Josh Heupel: Tennessee football fans have 'a ton of expectation ... that's the way you want it'
When Josh Heupel met with reporters Wednesday at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, the first question sent his way centered on the energy around the Tennessee football program. Coming off the first 11-win season for the Vols since 2001, it has to be high, right?
“From our fanbase, great passion, great energy, great excitement,” Heupel said, “a ton of expectation.”
Bring on another ton of the expectations. The more the merrier, according to Heupel.
“That’s the way you want it,” Heupel continued. “The expectations will never be higher than they are in the building. It’s a great time to be a Vol.”
Tennessee coming off first 11-win season since 2001
There were no expectations when Danny White hired Heupel a week after he had been hired himself as Tennessee’s new athletic director. An NCAA investigation hovered over the football program due to the recruiting violations that ousted former head coach Jeremy Pruitt, his staff and the program’s recruiting staffers.
All Heupel has done since then is win seven games in Year 1, taking the Vols to the Music City Bowl, then a 10-win regular season in Year 2, a first since 2003, and an 11th win in the Orange Bowl over Clemson, as Tennessee made its first New Years Six Bowl Game of the College Football Playoff era.
The Vols were 8-0 and ranked No. 1 in the first CFP Top 25 last November. Hendon Hooker was a Heisman frontrunner, too, before tearing his ACL in November and finishing fifth in the trophy’s voting.
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“It’s been fun building this,” Heupel said. “When we first arrived, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the program, so many things we were trying to navigate. The foundation we’ve laid, how we’ve competed, the players, what they’ve done and continue to do, there’s a lot of excitement.”
Josh Heupel: Vols have been ‘extremely competitive’ throughout offseason
The mood inside Tennessee’s Anderson Training Center matches the fan excitement on the outside. The Vols are ready to take the next step, just like the fanbase expects.
“(It’s a mood) of being extremely competitive,” Heupel said, “being very urgent in preparation. Being really consistent. We got back in January and this group has been very purposeful in the way that it has worked. How they’re doing everything outside of football has continued to heighten and they’re doing it at a better level.”
It’s been the same on the field, too.
“What they’re doing inside of the game is really good,” Heupel said. “Spring ball, I thought, was as physical and as competitive as we’ve had. More so. We’ve got a long way to go until we get to the season. This summer, we already kicked off. We were on the grass Tuesday morning with our strength staff. So we’ve got to have a great summer and get ready.”
