Paul Finebaum: I don't know if I've seen more of a player's coach than Josh Heupel
Most college football coaches have some playing experience. However, Paul Finebaum claims few coaches channel that experience into understanding their players quite like Tennessee HC Josh Heupel.
“He’s got it going and, man, it’s a cliche, ‘Oh, he’s a player’s coach,’ but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen more of a player’s coach than Josh Heupel where he just relates to those guys,” Finebaum said on “The Matt Barrie Show.” “He’s so unconventional.”
Heupel’s unconventional style works wonders. Tennessee boasted the No. 1 offense in the nation last season, averaging 525.5 yards per game last season. The Volunteers picked up right where they left off in their 49-13 win over Virginia on Saturday.
In the triumph, Tennessee exploded for 499 yards of total offense. The offense was a balanced attack. The Vols rushed for 287 yards while tallying 212 yards through the air. Finebaum believes Heupel’s personality is just as youthful as his play-calling.
“A lot of young coaches are still connected to their past but it’s been 20 years, a little more than 20 years, but he could be like the kind of the guy that showed up for college at 40. I mean, he could fit in that locker room as a player, as well as the head coach,” Finebaum said.
Heupel is no longer strapping on shoulder pads, but there’s still an elite football player somewhere inside of him. The South Dakota native was a national championship-winning quarterback at Oklahoma. Heupel was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2000, leading the Sooners to a victory over Florida State in the 2001 BCS National Championship Game Orange Bowl and a Big 12 Conference championship.
Heupel has high expectations for Tennessee
If Heupel is nearly as successful as a coach as he was as a player, Tennessee fans have a lot to look forward to. Despite UT’s outstanding season opener, Heupel only expects his team to improve.
“We planned on playing a bunch of guys because they shown that they deserve the opportunity to play,” Heupel said after UT’s win on Saturday. “And taking some of those snaps at the end of the day makes us a stronger football team in Week 1, but throughout the course of the season too.
“There’s still some moving pieces,” Heupel said. “There’s continued growth and opportunity for everybody inside of our program and just for myself. Really good football teams continue to get better. That’s mature, veteran guys. It’s young guys inside of your program. So continuing to grow and compete is something that we’ve already talked about inside of our locker room.”
Tennessee will have a chance to show its growth on Saturday as the team squares off against Austin Peay at 5 p.m. ET.