Josh Heupel dishes on what leading Tennessee to victory over Oklahoma meant to him: 'I wanted to get a win'
Josh Heupel played things close to the chest this past week, one in which he’d return to the place he won a national championship as a player and was fired as an assistant coach: Oklahoma. All week, he dodged dropping bulletin-board material or any over sentimental soundbite.
He even managed to joke about it, but mostly kept his usual, stoic demeanor. But after Tennessee rolled out to a 25-15 win behind a stout defensive performance, Heupel could finally admit what was easy to extrapolate: Winning this game did mean something extra for him.
“Well, this game coming back for our football team wasn’t about me. It wasn’t. It was about this 2024 journey and our football team. But they realized it was important for me to come back and I wanted to get a win,” Heupel said to ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe after the win.
It was also a meaningful return for Heupel, who was part of his first game in Norman since his mother died earlier this year. With his father and other family in attendance, Heupel shared that he felt like his mom got to catch the game, too.
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“Ultimately, I know mom’s watching, up top,” Heupel said. “But this is the next step for this football team in this journey. It’s tough to win on the road, at night, against a good team. We found a way to do that. Good teams continue to get better, we’ve gotta continue to find ways to get better.”
And for the step that Tennessee took on Saturday, Heupel was feeling pretty good about that.
Especially a defense that forced multiple turnovers and a quarterback change.
“Great road win, come into a great environment against a really good football team,” Heupel said. “Defense played lights out. Can’t say enough about their performance. Dominated the line of scrimmage, made it uncomfortable for the quarterback, played tight in coverage, got off the field on third downs. Special teams were solid. Offensively, little bit different game as the game unfolded, adjusted to their starter in the second half, pulled it back a little bit. Complete football game and obviously our defense was playing phenomenal. “
The Tennessee defense dealt with defending a different quarterback in the 2nd half
With Oklahoma benching Jackson Arnold and turning to true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins just before halftime, Tennessee and head coach Heupel needed to adjust. And Heupel didn’t ruling out seeing Arnold some more in the second half.
While Hawkins played a series at the end of the half and most of the second half, Arnold did log a snap late. Either way, Heupel tied to have his team ready for both.
“Be ready for either one of them,” Heupel said at the half. “Both of them have the ability to run so we’ve gotta do a good job of playing some hard, physical football here in the second half.”
At the half, Arnold was 7-of-16 for 54 yards and an interception.