Just how impressive is Josh Heupel?

[CB4]

There are no gimmes when your coordinators essentially remove the competitive advantage you have with superior athletes.

What you saw UT do to Alabama on Saturday was exactly what Sark did to tOSU in the 2020 title game. It was getting the “matchups” you want, when you need them. And defensively, when you are put in those positions in the passing game, the solution is pressuring the QB into bad decisions/ poor throws/sacks/ getting rid of the ball.

One sack on Hooker for the game. The interception (that counted) came from pressure up to middle on Hooker causing the overthrow.

Our edge guys were neutralized the entire game. No way Hellams and Branch can stay with those guys if Hooker had all day. At some point early in the game Gol*ing has to recognize he must change players/coverage in the backside or figure a way to get pressure.

He did neither. Biltz packages were vanilla. Coverages and personnel remained the same.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Fairly impressed. What impresses me most is that he works with the tools he has, i.e. the strengths of his players, and puts them in positions to succeed. That's very different than our OC. As a program builder, that remains to be seen but he's honestly off to a great start. I didn't think UT was capable of this and I'm still not convinced they are either to finish this season or to do it on a consistent basis.

Here's the thing though. He is by far the better of the 2 former Big 12 QBs who were head coaches at UCF and moved to try and restore a 1990s powerhouse.

 

[Padreruf]

Fairly impressed. What impresses me most is that he works with the tools he has, i.e. the strengths of his players, and puts them in positions to succeed. That's very different than our OC. As a program builder, that remains to be seen but he's honestly off to a great start. I didn't think UT was capable of this and I'm still not convinced they are either to finish this season or to do it on a consistent basis.

Here's the thing though. He is by far the better of the 2 former Big 12 QBs who were head coaches at UCF and moved to try and restore a 1990s powerhouse.

His OL played far better than any of us thought they could...or else we were merely doing the "mush rush" all day -- it didn't work.

 

[We_are_Bama]

Ehh...he's winning with Pruitt's McDonald's recruits. Let's see what he can do in a few years with his own material

 

[bamaslammer]

I'll wait till he beats Kirby before I crown him the new king.

 

[TideEngineer08]

His OL played far better than any of us thought they could...or else we were merely doing the "mush rush" all day -- it didn't work.

I think he schemed it for the most part. Quick throws all game long. And I've yet to be impressed with our ability to get pressure with our front 4 (or 3 or 5 depending on alignment) unless the other team is just woefully overmatched. We don't do anything exotic; we just rush up field. It's not that hard to defend if you've got quality athletes on the OL. I know I'm being overly simplistic but like I feel we are not hard to figure out on offense, we are also not difficult to figure out on defense.

 

[bamadwain]

Ehh...he's winning with Pruitt's McDonald's recruits. Let's see what he can do in a few years with his own material

I don't think he's much of a recruiter, just my opinion, but the nil will make him better than he is

 

[CoachJeff]

Ehh...he's winning with Pruitt's McDonald's recruits. Let's see what he can do in a few years with his own material

Hendon Hooker was a Virginia Tech transfer. That's all on Huepel for getting him.

 

[CB4]

I think he schemed it for the most part. Quick throws all game long. And I've yet to be impressed with our ability to get pressure with our front 4 (or 3 or 5 depending on alignment) unless the other team is just woefully overmatched. We don't do anything exotic; we just rush up field. It's not that hard to defend if you've got quality athletes on the OL. I know I'm being overly simplistic but like I feel we are not hard to figure out on offense, we are also not difficult to figure out on defense.

^^^^ This^^^^
I understand that our concept defensively is for our d-linemen to be space eaters and take up blockers to free up our LBs. But our only sack was by DJ Dale.
But there is nothing intricate or complex about what we do from a pressure concept.

 

[Tide&True]

He has done very well given the relative lack of talent he is doing this with. Let's see him continue to do this over time, but so far he looks like he might be a very solid head coach. In which case he will soon be a Sooner again.

All the Vol fans will mortgage their homes to keep him there.

 

[bamamoss2]

Heupel is currently up there with the better offensive minds. He has certainly gotten the best out of his athletes and this game has got to be his best accomplishment to date. Before we put him too high on the pedestal, let's see how he does over the rest of the season.

 

[TideEngineer08]

All t

All the Vol fans will mortgage their homes to keep him there.

The potential fight to keep him will be juicy. That's an SEC rival in a year or two.

Can OU outbid UT? I have no idea but it is home to him.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

All the Vol fans will mortgage their homes to keep him there.

That's a lot of double wides...

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Heupel is currently up there with the better offensive minds. He has certainly gotten the best out of his athletes and this game has got to be his best accomplishment to date. Before we put him too high on the pedestal, let's see how he does over the rest of the season.

And this is the problem with our current DC when he runs up against someone like this. More times than not it looks like one is playing checkers and the other chess.

 

[BamaMoon]

The potential fight to keep him will be juicy. That's an SEC rival in a year or two.

Can OU outbid UT? I have no idea but it is home to him.

I haven't even thought about it, but with the kind of year OU is having they might come calling at year's end.

That would be so funny if UT gets left at the altar again with a young coach leaving for a flashier job!!!

 

[DzynKingRTR]

And this is the problem with our current DC when he runs up against someone like this. More times than not it looks like one is playing checkers and the other chess.

Gol*ing is playing chess too, he just doesn't seem to understand how the pieces are supposed to move.

 

[bamacpa]

Probably should have been more. He schemed a WR WIDE open twice between the 2nd & 3rd quarters and the QB just missed.

And the hail mary to end the half hit a receiver in the hands.

 

[bamacpa]

Heupel and his offense are having a great season. I hate to say it, but TN is at least headed in the right direction.

 

[Lucky Jack]

*52 points

Talk to me when he wins something. Right now he's got a white-hot offense and mediocre defense.

True, but that's all college football requires any more.

 

[Lucky Jack]

Ehh...he's winning with Pruitt's McDonald's recruits. Let's see what he can do in a few years with his own material

Yeah, but Pruitt couldn't do it with his recruits . . .