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Josh Heupel likes Tennessee's offseason improvements with staff analysts

On3 imageby:Brent Hubbs•03/07/25•

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Josh Heupel
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. © Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has a young football team heading into the 2025 season especially on offense. 

Friday, the Vols opened spring practice with 23 new high school players and 27 new players overall. While the Vols are younger in many spots, one spot where Heupel’s program got older this off-season was in the analyst department. Tennessee hired two veteran NFL coaches in veteran John Bonamego and former defensive coordinator Alan Williams. Bonamego is helping with special teams and Williams will work with the defense. 

Heupel also brought in a veteran on offense in former teammate, former North Texas head coach and former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. 

For Tennessee’s head coach Littrell is not just someone he knows, but it’s a guy he trusts. 

“Always at the end of the day trying to make, just like you do in the recruiting process, make your roster as strong as you can,” Heupel said. “You try and do the same thing with your staff and the addition of Seth and the other guys that we’ve hired I’m really excited about the experience that they have. The success that they’ve all had. My relationship with Seth I think makes it easy in the transition as far as he’s going to be straightforward with me and be able to bounce ideas off of me just having sat in that chair as a head coach too and so excited about having him and and the other guys here.”

Littrell led North Texas to six bowl games in seven seasons and two conference championship games. He had plenty of success as a play caller during his stint at North Texas. His units at North Texas ranked among the top three in Conference USA in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense for four consecutive seasons (2017-20), and led C-USA in rushing offense during the 2020 and ’21 seasons.

Tennessee will practice three days next week before taking the week off for spring break. 

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