Josh Heupel might have accidentally given a hint about Tennessee's new offensive coordinator
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel hasn't hired an offensive coordinator yet to replace Alex Golesh (who left to become the new head coach at USF), but he might have given a big hint on Thursday about his plans to fill the opening. Heupel was asked about hiring an offensive coordinator and the timing of […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel hasn't hired an offensive coordinator yet to replace Alex Golesh (who left to become the new head coach at USF), but he might have given a big hint on Thursday about his plans to fill the opening.
Heupel was asked about hiring an offensive coordinator and the timing of when it might happen. The Tennessee head coach suggested that the hire will happen on the "back end of bowl season" before referencing the need to hire a tight ends coach.
"We'll do all of that, handle all of that on the back end of the bowl season," said Heupel. "Just everything that's going on inside of college football after the regular season finishes, we'll handle all that at the tight end position here on the back end of this bowl game.”
It certainly sounded like Heupel just wants to hire a tight ends coach, which has been the assumption all along.
If this was indeed a hint from Heupel, it's not like it's breaking news. But it does confirm two things essentially:
- It's going to be an internal candidate that is named offensive coordinator.
- Heupel views the entire playcalling process as a collaboration, which is a unique setup in college football.
The second point is actually more interesting to me. It's becoming increasingly clear that Heupel's offense isn't dependent on one person calling plays. It truly is a collaboration between several coaches, which was seemingly confirmed this week via comments from Heupel and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle.
"Like for us as a staff, we go through that process every single week," said Heupel when asked about calling plays without Golesh in the booth. "We go through it on game day. The fact that Joey and I have been together for 15 plus years, (offensive line coach) Glen (Elarbee) and I have been together I think for seven years, the communication on game day is seamless, and I'm excited for this one.”
Heupel's comments on Thursday echoed what Halzle said on Wednesday.
"It's always going to be communal up there," explained Halzle. "I'm (Coach Heupel's) eyes up top, he's down on the field. As a whole staff, we'll get to the right calls together."
Halzle is the leading internal candidate to replace Golesh. I also wouldn't rule out someone joining him as a co-offensive coordinator. That could be whoever is hired as Tennessee's new tight ends coach or it could be Elarbee, who has been with Heupel since 2016 at Missouri.
Regardless of who is hired one thing is certain — this is Heupel's offense and the Vols will continue to be aggressive and high-powered.
Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
