Josh Heupel is set to do something this fall that no Tennessee Vols head coach has done since Phillip Fulmer: begin his sixth season as the head coach on Rocky Top.

Heupel is Tennessee’s fifth head coach since Fulmer was pushed out after the 2008 season. Two of those coaches (Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley) failed to complete three seasons. Jeremy Pruitt was fired after his third season.

Butch Jones came the closest to a sixth season, getting fired near the end of his fifth season in 2017.

Heupel is clearly the best coach the Vols have had since Fulmer, and I don’t think his job is (or should be) in danger. But college football is a volatile sport. A coach who looks safe can land on the hot seat simply because of a random three-game losing streak or a tough stretch (just ask James Franklin).

So even coaches who are doing a good job have to look over their shoulder at all times.

With that in mind, CBS Sports recently revealed their “hot seat ratings” for all 138 FBS head coaches this week.

They have Heupel’s hot seat rating at 2.3, which is in the “all good for now” range.

A year ago, Heupel’s rating was 1.1, which was the “safe and secure” range.

For comparison’s sake, Jones, who is now the head coach at Arkansas State, has a 2.4 rating, which puts him in the same range as Heupel.

As long as the wheels don’t fall off for Heupel in 2026 — 5-7 or worse — I think he’ll be just fine. And even at 5-7, I wouldn’t be quick to write off Heupel (especially if he has a true freshman quarterback, or if there are a bunch of close losses to good teams).

College football is as wild as ever, so you never know how things will play out, but I don’t think Heupel’s in any danger. For now, at least.