Vols legend Peyton Manning gives his thoughts on Josh Heupel's offense and Hendon Hooker
Tennessee Vols legend Peyton Manning recently appeared on "The Nation" with VolQuest's Austin Price and ESPN's Chris Low to discuss a variety of topics. One of the topics that came up, of course, was the current Tennessee football team. Manning made it clear to Price and Low that he thinks Josh Heupel is the right […]
Tennessee Vols legend Peyton Manning recently appeared on "The Nation" with VolQuest's Austin Price and ESPN's Chris Low to discuss a variety of topics.
One of the topics that came up, of course, was the current Tennessee football team.
Manning made it clear to Price and Low that he thinks Josh Heupel is the right man for the Vols. The former Tennessee quarterback and NFL MVP said he specifically likes Heupel's offense.
"It's fast, it's up-tempo, it's exciting to watch," said Manning. "I know what kind of pressure that puts on a defense. And when you take advantage of having a defense on its heels…it's fun to watch."
"I love Coach Heupel's enthusiasm," added Manning. "He's high energy. I'm a big Hendon Hooker fan. He came down to our passing academy. He's got really good natural leadership skills. I'm looking forward to seeing him have a big year."
I imagine a lot of folks would've expected Manning to not be a fan of Tennessee's offense. After all, Manning typically ran much more complex offenses during his nearly two decades in the NFL.
But while those offenses were more complex, there were similarities, too.
Peyton ran a lot of no-huddle in the NFL. He called out plays at the line of scrimmage while players were getting set, which often put the defense in conflict. It was similar to what Heupel does with his up-tempo approach.
Ultimately, Peyton is going to support whoever is leading the program. He was complimentary of Derek Dooley, Butch Jones, and Jeremy Pruitt. It's not a surprise that he's also supporting Heupel.
But really, what else should he do? Peyton obviously has a deep love for the Vols. And his support means a lot to the program. I'm sure he's just as frustrated as the rest of the Tennessee fan base that the program hasn't won more over the last 15 years.
Peyton, however, is powerless to help the Vols win more games — just like the fan base. All he can do is sit and watch like everyone else.
So while his support of Heupel and Hooker doesn't mean much in terms of wins or losses, it should still be nice for Tennessee fans to see one of its most famous former players publicly praising Heupel.
Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
