How Josh Heupel's recruiting pitch has changed after his rapid rebuild at Tennessee
Josh Heupel doesn’t have the same recruiting pitch now that he had two years ago, when he was first hired at Tennessee in January 2021. He’s no longer selling a vision. Now he’s selling a reality.
“Two years ago, you were trying to say what it was going to look like on the field,” Heupel said Sunday during an appearance on ‘The Nation’ radio show with Austin Price and Chris Low, “and you were telling them what it was going to be in coming years that we could compete with anybody and have a chance to play for championships. You tried to tell them what the culture was like inside of the building.”
That was before Tennessee won seven games in Year 1 under Heupel, despite playing with a roster depleted by the NCAA Transfer Portal. And it was before the Vols won 11 games last season, the program’s most in a single season since 2001.
Josh Heupel: ‘Now, (prospects) have tangible evidence’
Tennessee beat Florida and Alabama at home and beat LSU 40-13 at Tiger Stadium in LSU on the way to an 8-0 start last season and a No. 1 ranking in the first College Football Playoff Top 25 of the season.
The Vols finished the regular season with a 10-2 record and beat Clemson 31-14 in the Orange Bowl in Miami, the team’s first appearance in a New Years Six Bowl Game during the playoff era.
“Now, (prospects) have tangible evidence,” Heupel said of the rapid rebuild at Tennessee. “They can feel that energy, and watch those games as our guys get recognized as some of the best players in America. The NFL Draft, the style of play, and how aggressive we are in all three phases of the game.”
The five Tennessee players picked in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in April were second most in college football. The Vols have had 10 players picked in the last two NFL Drafts.
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Tennessee’s 2024 recruiting class currently ranked No. 8 overall
Tennessee has steadily climbed in the recruiting rankings under Heupel. The Vols finished 15th nationally and No. 5 in the SEC in 2022. Last year they 12th nationally and fourth in the SEC after signing five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the No. 1 overall player in the On3 Ratings.
The 2024 class is currently ranked eighth nationally and fifth in the SEC, headlined by five-star wide receiver Mike Matthew, the No. 14 overall player in the On3 Industry Ranking.
“When (prospects) come here, they can tell the culture is real and genuine,” Heupel said, “and people have a lot of fun being around each other and competing every day. You put all of that together with what Knoxville is, what the game day environment is, and what this this University is doing right now, it allows us to get into every room and put that in front of people.
“The traffic we have during the live recruiting times on the calendar right now is unlike anything I have experienced, and I say that in a really positive way. It has been a lot of fun getting a lot of elite players here on campus.”
