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What Josh Heupel said about his contract extension with Tennessee

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey08/27/25GrantRamey
Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Athletics

Josh Heupel has everything he needs as the head football coach at the University of Tennessee, from the top down. That’s why he signed a contract extension this week that now runs through the 2030 season. 

“We have dynamic leadership from president to chancellor to athletic director,” Heupel said Wednesday during his appearance on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “They’ve given us in this program an opportunity to grow, given us the tools and resources that we need. And we’ve built a team inside of that team room or locker room that I love being around.

“And to me,” Heupel added, “this is college football as good as it gets. Excited about who we have in the building as far as our staff and excited about the future here at Tennessee.”

Season Opener: Tennessee vs. Syracuse, Saturday, Noon ET, ABC

The Vols announced the contract extension on Tuesday evening. 

“The revival of our football program under Josh’s leadership has made everyone in Big Orange Country proud to be a Vol,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in a press release. 

“Josh has brought Tennessee Football back to its rightful place among the nation’s elite programs, and he and his staff have fostered a positive culture within the team. Our commitment to supporting Josh and his staff remains strong and unwavering.”

Josh Heupel is seventh on Tennessee wins list

Heupel is 65-23 overall as a head coach, after going 28-8 in three seasons at UCF before taking the Tennessee job in January 2021. Heupel was hired away from UCF a week after White left UCF as athletic director to take the same job at Tennessee.

He led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff with a 10-3 record last season and went 11-2 in 2022, beating Clemson in the Orange Bowl in the first New Year’s Six bowl game for the Vols in the College Football Playoff era. His first Tennessee team went 7-6 in 2021 and the Vols were 9-4 in 2023.

Heupel through four seasons is currently seventh on Tennessee Football’s all-time wins list, with his 37 wins. His .712 win percentage is also seventh best.

“We took over a program in 2021 during a turbulent time,” Heupel said in Tuesday’s press release. “We quickly built a resilient, player-driven culture and have enjoyed great success on and off the field, but there is still much left to do. I am excited about the future of Tennessee Football, and I can’t wait to run through the T once again with Vol Nation proudly supporting us.”

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