker and Harrison Bailey.

“The quarterback group, as a collective group, has spent a ton of time and energy really becoming refined in what we’re doing,” Heupel said. “I thought where the guys that were here in spring ball, how they showed up in training camp fundamentally and technique [wise], completely different.”

Despite recent strides he’s seen from the offense, and the Volunteers as a whole, Heupel made it clear that he’s not yet satisfied with where they are.

“As a coach, you’re never where you want to be,” Heupel said. “As a coach, you always see the things that you’ve got to continue to improve on. I love this team’s effort and energy. The way that they’ve learned how to approach walking up the stairs and going to meetings and being consistent in those competitive behaviors that you’ve got to have.”

The Volunteers have improved over the course of the spring and summer, he established. Heupel seemed impressed with the team’s mindset, but he emphasized their work will continue through the fall season, his first as head coach.

“We’ve continued to grow,” Heupel said. “We are unfinished, and you’re always continuing to push forward, but I like this group of guys. They care about themselves and their teammates. They care about representing the state of Tennessee the right way.” 

Heupel said the Volunteers have improved in more facets than their mentality alone. He highlighted the linebackers — including his linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary — as a group that has stood out early in the preseason.

“The first [position of improvement] would be our linebackers, with who we had, the number of bodies or lack of bodies that we had at that position during the course of spring ball,” Heupel said. “Getting a couple of guys back healthy off of injuries helps. They’ve come back and competed at a really high level. The additions that we’ve brought into that room and the culture inside of that meeting room is completely different than it had been. Coach B.J. (Brian Jean-Mary) has done a fantastic job of leading those young men. They’ve had real buy-in. Competition has been a huge help in creating that type of culture as well.”