Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel Talks Return to Oklahoma

John E. Hoover | Sep 16, 2024

Sep 14, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel prior to the game against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images / Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Twenty-five years ago, it was obvious that Josh Heupel would someday be directing a college football program somewhere.

Growing up as the son of a successful coach, quarterbacking Oklahoma to a national championship in just two years, Heupel’s path was always clear.

But nobody could have predicted then that Huepel would be leading the mighty Tennessee Volunteers into their 2024 Southeastern Conference opener on the road against his alma mater, blue blood giant Oklahoma.

On Monday, Heupel took several questions about his time as a Sooner legend, an assistant coach under Bob Stoops, and someone who worked side by side with current OU coach Brent Venables.

What’s clear now is that Heupel  is profoundly grateful that Mike Leach came out to Snow, UT, back in 1998 and somehow became convinced that this scrappy southpaw from South Dakota would transfer from junior college to Oklahoma and forever alter the trajectory of Sooner football. 

His appreciation for being a Sooner runs deep.

“The opportunity that I got from Bob and from Mike to come there and play,” Heupel said, “what we were able to build there in a short amount of time as a player. But then my coaching career, from the guys that I played for to all the coaches that were there during my career, all made a huge impact on me, and I wouldn't be here today at Tennessee if I didn't have all those experiences. So, tremendously grateful for all those people.”

Heupel said his perspective for Saturday’s 6:30 p.m., nationally televised game between the No. 6-ranked Vols and the No. 15 Sooners will be something he’s never experienced before.

“Yeah, it'll be unique,” he said. “I have teammates and friends back there, they hit me up a little bit earlier, they were starting last week already. 

“It'll be it'll be unique going back into that stadium. It's going to be a viewpoint — I'm not sure I've ever spent a day on the opposing sideline inside of that stadium. Not even for a scrimmage. So it will be different, but it's one that I'm really looking forward to.”

On Sunday night, Stoops posted a statement on his social media saying that he was respectfully declining all interview requests this week — essentially because he doesn’t want to come across as playing favorites to Heupel, whom he’s called his all-time MVP, or Venables, who’s considered an extended member of the Stoops family.

“There's so many people that have been a huge part of my journey,” Heupel said, “that I get a chance to go back and hopefully get a chance to say hi to a bunch of them. Starts with teammates. It's coaches that I had, it's a lot of coaches that I coached with. There's a lot of personnel that's still there, guys that I coached, a guy that was in my wedding. There's a lot of a lot of people back there that, you know, I'm familiar with and have a lot of respect for ‘em.” 

Venables feels the same way about Heupel. The Sooners’ 2000 defense was full of stars and made several game-winning plays during that title run, but Venables’ appreciation for Leach’s lefty and how he elevated the program with suddenness and permanence is lasting.

Venables even hinted in July that he might have seen this showdown coming one day.

“Yeah, actually,” he said at SEC Media Days in Dallas. “You know, at that time, though, at that time, absolutely not. But really excited for (and) happy for Josh. I've spoken to him several times … certainly through that whole process, where he decided to go to Utah State and then Missouri and then UCF after that as the head coach — I believe that was the track — and then to Tennessee. And we've always stayed in touch and, you know, try to help each other through the tough moments and celebrate the great ones.

“And so this would be one of many big games that the Sooners play. Every time Oklahoma plays, it's a big game. But, really excited about the opportunity to face Tennessee. And it won't be — the head coaches won't make any plays. So certainly, (it’s) not about us. But Josh is one of the most appreciated and respected players that — I’ve known of all the great ones — you know, (for) taking us to a national championship and really, the willingness, with his — both his savviness and instincts and his guts and toughness. So, I've always been incredibly thankful for Josh and hold him in a special place as a coach, knowing that, man, without Heup, we wouldn't have been able to do this, you know? And so recognizing that it's not your coaching acumen that gets you (wins); the players play the game. And so it’ll be a great moment. I know the fans will show their appreciation for him.”

Heupel feels a similar level of respect for Venables.

“Brent is somebody that I learned and grew from as a young coach so much,” Heupel said. “A ton of respect for him.

“(Venables is) a guy that, again, you know, I got so much respect for, got a great family, you know, somebody that poured into me as a young coach and (I) learned so much from him. He's as good as they come. When you look at what he's done historically as a defensive coordinator, a lot of respect, huge challenge for us this week.” 

In addition to a new vantage point, Heupel will be facing a seriously hostile crowd who will have watched ESPN’s “College GameDay” on their campus for the first time in 12 years and has heard for most of the last three years that their team is not “SEC ready” and has faced criticism for lackluster play in their first three games.

Imagine how loud it will get when Heupel’s offense and Venables’ defense clash on Owen Field. 

Heupel knows. He’s lived it from the other side. He even broke character and made a little joke about it.

“Should be a great crowd. It's a passionate fan base,” Heupel said. “I’m expecting them to be extremely quiet for us, out of respect to me and our program too.”