Vols senior explains tough conversations he sometimes has to have with Josh Heupel
One of the positives about Tennessee Vols football under Josh Heupel that doesn't get discussed a lot is the fact that UT's players, for the most part, have stayed out of off-the-field trouble. There have been a few isolated incidents under Heupel — it's impossible to completely eliminate college kids from finding trouble here and […]
One of the positives about Tennessee Vols football under Josh Heupel that doesn't get discussed a lot is the fact that UT's players, for the most part, have stayed out of off-the-field trouble.
There have been a few isolated incidents under Heupel — it's impossible to completely eliminate college kids from finding trouble here and there — but Tennessee has mostly avoided negative headlines over the last two years.
It's not happenstance that Tennessee's players have avoided off-the-field trouble. Heupel and his staff make it a point to recruit players that fit the culture they've created.
"I would say that I think Heupel and his staff do a really good job of finding guys that are that are like minded to their way of thinking," explained senior offensive lineman Cooper Mays during a recent appearance on Off the Hook Sports. "And I think they recruit good human beings. And I think that's a really huge part of their recruiting process and making sure that they line up with the values that we hold as a team."
Tennessee's players are actually involved in that recruiting process and determining whether or not a recruit fits the Vols' culture.
And that process sometimes leads to some tough/honest conversations with Heupel according to redshirt senior tight end Jacob Warren.
"We're constantly trying to avoid and trying to break that stereotype of us getting in trouble and doing things we're not supposed to be doing and all that stuff," explained Warren recently on Off the Hook Sports.
"We are trying to recruit and trying to get a certain type of person," continued Warren. "I think that every time that you know, at least every time I've hosted a recruit, you're going to have that honest conversation with the coach of like, 'Hey, this guy does not fit in our culture. He's going to be a problem. He is going to cause issues'".
"Obviously we're recruiting the best players we can, but you take a guy that you know will give his all and will truly try as hard as he can and cares about his teammates and doesn't get in trouble and shows up on time to everything. You take that guy 10 times out of 10 over a guy that has all the things that you want on the field. You know, most athletic guy, can jump, run, catch, all that stuff, but just can't fit in with any of the guys and doesn't do what the program's asking them to do. You know, you kind of have to give and take there."
"So yeah, there has to be times where, you know, I'm not gonna bash the kid but I would be like, 'Hey, I just don't think that he fits in. I don't think he would get along well'…So yeah, there's times you have to be honest, but not not many times has there been where I have to be like, 'Yo, stay away from that kid', that's usually not what happens," added Warren, who noted that Heupel will often ask players about a recruit's demeanor during a visit.
Heupel's decision to recruit to Tennessee's culture instead of trying to land every top recruit or top player in the NCAA transfer portal is the main reason why the Vols haven't had some of the off the field trouble that other SEC programs have had. It might make winning a national championship a bit more difficult, but it's kept Tennessee's football program from being in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
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Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
