Josh Heupel says Tennessee offensive coordinator interview process will begin after bowl game
Tennessee had quite the offense this year led by head coach Josh Heupel and offensive coordinator Alex Golesh. But after Golesh got hired by South Florida, the search was underway to find his replacement.
However, with Tennessee still in preparation for the Orange Bowl against Clemson, Heupel pumped the brakes on an immediate successor.
“Yeah, we’ll do all of that, handle all of that on the back end of the bowl season,” Heupel said. “Just everything that’s going on inside of college football after the regular season finishes, we’ll handle all that at the tight end position here on the back end of this bowl game.”
Golesh took the Tennessee offense to new heights working under Heupel over the last two seasons. Prior to his injury, quarterback Hendon Hooker looked like the Heisman Trophy favorite.
This year, Hooker had 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns, two interceptions, a 69.6% completion percentage, 430 rushing yards and five touchdown runs. But with that, Golesh got an opportunity he could not turn down.
“I’m excited to be back in the state of Florida,” Golesh said when he was hired by the Bulls, “and work with the great high school coaches in this state. This program will have an identity both offensively and defensively, and with special teams. We will be the most aggressive team in the country, both on the field and on the recruiting trail.
“I am humbled by the opportunity, and I appreciate the commitment from this University and Bulls Nation to hiring the best staff in the country. My family and I can’t wait to get going.”
In the meantime, Joe Milton takes over under center for the Volunteers against Clemson.
“I haven’t changed. Not one bit. I’ve been the same person,” Milton said in response to how he reacted to being named the starter. “It’s called consistency. I feel like my prep from the beginning of the season to now has been the same. I haven’t changed not one thing.”
“The only thing that changed is just the reps, the amount of reps I get. I get more reps than I did when I wasn’t starting. That’s pretty much the only thing that changed,” Milton said. “Nothing else changed. My leadership role has been the same. It’s just being viewed differently now from others. But, for me and myself, I’m still the same person.”
No. 6 Tennessee (10-2) takes on No. 10 Clemson (11-2) in the Orange Bowl Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET.